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 under Shah Jehan’s reign about 1650 A.D. Bahlol did not care for the pomp and show of palace life of his brother. He did not wear the court dress but was happy in wearing of rags (jandah). He had kept an alms bowl (kashkul) for the collection of money. The fakir life of Bahlol was not pleasing to the governor, or to his ministers. Various plans were resorted to for getting Bahlol to accept some distinguished office in the service of the State. Somehow, Bahlol agreed. By the orders of his brother, the governor, he was appointed Deputy-Inspector in the state services. Things went happily for some time. One day it so happened that in the course of his office Bahlol had to ascertain whether the shopkeepers, bankers, baniyas', and others weights were correct or not. While fulfilling his duty honestly he discovered so much distress, fraud and trickery, etc. 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.