08

Khaplu. Hashmatullah has shown the reign of Behram Cho of Khaplu from 1550 to 1590 A.D. while that of Abdal Khan from 1633 to 1634 A.D. but the popular folk song called ‘Shah Beharam Cho’ specifically makes it clear that Behram cho of Khaplu was a contemporary of Abdal Khan of Skardu. Abdal Khan was a contemporary of Emperors Jehangir and Shah Jehan, while Sultan Saeed was a contemporary and relative of Humayun. It is proved beyond doubt that Behram Cho who helped Sultan Saeed was Behram Cho of Skardu and not Behram Cho of Khaplu.

It is, therefore, proved that Bukha and Sher Shah preceded Behram Cho. Ali Sher Khan Anchan died in or about 1624 or 1625 A.D. Shah Beharam of Khaplu was a contemporary of Abdal Khan who ruled from 1627 to 1634 A.D. Behram shown by Hashmatullah from 1494 to 1550 A.D. seems to be incorrect. Shah Behram’s name should appear in the reign of the Abdal Khan of Skardu.

There is a general impression that Ali Sher Khan has three sons namely, Adam Khan, Abdal Khan and Ahmad Khan and that Adam Khan was the eldest. Hashmatullah has also recorded it as above. But from ‘Iqbal Nama Jahangiri it is proved beyond any doubt that Ali Mohammad was also the son of Ali Sher Khan who visited the court of Jahangir in 1032 A.H. (1612 A.D.). Moreover, Ahmad Khan was the eldest son and not Adam Khan as related to Vigne by Ahmad Shah. Zakaullah in his “Tarikh-i-Hindustan” has also mentioned that Adam Khan was younger to Abdal Khan. The revised table as corrected and brought up to date by me is at Appendix ‘A₂’.

Tradition is silent about the events that took place during the reigns of the nine princes succeeding Ibrahim Shah. On the authority of Hashmatullah it may be recorded that Syed Mohammad Nurbakhsh, the nephew and disciple of Syed Ali Hamadani, paid a visit to Baltistan in about 840-850 A.H. when Ghoto Singe was reigning at Skardu. Although his stay was a short one, almost all the people of Baltistan who were Buddhist at that time were converted to Islam.