72 Delmericlc' s Inscriptions from Abdhar and Sirsd. [March, 



Abu'har and Sirsa'. 



Mr. J. Gr. Delmerick some time ago forwarded to the Society two 

 stones. One was found among the debris of the old fort of Abuhar in the 

 Sirsa District, Dihli. The inscription is in excellent preservation ; it seems 

 to have been put up some time after the erection of the edifice itself, when 

 the exact date of the building had been forgotten. The characters resemble 

 the characters of inscriptions of the Tughluq period. 



The renovation of tliis edifice (took place) during the time of the reign of the king of 

 kings Shamsuddunya waddin Iltitmish, the king, the helper of the Comman- 

 der of the faithful, and in the time of the governorship of the late Qutlugh Khan 

 A i h a k. In the year six hundred and thirty-odd. [A. D. 1232-1242.] 



The other stone was found in the Fort of Sirsa, and contains a Persian 

 poem of seven lines. The first, fifth, and ninth hemistichs are wanting, one- 

 fourth of the stone on the right hand having been cut off". Though the 

 inscription is incomplete, it is clear that it refers to the erection of a house, 

 built by Muhammad Shah in 732 A. H., in order to please the spirit of 

 Tughluq Shah, the martyr, whose death, if we could trust Ibn Batutah, he 

 had caused by the breaking down of a state pavilion. That Muhammad 

 Shah was anxious to appease the manes of his uncle, is also clear from his 

 coins.* 



jyl^ &^ 6>^s^ J — ar? J ji ^jlkl.«» # ^ 



^\) y%^ «^*.'w j\ A^*»-i dj) c>^^ ^ * 



^^* . . . . J'^'^ \j J^-^f * 



1. the Sultan of land and sea, Muhammad, the king of kings. 



2. For the sake of the stability of the kingdom this house was completed ; this 

 place is lucky and auspicious at this stage. 



3 in order that he may himself go for some business from the direction... 



4. From sincerity to the Khaljfah [Tughluq Shah], he [Muhammad Shah] shall 

 alight in this place : the spirit of Tughluq Shah, the martyr, is here happy. 



* Vide Thomas, Chronicles, pp. 212, 213. In the legends of Muhammad Tughluq's 

 coins read ^^ ^5^!^' (PP* ^^^> ^^^> ^^^> ^^^) > lJ-^'^ reviver, p. 211 ; and &^lib^ 

 p. 212. 



