Note 56 — ARAB REFERENCES.1

Towns. Anahalváda.Anahalváda (Ámhal, Fámhal, Kámhal, Kámuhul, Mámhul, Nahlwára, Nahrwála). Al Istakhri (H. 340; a.d. 951) mentions Ámhal Fámhal and Kámhal, Ibni Haukal (a.d. 976) Fámhal Kámhal and Kámuhal, and Al Idrísi (end of the eleventh century) Mámhul. That these are perversions of one name and that this town stood on the border of ‘Hind’ or Gujarát (in contradistinction to Sindh) the position given to each by the Arab geographers56 places beyond question. Al Istakhri (a.d. 951) alone calls the place by the name of Ámhal which he mentions57 as one of the chief cities of ‘Hind.’ Later he gives the name of Fámhal to a place forming the northern border of “Hind”, as all beyond it as far as Makrán belongs to Sindh. Again a little later58 he describes Kámhal as a town eight days from Mansúrah and four days from Kambáya, thus making Kámhal the first Gujarát town on the road from Mansúrah about seventy miles north of Haidarábád in Sindh to Gujarát. Ibni Haukal (a.d. 968–976) in his Ashkál-ul-Bilád gives Fámhal in his text and Kámhal in his map59 and again while referring60 to the desert between Makrán and Fámhal as the home of the Meds, he styles it Kámhal. Once more he refers to Fámhal as a strong and great city, containing a Jámá or Assembly Mosque; a little later61 he calls it Kámuhul and places it eight days from Mansúrah and four from Kambáya. He afterwards contradicts himself by making Mansúrah two days’ journey from ‘Kámuhul,’ but this is an obvious error.62 Al Bírúni (a.d. 970–1039) notices Anhilwára and does not recognize any other form.63 Al Idrísi (end of the eleventh century) adopts no form but Mámhal referring to it as one of the towns of the second climate64 on the confines of a desert between Sindh and “Hind” (India or Gujarát) the home of the sheep-grazing and horse and camel-breeding Meds,65 as a place numbered by some among the cities of Hind (Gujarát) by others as one of the cities of Sindh situated at the extremity of the desert which stretches between Kambáya, Debal, and Bánia.66 Again he describes Mámhal as a town of moderate importance on the route “from Sindh to India,” a place of little trade, producing small quantities of fruit but numerous flocks, nine days from Mansúrah through Bánia and five from Kambáya.67 Al Idrísi (quoting from tenth century Appendix V. Arab References, a.d. 851–1350. Towns. Anahalváda. materials) also notices Nahrwára as eight days’ journey from Bárúh (Broach) across a flat country a place governed by a prince having the title of the Balhára, a prince with numerous troops and elephants, a place frequented by large numbers of Musalmáns who go there on business.68 It is remarkable that though Vanarája (a.d. 720–780?) founded Anhilwára as early as about a.d. 750 no Arab geographer refers to the capital under any of the many forms into which its name was twisted before Al Istakhri in a.d. 951. At first Anhilwára may have been a small place but before the tenth century it ought to have been large enough to attract the notice of Ibni Khurdádbah (a.d. 912) and Al Masúdi (a.d. 915). In the eleventh century the Musalmán historians of Mahmúd’s reign are profuse in their references to Anhilwára. According to Farishtah69 after the capture of Anhilwára and the destruction of Somnáth (H. 414; a.d. 1025) Mahmúd was anxious to make Anhilwára his capital especially as it had mines of gold and as Singaldip (Ceylon) rich in rubies was one of its dependencies. Mahmúd was dissuaded from the project by his ministers.70 But two mosques in the town of Pattan remain to show Mahmúd’s fondness for the city. The next Muhammadan reference to Anhilwára is by Núr-ud-dín Muhammad Úfi, who lived in the reign of Shams-ud-dín Altamsh (a.d. 1211).71 In his Romance of History Úfi refers to Anhilwára as the capital of that Jai Ráj, who on receiving the complaint of a poor Musalmán preacher of Cambay, whose mosque the Hindus instigated the fire-worshippers of the place to destroy, left the capital alone on a fleet dromedary and returning after personal enquiry at Cambay summoned the complainant and ordered the chief men of the infidels to be punished and the Musalmán mosque to be rebuilt at their expense.72