Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c9.25

c9.25

"The towns of India (as separate from Sind) are very numerous" says Idrisi. Kambaya is well known as a naval station; Subara is a populous, busy town; Sindan is populous and large and has an extensive commerce both in exports and imports. Broach and Asawal (old name for Ahmedabad) are well populated. The list of Al Idrisi is long¹⁴ and includes remarks about as far-off regions as Malwa and Banaras. He even talks of Kanauj as a strong and prosperous kingdom,¹⁵ which indicates its rehabilitation after the devastating attack of Mahmud.¹⁶ Some sort of recovery is also discernible in the rebuilding of a few temples destroyed by Mahmud and construction of new ones by Indian rulers.¹⁷