History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c14.35

v1.c14.35

Mahomed Kasim now turned his attention towards Alor and Multan, the northern chief cities of Sind. He first came to a town called Musthal with a beautiful lake in its vicinity. The inhabitants were all Samānis and Buddhists and these submitted as also the Jats of the surrounding country. They were pardoned and subjected to tribute. Then he came to the country "where the Sammahs lived. They came forward dancing to the music of drums and pipes and said that was their way of receiving a king. He then came to the country of the Sahtas. These came out bareheaded and bare-footed and implored pardon. They were taken under subjection and tribute imposed on them. Taking guides from this place he came befor Alor "the biggest town in the whole of Sind." Tofi son of Dāhar was there. He still believed that Dāhar was alive and had gone to Hind to bring an army, (a belief like that which prevailed after the battle of Panipat about Sadashivrao Bhau.) The place was invested and the warriors fought valiantly. But Dāhar did not come with any reliefs. As usual the merchants and artizans were not fighters and dreaded being massacred. They sent word to Kasim imploring pardon. Tofi finding the temper of the people changed, sought safety in escape and joined his brother Jaisiah at Chitor. The city fell into the hands of Kasim who spared the merchants and the artizans for Ladi’s sake and even the fighters who submitted, slaughtering only those who opposed the Arabs. Hajjaj blamed him for leniency and declared that all fighting people or races should be killed; a practice which was certainly safe for a conqueror but which the great Kasim did not always follow upto this time. He, however, observed it more truly in his conquest of Multan towards which he now turned and which offered him more stubborn resistance.