1855.] Account of a visit to the Shrine of Sakhi Sarwar. 329 



of Shah Dhairi, on the high road from Rawal Pindi to Hazara. The 

 record was originally inscribed on a narrow slip of copper 9^ inches by 

 -fths of an inch, which has been, apparently by some accident, broken 

 into four fragments ; the characters are Arian and the language is 

 Pali. I have seen a tentative reading of this by Mr. E. Thomas, of 

 the Civil Service, in which occur the words " Ayanachandra" 

 " viveka" " viphala" but have not as yet been able to make 

 out its purport. 



Account of a visit to the Shrine and town of Sahhi Sarwar in the 

 Lower Derdjdt ; with a notice of the annual Meld or Fair held 

 there. — By Lieut. H. Gr. Kaveett, 3rd Eegt. Bombay, N. I. Asst, 

 Commissioner, Multdn. 



" Friends of my heart, who share my sighs, 



Go seek the turf where Kasim lies, 

 And woo the dewy clouds of spring, 



To sweep it with prolific wing. 



Within that cell, beneath that heap, 



Friendship, and truth, and honour sleep, 

 Beneficence that used to clasp, 



The world within her ample grasp." — Hasan-al-Assady. 



In the month of April, 1853, whilst stationed in the Derah Grhaz! 

 Khan district, I took the opportunity of paying a visit to Sakhi 

 Sarwar, a small town celebrated for its famous Shrine bearing this 

 name — situated on the western skirt of the mountains, the conti- 

 nuation of the Suliman range ; and where an annual Held or Fair 

 is held, which is attended by several thousands of people. 



The Fair commences from the first of Bysdkh — the first month of 

 the Hindu year, and continues during the two following days. On 

 the year in question, it fell on the 9th, 10th, and 11th of April ; 

 and people — both Hindu and Mussulman — with their families, were 

 flocking to it from Sindh, Bhawalpur, Jesalmir, and even as far 

 east as Delhi, as well as from all parts of the Panjab. 



They at first assemble in the town of Derah Ghazi Khan ; and on the 

 two last days of the month of Chaitrr they commence their journey. 

 The first stage is by Chowrutta to Vidor or Widor, a distance of about 

 eighteen miles, as far as which water is procurable. Here they 



