Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarat c19.s2.t1.87

c19.s2.t1.87

Sanja'n. Sanja'n (SINDÁN). The two Sanjáns, one in Kachh the other in Thána, complicate the references to Sindán. Sindán in Kachh was one of the earliest gains of Islám in India. Al Biláduri⁷ (A.D. 892) speaks of Fazl, the son of Máhán, in the reign of the greatest of the Abbási Khalifáhs Al-Mámún (A.D. 813-833), taking Sindán and sending Al Mámún the rare present of "an elephant and the longest and largest saj or turlan or teak spar ever seen." Fazl built an assembly mosque that was spared by the Hindus on their recapture of the town. Ibn Khurdādbah (A.D. 912) includes this Kachh Sindán with Broach and other places in Gujarát among the cities of Sindh. In his itinerary starting from Bakkar, he places Sindán seventy-two miles⁸ (18 farsakhs) from Kol. Al Masúdi (A.D. 915-944) states that Indian emeralds from (the Kachh) Sindán and the neighbourhood of Kambáyat (Cambay) approached those of the first water in the intensity of their green and in brilliance. As they found a market in Makkah they were called Makkan emeralds.⁹ Al Istakhri (A.D. 951) under cities of Hind places the Konkan Sindán five days from Surabára (Surabára or Surat) and as many from Salmár¹⁰