a hundred needy Sodhi relations. It is surprising to see rajas, nawabs, and chieftains sending their Mercuries in the character of charons, and other religious castes, to search the wandhs and hovels of the Desert for beauty destined to shine and rule in different scales of society: and it is still more astonishing to meet with two countries joining each other, in one of which the daughter is sedulously put to death, and in the other preserved as the credit and support of the family.

The inhabitants of Parkur have at all times been marauders, at least the Rajpoot part of them. In this respect they differ from those of Dhat and Thull, who until these forty years were considered as a peaceable race of shepherds. The latter country has however got a race of Sindhi robbers, called Khosahs, among them, who fled from Sindh about thirty years ago, and have since subsisted by plunder. The Sodhas assemble their followers, and making surprising journeys through the Desert or Run, as it may happen, drive off cattle from villages in Marwar, Guzerat, Sindh, and Cutch; for it matters not to them whom they plunder, provided they do not receive black mail; in which case they are never guilty of aggressions. A Sodha gives his daughter or sister one day in marriage, and has no scruple the next, in driving off the cattle of the bridegroom. Their depredations were chiefly confined to marauding among cattle; and until the Sindhis joined them, cruelty was unknown.

Although plunder is the grand delight and support of the Sodha, the chief has another source of revenue no less singular than lucrative. This is a Parisnath idol worshipped by the sect of Shrawuks: the image is of marble, and named Goreecha; he was, with his brother Mandow Rai, worshipped in magnificent temples in the flourishing period of the Pareenuggur government. On the ruin of that Raj, and the desertion of the city consequent on Mahomedan interference, Mandow Rai was conveyed away by the Sodhas who migrated to Kattiwar, where they and their little god are still to be met with at Mooli, at which place the Sodhas are called Purmars. The less fortunate Goreecha was seized by a chief and secreted in the sand-hills; where having remained for a long time, he was at length drawn from his concealment or another likeness

substituted by a Sodha family, and was shortly visited by all the Banyans and Shrawuks of Western India. Since that time Goreecha has been fated to be interred in the Desert in a spot known only to the chief, who lifts him from his grave occasionally on the visit of pilgrims, who assemble to the number of fifty or even a hundred thousand persons. The Sodha chief brings the god to a particular spot; where the pilgrims being assembled, he is produced to their view, and they worship him under a strict guard of Sodhas. The offerings made, which are immense, become the property of the Sodha families; besides which, a bonus of many thousand rupees is paid to the chief before he will produce Goreecha. The ceremony lasts only a few days, when the idol is carried off and again consigned to his sandy grave. The present possessor is named Poonjajee, and his family have had dreadful feuds for the possession of Goreecha.

Such is the tract to the north of Cutch, which is called the Great Desert, and is considered as dividing Sindh from India. The routes through it are well known, and constantly travelled without difficulty. It is also now known that it is no desert, for it has inhabitants, and produces grain. Still however it is a natural barrier by no means inconsiderable; and to overcome the difficulties of scarcity of water and supplies, must always cost a great deal of trouble and hazard to any considerable body of men with equipments.

From Parkur there are routes to Amercote, N.N.W.; Hyderabad, W. by N.; Jalour, N. N. E.; Bhooj, S.S. W.; and Rahdenpoor, E.

(Signed) J. MACMURDO,

Captain Bombay Infantry.

Anjar in Cutch, 25th June, 1818.

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VOL. II.

XI.

NOTICE RESPECTING THE RELIGION INTRODUCED INTO INDIA BY THE EMPEROR AKBAR.

By Captain VANS KENNEDY.

Read on the 29th September, 1818.

REMARK.

NEITHER the Tareek Firishtah, the Tabakat Akbari, the Akbar-Nameh, nor the Tareek Alifi, give any account of the religion introduced into India by the Emperor Akbar; nor, from the manner in which history is composed by Muhammadan writers, was it to be expected that it would be mentioned in these works. The materials, therefore, from which the following short notice has been compiled, have been extracted from the brief intimation given of this subject in the Ayeen Akbari of Shaik Abu'l Fazl, from the Dabistan, and particularly from an abstract of the Tareek Bu daooni, contained in the Guli Rana, a biographical account of the poets of Hindustan, written by Luchmi Narayan, a native of Aurungabad, in 1761. The author of this Tareek he states to have been Shaik Abdul Kadur, who died in 1595, and was one of the most distinguished

persons of his age for learning and abilities. He was also raised to the dignity of Imam by Akbar, and employed by him in the composition and translation of several works. This abstract appears to have been made with every fidelity, and agrees perfectly with the Ayeen Akbari and the Dabistan. It exhibits at the same time a curious instance of a struggle between self-interest and religion; as the author, although he takes every opportunity of inveighing against the new faith, cannot avoid allowing it to appear that, notwithstanding his abhorrence of all innovations, he yet outwardly paid such respect to them as was necessary to retain the emperor's favour; and that he even by his orders translated several com

positions of the "accursed" Hindus. There seems, therefore, no reason to doubt of the facts which he has related so much in opposition with his own prejudices; and it is only to be regretted that his account is not sufficiently particular, and that he never attempts to explain the motives, or to detail the consequences, of the different measures adopted by Akbar for the establishment of the new religion.

The name of Shaik Abu'l Fazl, who was the favourite minister of Akbar, and one of the principal introducers of this religion, is alone a sufficient authority for whatever he has related respecting it. But he merely touches upon it in a cursory manner in the Ayeen Akbari, and adds, "Should my life be lengthened sufficiently, and should I have leisure enough, it is my intention to compose a volume on this interesting subject." His premature death however, he being assassinated by order of Jehangir, then Prince Selim, in 1602, prevented his carrying this intention into effect, and has deprived us of a complete account of this religion.

Who the real author of the Dabistan was, I have never been able to ascertain; but that it was not Mohsan Fani, as supposed by Sir W. Jones, is evident from every account which has been given of his life either by biographers or historians. They concur in. stating, that Shaik Mohsan Fari, who is also called Mulla Mohsan, was distinguished for his abili ties, accomplishments, and poetry; that he raised himself into notice at the court of Shah Jehan, and that he was at length appointed to the Sadarut of Illahabad. As this office was invested with a controul over the Kazys and other judges, and at the same time with the superintendance of all charitable grants of land or pensions in its particular district, it seems evident that no one would be appointed to it who was not in every respect an orthodox Mussulman. But no true believer would ever have ventured to compose such a work as the Dabistan. The question, however, is put out of doubt by its being mentioned, that on the conquest of Balkh, some poems written in praise of the prince by Shaik Mohsan were found in the prince's library, which so much displeased Shah Jehan that he immediately removed Shaik Mohsan from his office. Now the con quest of Balkh took place in the latter end of 1646, and the author of the

Dabistan distinctly states in the fifth chapter of that work, that he was at Surat in 1647. Neither the date of Shaik Mohsan's appointment to the Sadarut nor the date when the Dabistan was composed are mentioned; but it appears clearly from the work itself, that the author must have been employed in travelling and collecting his materials several years prior to 1647, and consequently that he could not at that time have been performing the duties of the Sadarut at Allahabad, as is related of Shaik Mohsan Fani.

Or the seven religions which have formerly flourished in Western Asia five no longer prevail. The Jewish is dispersed through every quarter of the world; the Christian has transferred its beneficial influence to other countries; the Pagan and Sabean have ceased to exist; and the Lardashtian is confined to a few families in Persia, and a small class of people on the western coast of India. These different systems of belief have been replaced by one of comparatively modern origin, and from the shores of the Mediterranean to the banks of the laxartes*, the only national faith which is now acknowledged is that of Muhammad. No country in this extensive space, except India, repulsed the first invasions of the Moslems, and no country but India was enabled to preserve its ancient religion. There the Moslems failed in establishing Islamism; and even when the northern provinces of Hindustan were subdued by the family of Ghaznin, the conquerors were obliged to sanction a system of belief the most repugnant to Muhammadan prejudices. Nor during the course of upwards of seven hundred years, from the first invasion of Hindustan by Mahmoud, until that by Nadir Shah, did either persecutions, or the more powerful inducements of rank and honours, ever in the slightest degree succeed in effecting the conversion of the Hindus.

Two distinct religions have therefore continued for eight centuries to prevail in India, and except in a few instances Brahminism has enjoyed the fullest toleration. The mass of the people were indeed excluded from the dignities of the state; but several rajahs long retained such influence as

or Sirr.