Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 04
Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

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Page 346
________________ 322 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY (NOVEMBER, 1875. After this marriage Verawalji, as a Surya - vansi Rajput, was looked on not only by the Patgars, but by the seven tribes of the Kathis, as their head and chieftain, and he went to the Barad â hills to receive their allegiance, and then, taking the seven tribes of the Kåtbis with him, he went to Dhank and set up his gái there. Dhank is said to have been called Mungipur PÅtan and Rehewis Patan in ancient times, but it had fallen waste, and was now repopulated by Veråwalji. Another account shows that Verâ walji received Dhånk in appanage from the gádi of Wala Chamárdi, but this is not so probable as the above. It is supposed that Veråwalji sat on the gâdi of Dhank in S. 1245,* A.D. 1189. Verawalji was succeeded on the gádi by his son Wâlâji; he had altogether three sons and one daughter, viz. (1) Waliji, who succeeded him, (2) Khumânji, (3) Lala, and (4) his danghter Månkbâi, whom he married to a Parmar Rajput. The descendants of Mankbâi by her Parmar husband are called Jebaliâ Kâ thîs. After Veråwalji's death Walojit returned to the old Kathi seat of PAwargadh in Kach h, and, conquering about four hundred villages in the vicinity, remained there ruling over the Kathis. At this time Jam Satoji ruled over a portion of Kach h; he had a feud with the Sodhå of Dlát-Parkar, and collected an army to invade that country. One of the Jam's courtiers, who knew of Waloji's prowess, advised the Jam to take Wâloji with him, and the Jåm invited him to accompany him. When the Jam's messenger explained his message to Waloji, Wâloji agreed to aid him with fifteen hundred horse and marched at once to his camp, where Jam Satoji received him and his Käthis with much cordi- ality, and bestowed on Wâloji a handsome tent. The Kathis from their prowess became the leading portion of the army, which soon reached the confines of Dhåt-Parkar. When the news of this invasion reached the Chief of Parkar, he with his brothers Alang and Samarath came forth with their army and joined battle with the Jâm; but after an obstinate resistance the three brothers were slain, and the Jåm pillaged the whole country of Pårkar, after which he turned his steps towards his own dominions, and on his way thither camped at the Nigálå tank, where there were but few trees. The Kathis formed the vanguard of the army, and arriving first at the tank pitched their tents under the shade of these trees. When the Jâm arrived, he was excessively enraged at the conduct of the Kathis in not leaving him a tree beneath which he might pitch his tent, and compelled Wâloji to remove his tents. Waloji vowed revenge, and the Jâm, unwilling to provoke a chief of his prowess, now endeavoured to conciliate him, and styled him the Kathi Jåm. Waloji, however, refused all his overtures and withdrew from the camp with his Kathîs, and a few days after, finding the Jhadejas off their guard, he made a night attack on the Jâm's tents and slew him and five of his brothers, the youngest brother, Jåm Abdi (after whom the Abạâsi district in Kachh is named), alone escaping. Jam Abdå with a large force marched against P & wargadh, expelled the Kathis from thence, and finally drove them across the Ran, pursuing them to Thân. Other accounts say that Jam AbdA pursued the Kathis to PÅwargadh, where he besieged them, and eventually compelled them to receive a garrison, which was posted in the citadel, and also forced Waloji to give him his daughter in marriage. After a year or two had elapsed, the Kathis on a fixed day massacred the Jam's garrison and then fled across the Ran, via Morbi and Wankiner, to Thân in the Pan. chala, whither they were hotly pursued by Jam Abļa. At Thân was the celebrated temple of the Sun, and it is said that that luminary appeared in a dream to Waloji and encouraged him to risk a battle; and he accordingly did so, repulsing Jâm Abài, who now retired to Kachh. Some say that in this conflict the Sun appeared in Waloji's ranks in mortal form, riding on a white horse, and that wherever this strange warrior went the enemy's men fell as though mown with a sickle. After this the Kathis devoted themselves more than ever to Sunworship. The descendants of Wáloji were called WALAs; they with the other Kathis remained at Than till Samvat 1480,8 when the three sons of WAloji acquired the chiefdom of Chital, and taking with them their followers and kinsfolk they * This is probably 8. 1445, A.D. 1389. + The fact of W Al Aji leaving Dhank and returning to PAwargadh shows, I think, that the occupation of Dhank was merely temporary, and that it was not bestowed in appanage, in which case he would have been loth to reJinquish it. Also called Dhrat. This date, probably correct, shows that the Samvat 1245 is a mistake for S. 1415, and S. 1910 for 8. 1440, 88 only one generation had elapsed, and these three were the

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