582 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [August, 1907. 



which, representing the Mjra year, is equivalent to 949 A.D. 

 This dnte is alrno-^t contemporary with the time of the Guhila 

 prince NuraValiana of JMewjif-^ 



The early history of Narnaul is involved in utter obscurity. 

 _- . Eiom tlie annals of the place little infor- 



^' mation can be gleaned about the time 



before her cln'efs became intimately connected with the Mu gh al 

 dynasty. IVIr. Garrick says: "The city of Narnaul was at first 

 founded undt*r the Dliosihils and was ruled hy the Jogis^ov devo- 

 tee'=i, who enjoyed a high reputation for their spiritual attain- 

 ments. "^ Tlit^re are many other similar traditions to connect 

 NarnMul with old Hindu dyitastiea : the best evidence for its anti- 

 quity is the characteristic style of its ruins. The authentic history 

 of Narnaul liegins with the year 531 A.H. =1137 A.D., when 

 Shah Wilayat, a saint of considerable fame, came to this place, 

 and after fightiuir some battles with the princes of the place 

 died a martyr theie.^ In the reign of Akbar Narnaul was a 

 flourishing town and Nawab Shah Quii Khan Baharlu held, the 

 governorship of the place for over fifty years,* At this time 

 many siately edifices were erected and gardens were laid out 

 here. A tradition says thnt the tomb of Shah Nizam was built at 

 the instance of Akbnr, thouo^h the fact is not corroborated by 

 any history of the time. However, it is quite true that the 

 grand mosque in connection with this dargah is a work of 

 Jahangir. 



Shah Jahan bestowed the Nizamat of the town upon Rae 

 Mukand Dhs.5 jj^ M^di^ an ostpiitatious governor who had displayed 

 his love of splendonr in his bnildings. The ruins of a bnildmg 

 named cJihafta^ probably his dw^elling-house, andof a5er«^, in Avhich. 

 the court of the Nizamat of the Maharaja of Patialais now held, 

 are still sliown to travellers. In the reign of Muhammad Shah, 

 A.H. 113;^ = A D. 1721, Narnaul was taken and plundered by a 

 Rajput prince named Ajit Singh. ^ The Mahrattas also had 

 possession of it for some time. But when after the battle of 



Panipat, in A.H, 1174= 1764 A-D.,"^ the Marhatta power waned, 

 Narnaul was recovered hy the Mu gh als. They ultimately be- 

 stowed it upon the Nawabof Jhajjar, in recognition of the services 

 whicli the hitter had rendered on various occasions to the royal 

 throne The la^t of these Nawabs, a bastard, named Abdu-r- 

 Rahman, rebelled against the Bntisli Government at the time of 

 the mutiny (1857), and was consequently hanged. When the 

 mutiny was over, the GovernTuent gave Narnaul to the Maha- 



1 Vide Duff's Chronolocry of Indi«, p. 287. 



2 Yide AiohsDoloj^ical Survey Report, Vol. XXIII, p. 27. 



3 See inscription over the south doorway of tiie tomb of Shah Wilayat, 

 Narnfttil 



4 Vide Archee logicHl Survey E*-porfc. Vol XXIII, p. 28. 



& Vidt'. Ma'asir-nl-Umata, Atfiatic Society of Bt^n^al edition, Vol. II, 

 p. 237 2:^8 ^ o 



« Vide K!p).in8tone'8 nistorryof Tndin., p. 616—617. 

 T See Etpuiustoue'a History of ludia, p. 667—669. 



