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JULY, 1874.]
THE GOHELS AND DÅBHIS.
193
THE GOHELS AND DÂBHIS. In his Notes on the Dábhi Clin of Rajputs, the Kant Bhills. At that time the Ka. Major Watson remarks (ante, p. 71) that he is this had not come out of På war. unable to say whether the Gohels acquired the Dhandalpur is four kos to the west of share they held in Khedagadh from the Då Sejakpur, and there Dhundali Mal Gosai bhis, or whether the Dâ bhis conquered it in lived. Siddha râja's mother, Mainal concert with the Gohels.' The following Devî, was unable to procure delivery, and was legend, told in Kathiâwâd, seems to bear on this on her way to perish at some tirtha. She point, and may be given here :
halted at Adalu tank, which is a kos to the When Tuktodar, which is near Ratlam, west of Dhandalpur, and hearing of the on the north-east of Gujarat, was ruled by a fame of Dhundali Mal she went to touch Cbah u van prince, the Goh els and D - his feet, and he instructed her as to the means bhis were his retainers; but the latter were of attaining delivery. Thus Siddharaja favourites, and the former disliked. Therefore Ja ysiñha was born there, and was called the Gohels schemed to destroy the Raja and Siddharâja because he was born by the elevate his brother to the throne. This, how- aid of the Siddha. When Siddharî ja grew ever, became known to the Raja, who, dissem- ap, he built a well there in respect for the place bling, invited both the Gohels and the Di- of his birth. Hanuman was the Bhê wo's bhis to a pretended marriage-feast, at which Isht Deva, and therefore Dhundali Mal hey were to dine in separate places
Hanu man was installed there. The Bha"Dabhis left, and Gohels right."
wo's paglai were placed in a separate shrine, Where the G o h'els were to dine, the king and Siddharaja founded Dhundalpur, now caused a pit to be dug filled with lighted fire- Dhandalpur, in honour of the Bhawo, and built wood, and as the Gohels came in they were a fort there. He also formed the Ad Alu Talko at cast into the fire. The Dá bhis who went to his birthplace. Up to this tank was the country the feast came back, but the Gohels did not. of the Waghelas, and beyond it westward Two Gohel brothers named Sejo and Vejo was the Junagadh Ra's country. The Ra's were at their lodging, and they asked their Kui war went ont on a tour with his retinde hajdm what could be going on. He mounted a
and came to the AdAla Talao, where he pitched. limb tree to look round, and saw that the
It was told to the Sejakpur Gohel that some chief Gohels were being cast into the fire, and with his followers had come to fight with him. informed his chiefs. Terrified at this, they He accordingly went out to meet his enemy, fled with their followers, and were parsued
and in a combat, after killing several, the Go. by the Chahu vân to Khera, where, find. hel seized the Kuivoir and some of his officers. ing he could not lay hands on them, he turned On afterwards finding who the Kunwar was, he back. The brothers went to Wadhwan to repented of what he had done, saying that he the Waghela Raja, who gave them posses- had fought with him in ignorance of who he sions in Panchal Dega—the country about
was. And it was at last arranged that Vejo Sayla, and Sejo Gohel founded Sejak
Gohel's daughter should be given to the Ra's pur. In those days there was much jangal Kunwar, and the Gohels, giving large presents there, and the Gohels were charged to watch as pherá mani, took them to Junagadh. To • In the Ras Maia this proverb is thus accounted for to dine, intending to cut him to pieces. But the D Abhi'.
The Rathods excited feud between the Dabhis and daughter was elever: she was sejak'. queen. Aware Gohels, and when they were weakened by losses they stepped
of the intentions of her family, the virtuous wife, yoking in, seized the booty for themselves, and expelled the belli. ber chariot, went forth; to Bejak'house she came : gerent clans. Hence the proverb.
she told him all the story. Next day came the D Abhi. The legend here given, however, was also collected by
and invited the Raja. When he set forth be called his the author of the Ris Mata.
Subhats and told them of the design: Arming themselves,
they all attended; when he arrived he perceived their This hajam's descendants are still called Limbawa ha- stragem. The Gohol, drawing his sword, advanced : jams.
to meet him also advanced the D Abhis. The Gohel I The Bhaunagar Dasard Bandy contains the following struck the D Abhi and defeated him, humbling his pride. prange "Boja kji, the lord of Kher and destroyer The Dabhis sought aid from the Padiah Ah, whose army of his enemies, destroyed many houses of the D Abhis. came. Then the Gohel rice left Marudhar and went In his time they were very powerful, possessors of ontas, away into foreign lands. With then they took warriors, and dwellers in Kher. Treacherously they sought to horses, and goods, and in the year 1102 (A.D. 1045) Sejak will sojak. It fell on a day they agreed to invite the Mara arrived in Borath.-Conf. Ras Mald, vol. II. D. 808.
