Mian Ghuam Shah Kalhoro (Shah Wardi Khan)

This article is about the Sindhi shah. For the 20th century king of Sindh, see Kalhora.

Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro, Ghulam Shah Kalhoro, Shah Wardi Khan (Urdu: ميان غلام شاه كلهوره المعرووف شاه وردي خان ) was a ruler of the Kalhora Dynasty of Sindh whose rule began in 1762, when he was appointed ruler of Sindh by a royal decree, with the title of Shah Wardí Khan. In the same year the Mián again marched as far as Khanpur in order to punish the Dáúdpotahs, but at the intercession of the Sayyeds of Uch he pardoned them and returned without going further.

Mián Ghulám Sháh invades Kachh and makes peace with the Ráo.

(In 1176 AH/1763 AD, on the 9th of Rabí-Sání), Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro led his Sindhi forces and marched beyond the Thar Desert towards the Raan of Kutch in order to punish the Hindu Rajput raiders of the Kathiawar region. He took the fort of Sindri and built the fort of Imamgarh on his way to the Kutch region, and on the heights of the mountain of Jarah, Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro and his Sindhi forces armed with gunpowder killed about 6000 zealous Hindu warriors. Continuing his victorious march he entered the massive Hindu fort of Bhuj, plundering the villages and towns in the vicinity of that Hindu stronghold. He took the seaports of Busta and Lakhpat. But after the persuasion of the Ráo of Kuch who sought to pursue a peace treaty with the Sindhi's led by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro, after a favorable peace treaty, the Sindhi forces consolidated their position thus expanding the realm of Sindh. Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro, arrived at Sháhpúr on the 2nd of Rajjib 1177 AH (1764 AD) after his long and arduous campaign in the arid and dry region.

Another invasion against Kachh and fresh treaty with it.

In 1178 AH (1765 AD) Mián Ghulám Sháh again invaded Kachh and took the fortified town of Mórú on his way. Coming to within 10 miles of Kachh, he made a halt. The Ráo of Kachh again applied for peace and a fresh treaty was concluded. Returning from Kachh he went to the old Sháhpúr instead of the new, which town he found uncomfortable on account of the excessive wind and dust.* About this time the king conferred a fresh title of “Samsámuddaolah*” on Mián Ghulám Sháh, in addition to the former one, in consideration of his brave deeds and successful management of State affairs.Not long after this, Muhammad Atur Khán, whose

Atur Khán surrenders.

companions like Maksúdah, had died and left him alone, repented and surrendered to Mián Ghulám Sháh, who showed him great kindness and kept him in his company. Mián Ghulám Sháh entrusted with the adminis­tration of the Derahs. In 1181 AH (1767 AD) Mián Ghulám Sháh was entrusted by the king with the charge of the Derahs* whence some disturbance was reported. Accordingly in the beginning of Rabíussání, the Mián started for that division. In the course of three months he settled all matters and restored peace and order there. Taking some hostages from the chiefs of the place, he returned to Sháhpúr.

Unfortunately during this interval, the force left by the Mián at the Derahs had to fight with the natives of the place headed by their chief Nasrat. This confusion induced the king to send Sardár Jahán Khán as his agent to settle and administer the State affairs there. The Sardár came, dismissed the Mián’s officers and appointed his own in their place. In 1183 AH (1769 AD) however, Derah Gházi Khán was lost to the Sardár, and Mián Ghulám Sháh had again to go in that direction to settle the country. He succeeded in quieting the country once more. And as a reward for this remarkable piece of the service, the remaining portion of Derah Gházi Khán, that used to be attached to Multán, was given to the Mián and its governor made subordinate to him.

The city and fort of Haidarabád, founded by Mián Ghulám Sháh.

On his return from the Derahs in Zíhajj, 1183 A. H. Mián Ghulám Sháh went straight to Nerúnkót, where in Zíkaad of the previous year, 1182 AH (1768 AD), he had commenced a strong fort with the view of turning that city into his future capital. This fort, which was built on hilly high ground was named Haidarabád. And there the Mián remained for the rest of his life.

The administrators of Tattá.

After Gul Muhammad Khán Khurásáni and Muham­mad Káim no other administrator was appointed at Tattá. In the Muharram of 1184 AH (1770 AD), however, Habíb Fakír Náij was put in charge of the place. Habíb was succeeded by Muhammad Husain, but he soon returned and resumed the same charge. After Habíb was removed Murád Fakír Nizámání was made the administrator of Tattá and continued as such up to 1188 AH (1774 AD). Now a days Mr. Manzoor Hussain Abbasi is administrator of Thatta since 1996 in random times. He belongs to kalhora family which leads to Mian Adam Shah Kalhoro a leader of Mianwal Movement.

Matrimonial connection between the Mián and the Ráo of Kachh.

In 1184 AH (1770 AD) for several reasons the charge of the Derahs was taken from Mián Ghulám Sháh by the king and given back to Sardár Jahán Khán. In this year the Ráo of Kachh gave the hand of a daughter of his cousin Wesújí in marriage to the Mián and the marriage was celebrated with great pomp and splendour on both the sides. In consideration of this relationship, the towns of Bustá Bandar and Lakhpt Bandar and others that had been conquered by the Mián, were returned to the Ráo.

The rain of flesh, a strange phenomenon.

It was in the year 1185 AH (1771 AD) that a wonderful physical phenomenon was seen in Sind. In about a bígah of land, near Dhand Ohattí, pieces of flesh fell in rain. Each piece was more in weight than a seer of Súrat. A few pieces were brought to the Mián. The flesh resembled the flesh of a pig, both in smell and colour. It was thrown to dogs, but they would not eat it.

The death of Mián Ghulám Sháh.

In 1186 AH (1772 AD) foundation was laid for a mud fort on a hillock to the south-west of the fort of Haidarábád and for the protection of the same. The hillock was sacred to Hají Muhammad Makaí* and was called after his name. His remains had been buried there and round his tomb a spacious grave-yard had been formed. As a large number of tombs had to be razed to the ground to lay the foundation of the fort, it proved to be a bad omen on account of the disrespect that was shown to the dead, especially to the saint. Unfortunately, soon after the fort was built, Mián Ghulám Sháh died all of a sudden on the 2nd of Jamádil-awwal of the same year, having been attacked by paralysis on the previous day only.*

About this time Ahmad Sháh Durání died and with the Death of Ahmad Sháh Durání and accession of his son Taimúr Sháh to the throne. assistance of his prime minister Sháh Walí Khán his younger son Sulaimán Sháh succeeded him to the throne. His elder son Taimúr Sháh, who was at Khurásán at the time of his father’s death, hastened to the capital, killed Sháh Walí Khán, removed his younger brother from the throne, and occupied it himself.

References

This article includes content derived from "History of Sind - translated from Persian books" by Mirza Kalichbeg Fredunbeg (1853–1929), published in Karachi in 1902 and now in the public domain.