The Foundation of Muslim Rule in India: A History of the Establishment and Progress of the Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, 1206–1290 A.D. c7.34

c7.34

¹ Ishwariprasad: Medieval India, p. 117, states that Sirhind, in Patiala, 100 miles N.W. of Karnal, was the first place captured. He relies on the printed text of Minhaj, p. 118, which has Sirhindah, and in this, is supported by later histories like the Mirat-i-Jahan Numa, f. 50a, and Zubdatut-twarikh, f. 7b. Ferishta and TA however, have Bhatindah; Tarikh I, p. 5 and 7; TA, I, p. 37, Raverty: op. cit. p. 457, note 3, however, informs us that in all the Mss. collated by him, it is written Tabarhindah, which is also found in TM, p. 7, Budaoni, I, p. 49, and Haji Dabir, II, p. 677. No such place is known to have ever existed. No one acquainted with the hurried style of writing Persian characters, can fail to see that a transposition of a few dots and a careless joining of letters are all that is required to make Bhatinda read Tabarhindah and even Sirhindah. Sirhind seems to be entirely improbable, for the shortest route from Lahore to Hindusthan lay through western Patiala in which Bhatinda is situated. No remains of any strong fort, such as that withstood Prithviraja's assaults for over a year, are found in Sirhind. See Cunningham: Reports, II, p. 205. On the otherhand, in Bhatinda, Garrick noticed a strong massive fort and also heard local legends respecting Muizzuddin's attack on the place. Cunningham: Reports, XXIII, p. 2-3. According to Raverty: op. cit. p. 458, note, the Lubbul-twarikh-i-Hind, states that "Tabarhindah is now known as Bhatinda". But Prasad asserts that "Sirhind was known as Bhatinda".