Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarat c19.s3: Capitals
Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarát c19.s3
- Language
- English
Contents
- c19.s3.t1 Thána — 4 parts
- c19.s3.t2 Vala or Valabhi — 36 parts
Capitals
Thána
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sending a successful expedition against Thána. Al Masúdi (A.D. 943) refers to Thána on the shore of the Lárwi sea or Indian Ocean, as one of the coast towns in which the Lárwi language is spoken.¹ Al Birúni (A.D. 970-1031) gives² the distance from Mahrat Desh (the Maratha country) to the Konkan "with its capital Tána on the sea-shore" as 100 miles (25 farsakhs) and locates the Lár Desh (south Gujarat) capitals of Báhrúj and Bahanjur (Broach and Ránder) to the east of Thána. He places Thána with Somnáth Konkan and Kambáya in Gujarat and notices that from Thána the Lár country begins. Al Idrisi (end of the eleventh century) describes Thána as a pretty town upon a great gulf where vessels anchor and from where they set sail. He gives the distance from Sindábur (or Goa) to Thána as four days' sail. From the neighbourhood of Thána he says the kana or bamboo and the tabáshir or bamboo pith are transported to the east and west.³
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¹ Barbier DeMeynard's Text of Masúdi's Prairies D'Or, I. 330 and 381.
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² Sachau's Arabic Text of Al Birúni, chapters 18, 99, 102 and Elliot's History of India, I. 60-61, 66-67.
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³ Al Idrisi in Elliot, I. 89.
Vala or Valabhi
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Bara'da (PORBANDAR).—Of the Arab attacks on the great sea-port Vala or Valabhi, twenty miles west of Bhávnagar, during the eighth and ninth centuries details are given above pages 94-96. The manner of writing the name of the city attacked leaves it doubtful whether Balabha that is Valabhi or Baráda near Porbandar is meant. But the importance of the town destroyed and the agreement in dates with other accounts leaves little doubt that the reference is to Valabhi.⁴
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⁴ Al Idrisi says the real tabáshir is extracted from the root of the reed called sharki. Sarki is Gujarati for reed. It is generally applied to the reeds growing on river banks used by the poor for thatching their cottages. Tabáshir is a drug obtained from the pith of the bamboo and prescribed by Indian physicians as a cooling drink good for fever.
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In the fourth year of his reign about A.D. 758 the Khalifah Ja'far-al-Mansúr (A.D. 754-775) the second ruler of the house of Abbás appointed Hishám governor of Sindh. Hishám despatched a fleet to the coast of Barádah, which may generally be read Balabha, under the command of Amru bin Jamál Taghlabi. Tabari (A.D. 838-922) and Ibni Asir (A.D. 1160-1232)⁵ state that another expedition was sent to this coast in A.H. 160 (A.D. 776) in which though the Arabs succeeded in taking the town, disease thinned the ranks of the party stationed to garrison the port, a thousand of them died, and the remaining troops while returning to their country were shipwrecked on the coast of Persia. This he adds deterred
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⁵ The name Barádah برادة in Arabic orthography bears a close resemblance to بلبه Barábah, برابه Balabhah, all three being the forms or nearly the forms in which the word ولبي Walabah or ولبي Walabhi would be written by an Arab, supposing the diacritical points to be, as they often are, omitted. Besides as Barádah the word has been read and miswritten ندرند Ndrand or Rárand and براد Barad or Barid, in the shikastah or broken hand ندرند Ndrand or براد Barad would closely resemble برابه Barlabah or Baradah. Al Bilázuri in Elliot's History of India I. 127, writes the word Ndrand or Barand. Sir Henry Elliot (History, I. 444) reads the word Barada and would identify the place with the Barda hills inland from Porbandar in south-west Kathiáwád. The objection to this is that the word used by the Arab writers is the name of a town as well as of a coast tract, while the name of Barda is applied solely to a range of hills. On the other hand Balabha the coast and town meets all requirements. Reign of A.D. 754-775.
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⁶ Sir Henry Elliot's History of India, II. 246 and Frag. Arabes 3, 120, 212; Weil's Geschichte der Chalifen, II. 115.
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Al Mahdi¹ (A.D. 775-785) the succeeding Khalifah from extending the eastern limits of his empire. Besides against Balaba the Sindhi Arabs sent a fleet against Kandhár apparently, though somewhat doubtfully,² the town of that name to the north of Broach where they destroyed a temple or budd and built a mosque. Al Birúni³ (A.D. 1030) writing of the Valabhi era describes the city of Balabah as nearly thirty jaushans (yojanas) that is ninety miles to the south of Anhilvára. In another passage he describes how the Bánia Ránka sued for and obtained the aid of an Arab fleet from the Arab lord of Mansúrah (built A.D. 750) for the destruction of Balaba. A land grant by a Valabhi chief remains as late as A.D. 766. For this reason and as the invaders of that expedition fled panic-struck by sickness Valabhi seems to have continued as a place of consequence if the expedition of A.D. 830 against Bala king of the east refers to the final attack on Valabhi an identification which is supported by a Jain authority which places the final overthrow of Valabhi at 888 Samvat that is A.D. 830.⁴
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¹ Sir Henry Elliot's History of India, I. 444.
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² Sir Henry Elliot (History of India, I. 445) identifies Kandhár with Kandadár in north-west Káthiawád.
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³ Sachau's Original Text, 205.
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⁴ Sachau's Original Text, 17-24.
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Of the rulers of Gujarát between A.D. 850 and A.D. 1250 the only dynasty which impressed the Arabs was the Balháras of Málkhet or Mányakheta (A.D. 630-972) sixty miles south-east of Sholápúr. From about A.D. 736 to about A.D. 978, at first through a more or less independent local branch and afterwards (A.D. 914) direct the Ráshtrakútas continued overlords of most of Gujarát. The Arabs knew the Ráshtrakútas by their title Vallabha or Beloved in the case of Govind III. (A.D. 803-814), Prithvivallabha Beloved by the Earth, and of his successor the long beloved Amoghavarsha Vallabhaskanda, the Beloved of Siva. Al Masúdi (A.D. 915-944) said: Bálárái is a name which he who follows takes. So entirely did the Arabs believe in the overlordship of the Ráshtrakútas in Gujarát that Al Idrisi (A.D. 1100, but probably quoting Al Jauhari A.D. 950) describes Nehrwalla as the capital of the Balháras. Until Dr. Bhándárkar discovered its origin in Vallabha, the ease with which meanings could be tortured out of the word and in Gujarát its apparent connection with the Valabhi kings (A.D. 509-770) made the word Balarái a cause of matchless confusion.
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The merchant Sulaimán (A.D. 851) ranks the Balhára, the lord of Mánkír, as the fourth of the great rulers of the world. Every prince in India even in his own land paid him homage. He was the owner of many elephants and of great wealth. He refrained from wine and paid his troops and servants regularly. Their favour to Arabs was famous. Abu Zaid⁵ (A.D. 913) says that though the Indian kings acknowledge the supremacy of no one, yet the Balháras or Ráshtrakútas by virtue of the title Balhára are kings of kings. Ibni Khurdádbah (A.D. 912) describes the Balháras as the greatest of Indian kings being as the name imports the king of kings. Al Masúdi (A.D. 918) described Balbára as a dynastic name which he who followed took. Though he introduces two other potentates the king of Jurz and the Baüra or Parmár king of Kanauj fighting with each other and with the Balhára he makes the Balhára, the lord of the Mánkír or the great centre, the greatest king of India¹ to whom the kings of India bow in their prayers and whose emissaries they honour. He notices that the Balhára favours and honours Musalmáns and allows them to have mosques and assembly mosques. When Al Masúdi was in Cambay the town was ruled by Bánia, the deputy of the Balhára. Al Istakhri (A.D. 951) describes the land from Kambáyah to Saimúr (Chaul) as the land of the Balhára of Máukir. In the Konkan were many Musalmáns over whom the Balhára appointed no one but a Musalmán to rule. Ibni Haukal (A.D. 970) describes the Balhára as holding sway over a land in which are several Indian kings.² Al Idrisi (A.D. 1100 but quoting Al Jauhári A.D. 950) agrees with Ibn Khurdádbah that Balhára is a title meaning King of Kings. He says the title is hereditary in this country, where when a king ascends the throne he takes the name of his predecessor and transmits it to his heirs.³
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⁵ Details Above in Dr. Bhagvanlál's History, 96 note 3,
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⁶ Elliot's History of India, I. 7.
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¹ Elliot's History of India, I, 22, 24, 25.
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² Elliot's History of India, I, 31.
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³ Elliot's History of India, I, 26.
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That the Arabs found the Káshtrakútas kind and liberal rulers there is ample evidence. In their territories property was secure,⁴ theft or robbery was unknown, commerce was encouraged, foreigners were treated with consideration and respect. The Arabs especially were honoured not only with a marked and delicate regard, but magistrates from among themselves were appointed to adjudicate their disputes according to the Musalmán law.
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⁴ Al Masúdi Les Prairies D'Or, II, chapter 18 page 85.
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The ruler next in importance to the Balhára was the Júz that is the Gurjjara king. It is remarkable, though natural, that the Arabs should preserve the true name of the rulers of Anhilyádá which the three tribe or dynastic names Chápa or Chávra (A.D. 720-956), Solanki or Cáulukya (A.D. 961-1242), and Vághela (A.D. 1249-1290) should so long have concealed. Sulaimán (A.D. 851) notices that the Jurz king hated Musalmáns while the Balhára loved Musalmáns. He may not have known what excellent reasons the Gurjjaras had for hating the Arab raiders from sea and from Sindh. Nor would it strike him that the main reason why the Balhára fostered the Moslem was the hope of Arab help in his struggles with the Gurjjaras.
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According to the merchant Sulaimán⁵ (A.D. 851) the kingdom next after the Balhára was that of Jurz the Gurjjara king whose territories "consisted of a tongue of land." The king of Jurz maintained a large force: his cavalry was the best in India. He was unfriendly to the Arabs. His territories were very rich and abounded in horses and camels. In his realms exchanges were carried on in silver and gold dust of which metals mines were said to be worked.
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⁵ Giving an account of the diviners and jugglers of India Abu Zaid says: These observations are especially applicable to Kanauj, a large country forming the umpire of Jurz. Abu Zaid in Elliot's History of India, I, 10. References given in the History of Bhinmál show that the Gurjjara power spread not only to Kanauj but to Bengal.
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The king of Jurz was at war with the Balháras as well as with the neighbouring kingdom of Táfak or the Panjáb. The details given under Bhinmál page 468 show that Sulaimán's tongue of land, by which he apparently meant either Káthiávád or Gujarát was an imperfect idea of the extent of Gurjjara rule. At the beginning of the tenth century A.D. 916 Sulaimán's editor Abu Zaid describes Kanauj as a large country forming the empire of Jurz,¹ a description which the Gurjjara Vatsarāja's success in Bengal about a century before shows not to be impossible. Ibni Khurdādbah (A.D. 912) ranks the king of Jurz as fourth in importance among Indian kings. According to him "the Tātariya" dirhams were in use in the Jurz kingdom.² Al Masūdi (A.D. 943) speaks of the Konkan country of the Balhāra as on one side exposed to the attacks of the king of Jurz a monarch rich in men horses and camels. He speaks of the Jurz kingdom bordering on Tāfān apparently the Panjāb and Tāfān as bounded by Rahmi³ apparently Burma and Sumātra. Ibni Haukal (A.D. 968-976) notices that several kingdoms existed, including the domain of the Balhāras of the north Konkan within the land of the Balhāra between Kambāyah and Saimūr.⁴ Al Bīrūni (A.D. 970-1031) uses not Jurz, but Gajārāt.⁵ Beyond that is to the south of Gajārāt he places Konkan and Tāna. In Al Bīrūni's time Nārāyan near Jaipūr, the former capital of Gajārāt, had been taken and the inhabitants removed to a town on the frontier.⁶ Al Idrisi (end of the eleventh century really from tenth century materials) ranks the king of Jurz as the fourth and the king of Sāfān or Tāfān as the second in greatness to the Balhāra.⁷ In another passage in a list of titular sovereigns Al Idrisi enters the names of Sāfir (Tāfān) Huzr (Jazr-Jurz) and Dumi (Rahmi).⁸ By the side of Jurz was Tāfak (doubtfully the Panjāb) a small state producing the whitest and most beautiful women in India; the king having few soldiers; living at peace with his neighbours and like the Balhāras highly esteeming the Arabs.⁹ Ibni Khurdādbah (A.D. 912) calls Tāfan the king next in eminence to the Balhāra. Al Masūdi (A.D. 943) calls Tāfak the ruler of a mountainous country like Kashmir¹⁰ with small forces living on friendly terms with neighbouring sovereigns and well disposed to the Moslims.¹¹ Al Idrisi (end of eleventh century but materials of the tenth century) notices Sāfān (Tāfān) as the principality that ranks next to the Konkan that is to the Rāshtrakūtas.
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¹ Ibni Khurdādbah in Elliot's History of India, I, 13.
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² Al Masūdi in Elliot (History of India), I, 25.
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³ Ibni Haukal in Elliot (History of India), I, 34.
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⁴ Al Bīrūni in Elliot (History of India), I, 67.
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⁵ Al Bīrūni in Elliot (History of India), I, 59.
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⁶ Al Idrisi in Elliot (History of India), I, 76.
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⁷ Al Idrisi in Elliot (History of India), I, 86.
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⁸ The merchant Sulaimān (851 A.D.) in Elliot's History of India, I, 5.
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⁹ Ibni Khurdādbah in Elliot (History of India), I, 13.
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¹⁰ Al Masūdi in Elliot (History of India), I, 23.
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¹¹ Al Masūdi in Elliot (History of India), I, 25.
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Rahma or Ruhmi, according to the merchant Sulaimān (A.D. 851) borders the land of the Balhāras, the Jurz, and Tāfān. The king who was not much respected was at war with both the Jurz and the Balhāra. He had the most numerous army in India and a following of 50,000 elephants when he took the field. Sulaimān notices a cotton fabric made in Rahma, so delicate that a dress of it could pass through a signet-ring. The medium of exchange was cowries Cypræa moneta shell money. The country produced gold silver and aloes and the whisk of the ed'mara or yāk Bos poephagus the bushy-tailed ox. Ibni Khurdādbah¹² (A.D. 912) places Rahmi as the sixth kingdom. He apparently identified it with Al Rahmi or north Sumātra as he notes that between it and the other kingdoms communication is kept up by ships. He notices that the ruler had five thousand elephants and that cotton cloth and aloes probably the well-known Kumāri
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¹² Ibni Khurdādbah in Elliot (History of India), I, 14.