Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarat c19.s2.t1.93

c19.s2.t1.93

(Chewal). Ibni Haukal (A.D. 968) mentions (the Kachh) Sindán among the cities of Hind, which have a large Musalmán population and a Jámá Masjid¹ or assembly mosque. Al Bírúni (A.D. 970-1031)² in his itinerary from Debal in Sindh places the Kokan 200 miles (50 farsakhs) from that port and between Broach and Supára. At the end of the eleventh century probably the Kachh Sindán was a large commercial town rich both in exports and imports with an intelligent and warlike, industrious, and rich population. Al Idrisi gives the situation of the Konkan Sindán as a mile and a half from the sea and five days from Saimúr (Cheval).³ Apparently Abul Fida⁴ (A.D. 1324) confused Sindán with Sindábúr or Goa which Ibni Batúta (A.D. 1340) rightly describes as an island.⁵