Some Centuries Ago A Dai Or Missionary Of The Ismailis, Named Sadruddin,
Made Converts From The Hindu Trading Classes In Upper Sind.
Under the name
of Khojas the sect multiplied considerably in Sind, Kach'h, and Guzerat,
whence they spread to Bombay and to Zanzibar.
Their numbers in Western
India are now probably not less than 50,000 to 60,000. Their doctrine, or
at least the books which they revere, appear to embrace a strange jumble
of Hindu notions with Mahomedan practices and Shiah mysticism, but the
main characteristic endures of deep reverence, if not worship, of the
person of their hereditary Imam. To his presence, when he resided in
Persia, numbers of pilgrims used to betake themselves, and large
remittances of what we may call Ismail's Pence were made to him. Abul
Hassan, the last Imam but one of admitted lineal descent from the later
Shaikhs of Alamut, and claiming (as they did) descent from the Imam Ismail
and his great ancestor 'Ali Abu Talib, had considerable estates at
Mehelati, between Kum and Hamadan, and at one time held the Government of
Kerman. His son and successor, Shah Khalilullah, was killed in a brawl at
Yezd in 1818. Fatteh 'Ali Shah, fearing Ismailite vengeance, caused the
homicide to be severely punished, and conferred gifts and honours on the
young Imam, Agha Khan, including the hand of one of his own daughters. In
1840 Agha Khan, who had raised a revolt at Kerman, had to escape from
Persia. He took refuge in Sind, and eventually rendered good service both
to General Nott at Kandahar and to Sir C. Napier in Sind, for which he
receives a pension from our Government.
For many years this genuine Heir and successor of the Viex de la
Montaingne has had his headquarters at Bombay, where he devotes, or for a
long time did devote, the large income that he receives from the faithful
to the maintenance of a racing stable, being the chief patron and promoter
of the Bombay Turf!
A schism among the Khojas, owing apparently to the desire of part of the
well-to-do Bombay community to sever themselves from the peculiarities of
the sect and to set up as respectable Sunnis, led in 1866 to an action in
the High Court, the object of which was to exclude Agha Khan from all
rights over the Khojas, and to transfer the property of the community to
the charge of Orthodox Mahomedans. To the elaborate addresses of Mr.
Howard and Sir Joseph Arnould, on this most singular process before an
English Court, I owe the preceding particulars. The judgment was entirely
in favour of the Old Man of the Mountain.
[Illustration: H. H. Agha Khan Mehelati, late Representative of the Old
Man of the Mountain.
"Le Seigneur Viel, que je vous ai dit si tient sa court ... et fait a
croire a cele simple gent qui li est entour que il est un grant
prophete."]
[Sir Bartle Frere writes of Agha Khan in 1875: "Like his ancestor, the Old
One of Marco Polo's time, he keeps his court in grand and noble style. His
sons, popularly known as 'The Persian Princes,' are active sportsmen, and
age has not dulled the Agha's enjoyment of horse-racing. Some of the best
blood of Arabia is always to be found in his stables. He spares no expense
on his racers, and no prejudice of religion or race prevents his availing
himself of the science and skill of an English trainer or jockey when the
races come round. If tidings of war or threatened disturbance should arise
from Central Asia or Persia, the Agha is always one of the first to hear
of it, and seldom fails to pay a visit to the Governor or to some old
friend high in office to hear the news and offer the services of a tried
sword and an experienced leader to the Government which has so long
secured him a quiet refuge for his old age." Agha Khan died in April,
1881, at the age of 81. He was succeeded by his son Agha Ali Shah, one of
the members of the Legislative Council. (See The Homeward Mail, Overland
Times of India, of 14th April, 1881.)]
The Bohras of Western India are identified with the Imami-Ismailis in
some books, and were so spoken of in the first edition of this work. This
is, however, an error, originally due, it would seem, to Sir John Malcolm.
The nature of their doctrine, indeed, seems to be very much alike, and the
Bohras, like the Ismailis, attach a divine character to their Mullah or
chief pontiff, and make a pilgrimage to his presence once in life. But the
persons so reverenced are quite different; and the Bohras recognise all
the 12 Imams of ordinary Shiahs. Their first appearance in India was
early, the date which they assign being A.H. 532 (A.D. 1137-1138). Their
chief seat was in Yemen, from which a large emigration to India took place
on its conquest by the Turks in 1538. Ibn Batuta seems to have met with
Bohras at Gandar, near Baroch, in 1342. (Voyages, IV. 58.)
A Chinese account of the expedition of Hulaku will be found in Remusat's
Nouveaux Melanges (I.), and in Pauthier's Introduction. (Q. R.
115-219, esp. 213; Ilch. vol. i.; J. A. S. B. VI. 842 seqq.) [A new and
complete translation has been given by Dr. E. Bretschneider, Med. Res. I.
112 seqq. - H. C.]
There is some account of the rock of Alamut and its exceedingly slender
traces of occupancy, by Colonel Monteith, in J. R. G. S. III. 15, and
again by Sir Justin Sheil in vol. viii. p. 431. There does not seem to be
any specific authority for assigning the Paradise of the Shaikh to Alamut;
and it is at least worthy of note that another of the castles of the
Mulahidah, destroyed by Hulaku, was called Firdus, i.e. Paradise.
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