History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c33.s5.3

v3.c33.s5.3

We may mention that there is a reference to Somnath in the Bostan of Sadi and he relates a queer story which is probably a concoction of his own. Sadi in his extensive travels came to Somnath and saw there an ivory idol surmounted with precious jewels beautifully arranged, seated on a golden chair set on a throne of teakwood. The Bhahmin pujari had a contrivance by which the idol would raise its hand. Sadi discovered the contrivance by accident when the Brahmin fled pursued by the deceived indignant Sadi who even killed him. Sadi fearing vengeance of the Brahmins fled the country. This story is clearly an invention, for Sadi would not have been allowed even to approach the idol, much less to go behind it. Moreover it is not probably allowed that idols should be made of ivory. To the historian, however this reference by Sadi to Somnath is remarkable as it makes no mention of Mahmud's invasion of Somnath and the breaking of the famous idol of Siva there. One would naturally expect some allusion to that event. This omission strengthens the doubt which is entertained sometimes about the truth of Mahmud's expedition to Somnath. Sadi who was born in 1175 A. D. must have visited India when about 40 years old i. e. about 1215, and he wrote his Bostan when 80 years of age i. e. about 1255 A. D. Delhi was already on both dates under the Mahomedans, though Gujarat was not. And the first writer to describe the expedition to Somnath is Ibn Asir who wrote about 1270 A. D. at the earliest. But after all, omission to mention a fact unless that mention is unavoidable or imperatively necessary is doubtful evidence and we cannot rely upon it and hold that Mahmud's expedition to Somanath is imaginary.