II. 916 A.D. ABU ZAID

H. Companions of Honour

When they mount on the throne, some kings of India cause rice to be cooked which is then presented to them on the leaves of the banana. The king musters (on this occasion) three or four hundred friends (who attach themselves to him) by deliberate design, freely, without any one being forced to it. After eating of the rice himself, the king gives of it to his friends, and each one of them, in his turn, goes near (him), takes a little of the rice and eats it. When the king dies or is killed, all those who have eaten of the rice (with him in this sort of religious communion which binds them intimately), should burn themselves voluntarily on a pyre, to the last man, on the very day when the king ceases to live. (The king dead, his friends should disappear) without delay. This obligation is so imperative that there should remain nothing of these friends, neither body nor trace of themselves.

—Op. cit. (Abu Zaid), p. 114.[^4]

I. Miscellaneous

The kings of India wear ear-rings of precious stones mounted on gold. They wear round the neck collars of great value made of precious stones, red (rubies) and green (emeralds); but pearls have the greatest value and in most cases they are used. In fact, pearls constitute the treasure of the kings and their financial reserve.

The generals and the high functionaries wear equally collars of pearls. The Indian chiefs are carried in palanquin; they are clothed in a waist-cloth; they hold in the hand an object called chatra,—it is a parasol in the plumes of peacocks; they hold it in the hand to keep off the sun. They are surrounded (when they go out) by their servants.

There is, in India, a caste the members of which will not eat two from the same plate or even at the same table; they find this a pollution and an abomination. When these persons come to Siraf and one of the principal merchants invites them to a banquet in his house, at which about 100 persons are present, the host should cause to be set before each one of them a plate exclusively reserved for him.

As to the kings and notables, in India they prepare for them each day tables to eat in (the form of) leaves of the cocoanut excellently plaited; they manufacture with these same leaves of the cocoanut all sorts of plates and small dishes. When the meal is served, they eat the food in these plates and dishes of plaited leaves. When the repast is ended, they throw in the water these tables, plates and dishes of plaited leaves with what remains of the aliments. And they recommence it the next day.

Most of the kings of India, when they give public audience, allow their women to be seen by the men of the country and by strangers; no veil obstructs the view of them.

—Ferrand, Voyage (Abu Zaid), pp. 138-9.

XX. C. 1030 A.D. ALBERUNI

The southern frontier of India is formed by the ocean. The coast of India begins with Tiz, the capital of Makrān, and extends thence in a south-eastern direction towards the region of Al-daibal, over a distance of 40 farsakh.[^5] Between the two places lies the Gulf of Tūrān. A gulf is like an angle or a winding line of water penetrating from the ocean into the continent, and is dangerous for navigation, specially on account of ebb and flood. An estuary is something similar to a gulf, but is not formed by the ocean’s penetrating into the continent. It is formed by an expanse of flowing water, which there is changed into standing water and is connected with the ocean. These estuaries, too, are dangerous for the ships, because the water is sweet and does not bear heavy bodies as well as salt water does.

After the above-mentioned gulf follow the small Munha,[^6] the great Munha, then the Bawārij, i.e., the pirates of Kacch and Sōmanāth. They are thus called because they commit their robberies on sea in ships called bīra. The places on the coast are: Tawalleshar, 50 farsakh from Daibal;[^7] Lōharānī, 12 farsakh; Baga, 12 farsakh; Kacch, where the mukl-tree grows, and Bāroī,[^8] 6 farsakh; Sōmanāth, 14 farsakh; Kanbāyat,[^9] 30 farsakh; Asawil, 2 days; Bihrōj,[^10] 30 farsakh (?); Sandān, 50 farsakh; Sūbāra,[^11] 6 farsakh; Tāna, 5 farsakh.

Thence the coast-line comes to the country Lārān, in which lies the city of Jīmur, then to Vallabha, Kāñjī, Darvad. Next follows a great bay in which Singaldib lies, i.e., the island Sarandib (Ceylon). Round the bay lies the city of Panjayāvar[^12] (sic). When this city had fallen into ruins, the king, Jaur, built instead of it, on the coast towards the west, a new city which he called Padnār.

The next place on the coast is Ummalnāra, then Rāmsher (Rameshar?) opposite Sarandib; the distance of the sea between them is 12 farsakh. The distance from Panjayāvar to Rāmsher is 40 farsakh, that between Ramsher and Setubandha 2 farsakh. Setubandha means bridge of the ocean. It is the dike of Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, which he built from the continent to the castle Laṅkā. At present it consists of isolated mountains between which the ocean flows. Sixteen farsakh from Setubandha towards the east is Kihkind,[^13] the mountains of the monkeys. Every day the king of the monkeys comes out of the thicket together with his hosts, and settles down in particular seats prepared for them. The inhabitants of that region prepare for them cooked rice, and bring it to them on leaves. After having eaten it they return into the thicket, but in case they are neglected, this would be the ruin of the country, as they are not only numerous, but also savage and aggressive. According to the popular belief, they are a race of men changed into monkeys on account of the help which they had afforded to Rāma when making war against the demons; he is believed to have bequeathed those villages to them as legacy. When a man happens to fall in with them, and he recites to them the poetry of Rāma and pronounces the incantations of Rāma, they will quietly listen to him; they will even lead on the right path him who has gone astray and give him meat and drink. At all events, thus the matter stands according to popular belief. If there is any truth in this, the effect must be produced by the melody, the like of which we have already mentioned in connection with the hunting of gazelles.

—Sachau—Alberuni’s India, Vol. I pp. 208-10.

In former times there were pearl-banks in the bay of Sarandib (Ceylon), but at present they have been abandoned. Since the Sarandib pearls have disappeared, other pearls have been found at Sufāla in the country of the Zanj, so that people say the pearls of Sarandib have migrated to Sufāla.

—Sachau—Alberuni’s India, Vol. I. p. 211.