________________
229
MISCELLANEA.
AUGUST, 1896.)
were thus obtained and taught the precepts of tion was in favour of Yakut Khán, Khán Bahadur, Islám. From them were selected the leaders of of whom we will speak again presently. the army, and the collectors of land revenue in
A teacher was appointed for the boy cholas, the parganahs.
his name was Kali Miyan Shah. When a boy Muhammad Khán had quite a passion for
could read and write, he was taken before the crearing the number of his chales All his | Nawab, who presented him with one hundred managers (Amils) and deputies (Súbahdars) had rupees, a shield, and a sword, by way of khila't. orders to send him all the Hindu boys, whom 1 From among the chelas of eighteen to they could procure between the ages of seven and twenty years of age, the Nawab selected five thirteen. When they grew up, they were placed hundred youths, and trained them as a picked in his police or army, or were appointed to regiment. They had firelocks of Lahore, accoumanage the Nawab's private affairs. When even trements of Sultani broad-cloth, powder-horns an amil bad a fight with a troublesome village each holding two and a half seers of powder, and or invested it, he seized all the boys he could get, each a pouch with one hundred bullets. One and forwarded them to the Nawab. Others day, they were drawn up along the Jamna bank became Muhammadans of their own accord. In under the fort at Delhi while the emperor was this way, every year one or two hundred boys seated on the fort wall, with Muhammad Khan were made Muhammadans, and by the end of his standing in an attitude of respect beside him; Life the Nawab bad some four thousand chelas. Muhammad Shah ordered him to fire at some Many of these were killed in battle in the Nawab's moving object in the river, and was so delighted lifetime, many died without issue, and many with the good practice they made, that he asked were never married. The descendants of the rest for a gift of the whole corps. - Muhammad still exist, and are distinguished as Ghazanfar- Khán made the objection that they were a lot bachha (progeny of Ghazanfar), the title of
of Brahmans and Rajputs, who could do nothing Muhammad Khan having been Ghazanfar Jang. but talk a rustic patois and use their swords. During the Nawáb's lifetime these men were The emperor accepted the excuse, arra sent one nover styled chelas, they were always known thousand rupees to be distributed." - Irvine, as Tifli-Birkár (song of the State). All places Bangash Nawabs, in J. 4. 8. B., Vol. xlvi., of trust were given to them, the Nawab's house
p. 340f. hold was in their charge, and his whole establish.
1878.-[Mr. Irvine gives the facts known about ment under their orders. For many of them
47 of the principal chelas, from which it will he obtained the title of Nawáb from the
be sufficient to extract the following as illustraomperor. Of whatever caste a chela had been,
tive of the subject in hand.] "(1) Yáķut Khán, he was marriod to the daughter of a chela originally of the same caste, a Rájput was given
Khán Bahớdur . . . , Seven gajes [an
interesting Anglo-Indián form on its own to a Rajput, a Bráhman to a Brahman, and so forth. This plan was followed till the time of
account !) were founded by Yaķut Khán.... Nawab Ahmad Khan Ghalib Jang (1758-1771).
the chelas of former days used to say that Miyán After that time they all got mixed together, so
Khán Bahadur spent 25 lakhs of rupees on the that one caste cannot be distinguished from
gungos (another form!), his house and the bághs another. Among the chelas were the sons of
he planted .... (4) Mukím Khán. This
chela held Ujjain during the time of Muhammad powerful Rajahs, who by misfortune had been
Khán, was Subah of Malwa .... He was captured and made Muhammadans. Thus Shamsher Khan Masjidwala' is reported to have
with the Nawab from his early days and the been a Banáfir Rajput, Sher Dil Khan was a
Bibi Sahiba observed po pardah to him.... Tomar, Pur Dil Khán & Gaar, Dad Khán a
(5) Jáfar Khán. He was the Nawab's Bakhshi Brahman, and so forth.
... . (6) Daud Khán. He is said to
have been originally a Brahman. He was one of The Nawab used to tell his chelas to collect as the chelas with the Nawab in his younger days much money, goods or jewels as possible. In to whom the Bibi Sabiba observed no pardah.. adversity such property could be made of use to . . (9) Bhúre Khán. A story told of this him or themselves. But he who built a masonry man shows the amount of license accorded to structure in any village would be at once removed the chelas. One day' Bhure Khan coming into from employment. Nothing was to be built but darbár late could find no place to sit. Kicking with sun-dried bricks and mud mortar, and to away the pillow separating Mhd. Khan and ench chola permission was given to build a single Káim Khan, he sat down between the Nawab and brick room as reception hall. The only excep- his son. Káim Khán turned angrily to his
