Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 59
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
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NOVEMBER, 1930)
SIDI ALI SHELEBI IN INDIA, 1864-1656 A.D.
223
the invitation of Imadu'l-mulk, 15 " the Grand Vazir of Sultan Ahmad," by sea to Surat, where he was safe for the time being from the Portuguese. He gives us a brief account of the local political conditions, referring to the recent murder of Sultan Mahmûd, and mentioning Nåşiru'l-mulk, KhudAwand Khan and 'Adil Khân, all of whom are known to have played various roles at that time.
Having come to the conclusion that it was out of the question attempting to return to Egypt by sea, Sidi 'Ali decided to try and make his way back to Constantinople by land, via Sind, the Panjab and Afghanistan. The deserted ships, with all that was left of their armament, were made over to Khudawand Khân, Governor of Surat, on condition that he would remit to the Porte the amount settled as their value. We are not told whether this account was ever discharged!
Towards the end of November 16 or the beginning of December, 17 1554,18 Sidi 'Ali started on his long land journey, accompanied by Mustafa Agha, commandant of the Egyptian janissaries, 'Ali Aghê, captain of the gunners, and about fifty men, travelling via Broach, 19 Baroda, 30 Champaner and Mahmûdabad *1 to Ahmadabad, still the capital of Gujarat, though declining with the decay of the kingdom. On his way he notices the growth of the tári palm (Borassus flabellifer), and how the 'toddy was colleoted in pots and left to ferment, and the drinking booths beneath the trees, which were a great attraction to his men. Overindulgence on one occasion led to a disgraceful brawl, in which two of his men were wounded and one killed. He describes the Banyan tree (Ficus indica), with its aerial roots and enormous extent of shade (enough for "thousands ” of people), and the huge “bats," 1.8., the common Flying Fox (Pteropus medius), that hung from them in large numbers; and the innumerable paroquets and thousands of monkeys that surrounded the camp at some stages.
AhmadAband was reached about 50 days after leaving Surat, probably in the latter half of January 1555. There Sidi 'Ali had an interview with the Vazir (Imádu'l-mulk) and the Sultan Ahmad II), who treated him graciously, presenting him with a horse, a team of camels and money towards the expenses of his journey. The Sultan also, he says, offered him the governorship (?) of Broach, with a large income, but this he declined. At the Vazir's house one day he chanoed to meet a Portuguese envoy, and words ran high between them, the envoy threatening that all the ports would be watched against his escape, while Sidi 'Ali hinted that he could travel by land as well as by sea. While at Ahmadâbâd. our traveller took the opportunity of paying a visit to the tomb of Shaikh Ahmad Maghribi at Sarkhej,?! some five miles distant. This is an important statement since it provides another chance of checking the reliability of Sidi 'Ali's narrative. From the Revised Lists of Antiquarian Remains in the Bombay Presidency, 23 we find that at Sarkhej there is the tomb of "Shekh Ahmad Khattu Ganj Bakhsh of Anhilvada," begun in 1445 A.D. by Muhammad Shah and completed in 1451. This tomb is also mentioned in the Abmadâbâd volume of the Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, editod by Sir J. M. Campbell, 24 as that of Shaikh Ahmad Khathi
16 This must have buou Imůdu'l-mulk Anlau Turki, frequently mentioned by Hajji ad-Dabir, in his Arabic History of Gujarue, as in attendance on Almad II, becoming Prime Minister in 963 A.M. (1055-66).
16 On the lst Muharram 962 A.H., according to Diez (=20 Sovember 1554). 17 Vambéry writes : "in the beginning of Muharram." 1% Vambéry incorrectly writes 1552. 19 Bouroudj of Diez; Burudj of Vanıléry: neither of them have identified the place. 20 Beloudri of Dioz; Bolodra of Vambéry, who suggests it is Balotra in Jodhpur State !
21 The Mehmedabad of our maps and the I.G., but the correct name is Mahmûdabad, as the town was founded by the famous Sultan Mahmud Begada. Strange to say, Vambéry failed to identify even this town, noting : "there is only place of that name known in Oudh."
23 Tchorkosch of Diez, and Cherkes of Vambéry, but unidentified by thom. 28 Originally compiled by Dr. J. Burgos, revised by Mr. H. Cousons in 1897. Soo p. 81. 24 Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, vol. IV, Ahmedabad (1879), p. 18.
