Later Mughals v1.c6.s17.22

v1.c6.s17.22

The same doubt surrounds the place and time of Govind Singh's death. The Sikhs assign it to Nader, on the Godavari, where they have a shrine called Achalnagar, or the Immovable City.† I think that this tradition must be accepted as historically correct, and the time of death must be taken as November 1708.‡ Bahadur Shah was then on his march from Burhanpur to Haidarabad, as already related, and the Guru was in his train. The tradition says that Govind Singh's death happened on the fifth day of some lunar month.§ Now, in the *Bahadur-Shah-nama*, on the 5th Ramzan, 1120 (17th November 1708) we find that a report was made to the Emperor "as to the disposal of the movable property left by Guru Govind Nanak.$ It was of considerable value, and according to rule ought to be confiscated. The Emperor, with the remark that he was not in want of the goods of a *darvesh*, ordered the whole to be relinquished to the heirs." The death might have just occurred; at any rate, it must have happened quite recently. Unfortunately, Danishmand Khan, in his contempt for all narrative, tells us nothing of the mode of death. One Ajit (or Ajib) Singh, who passed as the Guru's son, was brought to the Emperor, was invested with a robe of honour, and taken into the imperial service.**