CXLIX.

YADGAR-I BAHADURI

OF

BAHADUR SINGH.

THE author of this voluminous work is Bahadur Singh, son of Hazárí Mal, a Bhatnagar Káyath of the Gondíwál sub-division, and a resident of Sháh-Jahánábád, who finished his work in the year 1249 A.H. (1833-4 A.D.).

He tells us very little about himself, and there is no part of the work that enables us to fill up the outline. He says merely that circumstances induced him to leave his native country, and that he was in great distress when he arrived at Lucknow in the year 1232 A.H. (1817 A.D.), in the time of Gházíu-d dín Haidar. It was there that he read several Hindí and Persian works, containing accounts of kings, nobles, ministers, divines and philosophers, and that he was induced to write a connected history of them, in order that the great men of the present day might benefit by their examples. This work he called after his own name, Yádgár-i Baháduri, "The Memorial of Bahadur."

This is all we learn from the Preface, which is usually full of personal details, but at page 2040 we are told the work was finished in the year above mentioned on the 1st of the "blessed month" Ramazán, after having occupied a long time in its compilation. The work, we are told, is a mere copy from others, and the author has not added a word, and that after reading several histories, some of which are laudatory and some inculpatory, and few without a leaning one way or the other, he has come

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to the conclusion that there are more lies than truths in history. One would have hoped for something philosophical after such a declaration, but he evidently adheres to his determination of giving nothing original; and it is only at the close of the work, when he gives an account of the Nawabs of Oudh, their families and ministers, that we are favoured with anything historical which we cannot obtain elsewhere.

There are, however, several features in the work, besides its historical ones, which render it of value. The History of the Hindú sects and devotees, the biographies of the Poets, the Chapters on the useful arts, and the Geography, are especially to be commended. The latter appears to be chiefly taken, without acknowledgment, from the Hadikatu-l Akálím, (No. CVII., suprà, p. 180), but it contains some notices not to be found in that work. The author entertained great rancour against the Kashmírians, and in his history of that country he speaks of their depravity as arising from their illegitimacy, and ends by saying that rich and poor should abhor this people, and even destroy them when possible, and that "he who is their friend cannot be quite free from contamination in his own descent." It is probable that he may have been thwarted in obtaining some employment by the superior adroitness and intrigue of one of this race, and takes this opportunity of venting his spleen upon the whole nation. It must be confessed, however, that they bear a bad character in Hindústán, and certain popular verses show the low estimation in which they are held. The constant oppression they have undergone for the last thousand years, and which they are still subject to, is enough to degrade the morale of any nation, with whatever excellences it may have been originally endowed by its Maker.

CONTENTS.

Book I. History of the Patriarchs, p. 2.-Book II., in seven Chapters. Chap. i. The first Khalífas, p. 44; ii. The Imáms, p. 50; iii. The 'Ummayides, p. 65; iv. The 'Abbásides, p. 69; v. The Isma'ílians, p. 96; vi. The Saiyid Dynasties, p. 112;

vii. The Sharifs of Mecca and Medína, p. 115.-Book III. contains seven Chapters. Chap. i. Philosophers of Greece and Europe, including Columbus and Copernicus (whose system is explained), India and Persia (including Zoroaster), and some of the Moderns, p. 135; ii. Companions of the Prophet, p. 192; iii. His chief Dependents, p. 195; iv. Mashaikhs, Súfis, and Hindú Saints, in four Sections. Section 1. Sunnís, p. 198; 2. Shi'as, p. 289; 3. Súfis of Irán (chiefly from the Nafhatu-l Ins), p. 296; 4. Hindú Theosophists, Devotees and their Sects, p. 314. Chap. v. Muhammadan Doctors, p. 508; vi. The celebrated Poets, etc., and miscllaneous matters, in twenty Sections. Section 1. Poets of Arabia, p. 526; 2. Poets of Persia, p. 528; 3. Various kinds of handwriting, p. 590; 4. Poets of India, p. 595; 5. Rules of versification, p. 614; 6. Physiognomy, p. 632; 7. Interpretation of dreams, p. 644; 8. Science of respiration as peculiarly taught in Hindústán, p. 661; 9. Astrology, and professors of it, p. 666; 10. Music, p. 696; 11. Agriculture, the best of all the arts, p. 720; 12. Masonry, p. 728; 13. Ironmongery, p. 732; 14. Carpentry, p. 733; 15. Commerce, p. 736; 16. Painting, p. 737; 17. Talismans, p. 739; 18. Magic, p. 751; 19. Handicrafts of various descriptions, including cookery, p. 757; 20. Sayings of wise and witty persons, p. 767. Chap. vii. Celebrated persons of Islám, p. (?), -Book IV. embraces an Introduction and eight Chapters. Introduction. The new and the old worlds, their cities, p. 806; Chap. i. Kings of Irán, p. 1072; ii. Sultáns of Arabia, p. 1299; iii. Sultáns of Rúm, p. 1330; iv. Rulers of Egypt and Shám, p. 1352; v. Sovereigns of the West, p. 1363; vi. Sultáns of Turkistán, p. 1378; vii. Kings of Europe, including the institution of the British in India, their army, administration of justice, revenue, learning, etc., p. 1457; viii. Rulers of Hindústán: its different Provinces and inhabitants, p. 1502.

The last chapter, though not subdivided in the Table of Contents, contains several different chapters on the Brahmins, Hindú Ceremonies, Avatárs, Early Hindú Rájas, Kings of Dehlí,

from Kutbu-d dín to Akbar Sháh II., Málwá, the Dakhin, Kashmir, Bengal, Jaunpúr, Sind, Oudh, the Mahrattas, etc.

SIZE.-Large 8vo., containing 2082 pages, with 17 closelywritten lines in each page.

I believe there is only one copy of the Yádgár-i Bahádurí in existence, the autograph of the author in my possession. 1 procured it from a bookseller at Lucknow.1

[A considerable portion of this work, including the History of Kashmir, was translated for Sir H. M. Elliot, and the translation is among his papers.]

EXTRACTS.

Kanauj.

Kanauj is a large city, and it is known to be very ancient. Some say that it was built after the reign of the incarnate Rám Chand, the lord of Ayodhya (Oudh). However that may be, this city was from ancient times the seat of the throne of the Rájas of Hindústán. It appears from Hindí books that the city of Kanauj was several times populated, and several times deserted. The city which at present exists was founded by Rája Fúr Kanaují, and in his time it is said to have been so densely inhabited, that there were one hundred and forty thousand shops 2 for the sale of betel-leaves only, from which we may derive an idea of its size.

The city stands on the banks of the Ganges, which now runs two kos from it, but during the rains it reaches it. It is said that Fúr Kanaují had a son, who, being offended with his father, went to Alláhábád, and made it his residence. When his father died, he succeeded him in the government, and made Alláhábád the seat of his throne. He assumed the name and title of his father. In his time, Alexander of Rúm came to Hindústán. Kaid Rája, the chief3

The climate of Kanauj is good and temperate. It now lies in ruins, and is inhabited here and there like a village. It is

1 [It is not now among Sir Henry's MSS.]

2 Thirty thousand is the usual extravagant allowance in other accounts. 3 [A page of the translation is here wanting.]

famous for its chintz, chirah (a kind of turban), and fruits of different kinds. At present, it is chiefly occupied by the Saiyids, (of Bokhárá). Saiyid Muhammad of Kanauj, the tutor of the Emperor Aurangzeb, is celebrated in the whole of Hindústán. There were five very strong forts which belonged to this city, of which scarcely a vestige now remains.1

Nawabs of Oudh.

Be it not concealed that in the country of Hindústán there is a set of babblers and fools, who sit in the shops of hemp-sellers, and whatever comes into their minds they say with regard to the nobles, ministers, and the King himself. Though their words have no connexion with truth, yet ignorant and foolish people, conceiving them to be true, spread them in all places. For instance, the following story was originated by these absurd talkers. That one day Nádir Sháh said to Burhánu-1 Mulk and Nizámu-l Mulk Asaf Jáh, "You wrote me when I was in Kandahar, that if my royal servants should come in this direction, you would pay fifty krors of rupees into the treasury. Where are now those rupees? Go, and bring them within three days; otherwise I will put you to death with great torture." Those nobles, having taken their leave, determined with each other to kill themselves, and thus save their honour. Nizámu-1 Mulk took only a cup of water mixed with sugar, while Burhánu-1 Mulk, on hearing of it, actually poisoned himself, and delivered his life to his Maker. This is a direct falsehood. The truth is, that Nawab Burhánu-l Mulk had been troubled for some months with a boil. Notwithstanding his sickness, he took part in the battle which was fought with Nádir Sháh, and with the severity of the pain his holy soul departed to the heavens. Asaf Jáh had no animosity against Burhánu-l Mulk.2

1 The Hadikatu-l Akálim says these were the five forts mentioned by the Rauzatu-s Safá as having been destroyed by Mahmúd in one day; but the Rauzatu-s Safá mentions seven which were so treated.