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H. G. Raverty— The Mihran of Sind and its Tributaries. [No. 3, 
is Jand-iir [jj***-—Qhand-ur ? the Ohandrawar of Ibn Haukal, and 
Jand Riid of some others], a collection of fortifications 98 strongly 
built, lofty, and well supplied with fresh water. The Amir of Multan 
passes the spring and his leisure time here. Ibn Haukal states, that, in 
his time, the Amir used to proceed every Friday from these fortifications 
to Multan, mounted on an elephant, according to an ancient custom.” 
had the place opened and the treasure was found. “ On being weighed, the gold 
dust contained in those forty vessels or jars was found to amount to 13,200 mans of 
gold.” This, together with the gems and pearls obtained in the sack of Multan, 
was deposited in the treasury. I may mention that the lowest computation of the 
mann is 2 lbs of 12 oz. each, but, according to some, 6 lbs ; and, by the lowest compu¬ 
tation, would amount to the enormous weight of 26,400 lbs, or 316,800 ounces of 
gold. No wonder the place was called “ temple of the depository of gold.” 
It is quite time that this “ farj ” error should be corrected and washed out. 
What more can be required to do so than these accounts ? 
Al-Idrisi says above, that “ fa rich and bihar have the same signification,” consi¬ 
dering, it seems, that, where idols are worshipped, must be an idol-temple, but the 
word buhar,” written with short ‘ u ’ for the first vowel, and not ‘ i,’ as in the 
word signifying a Buddhist temple, refers to a weight, said to be equal to about 
400 lbs English, and it also means,” a vessel in shape like an ewer.’ The Sanskrit 
word *TTT, written in ’Arabic characters pronounced bhdr, means ‘weight,’ 
‘ weight of gold,’ etc., but, as the (Thach Namali says, he deposited forty jars or 
vessels, the Persian word of that meaning just referred to is doubtless correct. 
98 To the eastward of the fortress of Multan, facing the tomb and shrine of 
Baha-ul-Hakk wa-d-Din, Zakariya (vid. “ Bahawul Hak”), at about the distance of 
a mile and a half or little more, and extending a considerable distance either way, 
are—or were, for they may have been demolished by the railway Vandals for railway 
ballast now —the remains of many stone and brick-built buildings (as near as I can 
recollect after the lapse of some thirty-five years), which bore the marks of con¬ 
siderable antiquity, and among them was a good size masjid. I have often ridden 
to them of an evening, but never thought of instituting any inquiries respecting the 
ruins, and much regret now that I did not. I certainly wondered what could have 
been the object of building such structures in a perfectly waterless position ; for 
there were no traces of wells near by, as far as I can remember. The ruins were 
bounded farther east, I now find, by the bed of a stream, a small branch of the Rawi, 
possibly, which had been utilized as a canal; and this may have been the “little 
river” mentioned above. That the Rawi and all the other rivers of the Panj-ab 
flowed east of Multan at the period these buildings were inhabited there is no doubt 
whatever. The Loli Wa-han (which is a mere canal or cutting from the Chin-ab) ran 
nearer to the fort walls on the north-east, and passed, and still passes, near the east 
side of it, but it is now a very petty stream. It is noteworthy that the lands im¬ 
mediately south-east of the city of Multan are styled Taraf Rawi—the Rawi Side—to 
this day. 
It is possible that the ruins I have mentioned were connected with, or were 
included in, “ the collection of forts referred to in the text above. At the time the 
author of the “ Tabakat-i-Nasiri ” was at Multan there was a standing camp here¬ 
abouts. 
