210 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XVI, 
The geographical expression Bangala occurs about a 
hundred and sixty times in the works of — Fazl, and asa 
rule, it is used only for the province. But in two passages, at 
least, it is clearly meant, not for an ufencits tract of country, 
but some particular city. ‘In the beginning of this reign,” 
writes the historian in the Ain, “gold was coined to the glory 
of his Majesty in many parts of the e empire ; now gold coins are 
struck at four places only, viz. at the seat of the government, 
in Bengal [a6i2], Ahmadabad (Gujarat), and Kabul.” (Bloch. 
mann’s Translation, I, 31.) The second passage occurs in the 
Akbarnama record of er ne of the 22nd year. The mints 
of the imperial domin * he says, ‘“‘ which had been under 
the charge of Cha sitharse were divided. The directorship of 
this weighty business was assigned to Khwaja ‘Abdu-s- “Samad 
Shiringalam in Fathpur, the capital of the empire. The mint 
at Lahore was pire a to Mozaffar K[han], that in Bengal to 
Rajah Todar Mal, that in Jaunpir to Khwaja Shah Mansiar, 
and that in Gujarat to Khwaja ‘Imadu-d-din Husain, that in 
Patna to Asaf Kfhan].” (Beveridge’s Trans., TI, 321.) 
Mr. Beveridge notes that “here and at Bilochmann] 3l, 
the word Bengal { (Bengala) is used as if it was the name 
of a city. Perhaps Gaur is meant, for Tanda is separately 
Se at Bilochmann] 31.” (Jbid., note.) 
I to say that this is not jbeyond dispute. It is not 
impossible that Tanda may be meant and not Gaur. The former 
is i gegen spoken of by Abul Taal himself during this period 
XIX R.Y. to XXXIX R.Y.) as ‘the capital of the country ’, 
pbs wf oa je (Akbarnama, Text, III, 182, Trans., IIT, 255), 
or as the ‘centre of Bengala’ (i: 5S,0), Ibid., Text, 109; 
Trans., III, 153, or as ‘Tanda the capital,’ sG _dt sto, Text, 
IIT, 109, 291, 299, 420, 439, 440, 460; Trans., III, 153, 428, 
442, 625, 660, 695). It is undeniable that, in ‘the 29nd year, 
: Tanda was the ‘ capital ’ or ‘ centre of Bengal’ and not Gaur, 
Ludovico bees (1503-1508 A.C.) writes, ‘‘ In i —_ as of 
Decan there reigns ing who is a Mohammedan.” ere the term 
applies, as Dr. Radive r points out, Ry the city of Bijspar Ts avels, 
Hakluyt a s Edition, 117 and n ote. See also Yule and Burnell, 
. Crooke, p. 301. 
nier fitcern us that ‘‘ Siam, the capital town of the kingdom, 
and the Gitano residence of the king, is surrounded by walls, and is 
II, 288. Elsewhere he speaks of * the town of N opal? ”  Tbid., 
ocuments in Valentijn pied of the old city of sean an- 
del. It is not absolutely clear what c ity was so called (probably by the 
Arabs in their fashion of calling a chief town by the name of the country), 
but the indications point almost certain nly to Negapatam Hobson- 
Jobson, Ibid., 257. See ales Varthenin: loc. ctt., 186 and n ote. 
