August 12th, 2001

When the Mughal Empire fell into disarray the Emperor lost power. 1719 saw as many as four Princes become Emperor. In such troubled times hotheads and self seekers use religion to carve out a constituency for themselves. Mahtawee Khan Abdun Nabi a scholar of Islamic law raised the standard of revolt in Srinagar Kashmir in 1720 on the grounds that the Shariat was not being followed as Hindus were riding horses, sporting gold ornaments and weapons on their persons and not living in humiliation as was the due of unbelievers. Mahtawee Khan’s interpretation of the law was not accepted by the Qazi and the Deputy Governor who were both Muslims. At this Mahtawee Khan roused the rabble took the law in his own hands, attacked the administration, overthrew the officials and took over authority with the title Deendaar Khan (The Chief with True Faith). He proceeded to humiliate Hindus by mutilation of their persons and looting and arson of their localities.

Continued from

Mahtawee Deendaar Khan’s rule lasted for five months. He sat in the Ja’ama Masjid and took all his decisions there. At this juncture Momin Khan Najm-i-Saani Inaayatullah Khan was appointed to administer Srinagar and bring the wrongdoers to book and help normalcy to return in the troubled area.

In the August of 1720 A.D. the new incumbent arrived within three kos or five miles of Srinagar. By this time Mahtawee Khan wanted to mend the fences. He had started feeling ashamed of his misdeeds and wanted to make amends by setting out with the leading citizens and officials of the city to greet and welcome the new appointee.

The new governor was received and brought into Srinagar with all the courtesy pomp and pageantry due to his office. On the way back, a senior Kashmiri mansabdar, Khwaja Abdullah gave advice to Mahtawee Khan Mulla Abdun Nabi, Deendaar Khan. Our narrator says that ‘Either out of friendship or the double dealing and propensity for mischief for which Kashmiris are notorious, Khwaja Abdulla advised Mahtawee Khan to call on the local army commander Mir Shahpur Khan Bakhshi at his headquarters and make peace with him. This would, he said, go a long way in establishing his bonafides with the Imperial establishment and build on the foundation created by the welcome given outside Srinagar to the newcomer, Momin Khan Najm-i-Saani Inaayutullah Khan.

Our narrator comments ‘Hearing this message of the angel of death and destruction Mahtawee Khan sallied forth and went to the headquarters of the army commander. This place was an ambush where soldiers armed to the teeth were concealed in each nook and corner of the building. After some time the Army Commander host excused himself on some pretext and left the room in which he had received the visitor. As soon as he was out of the room the concealed soldiers burst into the room and attacked the doomed Mahtawee Khan and his companions.

The first to be killed were the two young sons of Mahtawee Khan. These boys used to be in the most prominent area leading the processions reciting religious texts. After this the rebel Mahtawee Khan was secured and killed after great torture.

As the killers of Mahtawee Khan were from the area inhabited by Shias their locality was targeted the next day by the followers of the late leader. For two days and nights the two sides battled each other relentlessly and there was great loss of life and property. Women were dishonoured and great mayhem prevailed. Two or three thousand lives were lost of whom the majority were innocent travellers (Musaafir Mughal) from Central Asia.

The mob visited the Army Commander (Bakhshi) and the Judge (Qazi). The first (Bakhshi or Army Commander) hid in some obscure corner of his house and escaped the wrath of the mob. The second (Qazi or Judge) fled away. The enraged mob looted their houses and destroyed them with such hatred that not one brick was left whole.

When Momin Khan entered the City he dealt with the situation appropriately to ensure peace. He made adequate provisions for Mir Ahmad Khan and despatched him to the capital, Shahjahanabad Delhi. The Mir’s next posting was a faujdaar of Moradabad. Here also he remained in a state of tension.

Our narrator concludes the entry on the Khan by stating that the date of the subject’s death is unknown.

Thus communal rioting was then as now the outcome of a weakness in administration. In Maharashtra where some of the worst rioting has occurred in recent years the postings of Inspector Generals of Police are said to be auctioned.

How can any governance be expected from such conditions?