280 



Some Persian Inscriptions found in Srinagar. [No. 8, 



from the spot where the Mohamedan is now only allowed to whisper: 

 « God is great !" 



The news that a Mohamedan had usurped the throne of Kashmir 

 reaching the countries to the West caused a large influx of Sayids and 

 other holy characters into Kashmir, Mir Sayid Ali Hamadani, 

 subsequently known as Shahi Hamadan, came to Kashmir a number 

 of times. This consideration reconciles the discrepant statements of 

 the native historians that he came from Bokhara, that he came direct 

 from Hamadan in Persia, and that he came from Baghdad. Bfrbar 

 Pandit Kachru states that he came to Kashmir in 782 EL (A. D. 1380) 

 for the third time. This date appears to be more correct than that 

 given by Captain Newall in the Journal for 1854, p, 414. He men- 

 tions, on native authority, the year 790 H. (1388) as the date of his 

 first arrival apparently. This cannot be true, if the inscription over 

 the door of the mosque Shahi Hamadan is correct, which gives as the 

 date of his death the year 786 H. (1384). There is, however, great 

 confusion in ail the dates of Kashmirian history. Thus, Captain 

 Newall, on the authority of Kashmiri historians, places the first usurpa- 

 tion by a Mohamedan of legal power in Kashmir in 1341, whilst 

 Baron Hugel, following Abul Pazl, mentions 1311 as the year of 

 Shamsuddin's accession to the throne. Haidar Malik Chadwaria 

 gives the titles of two books, the ^W\* &*& and the ,^!^' 7-/** 

 which the Sayid wrote at the request of Sikandar Butshikan. He 

 died, during one of his journeys, in Pakli, a beautiful valley now be- 

 longing to the British district of Hazara. There is a mysterious- 

 looking structure about halfway between Abbottabad and Mansihra, 

 which we may, in default of any information concerning it, fix upon 

 as the tomb of Shahi Hamadan. 



The readiness with which a people forcibly severed from idolatry 

 passes over to hagiolatry, may be seen from three inscriptions at the 

 entrance of the mosque of Shahi Hamadan, copies of which are sub- 

 joined. 



1. Large letters on a ground of gold. 



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