CHAPTER 23 IRRIGATION UNDER HABARIS RULE OF SINDH; 854 - 1011 AD CLIMATIC OPTIMUM The period 900-1250 AD is considered as a very warm and moist period throughout the world with more rainfall and higher level of water in River Indus. It is called “Climatic Optimum” the world over. Habaris of Sindh were descendants of Habar bin al-Asad a member of Banu Asad Qureshi. Ibn Zubayr a descendent of Habar came to Sindh with Hakam al-Kalbi the governor of Sindh around 730 AD. These immigrants brought only a few women. During the next century and quarter they intermarried among the Sindhis, learnt local language, wore local dress, adopted local customs, became landowners, developed influence among local Sindhi tribes and finally overthrew the Abbasid governor in 854 AD establishing their own independent dynasty which ruled for 157 years. The rulers were: 1. Umar bin Abdul Aziz 854/55 – 883/84 2. Abdullah bin Umar 883/4 – 903 3. Musa bin Umar 903 – 912/3 4. Umar bin Abdullah 912/3 – 941/42 5. Muhammad bin Abdullah 941/42 – 970/71 6. Ali bin Umar 970/71 – 985/86 7. ? bin Ali bin Umar 985/86 – 1010/11 During their rule the number of Arab travellers, traders and geographers visited Sindh and wrote their accounts, which show: Sindh was a peaceful and prosperous country. Agriculture flourished and a number of crops, vegetables and fruits were grown in Sindh and were exported. Arab travellers, geographers and historians namely Ibn Khurdadba, Abu Zaid, Yaqoobi, Hamadani, Buzrig bin Shahryar, Masaudi, Yanubi, Ibn Haukal, Istakhri and Muqadisi who had visited Sindh or collected information. They were tolerant to other faiths - Hinduism and Buddhism and had developed cordial relations with the Hindu rulers of the neighbouring countries. Their relations with local population and tribes also appeared to be good. During their rule Buddhist stupas were repaired and renovated as per archaeological evidence. There was no law and order problem. Instead of depending on local chiefs for supply of soldiers they maintained 80 elephants and 40,000 foot-soldiers from the central exchequer. Trade relations between the South Asia and Muslim world reached the climax. Such peaceful atmosphere, security and freedom to trade shows that during this period irrigation system, which was ruined under rule of Umayyad and Abbasid governors, was restored and gradually extended as population grew. There were enough agricultural surpluses to support the government soldiery and urban population, besides the foreign trade. Under Umayyad and Abbasid rule population must have gone down and with improvement of irrigation under the Habaris population again rose, more area was cultivated. Under the pre-British irrigation system in the days of the Kalhoras period the area under irrigation in Sindh could have reached up to 2.1 million acres, which supported population of three million. It is possible that under any peaceful regime lasting about a century similar cultivation figures and similar extent of population could be achieved. But Kalhoras had reached this figure just in first fifty-seven years of their rule. The map shows the Habari kingdom, the course of River Indus in the ninth and tenth centuries and important urban centres. The Habaris had unique luck in having an even distribution of the natural branches of the River Indus all over the plains. For example: The western branch of the Indus taking off from the main river between Kandhkot and Kashmore cut through the Kandhkot and Thul talukas to Shahdadkot taluka where it turned southwards to the Manchar Lake. A branch from the above starting north-east of Shikarpur ended into present alignment of Warah branch. From there it moved south to meet the western branch again near Kakar in Khairpur Nathan Shah taluka. The main river had its bed along Sindh Dhoro in Kandhkot and Sukkur talukas. At Ruk it made south-eastern turn to pass through Lohano Dhoro. At Naushehro it shot a western branch, which met Aral Canal (filling and discharging Manchar Lake) near Qazi Ahmed. Another eastern branch from the main course of the river starting some twenty-five miles north of Nawabshah joined Eastern Nara in Samaro taluka. In the lower Sindh its branches were along the alignment of the Dhoro Puran, the western Puran, the Ahmed Rajo and finally from Talhar to Banbhore. The main river confined its flow along Golarchi branch. Sarsvati-Hakra system was still active in the inundation season from the spill waters of the Indus and the Sutlej though with much reduced supplies. Yet it contributed towards irrigation of Kharif crops especially below the present Jamrao Head as the Eastern Nara acted regulatory reservoir. The above courses are based on the study of aerial photographs by Holmes and corrected by the present writer. The important towns of the period were: Mansura (Brahmanabad), Jhim, (Jhimpir) Debal, Kalari, Bolari, Anari, Alore, Baghrur, Sadusan (Sehwan), Manjabari (Mangho Pir), Nerun, Baniya, Maniya, Vinjrot, Mathelo, Thul Mir Rukan, Dhaliya (Mirpurkhas), Naukot, Talti, Budhjo Takar and Gujo. Irrigation in Sindh never reached the same status until under Kalhoras, eight hundred years later and the British around 1900 AD. The cultivation figure may have reached two million acres and the population about three million. During such prosperity Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam flourished side-by-side and Buddhist stupas were being renovated. The agricultural products of Sindh as described by Arab travellers visiting during this period were: Sugar cane as most important crop, Limo (Lemon), Adrak (asafoetida), Mango, Orange, Cotton, Rice, Wheat, Sorghum and millets, Camphor, Saffron, Jera, Garden products, Medical plants, Aloe Vera and Honey (forest, garden and vegetation product). Industrial crops like indigo and madder were in addition to food grains (rice, wheat and barley), oilseeds, pulses and vegetables. Main industrial crop was cotton. Grains, butter, oils, hides and textiles were major items of export Sugar cane is a perennial crop, which shows that a substantial area had perennial canals from which water was lifted by Persian wheels in winter. (Istakhri states that whole country was covered with fields, gardens and trees). Acidic citrus originated in India and sweet citrus in China. In the tenth century AD sweet citrus was already known and grown in India. Hot climate of Sindh allows citrus to grow in Sindh, but high respiration demand causes high consumption of carbohydrates (sugars) and therefore citrus in Sindh passes quickly from acidic state to sweet state and if not harvested quickly it deteriorates to sub-standard grades. Therefore citrus is harvested when still slightly acidic. Thats why Arab travellers called all citrus varieties in Sindh as Limo (Lemon) – an acidic sub-species of citrus. During this period Thar and Kohistan could also support twice much animals as now and so the human population. Animal husbandry and its by-products must have been important items for local consumption and export. Baghdad, which had developed into important trading centre under Abbasids after 751 AD replacing Damascus, was over shadowed by Cairo under Fatimids in the tenth century. In Europe Venice had overshadowed Constantinople. In Debal Persian Jews who settled since third century AD were still actively trading with the help of other Jews settled in big towns in the whole Asia. Dinar had become an important and common coin in countries bordering the Indian Ocean. Habaris minted their own coins.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 04:29:26 +0000
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