Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c9.20

c9.20

Al Idrisi wrote a little more than a hundred years after Alberuni about the middle of the twelfth century, mainly about Sind and the West Coast. He gives an impression of demographic recovery. He calls Debul a "populous place, (and) ..Ships laden with the productions of Uman, and the vessels of China and India come to Debul."¹⁰ "Mansura occupies a space of a mile square, (but it) is great, populous, rich, and commercial...The bazars are filled with people, and well stocked with goods."¹¹ The Meds, living between Hind and Sind "are numerous"¹² Alor "is a pleasant place, and worthy of comparison with Multan as regards size"... Kalari...is a pretty town, well fortified, and is a busy trading place. "Sharusan (Sadusan) is remarkable for its size...It is much resorted to...Firabuz is a town of which the inhabitants are rich...Kirusi is nearly as large as Multan...Armail is nearly as large as Firabuz. It is well peopled...The inhabitants are rich...Darak is a populous trading town...Fardan is a commercial town the environs of which are well populated." Similar are the notices about Multan, Jandur (Jand-rud), and Sandur. "Masurjan is a well peopled commercial town."¹³