Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarat c19.s3.t2.6

c19.s3.t2.6

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