1 NADIR SHAH. : 207
2 way back tohis country. The Mullah Bashi, standing at the door of his royal
3 master’s residence, in a loud voice, made the following proclamation :—
4 “ Soldiers! the King of Kings, the Lord of Benevolence, our Master, the Pro-
5 tector of the world, conquered the country of Hindostén and has restored it.
6 To-morrow our victorious banners move to Irék. Be you prepared!” Before
7 leaving the metropolis, the Shah ordered Haji Shidi Fouldd Khan, the kotwal,
8 or superintendent of police, to see that none of the Persians remained
9 behind on any account whatever. Delhi had suffered the fate of Nineveh
10 and Babylon at the hands of Nddir Shah, though her residents were not
11 carried away as slaves. It took them some time to awake from their
12 lethargy and resume business.
13 As the time of his departure from Delhi approached, Nadir Shah sent his
14 minister, Nawab Abdul Baki Khan, with Haydtullah Khan, son of Azaddaula,
15 Nawab Zakaria Khan, to Léhore, with orders directing the latter to collect and
16 remit to the Persian treasury a contribution of one karor of rupees, The
17 messenger met the Nawab in the Shaldmdr gardens, and was honourably re-
18 ceived. Zakaria Khan, on his return to the city, called a meeting of all the
19 principal residents, merchants, bankers, and wealthy people, and explained
20 to them that the Shah wanted to save Lahore’ from ruin. The amount of
21 one karor of rupees was collected, and the messenger, with this money, depart-
22 ed and joined the main army of the Shah, now on its march.*
23 As the whole country along the Lahore road had been desolated by the
24 Persian army on its march to Pelhi, Nadir Shah resolved to take the route
25 by Sidlkot. On 9th Rabiulawwal (May 1739, A.D.), his camp reached
26 Kaltiwdal on the banks of the Chindb. A heavy fall of rain, the preceding
27 night, had carried away the bridge-of-boats, but another small bridge was
28 constructed, by means of iron cables, at a narrower part, close to the village
29 of Akhndr. On the 14th, the Persian camp’at Kaliwdl broke up, and began
30 crossing the river at Akhnur.. Only a portion of the army had effected its
31 passage when, by the force of the current, the bridge was swept away, and
32 two thousand Kazil Bdshis were hurled into a watery grave. The Shah,
33 mounting on Maha Sundar, the powerful elephant that had been bestowed
34 on Zakaria Khan, made a search for a ford, but, none being found, it
35 was resolved that the army should be ferried over in boats. The whole
36 army and the baggage having landed on the opposite bank, Zakaria Khan,
37 who had accompanied the royal camp, was permitted to depart. The dis-
38 tricts of Gujrat, Sidlkot, Pasrir, and some districts forming the zemindari
39 of Khuddyar Khan Abbdsi, of Multan, were put in charge of Zakaria Khan,
40 on condition of his paying twenty lakhs of rupces per annum, as revenue,
41 into the Persian treasury. At the Chindb the Shah ordered Abul Husein
42 Beg, the Yakah Bashi, to place trustworthy persons at the ferry to examine
43 all persons before they crossed the river, and to seize all valuables which
44 might be discovered on them, and send them to the royal treasury. On the
45 publication of this order, many soldiers, of their own accord, presented what
46 jewels they possessed and were handsomely rewarded by the king. Others,
47 who had concealed their booty in packs and in the saddles of their horses,
48 mules and camels, were compelled to deliver them up. Some had buried their
49 treasures In the ground, hoping to dig them up again, but they remained in
50 the bowels of the earth, as not a soul was allowed to recross the river.
51 Others, out of rage, threw what they had into the river. All the Hindostdni
52 prisoners in the Shah’s camp were now released, and made over to Zakaria
53 Khan, to be sent back to their respective homes.
54 The conqueror’s
55 return home.
56 He takes 2 ransom
57 from Lihore.
58 The Persian camp on
59 the banks of the Chinab
60 in its retrogade move-
61 ment.
62 Part of the Panj4b
63 annexed.
64 A search of the
65 person of all Persian
66 soldiers ordered.
67 Release of Hindostani
68 prisoners.
69 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji etibraty: NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com