Capitals.
Kachh.Kachh. Al Bírúni (a.d. 970–1031) is the only Arab writer who refers to Kachh. He calls Kachh[123] with Somnáth the head-quarters of the country of the Bawárij or Medh pirates. Speaking of the Indus he notices[124] that one of its branches which reaches the borders of Kachh is known as Sind Ságar. In a third passage he refers[125] to Kachh as the land of the mukl or balsamodendron and of bádrúd or bezoar. It was twenty-four miles (6 farsangs) from Debal (Karáchi). According to the Táríkh-i-Maâsúmi[126] when (a.d. 1069) the sovereignty of Sindh passed from the descendants of Mahmúd of Ghazni to the Sumras, Singhar, the grandson of Sumra (a.d. 1069)[127] extended his sway from Kachh to Nasarpúr[128] near Sindh Haidarábád and Khafíf the son of Singhar consolidated his power and made Kachh a Sumra dependency.[129] Dúda the grandson of Khafíf quelled a threatened Sumra rising by proceeding to Kachh and chastising the Sammas.[130] On the fall of the Sumras the Chauras became masters of Kachh from whose hands the country passed to those of the Sammas. Ground down under the iron sway of the Sumras a number of Sammas fled from Sindh and entered Kachh where they were kindly received by the Chauras who gave them land to cultivate. After acquainting themselves with the country and the resources of its rulers the Samma immigrants who seem to have increased in numbers and strengthened themselves by union, obtained possession by stratagem but not without heroism of the chief fortress of Kachh.[131] This fort now in ruins
Appendix V.
Arab References, a.d. 851–1350.
Capitals.
Kachh. was the fort of Gúntrí.[132] The Tárikh-i-Táhiri states that up to the time the history was written (a.d. 1621)[133] the country was in the possession of the Sammas, both the Ráis Bhára and Jám Sihta of great and little Kachh in his time being of Samma descent.
Kaira.Kaira (Karra). One mention of Karra apparently Kaira or Kheḍá occurs in Ziá-ud-dín Barni’s[134] account of Muhammad Tughlak’s (a.d. 1325) pursuit of his rebellious Gujarát noble Tághi. He speaks of Muhammad’s detention for a month at Asáwal during the rains and his overtaking and dispersing Tághi’s forces at Karra. From Karra the rebels fled in disorder to Nahrwára (Anhilwára). Several of Tághi’s supporters sought and were refused shelter by the Rána of Mándal that is Pátri near Viramgám.
Chief Towns.
Kábirún.Kábirún. Al Idrísi (end of the eleventh century) mentions Kábirún and Asáwal as towns of the same ‘section’ both of them populous, commercial, rich, and producing useful articles. He adds that at the time he wrote the Musalmáns had made their way into the greater portion of these countries and conquered them. Kábirún like the Akabarou of the Periplus (a.d. 240) is perhaps a town on the Káveri river in south Gujarát.
Kambay.Kambay. See Cambay.
Kanauj.Kanauj. Al Masúdi[135] (a.d. 956) is the first Arab traveller who gives an account of Kanauj. He says:[136] The kingdom of the Baûúra king of Kanauj extends about a hundred and twenty square parasangs of Sindh, each parasang being equal to eight miles of this country. This king has four armies according to the four quarters of the world. Each of them numbers 700,000 or 900,000. The army of the north wars against the prince of Multán and with his Musalmán subjects on the frontier. The army of the south fights against the Balhára king of Mánkír. The other two armies march to meet enemies in every direction. Ibni Haukal (a.d. 968–976) says[137] that from the sea of Fárs to the country of Kanauj is three months journey. Rashíd-ud-dín from Al Bírúni (a.d. 970–1039) places[138] Kanauj south of the Himálayas and states[139] that the Jamna falls into the Ganga below Kanauj which is situated on the west of the river (Ganga). The chief portion of Hind included in the “second climate” is called the central land or Madhya Desh. He adds that the Persians call it Kanauj. It was the capital of the great, haughty, and proud despots of India. He praises the former magnificence of Kanauj, which he says being now deserted by its ruler has fallen into neglect and ruin, and the city of Bári, three days’ journey from Kanauj on the eastern
Appendix V.
Arab References, a.d. 851–1350.
Chief Towns.
Kanauj. side of the Ganges being now the capital. Kanauj was celebrated for its descendants of the Pándavas as Máhura (Mathra) is on account of Bás Dev (Kṛishṇa). Al Idrísi, end of the eleventh century, speaks[140] of Kanauj in connection with a river port town of the name of Samandár “a large town, commercial and rich, where there are large profits to be made and which is dependent” on the rule of the Kanauj king. Samandár, he says, stands on a river coming from Kashmír. To the north of Samandár at seven days is, he says, the city of Inner Kashmír under the rule of Kanauj. The Chách Námah (an Arabic history of great antiquity written before a.d. 753, translated into Persian in the time of Sultán Násir-ud-dín Kabáchah) (a.d. 1216) says[141] that when Chách a.d. 631–670) advanced against Akham Lohána of Brahmanábád that the Lohána wrote to ask the help of “the king of Hindustán,” that is Kanauj, at that time Satbán son of Rásal, but that Akham died before his answer came.
Kol.Kol. Ibni Khurdádbah (a.d. 912) has Kol seventy-two miles (18 farsakhs) from Sanján in Kachh.[142] And the Táj-ul-Mâásir[143] relates how in a.d. 1194 Kutb-ud-dín advanced to Kol and took the fort.
Málkhet.Málkhet (Mánkír). Al Masúdi (a.d. 943) is the first Arab writer to mention Mánkír that is Mányákheta now Málkhet about sixty miles south-east of Sholápúr. In relating the extinction of the great Brahma-born dynasty of India Al Masúdi states[144] that at the time the city of Mánkír, the great centre of India, submitted to the kings called the Balháras who in his time were still ruling at Mánkír.[145]
Al Masúdi correctly describes the position of Málkhet as eighty Sindh or eight-mile farsakhs that is six hundred and forty miles from the sea in a mountainous country. Again he notices that the language spoken in Mánkír was Kiriya,[146] called from Karah or Kanara the district where it was spoken. The current coin was the Tártariyeh dirham (each weighing a dirham and a half)[147] on which was impressed the date of the ruler’s reign. He describes the country of the Balháras as stretching from the Kamkar (or Konkan) in the south or south-west north to the frontiers of the king of Juzr (Gujarát), “a monarch rich in men horses and camels.” Al Istakhri (a.d. 951) describes Mánkír as the dwelling of the wide-ruling Balhára. Ibni Haukal (a.d. 968–976) repeats almost to the letter the information given by Al Istakhri. The destruction of Málkhet (Mánya Kheta) by the western Chálukya king Tailappa in a.d. 972 explains why none of the writers after Ibni Haukal mentions Mánkír.
Appendix V.
Arab References, a.d. 851–1350.
Chief Towns.
Mándal. Mándal.Mándal. Ibni Khurdádbah (a.d. 912) enumerates Mándal (in Viramgám) with Rúmla,[148] Kuli, and Bárúh as countries of Sindh. During the Khiláfat of Hishám the son of Abdul Malik (a.d. 724–743) Junnaid son of Abdur Rahman-al-Murri was appointed to the frontier of Sindh. According to Al Biláduri (a.d. 892) Junnaid sent his officers to Mándal,[149] Dahnaj perhaps Kamlej, and Báhrús (Broach).
Nárána.Nárána. In his Indica Al Bírúni (a.d. 970–1031) notices Nárána near Jaipur as the ancient capital of Gujarát. He says that its correct name is Bazánah but that “it is known to our people (the Arabs) as Náráin.” He places it eighty miles (20 farsakhs) south-west of Kanauj, and adds that when it was destroyed the inhabitants removed to and founded another city.[150] Abú Rihán makes Nárána the starting point of three itineraries to the south the south-west and the west. Al Bírúni’s details suffice to place this centre in the neighbourhood of the modern Jaipúr and to identify it with Náráyan the capital of Bairat of Matsya which according to Farishtah[151] Mahmúd of Ghazni took in a.d. 1022 (H. 412).