Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/169

PIH 161 Two accounts are given of the founding of Piháni. The Hindus trace it to a settlement of Dubé Brahmans invited from Kanauj by Rája Lakhan Sen, the Gaur conqueror of the Thathera fort at Simaurgarh. The Muhammadan history, as collected by Mr. McMinn, is this :- “At the date of the battle of Bilgrám (A.D. 1540), Abdul Ghafür, Sayyad, was qázi of Kanauj. He had a younger brother, Abdul Muqtadi. After Humáyún was expelled by Sher Shah, and took refuge with Shah Tuhmásp of Persia, it is alleged that the latter called on Sher Shah to state why he usurped the throne which belonged properly to the Mughal. Sher Sháh in return collected various statements from nobles of India, proving that Humáyún was not a true believer. Abdul Ghafür was required to send a similar statement. He refused to do so, and to escape Sher Sháh's vengeance, he left Kanauj, and concealed himself in the jungle on the opposite side of the Ganges where Piháni now stands. “In 1555 Humáyún returned, and Abdul Ghafúr from his hiding place sent a letter of congratulation. Humáyún gave him five villages rent- free in parganas Pasgawan and Pindarwa; also five thousand bíghas of the jungle in which he had found shelter. This spot was therefore called Piháni ; Pinhani meaning concealment, and a towu founded in the forest- clearing “ Ghafur Alam was the son of Abdul Muqtadi. He was sent to the Qázi-ul-Quzzát at Delhi as a pupil. He made great progress, and was brought before the Emperor Akbar, who made him tutor to Jahángir; and was so pleased with the latter's success in his studies, that he entitled his preceptor Nawab Sadr Jahán, and made him sadr or chief mufti of the empire. It is possible, however, that this promotion was due to Sadr Jahan's conversion to the new religion of which Akbar was the high priest, and into which Sadr Jahán led his two souls. The sadr was the fourth officer in the empire. He was the highest law officer. He was administrator general and inquisitor into religious opinion. Sadr Jahán continued to serve under Jahangir—a proof, it any was needed, that the latter emperor shared the free-thinking views of his father, or he would never have allowed the official guardianship of the purity of the faith to be held by a pervert. ...Sadr Jahan's tomb is at Pihani. It was completed in 1068 Hijri (A.D. 1657). His descendants held high office under the Mughal emperors. Like his masters, Akbar and Jahángír, he had married Hindu wives, by one of whom, a Brahmani, Párbati, he had Murtaza Khan and Irtiza Khan, Murtaza Khan was Faujdar of Gopamau, and Irtiza Khan held the more important charge of the Rau- tambhaur fort. Badr Jahan, another son, held both Barwar and Kheri in rent-free tenure." Mr. Blochmann gives some furtber particulars about Sadr Jahan and his descendants : “ Mírán Sadr Jahan was born at Piháni, a village near Kanauj. Through the influence of Sheikh Abd-un-nabi he was made mufti. When Abdul- lah Khán Uzbak, King of Turán, wrote te Akbar regarding his apostacy 21