Bahlol jandah (rags)

Bahlol, jandah

Sham S.  Misri

Bahlol, jandah, tah, kashkul.

Bahlol, a ragged habit, and an alms-bowl.

Bahlol was a Kashmiri saint (fakir). He could well read and write. His brother Ali Mardan Khan was the governor of Kashmir during  Shah Jehan’s reign about 1650 A.D. Bahlol did not care for the pomp and show of palace life. He did not wear the court dress but was happy in wearing of rags (jandah), and kept an alms bowl (kashkul). The fakir life of Bahol, was not pleasing to the governor, or to his ministers. Various devices were resorted to for getting Bahlol to accept some distinguished office in the service of the State. Somehow, BahIol agreed and was appointed Deputy-Inspector. Things went happily for some time. One day it so happened that in the course of his office Bahlol had to ascertain whether the bankers', baniyas', and others' weights were correct or not. While fulfilling his duty honestly he discovered so much distress, fraud and trickery, and corruption  that he determined to know no more of it. He went back quickly to his house, and discarded the grand dress of a Deputy inspector, for the jandah kashkul. He then again led the life of a fakir.