CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVII.
Sent on an Embassy to China — Embassy from China to the Emperor — Gold Mines on the mountain (f
Kora — Sets out on theEmbassy — Arrives atBiana — Kul — Warwith the Hindoos — Takenprisoner
— Brought back to Dehli — Returns to Yuh Bura — Menua — Gxualior — Barun — Account
Jogies — Witch burnt — Juggling of the Jogies — Arrives at Kajmara — Chanden — Description of
Gtoalior — Davdatabad — Nazar Abad — Mahrattas — Sugar — Kambaya — Goa — Bairam — Kuka —
Dankul — SindabuT — Hinaur — King of Hinaur not subject to the Emperor of Dehli — Malabar,
customs — Kings of Malabar — Lava of Succession — Account of the grovath of Pepper.
After this, the Emperor sending for me, I went to him in my tunic,
and he received me more graciously than ever. He said. It is my wish to
others are in holding the (divine) unity; it is in other respects that he is particular, and stands
alone. As to the next degree, it is said : ^ Ju>-y
c" Allo jfs AuiU-ii ^JJ-Ua.v
cZJjtdij jlji ji ljJ\ ]/l Ajb AjiA
AjIa j , &c. It receives its proof from inward assurance, which is called the
assurance of knowledge ; and it is said, that the candidate knows from the beginning of his entering
Suflism assuredly, that there is no real being or agent except the Lord of the world : that all
essences, attributes, and works, are nothing with him (or end with him) ; that every existence is
but a ray of light from him, and every attribute an emanation of those which in him are absolute ;
so that wherever he finds knowledge, power, will, the faculties of hearing or of sight, he recog-
nizes the vestiges of that assurance, power, will, faculty, and the like, which centre in the divinity.
The third stage is thus described: cu)(i A*s-y Jls>-
^ AjO-^’ jf )!1 AA^
jf f. Jf jfy
jd iX^y-o A^^^ Aye] $ Xy£> tilj ^ jX.ii
i^yiL jOJ A>-|j l.^\jL>ay ^ AA^ A>-1^ tiysyy ^Aiiii«.v
A:.^ ^ \j j^ajA yy>~
. yyji Oj^y i—tydi jA j\fjAs ^AJ y\ ^f^^y “ The
oneness of state is that, by which an union of state must be a character of the person to be united
(with the Deity), and in this all the black characters of human existence, excepting the small
part still remainiqg {i, e. I suppose those to be abolished by still further approximations) are to
vanish and be lost in the rising of the light of the divine unity; and the light of the divine oneness
152
HINDUSTAN.
send you as ambassador to the Emperor of China, for I know you love
travelling in various countries. I consented ; and he sent dresses of honour,
horses, money, &c., with every thing necessary for the journey.
is to be enclosed and concealed in the light acquired by this his state, just as the light of the stars
is lost in the light of the sun : verse.
When the bright morn renews its fires,
Every twinkling star expires.
And, at this stage, the essence of the person thus united, witnessing the essential beauty of the
only one, becomes so overwhelmed in the very all in all, that nothing but his being and
attributes meet his perception, or call forth his testimony, (and this) to such a degree, that he
considers this oneness as an attribute of the only one, and not of self. This very perception
too he believes to be one of his attributes: and his existence, thus given up to the agitations of
the waves of the sea of unity, falls away, and becomes overwhelmed in the all in all.
The last stage is thus described. J^T Jj^ cUlsX-' ^ U1
^
&c. “ As to the Divine Unity, it is that property by which the True
Object of worship has been characterized and described from all eternity, as contained within
himself and without union with any other, viz. ‘ God was, and with him did nothing exist.’ So
even now, by his eternal attributes, he is one and alone, or (in other words) even as he was,
so shall he for ever be.”
The following extract wilt shew what powers and privileges those are supposed to possess, who
arrive at the state of saintship here mentioned. ^\x> ijmSs ti
(Jb [)LJjy Ajbsyj
A Cl I . ^ ^ ^***^Vj ^ c.
t\L‘;*Uy Lj.* IcLc ^ \ji-3 ^* ***^^ b j ^ \
‘ ^ t t\3 j co tXiJ 1 ^ faN.*j b j c ^ , ^b b^l^w.
I, ^:^) xJAi jy^ j'
J. &) ibb'bl U'j id!) (ji^b) ^^b Uj)
] (Ai) Aj) Aj) Aii^ (3^"
AX-dfts- Abj) ib' Aid J^i^3 AA)bp- ^y}' Aij)^=>- jJ)aj)
i'Cc ... A:jbr^ bib
jJ)aj) biJjbbbiS c^bwi j\ ‘^^3
y L “ Is. ^A..j)a^ i^dj) C».a'A^ b^'****^ ^y^^'3 ^ JsA^^^A 1
i-lC yi (A>b,i» 1^) j\ (_5^ LtL5'*^^ ^~3^33 ^~\r y ^^3^
HINDUSTAN.
153
The Emperor of China had, at this time, sent presents to the Sultan,
consisting of a hundred Mamluks, fifty slave girls, five hundred dresses of
*E1 Kamanjah, five hundred maunds of musk, five dresses wrought with
jewels, five quivers wrought with ‘'gold, and five swords set with jewels. His
request with the Emperor was, that he should be permitted to rebuild an
. SA—) ^ l;; — Vj
“ On the different classes of the Avolia or Saints. The Lord who is the object of worship has, in the
revelation, made the proof of Mohammed’s mission permanent ; and to shew this have the saints
been constituted; and that tliis proof should be constantly apparent. These he has in the
Scripture appointed to be Lords of the World, so that they are set apart entirely for his service,
and for following up the requirements of the soul. It is to bless their tracks that the rains of
heaven descend, and to purify their state that the herbs of the earth spring up ; and it is from
their care, that the Moslems obtain victory over idolaters. Now these, which are invisible,
are four thousand; of each other they know nothing, nor are they aware of the dignity of their
own state. In every case, too, they are concealed from one another and from mortals. To this
effect have relations been given, and to the same have various saints spoken ; and for this, to the
praise of God, have sages instructed. But of those who have this power of loosing and binding,
and are officers of the court of the true God, there are three hundred whom they style Akhyar.
Forty others of them they call Abdal, seven others Abrar, four others Awtad, three others
Nokaba, and one whom they nameKoxB and Ghauth.... The author of the Fatuhati Mecca,
chap. 198, sect. 31, calls the seven-stated men Abdal, and goes on to shew, that the Almighty
has made the earth consisting of seven climates, and that seven of his choice servants he has
named Abdal ; and, further, that he takes care of these climates by one or other of these seven
persons. He has also stated, that he met them all in the temple at Mecca ; that he saluted
them, and they returned the salute ; and conversed with them, and that he never witnessed any
thing more excellent or more devoted to God’s service.” From what has here been said, I think there
cannot remain the least doubt, that the mysteries of Sufiism are those of Heathenism. These
matured saints agree so perfectly with the Daimones (Aa(^oi/s;) of the Greeks, the Boodhas of
the Boodhists, the inferior deities of the Hindoos, the angels of the ancient Persians and Chal-
deans, and the Powers &c.) of the ancient heretics, that it is scarcely possible, they
can have any other than a common origin. The same, perhaps, may be said of the Druzes on
Mount Libanus, who worship one of the Sultans of Egypt as their favourite Avatar. And gene-
rally, it is impossible to read the works of Irenaeus and Epiphanius on the heresies, with the ac-
counts given of Sufiism by the Arabs and Persians, without being convinced that Gnosticism
and Sufiism present one and the same thing, a mere continuation of the idolatry of Chaldee
and Egypt, wrapt up just as that was, in the scarcely intelligible jargon of a wretched philosophy ;
and I may perhaps here remark, that wherever a similar mysticism presents itself, we are to look
for its origin in the same source.
X
154
HINDUSTAN.
idol-temple in the country about the mountain of Kora, on which infidel
Hindoos resided, on the top of which and on the heights was a plain
of three months’ journey, and to which there was no approach. Here,
too, resided many infidel Hindoo kings. The extremities of these parts
extend to the confines of Thibet, where the musk gazelles are found.
There are also mines of gold on these mountains, and ® poisonous grass
growing, such, that when the rains fall upon it, and run in torrents to the
neighbouring rivers, no one dares in consequence drink of the water during
the time of their rising : and should any one do so, he dies immediately.
This idol-temple they usually called the •^Bur Khana. It stood at the foot
of the mountain, and was destroyed by the Mussulmans, when they became
masters of these parts. Nor were the inhabitants of the mountain in a con-
dition to fight the Mohammedans upon the plain. But the plain was neces-
sary to them for the purposes of agriculture ; they had, therefore, requested
the Emperor of China to send presents to the King of India, and to ask
this favour for them. Besides, to this temple the people of China also
made pilgrimages. It was situated in a place called "Samhal, The reply
of the Emperor was, that this could not be permitted among a people who
were Mohammedans ; nor could there exist any church whatsoever, in
countries subject to them, except only where tribute was paid ; but if they
chose to do this, their request would be complied with : for the place in
which this idol-temple was situated had been conquered, and had, in
consequence, become a district of the Mohammedans. The Emperor also
sent presents much more valuable than those he had received, which were
these following, namely : one hundred horses of the best breed saddled
and bridled ; one hundred Mamluks ; one hundred Hindoo singing slave-
girls; one hundred ^‘Bairami dresses,* the value of each of which was a
hundred dinars ; one hundred silken dresses ; five hundred saffron coloured
dresses ; one hundred pieces of the best cotton cloth ; one thousand dresses
of the various clothing of India ; with numerous instruments of gold and
>»
. ^ • (Hutkhana ? ’\r
* according to Meninski, is a species of silk ; and in the King of Oude’s Persian Dic-
tionary it is said to be J j\ Jjjb iJtwj
t •• -...1 a sort of thread-cloth like the Methkali of Irak, but finer and softer than it. I find
no mention whatever of this kind of cloth among those given in the A-Ini Akbarl.
HINDUSTAN.
155
silver, swords and quivers set with jewels, and ten robes of honour wrought
with gold, of the Sultan’s own dresses, with various other articles.
The Emperor appointed the Emir *Zahir Oddin El Zanjani one of the
Ulema, with ^E1 Fatl Kafur, with whom the present was entrusted, to
accompany me. These were favourite officers with the Emperor. He also
sent with us a thousand cavalry, who were to conduct us to the place at
which we were to take shipping. The servants of the Emperor of China, who
amounted to about one hundred, and with whom there was a great Emir, also
returned with us. So we left the presence of the Emperor on the 17th day of the
month Safar, in the year seven hundred and forty-three (A.D. 1342), and,
after a few days, arrived at the cityof ^Biana,^ which is large. We next arrived
at ’"Kul,')' which is a beautiful city, the greatest part of the trees of which
are vines. When we had arrived here, we were informed that the infidel
Hindoos had besieged the city ”E1 Jalali, which is seven days from Kul.
The intention of these infidels was, to destroy the inhabitants ; and this
they nearly effected. We made such a vigorous attack upon them, however,
that not one of them was left alive. But many of our companions
suffered martyrdom in the onset, and among them was El Fati Kafur, the
person to whom the presents had been confided. We immediately trans-
mitted an account of this affair to the Emperor, and waited for his answer.
During this interval, whenever any of the infidel Hindoos made an attack
on the places in the neighbourhood of El Jalali, either all or a part of us,
gave assistance to the Moslems. Upon a certain day, however, I turned
into a garden just without the city of Kul, when the heat of the sun was
excessive : and while we were in the garden, some one cried out, that the
Hindoos were making an attack upon one of the villages : I accordingly
rode off with some of my companions to their assistance. When the infidels
saw this they fled ; but the Moslems were so scattered in pursuing them,
that myself and only five others were left. Some of their people saw this,
aild the consequenee was, a considerable number of cavalry made an attack
• jM'”
* The Biana of Rennell.
t No trace of this place is to be found in any of the maps, although frequently occurring in
books written in Hindustan. According to the A-Ini Akbari it is a sircar, and
has a citadel built of brick
X 2
156
HINDUSTAN.
upon us. When we perceived their strength we retreated, while they
pursued us, and in this we persevered. I observed three of them coming
after me, when I was left quite alone. It happened at the same time
that the fore-feet of my horse had stuck fast between two stones, so that I
was obliged to dismount and set him at liberty. I was now in a way that
led into a valley between two hills, and here I lost sight of the infidels. I
was so circumstanced, however, that I knew neither the country, nor the
roads. I then set my horse at liberty to go where he would.
While I was in a valley closely interwoven with trees, behold ! a party
of cavalry, about forty in number, rushed upon me and took me prisoner,
before I was well aware of their being there. I was much afraid they
would shoot me with their arrows. I alighted from my horse, therefore,
and gave myself up as their prisoner. They then stripped me of all I had,
bound me, and took me with them for two days, intending to kill me. Of
their language I was quite ignorant : but God delivered me from them ; for
they left me, and I took my course I knew not whither. I was much
afraid they would take it into their heads to kill me ; I therefore hid
myseif in a forest thickly interwoven with trees and thorns, so much so,
that a person wishing to hide himself could not be discovered. Whenever
I ventured upon the roads, I found they always led, either to one of the
villages of the infidels, or to some ruined village. I was always, therefore,
under the necessity of returniug ; and thus I passed seven whole days,
during which I experienced the greatest horrors. My food was the fruit
and leaves of the mountain trees. At the end of the seventh day, however,
I got sight of a black man, who had with him a ‘’walking-staff shod with
iron, and a small water vessel. He saluted me, and I returned the salute.
He then said. What is your name ? I answered, Mohammed. I then asked
him his name : he replied, ^’El Kalb El Karih (i. e. the wounded heart). He
then gave me some ^ pulse, which he had with him, and some water to
drink. He asked me whether I would accompany him. I did so ; but I
soon found myself unable to move, and I sunk on the earth. He then
carried me on his shoulders ; and as he walked on with me, I fell asleep.
I awoke, however, about the time of dawn, and found myself at the
Emperor’s palace-gate. A courier had already brought the news of what
. ^ l__As]K . jKc ^
HINDUSTAN.
157
had happened, and of my loss, to the Emperor, who now asked me of all
the particulars, and these I told him. He then gave me ten thousand
dinars, and furnished me for my return. He also appointed one of his
Emirs ’ El Malik Sumbul* to present the gift. So we returned to the city
of Kul. From this we proceeded to the city of "Yuh Burah; and
then descended to the shores of a lake called “ ^the water of life.”
After this we proceeded to “Kinoj, which is but a small town. Here I
met the aged Sheikh Salih of Farganah. He was at this time sick. He
told me, that he was then one hundred and fifty years old. I was informed
that he would constantly fast, and that for many successive days.
We next arrived at the city of ^Merwa, which is a large place, inhabited
for the most part by infidels, who pay tribute to the Emperor. We next
arrived at the city of ^ Kalyur,'|' which is large, and which has a fortress
on the top of a high mountain. In this the Emperor imprisons those of
whom he entertains any fear. We next arrived at the city of ^Barun,
which is small, and inhabited by Moslems : it is situated in the midst of
the infidel districts. In these parts are many wild beasts, which enter the
town and tear the inhabitants. I was told, however, that such as enter
the streets of the town are not wild beasts really, but only some of the
magicians called “ Jogees, who can assume the shape of wild beasts, and
appear as such to the mind. These are a people who can work miracles,
of which one is, that any one of them can keep an entire fast for several
months.:]:
* This is probably a name of office. In the beginning of the reign of Shahab Oddin KhilijI,
as given by Ferishta, speaking of the promotions, it is said : t.
j\j On the first day he gave the office of Barbegi (or Master of the Ceremonies accord-
ing to Dr. Wilkins) to Meliki Sumbul (perhaps the Master of the Spikenard or perfumes gene-
rally.) But Sumbul is also a district of Hindustan, and this might have been this officer’s suba or
district. I do not find this officer mentioned in the A-ini Akbarl.
f Gwalior of Rennell, of which some account has already been given.
J We are often told of the wonders done by the Jogees in the popular tales of Hindustan, of
which some specimens may be seen in the tales published in the Nagari character by Mr.
Professor Shakespear (in his Muntakhabati Hindi). The author of the Dabistan gives, perhaps,
158
HINDUSTAN.
Many of them will dig houses for themselves under ground, over which
any one may build, leaving them only a place for the air to pass through.
the best account of them, tracing their creeds and practices up to their original sources. It is
this al.) jul cUjlL
J'
^i3ji\ji3 (XijlL C-5*'’^^
j\ &c. ••■ Jjt
^ ^\ iioib jl Jo! iijib Jo! j^ Uj!j l^!
(Xobo ^!jLi3«yy»-C 3 •••• ^*J^ ..«• 4II!
\ ^!jJJJb JwXmjU
..•* ^^_J3^^*3 !j^^g>< J| j Ut!‘^
j\ j*jsb W.Z? cJjV ^
j jJl i'JkA C-5liZ;Z ‘^Z L’(J’.iZ
^ 1 ^ ^
^^Li^LwJt^b C‘^A *. ..1^4^ ^«l3 I ^ . ^b..' ;b ^ )\*‘-w. ^ 1 t_^ ^^3
Cm i..>j ^ \j^ ^ ^li^ I fcXJfcXJ l^iL
d.?l(jl^ ^ (J”*^ {^^3 Hi3^ i^^33 yl l5^’
('ciS" i^psiiis.'^j .... 33^ (kJLJj jU^ j U"^-ji ‘"'^'Z (irl^ ^^Z
j^ 3 u‘"Z ‘^Z L.**^ ^^3^ J'^ J^- '"^Z^ (*^ ‘^J
^ . jhwJ^P ^ L^ )^^3^~ 3^3 * * * ^3^‘3^^3 ^3*^ 3^,^^ 3 ^
33)J\aS 3ji\^3 iS\L^ y"'?' 1 iAiJ ‘VV. c^Z/'*
I ^ ^ h b ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ _^^3 “33^ 3
3^^ ^ ^***^ 3J3^3~3 ^**'*^^*^^ 333 3^^^3 3^^3'3
jcj.i ^*J cr'i/'Z Jogees are a
well known class of people. The wordyogthey use in the Sanscrit (language) to signify yozw/«g,
adhering. This people suppose themselves to be united with God, whom they believe to be One.
The select, or rather the person himself, of God, they hold to be Kurkhanat. Majhan-
darnat and Hirankunat are also great saints or perfect beings. With them, Brahma,
Vishnu, and Mahlsh, are angels, but also pupils or disciples of Kurkhanat, and some of
them do now name themselves after one or other of these. Now this class of people consists of
HINDUSTAN.
159
In this the Jogee will reside for months without eating or drinking any
thing. I heard, that one of them remained thus for a whole year. I saw
twelve Pantas, as follows, &c., and Pant signifies a class or tribe. According to their per-
suasion, the authors of every religion, sect, and belief, whether prophets or saints, were disciples
of Kurkhanat; and that whatever these persons might have known, they must have known
from him. It is also their belief, that Mohammed was brought up by a disciple of Kurkhanat.
Many of them will, when with the Mohammedans, attend to prayer and fasting, which they also
do with the Hindoos. None of the things forbidden for food, are considered so among them ; for
they will eat swine’s flesh after the manner of the Hindoos and Christians, as well as beef, as
the Mohammedans and others do. They will also kill and eat a man ...... and will drink wine
like the Guebres. There are too among them, those who will mix their urine and dung together,
which they will then pass through a cloth and drink. The person who does this, they say, will be
able to perform great feats, and to know wonderful things. Such persons they term Anila. In the
belief of this people, although they hold all to be derived from Kurkhanat, and that those of
every religion may finally be united with Kurk, still they proceed in the path of one of those
persons, who have been united by one or other of the twelve links of Jogeeism. In their belief it
is considered of great importance to be able to hold the breath ; just as it is among the Parsees of
Adhar Hoshenk : for the kings among them would constantly hold their breath When one
draws (his breath), he will picture the moon towards the left, i. e. he will consider the moon’s
disk as visible on his left side, and that of the sun on his right. Some of the Sanas! in each
of the seven stages, will thus picture one or other of the planets, which, with the Hindoos,
exceeds every other species of worship or alms ; for they say, that he who does this will
be able to fly, never to be sick, to free himself from death, and never to be subject to
either hunger, or thirst Those who have been thoroughly initiated, say, that when
this work is perfectly performed, the fear of death is no more felt ; and that as long as such an
one is in the body, he will be able to put it off, and again to put it on, never to be sick, and to
have power to do all things Among the Jogees, it is constant, that when disease runs high,
they bury themselves alive. It is also one of their practices, to open the eyes, and fix them
in a direction between the eyebrows, until they see a figure. If the image appear without a
hand or foot, or any other member, for each one of these they lay it down, that he has now a
sign how many years, months, or days, he shall live. But if it appear without a head, they have
no doubt, that but little of life remains : and on the strength of this, they will bury themselves
alive,”^&c These Jogees will, according to some, commit themselves occasionally to the flames,
for no other end, perhaps, than to gratify the strongest of all passions, vanity. The following
statement is taken from the Heft Ikllm i, » a very interesting collection of geo-
graphical and biographical notices in the Persic. This extract is taken from the notice
of Hindustan, and is there given on the authority of one Mohammed Yusuf of Plerat.
160
HINDUSTAN.
too, in the city of ^Sanjarur, one of the Moslems who had been taught by
them, and who had setup for himself a lofty cell like an obelisk. Upon
the top of this he stood for five and twenty days, during which time he nei-
ther ate nor drank. In this situation I left him, nor do I know how long he
continued there after I had left the place. People say, that they mix cer-
tain seeds, one of which is destined for a certain number of days or months,
and that they stand in need of no other support during all this time. They
also foretel events.
The Emperor of Hindustan very much respects them, and occasionally
sits in their company. Some of them will eat nothing but herbs ; and it
is clear from their circumstances, that they accustom themselves to absti-
nence, and feel no desire either for the world or its show. Some of them
will kill a man with a look : but this is most frequently done by the
women. The woman who can do so is termed a Goftar. It happened
when I was Judge of Dehli, and the Emperor was upon one of his journies,
that a famine took place.* On this occasion, the Emperor ordered, that
. (Pers.jlxa^' speech, perhaps.}^
WC
^ 1 iL) b (.^1...%.^.^ ^ ^
j\ 1 b’ AJ .... AXR—
i^bj y , &c. “ I was (sa)^s he) in one of the purgunnas of India, when I heard that
a Jogee had appeared, and wished to burn himself in the presence of one of the Rajas of that
district. The Raja employed three days in banqueting and pleasure (upon this occasion). On
the morning of the fourth, when the sun of the Jogee had arisen, having left the regions
of the west, and risen in power over the carpet of the dust, a great company of the
professors of Islamism, as well as of the followers of idolatry, came together, when the
afore-mentioned Jogee escaping from the instability of being, clung to the annihilation which is
incorruptible. Having the eclipse of annihilation on his breast, and the cap of retirement upon
his head, he came up to the Raja; and having paid his respects with lips closed like the
rose-bud, and with eyes on his feet like the narcissus, he stood still ; and then, by his signal,
the Raja’s servants collecting sheep and cow’s dung set it on fire, until the flames arose from
every part. When he grew warm, and the fire, like the flame of a taper, approached his
neck, he turned towards the Raja and uttered something.” — A similar account of men burning
themselves is given in the Commentary of Abu Zaid El Hasan, in the two Arabian Travellers,
translated by Renaudot. Pinkerton’s Voyages, &c. vol. vii. p. 216.
* Perhaps the famine noticed by Dow, vol. i. pp. 322-3.
HINDUSTAN.
161
the poor should be divided among the nobles for support, until the famine
should cease. My portion, as affixed by the Vizier, amounted to five
hundred. These I sustained in a house vv^hich I built for the purpose. On
a certain day, during this time, a number of them came to me, bringing a
woman with them, who, as they said, was a Goftar, and had killed a child,
which happened to be near her. I sent her, however, to the Vizier, who
ordered four large water vessels to be filled with water, and tied to her.
She was then thrown into the great river (the Jumna). She did not sink
in the water, but remained ‘^unhurt : so they knew that she was a Goftar.
The Vizier then ordered her to be burnt, which was done ; and the people
distributed her ashes among themselves, believing that if any one would
fumigate* himself with them, he would be secure from the fascinations of a
Goftar for that year. But if she had sunk, they would have taken her out
of the water ; for then they would have known that she was not a Goftar.
I was once in the presence of the Emperor of Hindustan, when two of
these Jogees, wrapt up in cloaks, with their heads covered (for they take
out all their hairs, both of their heads and arm-pits, with powder), came in.
* Fumigations for the purpose of driving away, or otherwise invalidating the power of evil
spirits, seem to have been used in very ancient times, and hence, perhaps, Tobit’s use of the
fish. See Tobit, vi. 8, 18; and the use of perfumes, &c., as alluded to by Pliny, for performing
cures. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 24 cap. xi.
f That some of our own supposed witches have been treated very nearly in the same manner,
is too well known to need proof. There has generally been a story current in Europe, too, that
Mohammed’s coffin was suspended in a temple at Medina, by a loadstone placed in the roof for
that purpose. It is curious enough to remark, that they have a similar story in the East relating
to St. Peter. It is thus told by El Harawi: ^
. uiJLs ti ••• “SimonCephas(therock)
is in the city of great Rome, in its largest church, within an ark of silver which is suspended by
chains to the roof. But God knows best.” The following account of “ the man in the moon,”
I had from the mouth of a New Zealander : “ A man named Celano once happened to be thirsty,
and coming near a well by moonlight he intended to drink, but a cloud coming over the moon
prevented him. He then cursed the moon, because it refused to give him its light : but upon
this the moon came down and took him up forcibly, together with a tree on which he had laid
hold; and there he is now seen, continued the Zealander, with the tree, just as he was taken up !
I would merely remark, that it is by no means surprising that vulgar credulity should be much
the same all the world over; but, that it should arrive at almost precisely the same results, is
curious enough.
y
162
HINDUSTAN.
The Emperor caressed them and said, pointing to me, This is a stranger,
shew him what he has never yet seen. They said, we will. One of them
then assumed the form of a cube and arose from the earth, and in this
cubic shape he occupied a place in the air over our heads. I was so much
astonished and terrified at this, that I fainted and fell to the earth. The
Emperor then ordered me some medicine which he had with him, and
upon taking this I recovered and sat up : this cubic figure still remaining in
the air just as it had been. His companion then took a sandal belonging
to one of those who had come out with him, and struck it upon the ground,
as if he had been angry. The sandal then ascended, until it became oppo-
site in situation with the cube. It then struck it upon the neck, and the
cube descended gradually to the earth, and at last rested in the place
which it had left. The Emperor then told me, that the man who took the
form of a cube was a disciple to the owner of the sandal : and, continued
he, had I not entertained fears for the safety of thy intellect, I should
have ordered them to show thee greater things than these. From this,
however, I took a palpitation at the heart, until the Emperor ordered me
a medicine which restored me.
We then proceeded from the city of Barun to the stage of ®Kajwara,* at
which there is a lake about a mile in length ; and round this are temples, in
which there are idols. At this place resides a tribe of Jogees, with long and
clotted hair.“^ Their colour inclines to yellow, which arises from their
fasting. Many of the Moslems of these parts attend on them, and learn
(magic) from them.
We next came to the city ® Gender!, j* which is large ; after this to that of
^Tahar, between which and Dehli is a distance of twenty-four days ; and
from which leaves of the betel-nut are carried to Dehli. From this place
we went to the city of *Ajbal, then to ^Dawlatabad, which is a place of
great splendour, and not inferior to Dehli. The lieutenancy of Dawlat-
abad extends through a distance of three months. Its citadel is called
^
* The Kitchwara of Rennell is a province, and seems to be too far to the south-west to be the
place here intended. Gajara, or Kurrera, seems more immediately in the route of our traveller.
t Perhaps the Chanderee of Rennell, and of the Tabakati Akbarl.
HINDUSTAN.
163
^E1 Dawigir.* It is one of the greatest and strongest forts (in India). It is
situated on the top of a rock which stands in the plain. The extremities
are depressed, so that the rock appears elevated like a mile-stone, and
upon this the fort is built. In it is a ladder made of hides ; and this is
taken up by night, and let down by day. In this fortress the Emperor
imprisons such persons as have been guilty of serious crimes, The Emir
of Dawlatabad had been tutor to the Emperor. He is the great Emir
’" Katlukhan.'l' In this city are vines and pomegranates which bear fruit
twice in the year. It is, moreover, one of the greatest districts as to
revenue. Its yearly taxes and fines amount to seventeen “karors. A
karor is one hundred lak ; and a lak one hundred thousand Indian dinars.
This was collected by a man (appointed to do so) before the government of
Katlukhan ; but, as he had been killed, on account of the treasure which
* This citadel is mentioned by Dow, vol. i. p. 320. The word here used is, no doubt, the
Deogir of the Persian historians, the author of the Tabakati Akbari, Ferishta, &c. An
extract from the history of this fortress (Gwalior) has already been given.
-j- This person is named in the Tabakati Akbari jjlA- and in Ferishta , which
last is read by Dow “ Cuttilich Chan” (vol. i. p. 313) Ferishta says on this subject ^
_) ^ i—
Cuttilich Khan (adopting the orthography of Dow), who had read the Koran and some Persian
books to him, and from whom he had learned to write, he appointed to the office of deputy
Vizier. It is curious enough, however, that Ferishta gives the name of a tank called after him
Katlu, where he tells us, that the last letter has been changed to j. His words are ^
.j\j JaJ (? ^^0 ^ We are not quite certain, there-
fore, whether as given by Ibn Batuta, is not the correct mode of writing this name, as it is not
so likely that the name given to a place would change in the mouths of the inhabitants, as that the
scribes should vary in their mode of writing out the copies of Ferishta, &c. in Hindustan. It
seems certain, however, that this word did in Ferishta’s time end in otherwise, he could not
have said, that ^had been changed into ^ : but even this change might have been made before
his time, and the true pronunciation of the word have been retained in the name of the place, as
given above. As no good explanation of the term is given in the common dictionaries, I
shall here give one from the King of Oude’s. After giving the vowels it is said,^\jjt>
. JCJ ^ It is used in the sense of minister of the court, whom they also
call the Naibi Munab, or deputy of the deputed (i. e. of the prime minister). Meninski, indeed,
gives us “ administrator, gubernator, praefectus,” but this only leaves us where it found us.
Y 2
164
HINDUSTAN.
was with him, and this taken out of his effects after his death, the govern-
ment fell to Katlukhan. The most beautiful market-place here is called
the "Tarab Abad, in the shops of which sit the singing women ready
dressed out, with their slave girls in attendance ; over these is an Emir,
whose particular business it is to regulate their income.
We next came to the city of ^ Nazar AbM. It is small, and inhabited
by the ’ Mahrattas, a people well skilled in the arts, medicine, and astrology :
their nobles are Brahmins. The food of the Mahrattas consists of rice,
green vegetables, and oil of sesam^. They do not allow either the punishing
or sacrificing of animals. They carefully wash all their food, just as one
washes after other impurities ; and never intermarry with their relations,
unless separated by the interval of seven generations at least. They also
abstain from the use of urine.
Our next place of arrival was the city of ’'Sagar which is large, and is
situated on a river of the same name. Near it are mills which are worked
for their orchards, i. e. to supply water. The inhabitants of this place are
religious and peaceable.
We next arrived at the city of ®Kambaya,* which is situated at a mouth
of the sea which resembles a valley, and into which the ships ride : here
also the flux and reflux of the tide is felt. The greatest part of its inha-
bitants are foreign merchants. We next came to ‘Goa, which is subject to
the infidel king "Jalansi, king of '‘ Candahar who is also subject to the
Emperor of Hindustan, and to whom he sends an annual present. We next
came to a large city situated at a mouth of the sea, and from this we took
shipping and came to the island of ^Bairam, which is without inhabitants.
We next arrived at the city of “Kuka, the king of which is an infidel,
named “Dankul, and subject to the Emperor of Hindustan.
After some days we came to the island of ^Sindabur, in the interior of
which are six and thirty villages. By this we passed, however, and dropped
anchor at a small island near it, in which is a temple and a tank of water.
On this island we landed, and here I saw a Jogee leaning against the wall
of the temple, and placed between two idols ; he had some marks about
. d\l\ jio ^ . u'b 1 ”
V
HINDUSTAN.
165
him of a religious warfare.^ I addressed him, but he gave me no answer.
We looked too, but could see no food near him. When we looked at him,
he gave a loud shout, and a cocoa-nut fell upon him from a tree that was
there. This nut he threw to us : to me he threw ten dinars, after I had
olfered him a few, of yhich he would not accept, f I supposed him to be
a Moslem ; for, when I addressed him, he looked towards heaven, and
then towards the temple at Mecca, intimating that he acknowledged God,
and believed in Mohammed as his prophet.
We next came to the city of '^Hinaur, which is situated at an estuary of
the sea, and which receives large vessels. The inhabitants of this place are
Moslems of the sect of "^Shafia, a peaceable and religious people. They
carry on, however, a warfare for the faith by sea, and for this they are
, noted. The women of this city, and indeed of all the Indian districts
situated on the sea-shores, never dress in clothes that have been stitched,
but the contrary. One of them, for example, will tie one part of a piece
of cloth round her waist, while the remaining part will be placed upon her
head and breast. They are chaste and handsome. The greater part of the
inhabitants, both males and females, have committed the Koran to memory.
■jy
vJb
* Mr. Apetz translates this passage, “ cui castigationum vestigia impressa erant. The original
is copy and mine. Mr. Apetz seems to have thought, that this Jogee
had felt the effects of the religious wars of the Mohammedans. It is my opinion, that,
as Ibn Batuta believed him to be a Mohammedan, as he says he did, he thought
he recognized in him those characters or marks, which are common to those who are
thus engaged. It is not necessary, however, that there should be scars, wounds, or the like,
but a promptness, Jitness, &c. to contend for the faith, as well by argument as by the
sword: and hence, Mohammedan professors of theology are sometimes termed Mujtahids
^ . This word, too, is occasionally used in the same connexion with abstinence, as
in the Tarlkhi Aalam Arai, when speaking of the education of the Sheikh Safi Oddin it is said,
he placed his foot in the valley of abstinence and religious
warjare. See also M. de Sacy, Chrest. Arab. tom. i. p. 169, edit. 2. I think, therefore, that
Mr. Apetz is wrong.
-)■ According to the author of the Dabistan, it is a rule with the Jogees to accept of no presents
whatever. His words are: li ^1?
thing of any one, and when offered unasked, not to accept of it.
166
HINDUSTAN.
The inhabitants of ® Malabar* generally pay tribute to the King of-^Hinaur,
fearing as they do his bravery by sea. His army too, consists of about six
thousand men. They are, nevertheless, a brave and warlike race. The pre-
sent king is ^ Jamal Oddln Mohammed Ibn Hasan. He is one of the best of
princes ; but is himself subject to an infidel king, whose name is ^ Horaib.
We next came into the country of Malabar, which is the country of black
pepper. Its length is a journey of two months along the shore from ' Sin-
daburto ^'Kawlam. The whole of the way by land lies under the shade of
trees, and at the distance of every half mile, there is a house made of wood,
in which there are chambers fitted up for the reception of comers and goers,
whether they be Moslems or infidels. To each of these there is a well,
out of which they drink ; and over each is an infidel appointed to give
drink. To the infidels he supplies this in vessels; to the Moslems he pours
it in their hands. They do not allow the Moslems to touch their vessels, or
to enter into their apartments ; but if any one should happen to eat out of
one of their vessels, they break it to pieces. But, in most of their districts,
the Mussulman merchants have houses, and are greatly respected. So that
Moslems who are strangers, whether they are merchants or poor, may
lodge among them. But at any town in which no Moslem resides, upon
any one’s arriving they cook, and pour out drink for him, upon the leaf of
the ^banana; and, whatever he happens to leave, is given to the dogs.
And in all this space of two months’ journey, there is not a span free from
. * . ij s- ^ ^ *
* In the account of Malabar translated and published by Mr. Apetz, we have this word written
Molaibar. In the King of Oude’s Persian Dictionary, however, it is directed to be read
Malibar, after which we have this account of it and its inhabitants.
^ ^ ^
^ ** L Tj ** ivKib j ^
. Ji j\ ^ ^ uVxAL \
It is a country situated on the shore of the sea of Amman, all the men of which have no respect
whatever for the chastity of their wives, every one of whom will have more than ten husbands.
When a child is born, and has arrived at the age of one year, they all assemble in one place,
each taking something in his hand ; they then call the child, and that man towards whom he first
turns is considered as his father, and therefore undertakes the charge of his bringing up.
HINDUSTAN.
167
cultivation. For every body has here a garden, and his house is placed in
the middle of it ; and round the whole of this there is a fence of wood, up to
which the ground of each inhabitant comes. No one travels in these parts
upon beasts of burden ; nor is there any horse found, except with the
King, who is therefore the only person who rides. When, however, any
merchant has to sell or buy goods, they are carried upon the backs of men,
who are always ready to do so (for hire.)
Every one of these men has a long staff, which is shod with iron at its
extremity, and at the top has a hook. When, therefore, he is tired with
his burden, he sets up his staff in the earth like a pillar, and places the
burden upon it ; and when he has rested, he again takes up his burden
without the assistance of another. With one merchant, you will see
one or two hundred of these carriers, the merchant himself walking. But
when the nobles pass from place to place, they ride in a dula* made
of wood, something like a box, and which is carried upon the shoul-
ders of slaves and hirelings. They put a thief to death for stealing a
single nut, or even a grain of seed of any fruit, hence thieves are unknown
among them ; and, should any thing fall from a tree, none, except its proper
owner, would attempt to touch it.
In the country of Malabar are twelve kings, the gTeatest of whom has
fifty thousand troops at his command ; the least, five thousand or there-
abouts. That which separates the district of one king from that of another,
is a wooden gate upon which is written: “ The gate of safety of such an
one.” For when any criminal escapes from the district of one king, and
gets safely into that of another, he is quite safe ; so that no one has the
least desire to take him, so long as he remains there. f
Each of their kings succeeds to rule, as being sister’s son, not the son
* < ^ illjj Mr. Apetz says, per ferculum redidi. In Lexicis non reperitur,
&c. The word is Hindustani, and therefore not very likely to occur in the Arabic Lexicons. Dow
says, Hind. vol. 1. p. 280 “ concealed themselves in doolies or close chairs, in which women
are always carried.” And, in Gilchrist’s Vocabulary we have, “ Dola (ee) litter, and in Mr.
Shakespear’s Dictionary dola, and doli, a kind of sedan (for women).” Mr. Apetz is
very right, therefore, for it is a mere palanquin, or, as it is called in Hindustani, a palkl or dolu
-j- This custom seems nearly allied to that which obtained among the Israelites, by which the
man who happened to kill another accidentally, saved his life by escaping to one of the cities of
refuge, and remaining there until the death of the high priest.
168
HINDUSTAN.
to the last. Their country is that from which black pepper is brought ;
and this is the far greater part of their produce and culture. The pepper
tree resembles that of the dark grape. They plant it near that of the
cocoa-nut, and make frame- work for it, just as they do for the grape tree.
It has, however, no tendrils, and the tree itself resembles a bunch of
grapes. The leaves are like the ears of a horse; but some of them resem-
ble the leaves of a ’"bramble. When the autumn arrives, it is ripe ; they
then cut it, and spread it just as they do grapes, and thus it is dried by
the sun. As to what some have said, that they boil it in order to dry it,
it is without foundation.
I also saw, in their country and on the sea-shores, aloes like the seed-
aloe, sold by measure^ just as meal and millet is.* *
* This passage is very imperfect in the edition of Apetz. The words are : ^
according to the Medical
Dictionary ofibn El Hosain of Bagdad, there are three sorts. His words are’ ^
* ** there are three sorts, the
Socotrine, the Arabic, and the Hurnjana.” The two first are well known, but what the last is,
it is out of my power to say. I suspect, however, that the proper word has been omitted by
the transcriber, and the for j • f°*" Socotrine
is the best. We are then told, that Alexander colonized this island from Greece, for the
purpose of cultivating the aloe, by people who are horribly addicted to magic, &c. We are then
told, that the best of the Socotrine is that which is of the colour of liver, and which smells like
myrrh, and is shining. ^ dJjtc JcJUi j^l ^
iijJ . We then have the methods of making up and using it, which need not be
detailed here.
Of the millet he says: ^ uh 1/'
&c.t)yj ijij'V Dhora is the Indian millet, which, in the dialect of
Shiraz, they call zorat. It is of two sorts, the white and black : but the white is the best.
HINDUSTAN.
169