Indian Antiquary Vol 52

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 277

SEPTEMBER, 1923 ] HISTORY OF THE NIZAM SHAHI KINGS OF AHMADNAGAR
with a disease which caused sores to break out on his limbs, and now that disease returned with more violence than ever, and he entirely lost his health. He was compelled to go into the city for treatment and there his powers altogether failed him and he grew worse and worse until he drank the cup of death from the band of the cup-bearer of eternity, and hastened to the place whence he had come. It is suspected by some that Jamal Khân got rid of him by means of poison, and thus freed himself from the anxiety of his existence; but God knows the truth.
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A.D. 1590. They buried Salâbat Khân, after his death, under the dome on the top of the high hill known as Shâh Dungar,330 which is within two leagues of Ahmadnagar and which had been built by Şalâbat Khân as his tomb. This is a building which is famed everywhere for its height, beauty, elegance and strength. The height of the top of the dome from the ground is nearly 60 gar. It is built of dressed stones and is octagonal in plan with a hall at every angle and four storeys, one below the other, with a hall and windows. On all sides of the tomb the ground is scarped from the top of the hill downwards to the middle of it, and trees and fruit trees have been planted thickly on the slope so that the eyes of all beholders are enchanted with the scene.
Many such stately and lofty buildings have been left by Salâbat Khân in the Dakan, and bear witness to the high-mindedness of that age, and will endure to later ages.
The period of Salabat Khân's tenure of the office as vakil and pishvâ both alone and in association with Asad Khân, was nearly twelve years, in the course of which time he rendered great services in advancing the prosperity of the country and in exercising a proper control over the kingdom and the roads, but all to no purpose, for he was not allowed to bring his work to a prosperous conclusion.
After Salabat Khân's death, news came to Jamal Khân that Burhân Nizam Shah's army had entered Berar by way of Gondwâra.331 Jamal Khân, on hearing this news, was much perturbed, and at once set to work to prepare his army for the field. In the meantime fresh news was received to the effect that Jahangir Khân,332 the African, one of the amirs of Berar, had dared to disobey the orders of Burhân Nizam Shah and had even ventured to withstand him by force of arms, and as, in accordance with the saying, "everything is postponed to its proper time," some delay occurred in Burhân Nizâm Shâh's career of victory, Chaghatâi Khân, who was one of the bravest of the Mughul army, was killed by a musket shot, and his troops, when they saw their leader killed, fled at once from the field. The wretch, 'Jamal Khân, was much rejoiced by the receipt of this news and began to prepare for the downfall of the kingdom of Ahmadnagar, and wrote a hypocritical and deceiving letter to Burhân Nizam Shah, saying that quarrels had broken out between the Foreigners and the Dakanis, and that a number of the former who were in the royal service were afraid to pay their respects at court. He proposed, therefore, that Burhân Nizâm Shâh should come alone to the capital
330 Six miles east of the city (Ahmadnagar), on a hill between 700 and 800 feet above the level of the fort and on the left of the Ahmadnagar-Shivgaon road, stands the tomb of the Nizam Shahî minister, Şalâbat Khân, commonly known as Chând Bibi's Mahall. It is an octagonal dome surrounded by a threestoried verandah.'-Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1908, v, 124.
331 That is to say, through the Sâtpûras, the country of the Korkus, not of the Gonds.
332 Jahangir Khân, whose fiefs lay on the northern border of Berar, adjoining Khandesh, responded to Burhân's first appeal by promising to support his cause, and thus encouraged him to enter Berar with the small force at his disposal, but for some unexplained reason, probably owing to the presence of a few imperial officers among Burhân's companions, turned against him and attacked him. Burhan was defeated and fled to Hindiya, and thence to the court of Râja 'Ali Khân of Khandesh.