The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c28.23

c28.23

In social status Bharvad or *gadaria* (as he is called in Uttar Pradesh) is on par with ‘Ahir’, ‘Kurmi’ and ‘Lodha’, and is very hardy and brave. On account of these qualities Bharvads were employed by nobles and kings as attendants, gatekeepers, personal servants and troops. Nizam-ud-din Ahmad is right when he says that Bharvads were employed as household servants and were found in plenty in Gujarat.²¹ Yahiya is equally right in describing Khusrav a *pāsbān* or gatekeeper,²² and Farishta in designating him as one of the *pahalwāns* or wrestlers of Gujarat.²³ It is thus certain that Nasir-ud-din Khusrav Shah belonged originally to the shepherd or Bharvad caste of Gujarat.