________________
JUNE, 1884.]
BASALU AND SALIVAHAŅA OF SIÅLKOT.
179
the Amritsar District), from which last place Sálvahan's favourite wife, whose name was the family took its name." Sawal Singh was Lúna, the daughter of Raja Pipa of Pappákhá, succeeded by Nar Singh, who died in 1806, a Champal Rajpat. She was the mother of when that arch-robber, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Risâlâ from whom Siâlkot was formerly called took all he could lay hands on from the Risalkot. Lûnê was remarkable for her beauty, family, who were still further despoiled by his though not for her virtue, as the following successor, Maharaja Sher Singh, till very little story will show : but the name remains to them of their former Ichhran, another of Raja Salvahan's many grandeur.
wives, became the mother of a beautiful boy, Chamyari is a very old town, and is con- who was named Púran." The astrologers, nected by legend with the (in the Panjab, who had assembled at the palace to draw the ubiquitous Salivahan of Sialkot. I give the horoscope of the new-born infant, declared that stories about it in Sir Lepel Griffin's own the greatest calamities would befall him should words. The contrast to the former tale of he be seen by his father before his twelfth Lonan given by myself is self-evident.
birthday. In those days astrologers were "Raja Salvahan of Sialkot, who reigned believed, and a high tower was accordingly about A.D. 90,1° passing with his retinde near built, in which the boy was carefully guarded the spot where Chamyâri now stands, sawa till twelve years had come, as the attendants young girl drawing water at a well. Struck by thought, to an end, when they brought him to her marvellous beauty he enquired her name and his delighted father. But one day had been found that it was Chambâ, and that she was the omitted from the calculation. The twelve years daughter of the Rajpât Chief of the District, had not expired. Sálvában asked the girl in marriage, but the When Lûnê saw the lovely boy she fell in father declined as the Raja's name was a terror love with him at once. This was less her fault, throughout the Panjab to both parents and than that of the stars, and at last, unable to daughters, as he was accustomed to take a new 1. control herself she caught Päran in her arms, wife every day, and maidens were becoming and told him all her love. Ho had not been scarce in the land. But the Raja was not tanght the art of love in his solitary tower and to be denied. He swore that, if Chamba was only laughed at Lûna's distress, and ran away only given to him, he would not marry for while she, enraged at the repulse, and, her love eight days, and to these reasonable terms the turning to hatred, tore her hair and clothes, and father consented. But by the eighth day Raja when the Raja came in, told him, with weeping Salvå han had grown so deeply enamoured of eyes, that Půran had attempted her virtue. the beautiful Chamba, that he was content to The Raja made no enquiries, but straightway divorce all his other wives, and to keep her ordered that the boy should be taken into the only for life. To glorify his love and render it jungle, and there put to death. As the poor immortal he built around the well, where he had little fellow was being carried off by the ecofirst seen her drawing water, the town of cutioners he begged hard for his life, but for Chamyâri, which he called after her name.” long begged in vain. At length the men pro
"Another story asserts that Chambyâri or mised not to kill him, but they cut off both Chamyari was named after the caste of Raja his hands, and threw him down a well where Toid. p. 207.
See Griffin, pp. 502 11. and 520. Tarikh-i-Makhaan--- I may help in the catching of this veritable Will-o'- Panjab, Persian character, p. 226 1., 2.V., Jhangaill. the-wisp of ancient Indian history by drawing attention
• Ibid. Pp. 209-210. here to Mr. Thomas's paper on Indo-Scythian Coins, ante
20 Allusion to the Saks era A.D. 78. All legends agree pp. 6-11. The name of the king SAlivAhama, of his
about this. legendary son, Raalla, Risald, or Sald and the legendary foundation of Sialkot by them both, point to the exist
_11 Soe ante, vol. XI, p. 290 and footnote 4, but no ence of an old SAKA tribe of SAlor Shal. In the legends
Tod, Rajasthan, orig. ed., vol. IP: 72, which would
make him & Sampai Kachhwh Rdjput. There was BiAlkot is variously called Salkot, ShAlkot and Riskikos. tribe of ChampAl Rojpats among the hill tribes of Kingth Now Mr. Thomas, quoting the Vishnu Purans, p. 8 ante,
Beo Sirdar Atar Singh's sakhs Book, Benares, 1873, gives the tribe of glas in the same list as his Seythian
p. 78. Bhandas. Have we not here the tribe, that is wanted? There is an important tribe of Sils in the Panjab to the
Paran Bhagat, see ante vol. XI, PP. 289-290, and present day in the Jhang District, claiming connection
footnote 6. with the Panjabi Ghebes and TiwAn As of the Rawal 13 The same story is told of Ragald in more than one Pindi District and, of course, a doubtful Bajpat descent. legend.
