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A COLLECTION OF SANADS OF MOGHUL EMPERORS.
477
There are also some private documents in this collection of sanads, the most interesting of which concern the sale and purchase of lands. We learn from them the value of arable lands in the pargana of Batâla, viz., 251 rupees for 100 big'has, 20 rupees for 5 big has, 42 rupees for 15 big'has 17 biswas, 122 rupees 8 annas for 35 big'has banjarland, and 60 rupees for 20 big'has zamin-i bárání, the price of the big'ha varying therefore between 2 and 4 rupees. The sales took place under the rule of Muhammad and Ahmad Shah, the rupees and the annas being specified as 'álamgiri. In Shah 'Alam's time once Buhlulis or Dám-i 'álámgért's are mentioned. One-half of the fixed amount is always paid on account. As is customary in Christian countries by illiterates to draw a cross instead of the signature, we find a circle once adopted for this purpose by a woman obliged to sign the document about the sale of her grounds. These papers bear the seal of the Qází as of the competent official and the signatures and seals of a number of witnesses. Judges of Batala were according to our sanads:
Qazi Arjumand in the year 1115 (2), the seal with the date 1112; Qazi 'Ata Ullah, son of 'Azim Ullah, 1139, on the seal 1120; Qazi Ahliyat Ullah, 1141, on the seal 1138; Qazi Mir Muhammad, 1141, 1147, and 1161, and
Wali Muhammad, son of the dismissed Qazi Hibat Ullah, who, as his father extended the hand of oppression and tyranny over the inhabitants,' and for this reason, in the second year of Shah 'Alam's reign, the citizens presented a petition that he should be deposed and be replaced by their former just Qazi Ghulam Muhammad, whose seal with the date 48 appears on documents from 'Alamgir's 49th year. I am not sure if this request was entirely successful, at all events in A. H. 1120, 1125, and 1126 the desired Ghulam Muhammad was not judge, but Muhammad Wali Ullah, who is perhaps identical with the unjust Wali Muhammad.
In the 16th year of Muhammad Shah Mir Muhammad, son of Mir Muhammad Qâim, was appointed judge of Batåla, as successor of Amânat Ullâh, and he was confirmed in this office after Ahmad Shah's accession to the throne. The documents bear the seals of Mir Muhy'iddin Khânazâd, 1118, and Shamshêrbêg Khân Khânazâd, 1161. That Jalâl was Qâzi of Batala in A.H. 933 has already been mentioned.
Finally there are a few other sanads, e.g., one concerning the grant of a daily allowance of 12 annas to Shaikh Nur Muhammad and his companions in Patthaibatpur, to be paid by the fautadár of that town, or regarding the lease of the village of Pådishahpur alias Kalânkhurdpår in the pargana of Patihaibatpår, amounting to 550 rupees a year and being to be delivered to the fautakhána, which need not to be further described.
I now give as a specimen the text of three sayúrghál-sanads, together with their English translations:
مرینوقت میمنت عنوان فرمان والشان واجب الزمان صادر شد که چهل بیگھا زمین افتاده لائق زراعت خارج جمع از پرگنه چماري مضاف بصرية پنجاب در وجه مده معاش مسمات راج بيبي وغيرها حسب الشمي مقرر باشد که حاصل آنرا صرف مالختاج نموده بدعات بقالے دولت ابدطراز مواظبت نمایند باید که حکام و عمال ر جاگیرداران و کروربان حال و استقبال اراضی مزبوره را پیموده و چک بسته بتصرف آنها بازگذارند و اصل و مطلقا
I have spelt the Persian words more correctly than they appear sometimes in the originals.
