1 MAHMUD OF GHAZNI. 85
2 “Al Kadar Billal * -
3 There is no God but God, and Mahomed the Prophet of God.
4 The Right Hand of the State, the Asylum of the Faith, Mahmud.
5 In the name of God this Dirham was struck at Mahmudpur, in 418 a.H.”
6 Obverse , (Hindi).
7 Abyak tamak, Mahanmad Avatar, Nri pati Mahmid.
8 ‘“The invisible is one.
9 Mahnuid incarnation.
10 Kingj]Mahmiud.” —
11 Margin (Hindi).
12 *©In the name of the invisible this Tanka was struck at Mahmudpur in 418.”+
13 Two years after this, Mahmfd again marched to India with the object of
14 chastising Nanda Rai, Raja of Kalinjar, who had escaped punishment in the
15 preceding expedition. He moved against him by way of Léhore, and,
16 passing Gwalior, laid siege to the fort of that place; but the rajd tendered
17 his allegiance and was spared. Nanda Rai also averted the calamity which
18 awaited him by tendering a timely submission and valuable gifts, and, these
19 having been accepted, he was confirmed in the possession of his territories.
20 Mahmiid had long heard accounts of the sanctity and wealth of the
21 celebrated temple of Somnath, a town on the sea coast of Kaithiawar, which
22 was frequented by devotees from all parts of India. The god Soma, after
23 whom the temple was called, was believed to possess absolute power over
24 the souls of all. He was believed to regulate the successive transmigrations,
25 and to have power to bless or curse dismembered souls. The temple was
26 a most splendid one, and was held in great veneration by all the votaries.
27 Determined to destroy such a notorious centre of idolatry, he marched
28 from Ghazni, in September 1024, accompanied by 30,000 volunteers,
29 the youth of Turkestan and the neighbouring countries, who followed
30 the king without pay, with the express object of destroying this temple.
31 Having crossed the desert of Miltan, he arrived at Ajmere, which he sacked,
32 and, reducing other fortresses, he reached Somnath, by rapid marches,
33 without opposition. The fortress of the temple was strongly defended
34 by the Rajputs, and for three successive days the assaults of the Mahomedans
35 were repulsed with great loss. Mahmid at length leaped from his horse,
36 and, prostrating himself on the ground, implored the help of God. Re-
37 mounting and taking Abul Hassan, his Circassian general, by the hand, by
38 ‘ way of encouragement, he cheered the troops on with such enthusiasm that
39 they stormed the fortress and laid 5,000 of the garrison dead at their feet.
40 The remainder of the enemy embarked in boats to save their lives, but were
41 followed by the Mahomedans, who sank many of the boats. Mahmdd now
42 entered the temple, accompanied by his sons and a few of his Omerahs and
43 chiefs. As he entered the great hall, he saw before him a stone idol, t nine
44 *Jt would appear that the name and title of the Caliph of Baghdad, the Supreme
45 Pontiff of Islam, preceded the Sultan’s own name, out of the reverence in which he was held
46 by the whole Moslem world.
47 + Thomas’ Pathan Kings of Dethi, p. 48.
48 {The temple of Somnath was a superb edifice, built of hewn stone. The rdjds of various
49 parts of India had bestowed the revenue of 2,009 villages for the maintenance of its establishment,
50 which comprised chiefly Brahmin priests. The offerings made at the shrine by the pilgrims who
51 visited it from all parts of India at particular festivals, were enormous. At the eclipses from
52 200,000 to 300,000 worshippers used to attend the temple. The idol was washed twice a day
53 with water from the Ganges, which was brought for the purpose from a distance of 1,200 miles,
54 and which alone was considered worthy of being employed in its daily ablutions. A great bell,
55 supported by a golden chain, and weighing 200 maunds, called the devotees to worship. The
56 establishment consisted of 2,000 Brahmins, 500 dancing girls, 300 musicians and 300 barbers,
57 who shaved the devotees before they were admitted into the temple. Shaven priests prostrated
58 themselves before the great idol, and dancing girls, adorned with jewels, made their perform-
59 ances before it. It was customary with the rajas, at one time, to devote their daughters to the
60 service of this great religious institution, in order to obtain the blessings of the gods. There
61 were, in this temple, besides the idol of Somnath, hundreds of small images wrought in_ gold
62 and _ silver, which were all melted down by Mahmud, and the gold and silver they produced
63 carried away to Ghazni.
64 Bleventh Invasion,
65 1023 a,.D.
66 The raj4 of Kalinjar
67 tenders his allegiance.
68 Twelfth Invasion,
69 1024 a.p,
70 The temple of
71 Somnath.
72 Mahmud resolves to
73 destroy this temple.
74 The garrison put to
75 the sword.
76 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com