NIADT44

The Antiquarian Remains at Maner, Patna, Bihar

Maner

View of the Tomb of Makhdum Shah Daulat from the Inspection Bungalow,

Maner

An ancient site with a rich continuing history

The unending motion of the fourth dimension of time is the eternal law of

nature. The Indian representational motif of the Chakra (wheel) has

symbolized this eternal motion and has motivated spiritual seekers since

times immemorial. Inquiries and speculations about the unending history of

time have always occupied the intellectual human imagination. The human

of the present lives in the present, and in his efforts often leaves his

imprints on time. Several such imprints have faded away with the march of

time, while others remain as indicators of the bygone times. A visit to

historical sites connects the human of the present with the human of the

past. As one examines the antiquarian remains one strikes an emotional

chord with the past. The happenings of the past appear like something that

happened just the other day. Silent voices enthrall the mind and guide the

imagination towards visualizing the happenings of yesteryears. Several

places in the Indian state of Bihar have a rich historical background, much

of which has been lost to public memory. As one travels to old forgotten

sites, the events of yesterday seem to be telling their own story.

NIADT44

The Historic town of Maner, which once lay at the junction of the river

Ganga with the Son, presents itself to the traveler on the National Highway

No. 30, from Varanasi to Patna, at a distance of about 17 kms from

Danapur, and about 30 kms from Patna Railway Station. The Ganga-Son

junction is now located at a few kilometers from Maner. A large sandy

expanse covers the space between Maner and the river, which gets flooded

with the river waters during the rains, and is exploited for its sands used in

construction works. A small distance from Maner, lies the British-built rail-

cum-road Sone Bridge at Koelwar, which still caters to the needs of modern

travelers, though under heavy pressure. The town of Maner is known for its

historical remains which attract the attention of visitors, and often transport

one’s imagination to the times when the place would have been in its full

glory. The town is revered as a bastion of Sufism and is home to the tombs

of famous medieval Sufi saints. The remains at Maner include beautiful

medieval tombs of important Sufi saints. It has become contemporarily

famous for its delicious laddoos (a local sweet), and for the Sufi festivals

hosted by the tourism department from time to time. As one glosses through

the history of Maner one finds that not much is known about its ancient

history though it had been very important in medieval times.

The History of Maner

NIADT44

Maner in Ancient Times

The very name of ‘Maner’ seems to have been derived from a similar ancient

name even as the origin is not clearly established. The earliest known

reference emerges from a copper plate of the Gahadvala king Govinda-

chandra of Kanauj, dated V.S. 1183 (A.D. 1126), which was found at Maner

itself. It records that the King granted the villages Gunave and Padali in

Maniari-pattala to a Brahmin named Gunesvara-Sarman. Another copper

plate of King Jayachandra, also of Kanauj, dated V.S. 1232 (A.D. 1175),

found near Benares, likewise mentions Ma(na)ra-pattala. A second

inscription of the same king again refers to Maniari, in Jaru (ttha)-pattala.

From these inscriptional references it is quite clear that Maner was a well

known place in the centuries before the Muhammadan conquest and may

have possessed some Hindu monuments or temples. Keeping the origin of

names of similar ancient sites in mind, it appears that the name Maner may

have been derived from the worship of ‘Mani Naga’ signifying the importance

of Shaivite serpent worship at the site in ancient times.

Importantly, evidence of ancient serpent worship since 3rd century B.C. to

the Gupta age (5th century A.D.) has been found by Cunningham and others

during the excavations at another site named Maniyar Math in nearby

Rajgir (Nalanda district). The name ‘Mani Naga’ was found inscribed over a

deified Naga (snake) sculpture found in this site. According to the

Mahabharata, Mani Naga was the protector of the city of Rajgir. As Hafiz S.

Ahmad mentions, at Gauria-Asthan village near Maner on the National

Highway there is “a sort of temple with a Neem tree over it” believed to have

been the site where a palace stood in the times of the Raja, and where the

cultivators, while tilling the land, have occasionally found small snakes,

made of pure gold. This may also be taken to indicate that in the ancient

times, Maner could have been an important Shaivite site of worship.

The early history of Maner is shrouded in mystery. Maner has been

extensively referred to in medieval documents, and portions of its history

have been related. Its earliest mention is made in texts only in connection

with the conquest of Bihar and Bengal by Bakhtiyar Khilji. But from the

remains at Maner and popular local traditions, it is clear that Maner has

been important in historical times, even before it gained prominence after

the advent of Islam. It was visited by Francis Buchanan on 27th February,

1812, and he has described the same in his Journal of Patna and Gaya. He

has mentioned that he had gone to Maner which was large and populous by

“passing along the Son the whole way, for it now joins the Ganges at Serpur,

and not at Moner as in the time of Mr. Renell.” A systematic account is found

in Kuraishi’s list, and in an article on Maner by Hafiz Shamsuddin Ahmad,

NIADT44

published in the proceedings of the Oriental Conference of 1930. According

to Firishta, Maner was founded by one Firuz Rai, son of Kesho Rai, who was

a descendant of Noah, eight degrees removed. In fact the date for Kesvaraja

by Ferishta is around 1429 B.C., while Feroz-Ra is placed around 1209 B.C.

But these appear to be purely legendary personages, for they are not known

from any historical source. Hafiz S. Ahmad mentions that the origin of

Maner may date back to some pre-Christian era; and it may have been a

centre of Buddhist culture. Hafiz has mentioned that according to local

traditions, the site contained some temples thousands of years old, which

were demolished by the Muslim conquerors. As on date a few mutilated

remains of that period such as the stone Lion called Singh Sadaul, near the

north-eastern entrance of the Bari Dargah, still survive as a reminder of its

earlier history. The lower jaw of the lion is gone, while the elephant held

between its fore-paws has lost its trunk. Kuraishi’s List also mentions about

the antiquity of Maner and that “Evidence of the former existence of Hindu or

Buddhist buildings at Maner is to be seen in a damaged stone tiger now lying

near the north gate of the Bari Dargah. It is a medieval sculpture, and depicts

a tiger crushing an elephant between its fore-legs.”

Buchanan during his visit in 1811 was told that Maner was once “the

residence of a Brahman Chief”, which was destroyed by the Muhammedans.

That it was an important place in the pre-Muhammadan times is quite

obvious from the inscriptions of 11th -12th centuries A.D as referred above.

Several inscriptions have been noted at Maner so far, and more may be

revealed if a proper excavation around the ruins is carried out. D.R. Patil

mentions in the Antiquarian Remains of Bihar (1963) “Earlier Hindu remains

are, therefore, to be expected to exist at the place; but they do not seem to

have been looked for carefully uptil now and the village explored for this

purpose. Some ancient mounds are, however reported to exist at the village,

yielding, it is said, pieces of the famous northern black-polished pottery

belonging to the 2nd – 6th centuries before the Christian era. If this is so, the

place would be a very ancient one and thus deserves a thorough exploration.

A stone colossus of a lion figure of the late medieval period (i.e. 10th – 12th

centuries A.D.) still exists near the site of the tomb of the Muslim saint,

testifying to its pre-Muhammadan antiquity to a certain extent.”

NIADT44

It is thus certain that upto A.D. 1175, Maner was part of the territory of the

Gahadvalas of Kanauj, as indicated from the copper plate referred above. As

per the Muslim traditions, Islam had arrived here several years before the

invasion of Bihar and Bengal by the invader Muhammad Bin Bakhtiyar

Khilji around 1193 A.D., and was certainly in existence in 1180 A.D., when

the Raja of Maner was defeated by one Muhammad alias Taj Faqih, a

resident of Jerusalem, who after hearing of cruelties done by the Raja of

Maner to one Hazrat Momin Arif – who originally belonged to Yemen but had

settled at Maner – came all the way to Bihar with his followers and inflicted

a crushing defeat on the Raja.

Hafiz Shamsuddin Ahmad mentions “The greater part of Maner is now in

ruins; but it must have been a large and well populated town in ancient times;

as its remains, scattered over a large area, indicate. It is at present the centre

of a Pargana with a Police Station, a Post Office and a Charitable Dispensary

attached to it; but in ancient Persian records it is invariably mentioned as a

‘Badla’, i.e. a town; and old legal documents refer to it as Adalat-ul-Alia, a

High Court, with signatures of two Qazis on them, which point out

unmistakably to the fact that during the Muhammadan period, it must have

been a place of great political importance. It was more or less an important

place during the Hindu period also; for in the account of the conquest of Bihar

by the Muhammadans, the historians mention Maner along with Bihar as a

separate entity. This importance of Maner was, no doubt, due to its

topography. Situated just at the junction of the two great rivers, the Ganges

and the Son, it was on the high way of commerce and must have been a trade

centre; while with a high and strong fortress on the river side to protect it, it

must have commanded a position of great strategic importance in those

times.”

NIADT44

Advent of Sufism in Maner and Bihar

The medieval ages saw the emergence of Maner as an important centre of

Sufism, from where it spread to the other parts of Bihar. Historically, Maner

was the first abode of Islam in Bihar, and it was from here that it spread

rapidly eastwards towards Bihar Sharif, and other places. The Muslim

tradition as quoted in details by Hafiz S. Ahmad, Asst Professor of Patna

College (1930), assigns Maner a very high place in the religious history of

Bihar. Kuraishi’s List mentions that the pargana was generally called in old

histories as “Maner-i-Shaikh Yahya”. Sultan Sikandar Lodi (but not the

Emperor Babar) is related to have made a pilgrimage to the shrine of Shaikh

Yahya. In the Ain-i-Akbari, Maner is described as situated near the junction

of the Son with the Ganges. Though Bakhtiyar is commonly believed as the

first Muslim invader in Magadha, however, according to the local tradition,

Maner was first conquered by Sultan Mahmud’s men; and the grave of

Prince Tajuddin Khandgah said to be Sultan Mahmud’s nephew, in the

courtyard of Bari Dargah, also lends credence to this story. Whether Maner

was conquered in Sultan Mahmud’s time or in the time of his successors, it

is certain that it had fallen under the sway of the Muhammadans long

before Bakhtiyar Khilji came. A Turk’s duty is mentioned in the Maner

Copper Plate of King Govind Chandra, which in turn suggests that well

before (in 1126 A.D. itself) the invasion of Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1197 A.D., the

people of Maner were paying Turk’s duty as a regular payment like other

state dues such as trade duties and the revenue. Hafiz concludes that long

before Bakhtiyar’s advent in Bihar, some part of the Province including

Maner had fallen under a sort of suzerainty of the Turks (the Ghaznavite

emperors) who used to receive regular tribute from these places.

According to Hafiz S.Ahmad, the local traditions speak of one Hazrat

Momin Arif, who had migrated from his native country Yemen to India, as

being the first Muslim settler in Maner. He is regarded as a great Saint and

a large section of the inhabitants of Maner trace their descent from him. His

grave lies to the north-west of the Inspection Bungalow in Maner. Hafiz also

suggests that Momin Arif may have been a representative of the Ghaznavite

rulers to receive duty on their behalf. As the Ghaznavite rule grew weak, the

Raja of Maner, probably a feudatory chief, tried to stop payment by

persecuting him in various ways so that he might depart from his

dominions. When life at Maner became intolerable to him, he left for the

Muslim world and told the tale of his persecution wherever he went. At

Madina, one Hazrat Taj Faqih, an inhabitant of Jerusalem, joined him with

his party and started for India. On their way to India they were supported

and joined by many Muslim warriors and princes till their small party

NIADT44

swelled into a fairly large army. This army is believed to have entered India

through the usual north-west route and passed quietly through the greater

part of India till it arrived at the river Karamnasa near Buxar, on the

western side of the boundary of the dominions of the Raja of Maner. There a

pitched battle ensued in which the Raja’s army was routed and hotly chased

to the very gates of Maner. There the Raja made his final stand, and after a

brave struggle was defeated and killed. The large number of the graves of

Shahids (Muslim martyrs) at Maner proves to a certainty that the resistance

offered by the Raja was very great and the Muslims got the possession of

Maner after the greater part of the Raja’s army was destroyed.

In this regard Hafiz mentions “The fort was dismantled, and its site is now

indicated by the great mound on the north-west of Maner which probably still

contains many archaeological treasures within its womb. The great temple,

reputed to be thousands of years old, was razed to the ground, and later on,

Bari Dargah was built on its ruins. The broken lion statue at its gate was left

to celebrate the Muslim victory to the future generations. The house of the

Raja in the fort was also taken possession of and converted to the use of the

conqueror…… The date of this victory which marks the permanent

establishment of Muslim rule in Maner is contained in the chronogram

‘translation = The religion of Muhammad has been strengthened’ which is

equal to 576 A.H. (1180 A.D.) The very wording of the chronogram indicates

that this was not the first conquest of Maner by the Muslims. This event

happened seventeen years before Bakhtiyar Khilji came. Is appears that the

victory of Muslims in Maner was not of a very local character; for, we find

several comrades of Hazrat Taj Faqih to have fallen and buried in places

quite far off from Maner; for example, Shah Burhan Roshan Shahid is

buried in village Kumharar south of Patna, and Chandan Shahid is buried

on a hillock in Sasaram. So, Bakhtiyar must have found it smooth work to run

over the greater part of Bihar, as history proves.”

D.R. Patil mentions “If this tradition at all represents a historical fact, the

Muslim conquest of Maner must be treated as an isolated event; since the

territory all around was then held by the Gahadvalas and the general

conquest of the region by the Muslims under Bakhtiyar Khilji had taken place

only after 1193 A.D.” It is stated that after establishment of Muslim rule in

Maner, Hazrat Taj Faqih left his sons and grandsons to rule over it and

himself went back to Madina. Hazrat Makhdum Yahya was one of his

grandsons, and came to rule Maner in his turn. But he was very much given

to Sufistic devotion, and when Bakhtiyar Khilji arrived at Maner, he made

over the kingdom to him and retired into a private life of devotion and

mystical practices. Hafiz S. Ahmad, says that the country was handed over

to Bakhtiyar Khilji by the saint Yahya Maneri, grandson of Taj Faqih.

NIADT44

Bukhari, however, quotes another local tradition that Hazrat Makhdum

Israil, oldest son of the Imam (i.e. Taj Faqih) handed over the country to

Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1193 since Israil died in 1196 and thus would have been

in charge of the territory.

Since then, his whole family adopted the life of religious devotees and

produced a large number of well known saints. His son was the celebrated

saint Hazrat Makhdum Sharfuddin Ahmad of Bihar who is regarded

almost as great as Khwaja Moinuddin of Ajmere. His father-in-law was

Shaikh Shahabuddin, also known as Pir Jag Jot, the famous saint buried

in Kachi Dargah, east of Patna; and one of his sisters-in-law was Bibi

Kamalo, the well-known female saint, who rests in the village Kako, Dist

Jehanabad. Hazrat Makhdum Shah Daulat, whose remains lie in the

beautiful mausoleum, called Chhoti Dargah in Maner, was one of his

descendants in the eighth degree. In fact all the holy orders of saints in

Bihar whether at Phulwari-sharif, Bihar-sharif or elsewhere, trace their

descent, lineal or spiritual, to this one great source of spiritualism.

The Historical Remains at Maner

The ASI list of protected Maner monuments includes the tomb of Shah

Makhdum Daulat Maneri and Ibrahim Khan, Tank, and ancient mounds

along with ruined brick walls in Survey Plot Nos. 399, 608 and 611. These

along with others are briefly described here.

The Badi Dargah

Entrance to the Badi Dargah

Tomb of Shaikh Yahya Maneri

NIADT44

As one approaches Maner from the NH 30, this is the first major site to be

met, and is the holiest of all sites in Maner. This tomb is situated to the east

of the tank and enshrines the mortal remains of Shaikh Yahya Maneri, who

died in A.H. 660 (i.e. 1291 A.D) at the age of 110. It is stated that because of

his high reputation as a saint, great emperors like Sultan Muhammad

Tughlaq, Sikandar Lodi, Emperor Babar and the famous musician Tansen

paid homage to his tomb. The building containing his grave is locally known

as Badi Dargah (i.e. literally, larger tomb); though in fact it is quite

insignificant and small a structure as compared with the other larger

mausoleum called as Choti Dargah (i.e. literally, the smaller tomb). This is

so probably since Shaikh Yahya was a more reputed ancestor of Shah

Daulat whose grave is enshrined in the latter edifice. The building of the

Badi Dargah consists of a walled enclosure, with a gallery running along its

north.

Buchanan visited the remains at Maner and mentioned about the Badi

Dargah as “merely a grave under a tree with a white sheet spread over it, but

it is surrounded by a brick wall, and there is a small mosque within this and

NIADT44

some cloisters for the reception of Fakirs. Many of the faithful are buried

within the enclosure, which is as usual slovenly and ruinous. In this simple

manner was buried the first propagator of the faith in these parts.” Hafiz

Shamsuddin Ahmad mentions:- “If you want to enter the Dargah from the

tank side, a long flight of steps will take you to its door facing the west. It has,

however, another door on the northern side, and outside the door there are

some tombs and the lion statue called Singh Sadaul mentioned above. The

building consists of a very extensive boundary wall with many tombs inside,

and a mosque on the west, and a small varandah on the north. This is called

Bari Dargah (the great shrine) because the great saint Hazrat Makhdum

Yahya of Maner, the same who, during his early career, made his kingdom

over to a Muslim conqueror, and who, later on, became the father of such an

illustrious son as Hazrat Makhdum Sharafuddin of Bihar, lies buried there.

The visitor will observe, just east to the mosque, a small platform surrounded

by a railing containing a few tombs, one of which is the tomb of the great saint

mentioned above. There is no canopy or dome above his tomb, for it was his

express desire that the vault of heaven only was to serve as a canopy over his

grave. The construction of the dargah was undertaken centuries after his

death. Before the erection of the building of the Dargah, the ground was

probably a mound consisting of the heap of ruins of the great temple of the

Raja of Maner, which was razed to the ground by the Muslim conquerors, and

on this mound was Hazrat Makhdum Yahya buried after his death in 1292

A.D. The tradition that Bari Dargah was erected on the site of a great temple

appears to be correct. The stone lion called Singh Sadaul looks very like a

sculpture usually found at the gate of large temples, and probably in the times

of yore, it used to keep watch at the gate of the great temple, as it now does,

at the gate of the Bari Dargah. Within the courtyard of the Dargah, there are

certain stone pillars which appear to be of very ancient origin, look like

remnants of a demolished building and apparently serve no useful purpose

there. Probably these pillars also were left to point out that there was a temple

there. During my enquiry, I learnt that formerly there were several pillars of

this type, but some of them were removed by unscrupulous persons and only

a few of them are now left. Then, the stone lintel of the northern gate also

deserves attention. It is a very solid and thick piece or granite stone, and has

certain grooves in it, which show it was formerly a base or platform on which

some other piece of stone (may be a statue) was fixed; and from underneath

this stone peeps another black stone, and may be the statue itself put there

by the bigoted builders to be permanently trodden by visitors. It is, however, a

mere guess and cannot be ascertained or verified unless the lintel-stone is

removed from its place.”

NIADT44

The tomb as mentioned by Buchanan, Hafiz, Kuraishi and others stands on

the site of an earlier Hindu temple, and is also amply testified by some

carved pillars and a lintel found in its premises and by the lion colossus

called ‘Shardul’ or ‘Singh Sadaul’ lying near its entrance on the north. The

tomb proper is in the middle of the enclosure. The locals I interacted with

during my visit were not aware about the historical importance of the

Shardul sculpture. One of the caretakers of the Dargah narrated a curious

legend about the sculpture as being of a heavenly bird who turned into

stone as it was trying to save the mini elephant from drowning, when it got

in touch with the holy water of wazu.

On the central portion of the western gallery is a mosque attached to the

tomb. The main mosque is a three domed building with a pucca platform

outside. The mosque is in a very dilapidated condition, and almost on the

point of crumbling down to the ground. This mosque and the boundary wall

of Bari Dargah were built under the orders of the same Ibrahim Khan

Kakar who effected the construction of the tank and the Chhoti Dargah. The

inscription at the door of the Mosque gives 1014 A.H. (1606 A.D.) as the

date of its construction. There are a number of other graves inside the

enclosure including the one of Prince Tajuddin Khandgah, said to be a

scion of the family of Mahmud of Ghazni. Outside its northern gate there is

an open mosque said to be built by two Khwaja Saras (eunuchs or

chamberlains) of king of Delhi who were later buried here at their express

NIADT44

injunction, saying that as they had spent their whole life at the court of a

temporal king, they wanted, after death, to be attached to the court of a

spiritual king.

The Chhoti Dargah or Tomb of Shah Daulat-

Tomb of Shah Makhdum Daulat Maneri and Ibrahim Khan

This is the most magnificent monument at Maner and was observed by

Buchanan, as “a fine piece of work” and “by far the handsomest building that

I have seen in the course of the survey”. The tomb is situated immediately to

the north of the tank at Maner and occupies the centre of a large brick

enclosure measuring 257 by 252 feet and about 10 feet high. At each of the

four corners of the enclosure is a twelve sided tower, two of which, on the

west, are still standing to their original height. The southern wall of the

enclosure has been further strengthened by two extra towers of the same

shape, and one of these, near the south west corner, contains a flight of

steps leading to the top of the terrace. The complete towers on the west side

are two storeys in height, and are built with a slight taper upwards. Of the

other two on its east side, the one in the south-east corner is provided with

stone jali in each of the alternate sides of its upper storey.

As well described by Kuraishi, the tomb proper is built entirely of Chunar

sandstone and consists of the main chamber, 31’ square internally and

34’8” square externally, surrounded by a verandah, 11’8” wide, all around,

the whole building standing on a low platform, 2’4” in height and 58’ square.

The high ceilings of stone in the verandahs bear exquisite carved panels

with floral and geometrical patterns and calligraphic devices containing the

Quranic verses. At the corners of the verandahs are open-sided rooms, with

small domed cupolas above them, each resting on twelve pillars. The roof of

the main chamber is supported on four lofty stone pillars on each side, with

thin stone-built curtain walls in between them, adorned with horizontal

mouldings and rows of niches and arches, fitted with stone screens or jails.

The pillar-bracket-lintel method of support is used in the construction and

continued upwards upto the base of the dome, by changing the square of

the ground-plan, first to octagon and then gradually to a circle, so as to form

NIADT44

the base of the dome above. There are two inscriptions on this building

including one indicating the date of death of Hazrat Makhdum Shah Daulat

of Maner, whose remains lie buried in this building. The grave of Shah

Daulat is in the centre of the chamber, while that of Ibrahim Khan, the

builder of the tomb is in the middle of the western gallery of the enclosure

and has an inscription in Persian couplets, recording its completion in A.H.

1028 (A.D. 1619) by Ibrahim Khan, the builder of the main tomb. Hafiz

Shamsuddin Ahmad, mentions the tomb as “a fine specimen of Indo-

Saracenic, or, what may more particularly termed, Moghal style.”

The Chhoti Dargah was not properly maintained in the times of Buchanan

who mentions “Fakirs have been allowed to boil their pots in the porticos, and

have overwhelmed them with soot, to remedy which irregular patches over the

pots have been whitewashed. One of the corner chambers is occupied by a

beastly ascetic, who has shut up the doors and windows with old pots, clay

and cow-dung patched together in the rudest manner, nor are any pains

taken to keep the place in repair; yet the descendant of the saint has 6,000

bighas free of rent, and that of the richest quality. The whole is said to be

expended in the feeding in idle squalid mendicants, vagrants who are in this

country an intolerable nuisance.” Today it is protected by the Archaeological

Survey of India, but is in use by the pilgrims who come from large distances.

The Main Gate of the Chhoti Dargah

NIADT44

The main entrance is on the north, having guard-rooms on both sides of the

entrance passage and a dome above, flanked by a small octagonal tower on

its either side. The entrance gate has an inscription in Arabic verse referring

to its construction in A.H. 1022 (i.e. A.D. 1613) A wide flight of stone steps

from the ground leads to it, and the top portion of the gate has an

inscription as follows:-

“In the name of God, kind and merciful. There is no God but Allah:

Muhammad is his prophet.

I was thinking of the date of this gate, My heart was living in its vicinity:

My intelligence said, by way of command, Say, ‘Whoever entered it is safe’.

When in this sacred shrine of the king, The face of decoration was completed,

I searched for its date; My intelligence, for this auspicious place,

Opened its lips in prayer and said:- ‘May the gate of Daulat (Fortune) remain

always open’.”

Hafiz S. Ahmad has mentioned the gate as having been beautifully designed

after the usual Moghal style. However, a reading of the inscription as above

suggests that the Gate may have been pre-existing and may have been

suitably modeled according to the needs of the Chhoti Dargah. This is more

so since there are sculptures of elephants on all balconies which suggest a

Hindu origin for the Gate, as Islamic monuments of that age do not have

NIADT44

such figures of animals. However, this seems to have missed the attention of

the surveyors or they have preferred to no pay much attention to this

element of surprise.

Mosque in Chhoti Dargah

Just in front of the mausoleum, on the western side, stands the beautiful

mosque, centrally situated between the two long varandahs which run north

and south along the whole length of the great platform. The most striking

feature of the Mosque according to Hafiz is the absence of the usual domes

in it. Instead of domes, a long arched roof has been provided, the exterior of

which has been beautifully moulded into a roof slanting thatch-like on both

sides, while the interior reveals a fine arched ceiling which is supported on

the pilasters that rise along the walls in relief and bend inwards, presenting

an appearance of ribs in the ceiling. The designer of the building probably

did not like to detract from the grandeur of the domed mausoleum, and so,

designed a new type of roof for the mosque. The inscription on the mosque

bears the date of 1028 A.H. (1619 A.D.) Hafiz mentions about the

underground cell at the southern-most corner which is, “supposed to be the

place where Hazrat Makhdum Shah Daulat used to retire for prayer and

meditation”.

The Tank

NIADT44

On the southern side of the Choti Dargah is the tank measuring 600’ by

440’ approximately. A local tradition, as quoted by Hafiz S. Ahmad, would

indicate that originally the tank was excavated in the earlier Hindu period,

when a temple stood now occupied by the site of the Badi Dargah mentioned

above. All the existing masonry and stone works of the tank, however have

been mentioned to belong to the Muhammadan period and are attributed to

Ibrahim Khan, the builder of Choti Dargah. It is enclosed by masonry walls

with flight of steps or ghats leading down to water. It had in the middle of

each side, excepting the southern side, two pavilions, projecting into the

tank, with cupolas above them. Of these pavilions only one to the east and

two to the west now exist in ruins. The tank was originally fed, through an

inlet tunnel, by the river Son – which once flowed nearby – but it is now fed

by the rain water. It seems right upto Buchanan’s time (i.e. about 1812), the

river was flowing by the side of the tank; though now it is far to the west,

about four miles away. The inlet tunnel is about 300’ long and 6’ in diameter

and is throughout its length, arched over and provided with apertures, fitted

with stone slabs at intervals for facility of periodical clearance. Buchanan

has described it as a “fine tank, which communicates with the Son by a

subterraneous tunnel, but at this season the water is dirty and full of weeds.

It is lined all round with brick, and at each side has had a stair of brick with a

platform on each side, and on each platform is a small cupola but these

buildings have become ruinous, and the bare heaps of earth by which the

tank is surrounded must always have spoiled the effect.”

Hafiz S. Ahmad mentions “According to the traditions, this tank was cutcha

during the Hindu period, and a large temple overlooked it on the eastern side.

It was beautifully designed and made pucca with masonry and stone, during

the Muhammadan period, under the orders of Ibrahim Khan Kakar...... These

buildings at the four ghats are not only useful and convenient to the bathers,

but are also fine places for fishing, picnic and pleasure parties. We can very

well imagine that during its palmy days, this tank with its ghat and canopies,

must have afforded ample pleasure to the inhabitants of Maner. But it is to be

NIADT44

regretted that now, a great part of this fine tank is in ruins; some of the

canopies and ghats have disappeared, others are slowly yielding to the

ravages of time, and unless great efforts are made to preserve it, it will not be

long before it becomes a pit with a heap of ruins on all sides.”

Kuraishi mentions that Ibrahim Khan probably intended to construct a

mausoleum for himself on the other side of the tank, about where the

Inspection Bungalow now stands. But his death occurred before the project

could be accomplished, and he is now buried at the feet of his spiritual

guide Makhdum Shah Daulat. The Inspection Bungalow commands a very

fine view of the tank, picturesquely shaded by clusters of trees on either

side, and of the mausoleum of Shah Daulat in the background.

Ruins of old Hindu Fort and buildings

NIADT44

To the north or north-west of the Chhoti Dargah are shown the ruins of the

old Hindu fort and of the palace of the Hindu Raja destroyed by Taj Faqih.

Hafiz mentions that it is not clear how far the so called male and female

Riwaq or “apartments”, still shown to exist here, really represent the earlier

Hindu buildings; for they must have undergone changes during the

intervening centuries. The apartments are associated with the birth of Yahya

and contain a curious piece of wooden furniture called Chauki or low table,

on which it is said, the mother of Makhdum Sharfuddin of Bihar, used to

say her prayers, over six hundred years ago. The spot is thus invested with

considerable religious sanctity and is equally interesting historically and

archaeologically. But the information on it, so far available, is not quite

complete. It, therefore, needs to be examined and explored more thoroughly

and systematically for the earlier Hindu remains it is likely to contain. Hafiz

mentions that on proceeding from this place towards the river in the west,

“we meet several other tombs of martyrs such as Lurbek Shahid, Taj Shahid,

Ali Shahid, Masum Shahid, etc. The tomb of Ali Shahid is situated near the

ghat, called Ali Shahid ghat, after him. The narrow passage leading to the

ghat has vestiges of old brick work here and there, and in one place, there are

unmistakable signs of a large gate. Probably this was one of the gates of the

Raja’s fort opening towards the river.”

Other Important Historical Remains at Maner

Tomb of Makhdum Shah Baran Malikul-Ulama : Makhdum Shah Baran

Malikul-ulama, was the Pir of Sher Shah. It is said the latter hastily killed

the Saint for having made a false prediction, but later repented for the act.

Hafiz Shamsuddin Ahmad, mentions the interesting story relating to the

Afghan ruler of India, Sher Shah Suri, “Further west from Chhoti Dargah,

across the passage from the village to the tank, is the tomb of Makhdum Shah

Baran Malikul-Ulama, another well known saint, who was the Pir of Sher

Shah Sur. According to the local tradition, Makhdum Shah Baran once told

Sher Shah that the throne of Delhi was lying vacant for him. Sher Shah took

the hint and prepared for attacking Hamayun, who at this time happened to

be away from his capital on a hunting trip. Sher Shah, however, took a long

NIADT44

time in making his preparations, and when he proceeded to attack Hamayun,

the latter had returned and was fully prepared to meet him. The result was

that Sher Shah failed in his attempt and became furious that his Pir had made

a false prediction. So, he returned to Maner and killed Makhdum Shah Baran.

Later on, however, when he succeeded in wresting the throne of Delhi from

Hamayun, he recollected the prediction of his Pir and repented his hasty

action. So he sent a large amount of money to his Pir’s successor and asked

for pardon. The latter, however, refused to take the money, but declared that,

as Sher Shah was a just king, he would go to paradise after his death; but for

his great sin of killing his Pir, instead of burning in the fires of hell, he would

burn to death in this world. And so it happened, for Sher Shah was burned by

an explosion of his magazine while supervising the siege of the fort of Kalinjar

and died shortly after.”

Tomb of Hazrat Momin Arif: As mentioned by Hafiz, Arif was probably the

earliest Musalman inhabitant of Maner. The monument is a simple grave

without any building or canopy over it, at some distance on the north from

the building mentioned above. The anniversary of Hazrat Momin Arif is

celebrated in the month of Raniu-l-Awal with due ceremonies every year.

Tomb of Tangur Kuli Khan of Badakshan: Tangur Kuli Khan was the

architect or engineer, who designed the tank, the Chhoti Dargah and other

important buildings, but died long before the completion of these works; for

he died in A.H. 983 (1556 A.D.). The building is situated south-east of the

Inspection Bungalow. His own tomb is, says Hafiz S. Ahmad, “a beautiful

construction” surrounded by an enclosure wall, with a mosque on its

western side. Hafiz was informed that “the tomb was formerly covered by a

beautiful stone canopy which however, fell down by wear and tear of time;

and the stones were removed by persons requiring them for private purposes.”

Tombs of Haji Safiuddin and Haji Nizamuddin : These were two brothers

and their tombs, situated near the tomb above in the south-east corner from

the Inspection Bungalow, are frequently resorted to by people, especially

women-folk, who are supposed to be possessed by evil spirits. They were

NIADT44

perhaps some mystics but little is known of their history. Nearby are tombs

of nine unknown persons who might likewise have been mystics.

Other buildings and tombs at Maner include

1. Tomb of Meer Qitab Abdal, a nephew of Hazrat Qadir Jilani of Bagdad,

and a very great saint, also known as Baba Pir Sahib.

2. Tomb of Hussain Khan, a great wrestler and comrade of Taj Faqih.

3. Tomb of Hazrat Jalal Maneri, a cousin of Makhdum Yahya Maneri.

4. A very small mosque called as “Dhai Kangure ki Masjid” (Mosque of two

and half minarets). Nothing is known of its history and builder.

Hafiz Shamsuddin Ahmad has mentioned that besides the above

monuments numerous other tombs exist round the village, scattered over

miles around, about whom local stories and legends are not wanting. They

are mostly of Shahids or martyrs who died fighting for the cause of Islam.

The tomb in Qazi Tola of the village, however is said to be of Hazrat

Makhdum Ruknuddin Marghilani who was a teacher of Makhdum Yahya. It

is thus a very old structure, standing on a small mound of earth and has an

open mosque attached to it. Hafiz further mentions "If we go from this place

to the main road which lies not very far in the east, and walk on that road

northward to some distance, we shall meet a half broken tomb on the road

itself. It is said to belong to a Shahid (a martyr), and it is related that when

the road was under construction, the engineer ordered the demolition of the

tomb in order to clear the road, but at the first stroke of the pick-axe, it began

to bleed, on which he was frightened and allowed it to remain as it was.

Nothing more could be known about it. If we proceed on the same road further

on till we arrive near the Police Station, we find a place south of the road and

west of the Police Station which is called Barah Gor (twelve tombs), and it is

supposed to be the place where certain twelve martyrs were buried. This

place is said to possess the efficacy of curing persons bitten by dogs; and men

suffering from hydrophobia are often taken to that place and it is said they

are cured of their malady."

Ibrahim Khan Kakar : the Main Builder

Hafiz S. Ahmad gives an insight about the main builder of the monuments

at Maner. He mentions :- “It was Ibrahim Khan Kakar. He was an Afghan by

race, and was a disciple of Hazrat Makhdum Shah Daulat of Maner. Abdur

Rahim Khan Khanan, the renowned general of Akbar and Governor of

Gujarat, also was a disciple of the same saint. Ibrahim was a poor man and

in very straitened circumstances. Once, he was recommended by the saint to

Khan Khanan who took him along himself to Gujarat and employed him in his

NIADT44

army. Ibrahim proved his worth and valour, rose in the Imperial service, and

in Emperor Jahangir’s time, the title of Dilawar Khan was conferred on him.

He remained during the rest of the life in Kishtawar and Gujarat, and did

excellent service there; as has been mentioned in the memoirs of Jahangir. He

died in 1028 A.H. (1619 A.D). While in Gujarat, he planned the construction of

the tank and the mausoleums at Maner and deputed a certain engineer,

Tangur Kuli Khan of Badakshan, to make the project and prepare the

drawings of the proposed buildings. This engineer made his plans, and

probably started the construction of the tank, but he did not live long enough

to see his whole project materialise. Ibrahim Khan Kakar was, however, more

fortunate in this respect; for he saw the construction of all his proposed

buildings, so close to his heart, fairly started; though he also died before the

completion of the best of them. He died in the year 1619 A.D., as mentioned

before and was buried beside his spiritual guide, Makhdum Shah Daulat of

Maner.”

Review

Hafiz Shamsuddin Ahmad mentions “The greater part of Maner is now in

ruins; but it must have been a large and well populated town in ancient times;

as its remains, scattered over a large area, indicate. It is at present the centre

of a Pargana with a Police Station, a Post Office and a Charitable Dispensary

attached to it; but in ancient Persian records it is invariably mentioned as a

‘Badla’, i.e. a town; and old legal documents refer to it as Adalat-ul-Alia, a

High Court, with signatures of two Qazis on them, which point out

unmistakably to the fact that during the Muhammadan period, it must have

been a place of great political importance. It was more or less an important

place during the Hindu period also; for in the account of the conquest of Bihar

by the Muhammadans, the historians mention Maner along with Bihar as a

separate entity. This importance of Maner was, no doubt, due to its

topography. Situated just at the junction of the two great rivers, the Ganges

and the Son, it was on the high way of commerce and must have been a trade

centre; while with a high and strong fortress on the river side to protect it, it

NIADT44

must have commanded a position of great strategic importance in those

times.”

Not much has changed since Hafiz wrote for the Oriental Conference in

1930. As mentioned by Patil, the importance of Maner in ancient times is

still not fully understood. Apart from the so far known remains at Maner,

much yet remain to be revealed. Since the place is known to have a long

continuing history since ancient times, it deserves further exploration.

Unfortunately, scientific excavations at Maner have not received due

attention and much of its history still remains to be revealed. A tourist

complex with a restaurant has come up in the vicinity of the large ancient

tank, and secures some visitors from the locality. The site buzzes with local

picknickers on the new-year day, and has occasional visitors on other days.

Several pilgrims visit the shrine of Sheikh Yahya Maneri. The atmosphere

here is charged with devotion and a continued reverence for the departed

saint.

References:-

1. Journal of Patna and Gaya, Buchanan (1812-13), Pages 85-87

2. Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal, Vol-XVIII(1922), Pages 81-84

NIADT44

3. Journal of the Bihar and Orissa Research Society, Vol-2 (1916), Pages

441-447

4. Antiquarian Remains of Bihar, D. R. Patil (1963), Pages 260-268

5. List of Ancient Protected Monuments under Act VII of 1904 in the

Province of Bihar and Orissa, 1931, MMH Kuraishi, Pages 61-66

6. ASI Reports, Vol-1 (Page 26),Cunningham, Vol- VIII, J.D. Beglar

7. The Inscriptions of Bihar, B Sahai, 1983, Page No. 117

8. Select Inscriptions of Bihar, Prof R K Choudhary, 1958, Pages 107-117

9. Alphabetical List of Monuments, Patna Circle, ASI Website

10. Proceedings and Transactions of the Sixth All-India Oriental

Conference Patna December, 1930, Pages 123-141

11. The Encyclopedia of Islam, Edited by C.E. Bosworth, B. Lewis

and Ch. Pellat, Vol – VI, 1988, Pages 409-410

12. District Gazetteer, Patna, LSS O’ Mailley (1924)

13. Annual Report ASI, 1935-36 (Pages 52-54)

14. Annual Report ASI, 1936-37 (Pages 45-47)

Translation of Maner inscription of King Govinda Chandra I. of

Kanyakubja, date of inscription 1183 Vikrama Samvat or 1126 A.D.

(JBORS-II, 1916) The Glorious King Govinda Chandra “Welfare (to all). Be

for your welfare that vigour of Lakshmi at the commencement of her conjugal

life wherein her arms danced on the neck plate of the irresistibly eager

Vishnu. After series of kings of the solar family had gone to heaven, there was

noble king, Yasovigraha by name, like the sun-god himself with his effulgent

splendour. His son was Mahichandra, by whom his own infinite fame like the

lunar lustre was spread across the ocean. His son was the glorious king,

Chandra Deva, attached solely to policy, who had subjugated the circle of

enemies, had annihilated the darkness of the unrestrained heroic soldiers, by

whom had been earned through the prowess of his arms the unrivalled

suzerainty of the Gadhi city (Kanyakubja), where the popular discontent was

wholly extinguished by his very noble valour; by whom protecting the holy

sites of Kashi, Kushika and North Kosala, after acquisition and ceaselessly

giving away gold weighed against himself to the twice born, the earth was

marked with hundreds of balances. Victorious is his son Madanpala, the

crest-jewel of the lords of the earth and the moon of his dynasty, by the water

poured from whose coronation pitchers, the earth’s incrustation of the Kali’s

NIADT44

dirt was washed off; during whose victorious expeditions causing the

downward fall of the earth owing to the unexampled weight of the moving

steps of intoxicated elephants, stalking loftily like high mountains, the famous

Shesha for a moment hid his face in his lap, as from the pressure he felt as he

stood smeared with coagulated blood dropping from the palate pierced by the

crest-gems. Like the moon from the ocean, from him King Govinda Chandra

was born, who is the source of speeches exuding thick ambrosial drops and

who has in the folds of his long arm-cordons enchained the new kingdom-

elephant; whose arrayed elephants did not find in the three quarters, the

elephants fit at all for an encounter and then wandered in the

Thunderbearer’s quarter as rivals of the mate of Abhramu (Airavata elephant).

This same king with his feet served by the circle of all the Princes, the glorious

lord Govind Chandra, in victory, master of thought in various lores, lord of the

three estates, lord of the horses, lord of the elephants and lord of men,

supreme lord, suzerain over great kings, supreme ruler, solely devoted to the

mighty lord (Shiva), patronised by the feet (successor) of the glorious lord

Madanpala, supreme lord, suzerain over great kings, supreme lord, solely

devoted to the mighty lord (Shiva), patronised by the feet (successor) of the

glorious lord Chandra, supreme lord, suzerain over great kings, supreme

ruler, solely devoted to the mighty lord, who acquired suzerainty over the rich

Kanyakubja with his own arms, commands, informs and directs those who

live in Padali with Gunadi in the Maniyar division, all the countrymen

assembled and also kings, queens, princes, ministers, lords of the gate,

commanders, treasurers, policemen, divisional officers, physicians,

astrologers, harem-guards, ambassadors and officers connected with

elephants, horses, municipalities, mines and cattle. Be it known to you that

the village cited above with land and water, with metal-mines and salt

quarries, with fish ponds, with pits and deserts, with groves and jungles of

mahua and mangoes, including plants, grass and meadows with all the

above and below, with the definite four limits including the borders, was

thoughtfully given, with the order enduring as long as the moon and the sun

exist, to the Brahmana Thakkura Sri Ganeshvara Sarman, son of Thakkura

Dadabha, grandson of Thakkura Shiva, having three pravaras, Kasyapa,

Avatsara and Naidhruba, of the Kasyapa family, by us, with water from the

palm rendered holy by the touch of the cow’s ear and Kusa-grass, for the

continuity of the virtue and fame of my parents and of myself, after bathing in

the Ganges at the rich Kanyakubja (city), gratifying, according to the rites, the

mantras, the deities, the saints, the men, the ghosts and the manes, waiting

upon the hot-rayed sun, whose beams are strong enough to dispel clouds of

darkness, worshipping the god who bears on the head a digit of the lord of

the herbs, offering worship to Vasudeva, the guardian of the three worlds,

throwing into fire, offerings full of milk and rice, on Sunday, the 11th of the

black fortnight of Jyeshtha in the year eleven hundred eighty three, in figures

NIADT44

1183. Obedient to my command, you shall give all dues as given now

including the revenue, the trade-duties and the Turk’s duty. Verses also occur

in this context. He who receives land and he who gives it, both the virtuous

parties certainly go to heaven. O Indra, The Conch, the umbrella, excellent

horses and excellent elephants are the result and marks of land-gift.

Ramabhadra makes this request to a;; the future kings ‘all of you should at all

times maintain this religious duty common to all men’. Sagara and many other

kings have enjoyed the earth: He gets the fruit to whom the land belongs for

the time being. Taking away a single cow, one piece of gold and even one

finger measure of land, a man lives in hell until the destruction of all beings.

One taking away land cannot be purified by a thousand tanks, a hundred

horse-sacrifices and the gift of crores of cows. He who takes away land given

by himself or by another is drowned in dung with his ancestors, being a

worm. A donor of land lives in heaven for sixty thousand years and one, who

takes it away as also his approver, lives in hell for the same number of years.

Those who take away a deity’s or a Brahman’s property are born black

serpents living in dry hollows in waterless forests. What good man takes

away again those gifts which were given before by Kings for virtue, wealth

and fame; for those gifts are like left-off garlands and vomitings? Suzerainty

over the earth is sportive like a storm-cloud; enjoyment of sensuous objects is

sweet until its fall; lives of men are like water-drops at the tip of a grass-

blade: Certainly virtue alone is a real friend when one has to leave for the

next world. This copper plate was inscribed by the State-officer prince

Thakkura Srivisva.” In the JASB, Vol-XVIII (1922), N G Mazumdar has

mentioned that this copper plate was first noticed by Mr. R D Mukherji, in

his Banglar Itihasa, vol-1, pp 295-96, and the Palas of Bengal (Mem. ASB

Vol V, p 106). Subsequently a translation was published in the JBORS, vol -

2,pp 441-47. The original plate could not be traced as he wrote. He

mentioned that it is a single plate inscribed on one face only with a circular

seal attached to it at the top bearing the name of Srimad

Govindachandradeva, right across the centre, a device, which looks like a

garuda, just above it and a Sankha or conch shell at the bottom of the

legend. The plate contained 26 lines of well-preserved writing in Nagari

characters in Sanskrit language. In the beginning there are 9 well known

verses invoking the blessings of Lakshmi, and giving the genealogy of the

Gahadvala dynasty upto Govindachandra. This record supplies one more

proof of the Gahadvala occupation of Magadha after the decline of the Pala

dynasty. Another copper plate of king Jayachandra, son of king

Govindachandra, dated 1232 V.S. i.e. 1175 A.D., found in Varanasi also

mentions Ma(na)ra-pattala. The location of villages Gunave and Padali is not

identified, but believed to be near the present town of Maner. The

successors of the Palas in Magadha and Anga were not Senas as commonly

supposed but the Gahadvalas.

NIADT44

JPASB, 1922, p. 81 ff; and IA, XVIII, p. 129

Indian Antiquary, XVIII, p. 142

ASI Reports, Vol -1, Page - 26

Annual Report ASI, 1935-36,(Pages 52-54), Annual Report ASI, 1936-37

(Pages 45-47)

D.R. Patil, Antiquarian Remains of Bihar

Hafiz S. Ahmad

Useful Tables forming an appendix to the Journal of the Asiatic Society,

Chronological and Genealogocial Tables of Ancient and Modern India, Part -

2, 1834, Page 125 (Indian Princes mentioned in Ferishta’s History)

Buchanan mentions in footnote here “In former times, it is said, Maner was

the residence of a Brahman chief, but a saint of Arabia named Ahiya, who

seems to have been of the military order, arriving in the country smote the

infidel and threw his gods into the river. He then took up his abode at the

place, and buried on the situation of the temple twelve of his companions, who

in the struggle of conquest had obtained martyrdom. When he died, he was

buried in the very spot where the idol had stood, and his descendants to this

day occupy the palace of the idolatrous chief, or at least a house built where it

stood. (M.S.Report, pages 144-146).”

The following inscriptions have been noticed at Maner 1. Copper Plate

inscription of Gahadvala king Govinda Chandra of Kanauj, dated V.S. 1183

(A.D. 1126), 2. On a dwarf wall north of the graves of the saints Hazi

Nizamuddin and Haji Sharfuddin. It is dated A.H. 798 (A.D. 1396) and

records original construction of a mosque by one Jalilul Haq, a celebrated

saint of his age, and its rebuilding by Hammad Khatir Buzubair during the

reign of Sultan Mahmud Shah (i.e. of the Tughlaq dynasty of Delhi) in A.H.

798 (A.D. 1396). According to Hafiz S. Ahmad, Jalilul Haq was probably a

son of Makhdum Yahya, 3. On the grave of Tangar Quli Khan. It is dated A.H.

983 (i.e. A.D. 1575) and records the death of Tangur Quli Khan in that year,

4. On the central gateway of Badi Dargah. It is dated A.H. 1014 (1605-6 A.D.)

and records construction of the mosque (attached to Badi Dargah), 5. On the

entrance of Chhoti Dargah. It gives two dates, viz. A.H. 1017 (i.e. A.D. 1608),

the date of death of Shah Daulat Maneri, the inmate of the tomb, and A.D.

1616, the date of completion of the construction of the building, 6. On the main

gate of the Chhoti Dargah enclosure, recording its construction by Ibrahim

Khan. Kuraishi in his list at Page 61 gives the date as 1002 A.H. (or A.D.

1593), while at Page 63 he gives the same as A.H. 982 (A.D. 1574). Hafiz

Ahmad gives the same date as A.H. 1032 (A.D. 1622). Bukhari however gives

NIADT44

it as A.H. 1022 (A.D. 1613). There is also a Persian verse added to this

inscription, 7. On the entrance to the mosque, attached to Chhoti Dargah

enclosure, to the left of 6 above. The inscription is damaged and is variously

read by Kuraishi, Hafiz S. Ahmad and Bukhari. According to Bukhari it

records completion of the construction of the gate in A.H. 1022 (i.e 1612 A.D.),

8. On the central mihrab of the screen wall of Jami Masjid are a few

inscriptions. Of them one records construction of the Jami MAsjid by Maulvi

Abdush Shakkur in the reign of emperor Aurangzeb in the year A.H. 1103

(A.D. 1691-2) and its rebuilding by one Ibrahim Khan and Khadim Ali in A.H.

1283 (A.D. 1866)

Hafiz S. Ahmad has mentioned “There exists a copper plate in the possession

of a Brahmin in Maner, named, Rijhangir, which throws some light on this

point. This copper plate was produced in a court as a piece of evidence and

was brought to the notice of Professor (now Sir) Jadunath Sarkar who

translated it into English. He made over the translation and the transcript of

the said copper plate to late Pandit Ramavtar Sharma of Patna College, who

got it published with his foreword and translation and the transcript of the

same in the Journal of the Bihar and Orissa Research Society, Volume II, Part

4 (1916). The copperplate records the grant of a village Padali in the Pattala

(Division) of Maniyara (Maner) to a Brahmin by King Govinda Chandra of

Kanauj (Grandfather of Jaya Chandra, the well known rival of Prithvi Raja)

and is dated 1126 A.D. Among other things, the plate has the following:-

‘Obedient to my command, you shall give all dues as give all dues as given

now including the revenue, the trade duties and the Turk’s duty.’

As mentioned in Antiquarian Remains of Bihar, D.R. Patil

Buchanan mentions in footnote here “In former times, it is said, Maner was

the residence of a Brahman chief, but a saint of Arabia named Ahiya, who

seems to have been of the military order, arriving in the country smote the

infidel and threw his gods into the river. He then took up his abode at the

place, and buried on the situation of the temple twelve of his companions,

who in the struggle of conquest had obtained martyrdom. When he died, he

was buried in the very spot where the idol had stood, and his descendants

to this day occupy the palace of the idolatrous chief, or at least a house built

where it stood. (M.S.Report, pages 144-146).”

It runs as follows “Happy is he, who in this mortal world, Sowed the seeds of

goodness in the field of eternity.

Specially he, who built a mosque, Like Kaaba, the House of the True Path.

Similarly, on the tomb of the King of Faith, Shaikh Yahya, the leader of God’s

friends, Ibrahim Khan Kakar devoutly built, A noble Mosque for God’s sake.

The slave Asi, in search for its chronogram, Made attempts and tried his wits,

NIADT44

When, suddenly, an angel in his ear of wisdom, For this sanctuary of the two

worlds, Said this line through inspiration:- ‘Abraham built the House of God.”

This inscription expressly mentions Ibrahim Khan Kakar, and in the closing

line which forms the chronogram, there is a pun on his name, for he

happens to be the name-sake of Prophet Abraham who first built the House

of God in Mecca. This pun has been preserved in other inscriptions of

Mosques built by Ibrahim Khan Kakar. Another name, Asi, also occurs in

the inscription. This is the poet who composed the inscription. He is said to

be an inhabitant of Sandila, near Lucknow, and was contemporary with

Ibrahim Khan Kakar, and his fellow disciple of Hazrat Makhdum Shah

Daulat of Maner.

Descriptions as given by Kuraishi

“The Holiest of the Holy saints of the time; the spiritual leader

Who was brighter than the moon and the sun;

Shah Daulat, who towards the world of spirits

Journeyed from this world.

His (death’s) year of Hijra, the mind of Asi found out;

‘He was the inheritor of the Prophet’s state.”