History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c23: Appendix B. Did Malik Kāfūr Raid Rameshvaram?
History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c23
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Appendix B. Did Malik Kāfūr Raid Rameshvaram?
c23.2
According to Amīr Khusrau Kāfūr raided the temple of Barmatpurī. This has been identified by Prof. Aiyangar with chidambaram, firstly because chidambaram has a golden ceiling and secondly because it is known as Brahmapuri. Prof. Aiyangar, however, also says that it can be identified with Rameshvaram since Amīr Khusrau in *Deval Rānī* (speaking about this particular campaign) says that the army proceeded towards M'abar and "to the shores of the sea of Lanka, against the ruler whom he called Pandya Guru."¹ My reading of the text of *Deval Rānī* confirms the first assumption of Prof. Aiyangar; firstly because the place raided is called Marhatpuri by Khusrau and secondly because there was no king by the name of Pandya Guru. Moreover, Khusrau talks of the army having marched on the banks of many rivers لب دریا سواحل بر سواحل but never to have actually crossed the sea. The text of *Deval Rānī* (p. 72) reads:—
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¹ Introduction to Habīb's Trans. of *Khazāinul Futūh* p. xxxiii.
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برادو وصف هند وبست سرباز – که هم سرباز باشد هم سر انداز –
لب دریا سواحل بر سواحل – بجوش آمد ده و شهر و مراحل
در آن حد نیز رای بود والا – تباج هندوان او لوئے لالا
بر آب و خاک فرمان تمامش – برهمن بیر پندیا کرده نامش
بسے شهرش بخشکی و تری هم – پتن خوش کرده و سرهت پوری هم
پتن را ساخته منزل گهه خویش – بت و بتخانه در مرهت پوری بیش
c23.5
Now, what is مرهت پوری ? A footnote in the Aligarh text of *Deval Rānī* (p. 72) says that the Aligarh University Ms. has برمت بوری. The Allahabad University Ms. also has برمت پری (fol. 77b). Thus Marhatpuri is nothing but Barmatpuri or Bramhastpuri, which was another name of Chidambaram. Thus, so far as Khusrau is concerned, he does not make mention of any raid on Rameshvaram. We know, however, that Kāfūr made dashing raids in search of Vīra Pāndya. A glance at the map will show that from Srirangam, a place which Kāfūr raided, river Kaveri and one or two tributaries flow towards Chidambaram where they fall into the sea. Naturally when Kāfūr marched from Srirangam he marched on river banks لب دریا to reach Chidambaram which lies very near the sea if not on the sea coast itself. On the sea coast also lie Patans like Kaveripattanam and Negapatan referred to by Khusrau. Thus so far as Khusrau's version in *Khazain* and *Deval Ranī* is concerned there is not the slightest mention of a raid on Rameshvaram.
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Ferishtah, writing in the 17th century, however, makes a very significant statement. He says that a "Masjid-i-'Alāī" existed in Rameshvaram when he was writing his book.²
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² Ferishtah pp. 119-20.
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تا این خامه عنبرین شمامه در تحریر این و قائع ست آن
مسجد در نواحی سیت بند را میسر موجودست و مسجد علائی
مشهورست –
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Ferishtah's statement clearly shows that the mosque built by Kāfūr after the destruction of the temple was situated at some place near (درنواحی) Rameshvaram. Khusrau and Barani do not mention construction of any mosque at Rameshvaram in the time of 'Alāūddīn. Khusrau's description of the sack of the temple at Marhatpuri shows that the temple was demantled and dug up from its very foundation. Now, the well-known temple of Rameshvaram still exists in all its architectural splendour, the beauty and dimensions of which are given in the *Imperial Gazeteer*.³
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³ Index Volume pp. 818-19.
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Not only Ferishtah but Hājīuddabīr also has to say something interesting about this raid. He says that from Dwarsamudra Kāfūr marched to Sarandīp (Ceylon) and broke the Ling-i-Mahādeva there.⁴ These versions simply show that Kāfūr's raid to a Shivite temple in south India was considered a venture unique in its kind; and later historians, ignorant of the topography of the Deccan but anxious to say something about this military feat, fell into the temptation of identifying it with Rameshvaram and even with Ceylon. To sum up, the temple raided was Chidambaram and not Rameshvaram because:—
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⁴ *Zafarul Vāli* p. 156.
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1. No contemporary writer mentions the name of Rameshvaram. Khusrau talks of Marhatpuri which, as shown above, is another name for Chidambaram.
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2. Rameshvaram lies far from Madura which seems a limit of Kāfūr's penetration into the south and all the places mentioned by Khusrau to having been visited by Kāfūr lie near about it.
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3. Rameshvaram is an island. Amīr Khusrau, who gives the minutest details about this campaign, does not talk of crossing the sea on boats etc.
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4. Even Ferishtah who talks about 'Alāuddīn's Masjid locates it somewhere near Rameshvaram (در نواحی سیت بندرا میسر) but certainly not in the city itself. Again, the mosque to which Ferishtah refers may not have been actually built by 'Alāuddīn and may have been only named after him, or some other 'Alāuddīn.
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Moreover, some modern writers⁵ have expressed doubt about Kāfūr's penetration even as far as Madura, not to speak of Rameshvaram. They base their arguments on the evidence of *Koyiloluhu*, according to which Muhammadans penetrated as far south as Madura not before 1324. On the basis of above arguments I venture to suggest that Malik Kāfūr did not raid the renowned temple of Rameshvaram.
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⁵ *Ind. Ant.* 1911 pp. 131-44.
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⁶ *Ind. Ant.* 1914 pp. 1-17.