Indian Antiquary Vol 04

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 16

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JANUARY, 1875.
Yamlikhi, Maksalmind, Kashfütı!, Tabyúnus, Azarfatyúnus, Yuwanisbús, and the name of their dog is Qitmir.
The writer is Lutfullah. Nawab A'zam Khin is better known under his full name, Khân i A'zam Mirza 'Aziz Kokah, of whom the reader will find a biographical note in my Ain (translation, p. 325). He was long employed in Gujarat. Mirza Muhammad Anwar was his fifth son (Ain, p. 328). Mr. Burgess also ascribes the digging or repair of the Khin-Sarowar near Patan to Anwar's father (Visit to Gujurát, p. 91).
The names Yamlik hå, &c., in the end of the inscription are the names of the Asháb i Kahf,
the Lords of the cave,' who form the subject of the xv[ith súrah of the Qorán. The Lords of the Cave' are well known to ns under the name of the Seven Sleepers." The origin of the legend is given in Gibbon's History, chap. lxxiii (end of vol. III., Buhn's edition).
The dog Qitmir, was with the seven in the cave, and is much respected by Muhammadaus. Sa'di mentions him in the Gulistan; and his name and those of his masters are often written on amulets as a powerful protection against loss or destruction. Hence the occurrence of their names in this inscription, which served both as a historical record and as a talisman.
MALIFATTAN.
BY COL. H. YULE, C.B., PALERMO. My friend Mr. Burnell, in his Essay on the Apostle's death. The Catalan Map, executed Pahlavi Inscriptions of S India, has incidentally about 1375, gives Mirapor. Nicolo Conti, expressed an opinion that the town of Mayilip- according to different readings, Malpuria, pûr, or San Thome, is the Malifattan of some Malpulia, and Malepor. Barbosa, soon of the Muhammadan medical writers.t
after 1500, has Maylapur, Mailapur, and Though I have often tried, I have never been Malepur; with De Barros, Couto, and the able to arrive at any satisfactory conclusion on Portuguese of their age, it takes the form this point; and Mr. Burnell's view is perhaps Melia por. In Fra Paolino, again, we find expressed too positively. I will here put down
“Maïlapuri, or Maïlapuram,-City of all the data known to me.
Peacocks." First as to the old name of San Thomè.
Then for Malifattan. This is mentioned The present form Mayilappûr is, I ima
by Rashiduddin, in his notices of Malabar, gine, accommodated to the long-popular ety.
as one of the ports belonging to Sundar mology Peacock-Town.' Mr. Burnell thinks the Pandi Devar,-“Fattan, Malifattan, proper name was prohably Malaippuram,
and Kayal," as well as in Wassaf's edition Mount-Town.'
of the same notices. And Abulfeda names Marco Polo gives no name to the city. He Manifattan, probably the same place, as a calls it a certain little town having no great po
city on the coast of Malabar. pulation, and frequented by few traders. Neither Other notices seem very rare. That of Friar is any name given to it by Friar John of Monte Jordanas, who was a Catholic Missionary in Corvino, afterwards Archbishop of Cambaluc, Western and South India, and on his return to who, on his way to China (circa 1292-93), spent Europe was named by the Pope Bishop of some time in the vicinity and buried a comrade, Columbum or Quilon in 1328, is remarkable. Fr. Nicolas of Pistoia, in the Church of St. Naming the kingdoms of India that he was acThomas. The first traveller, as far as I know, quainted with after Molebar, where the pepper to name the place, is John Marignolli, about the grows, comes Singu yli (or Cranganore), and middle of the 14th century, who calls it Mira. then Columbum, "the king of which is called polis, but who had, I suspeot, heard the Lingua, but his kingdom Mohebar. There peacoek etymology, for he mentions the peacocks is also the king of Molephatam, whose kingparticularly in connexion with the legend of the dom is called Molepor, where pearls are taken
• Conf. Fundgruben des Orients, III. 347-381. + Ind. Ant. vol. III. p. 813. I 89e Dowson's Elliot, vol. I. p. 69, and III. p. 32, disregarding erroneous readings. $ I will not digress on this curious and perplezing statement.