Indian Antiquary Vol 38

SR No.: 032530
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 362
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 35 MB

Page 35

FEBRUARY, 1909.)
THE CHUHAS, OR RAT-CHILDREN OF THE PANJAB.
31
PANJAB.
The building of the bridge over the Dik came about in this way. During one of the journeys of the emperor Shahjahan into Kashmir, the private belongings of Dara Shikoh and Hari Begam and many pack animals were lost in the Dik, which was in flood. The Faujdar of the District, Mirza Badt Usman, was accordingly ordered to have a large and permanent bridge ready by the time the royal party returned. The Faujdar set to work, but could get nothing but mud bricks and so he imprisoned all the brick-burners. The result was that when the emperor returned the bridge was not even commencel. On being severely reprimanded, the Faujdar remarked that only Shah Daula could build the bridge. The emperor at once ordered him to fetch Shab Daula. By a stratagem he was induced to enter a palanquin and was carried off, but he remarked :-" There is no need to force me to obey the emperor's orders. I know them and will carry them out."
Arrived at the Dik, Shah Daula procured the release of the brick-burners and set about building the bridge. A wicked guru, who inhabited the spot, destroyed the work as fast as it was done. but after a controversy, in which he was overcome, the gurú was lured into a lime-pit and buried up to his neck in lime and mortar by Shah Daula.
Shah Daula met with many other obstacles. Among them was one raised by Batâ, the land. owner of the neighbourhood, who made money out of the ford at that spot. Batâ cut the dam in order to drown the faqirs encamped underneath it, but Shah Daula cleverly frustrated him by making a second dam below it. A faqir was sent to report on Bütâ's behaviour.to Shahjahân, who ordered him to be sent to Lahore bound hand and foot, there to be beheaded and his head to be hung on a nim tree. Bat Shah Daula interceded for him and obtained his release. Bûtâ after this rendered every possible assistance, the bridge was duly built and Shah Daula returned to Gujrat.
About this time a faqir, named Saidai, came to Gajrât and claimed the guardianship of the town by divine appointment in order to discredit Shah Daula. By spiritual meens Shah Daula convinced the impostor that he was wrong, and the faqir disappeared and was never heard of again.
At that time femalo infanticide was rife in Rajanr, now a part of the Jammu State. Raja Chattar Singh of Rajaur was devoted follower of Shah Daula, but he always killed his female children at birth. However, on the birth of one girl, Shah Daula told him to let the child live, as she would be very fortunate and become the mother of kings. The child was therefore allowed to live and grew up a fair and lovely maiden, and when Shahjaban was passing through Rajanr on one of his journeys to Kashmir, the Râjâ presented her to him as a ntizar. The girl was accepted and bestowed on Prince Aurangzeb, who married ber.
Later on, the prince, being anxions to know whether he or one his brothers, Dark Shikah and Murâd, would succeed to the throne, went to see Shah Daula and presented him with a zar murgh (golden pheasant), a foreign cat and wooden stick. If the saint accepted all but the stick it was to be an omen that the prince would succeed. But Shah Daula, as soon as bé saw the prince, arose salated him as "Your Majesty," and giving him a cake, returned the stick and said :“God has sent you this cake, and this stick is granted you as the sceptre of your authority. Be of good cheer." Aurangzeb told the tale to the Begam Bai, who confirmed him in his belief in it by relating Shah Daula's prophecy that she herself would be the mother of kings. Her sons were Ma'azzim and Mahmud, of whom the former became the emperor Bahadur Shah.
- At a later period, after he had become emperor, Aurangzeb again sent for Shah Daula, who appeared before him in a miraculous manner. The emperor was dining by himself, but he saw that a band was eating with him. Calling his attendants he told them of this, and said that the hand was the band of an old man with the second finger missing. One of the attendants, named Bakhtawar, said that the hand was probably Shah Daula's. The emperor thereupon summoned the Saint to appear, when Shah Daula at once stood revealed, and was dismissed, loaded with presents by the amazed sovereign.