Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/439

 MAL 431 the district. Under the Delhi emperors they rose to a pitch of great wealth and prosperity, and they love to talk over and chronicle the deeds of the former members of their family. They settled here under the aus- pices of Diler Khan in 1076 Hijri (A. D. 1656) in the reign of Shah Jahan. He seems to have been one of the Sábadars of Oudb. The family talks of him as such, and outside the towns is a dome-shaped tomb, said to be that of the Nawab Diler Khan. He was the son of that Daria Khan who was the companion of Khan Jahán, Lodi, in his rebellion of the first days of Shah Jahán's reign. Touching their share in this rebellion, the Pathans have a tragic story to relate. Daria Khan could not see without bitter sorrow the ruin that had fallen on himself and family, and thinking only to save his name and stock from perishing, he addressed his two sons, and bidding them take his head after his death to the emperor and save themselves. He placed his seal within his mouth and slew himself. His sons executed his commands, but as they were bearing the head before the emperor, one of the hungry adventurers about the court claimed the merit of having slain the Pathán rebel. Thereupon they pointed to the seal still within the dead man's mouth, and their mendacious opponent was silenced. The sons were after this received into favour. Bahadur Klian was appointed to Kábul, and Diler Khan, otherwise Jalal Khan, received Oudh. But previously to separating, the brothers founded Shahjahánpúr in Rohil- khand, and Diler Khan moving on to his province first founded Shaliabad in Hardoi, and finally fixed his headquarters at Malihabad, attracted to this place, perhaps, by his Pathán fellow-countrymen already living there. Some more incidents relating to his life will be found in the account of the Panwár family of Itaunja Mahona, All this time he had been followed by Kamál Khan and Bahádur Khan, the ancestors of the present family, whose father, Díwán Muhammad Khan, had been invited to Hindustan from Banair near Peshawar by the Daria Khan already mentioned. They first settled in Hasanpur-bári in 1016 Hijri (1615 A.D.). But they can still point to houses and groves which they owned during their short stay with Diler Khan in Shahabad. In 1076 Hijri (1656 A.D.) they reached Malihabad and settled in Ahma, a village of Bulaqinagar. In 1105 Hijri (1693 A.D.), Sarmast Khan, son of Bahadur Khan, sepa- rated, and removed to Bakhtiárnagar, a short distance to the south of Mali. habad. Sanjar Khan, the son of Kamal Khan, remained in Bulaqinagar, and changed its name to that of Garhi Sarjar Khan. But Diláwar Khan, the son of Sarmast Khan, is the hero of the family, and raised it to its greatest prosperity. He took service under the emperor, was made a Marsabdar by Farrukh-siar, and, signalizing himself by many acts of bravery, was rewarded with the title of Nawab Shamsher Khan. An instance of his bravery is cherished. It is said that as he was march- ing with the Sayyads of Báraha to raise Farrukh-siar to the throne, the future emperor remarked,—-" It is all very well when I conquer, but is there any one now that dare use my land measure and money?" Dilawar Khan stepped forward, and said that he dared, and he went into Oudh and used