Note 76 — ARAB REFERENCES.1

Chief Towns. Asáwal.Asáwal. Abú Rihán Al Bírúni is the first (a.d. 970–1039) of Arab geographers to mention Asáwal the site of Ahmedábád which he correctly Appendix V. Arab References, a.d. 851–1350. Chief Towns. Asáwal. places two days journey from Cambay.76 The next notice is along with Khábirún (probably Kávi on the left mouth of the Máhi) and near Hanáwal or Janáwal, apparently Chunvál or Viramgám, by Al Idrísi (end of the eleventh century) as a town, populous, commercial, rich, industrious, and productive of useful articles.77 He likens Asáwal “both in size and condition” to Dhulaka both being places of good trade.78 In the early fourteenth century (a.d. 1325) Ziá-ud-dín Barni refers to Asáwal as the place where Sultán Muhammad Tughlak (a.d. 1325–1351) had to pass a month in the height of the rains owing to the evil condition to which his horses were reduced in marching and countermarching in pursuit of the rebel Tághi. In the beginning of the fifteenth century (a.d. 1403–4) the Tárikh-i-Mubárak Sháhi notices Asáwal as the place where Tátárkhán the son of Zafarkhán had basely seized and confined his own father.79 The Mirát-i-Sikandari also speaks80 of Asáwal (a.d. 1403) but with the more courtly remark that it was the place where Zafarkhán the grandfather of Sultán Ahmad the founder of Ahmedábád, retired into private life after placing his son Tátárkhán on the throne.81 The Mirát-i-Sikandari states that Ahmedábád.the city of Ahmedábád was built82 in the immediate vicinity of Asáwal. The present village of Asarwa is, under a slightly changed name, probably what remains of the old town.