Folklores: What did an old man advise Su Malik

Su Malik, an ancient Ra of Gilgit, is said to have presented a dog as a dowry to his sister, who was married to Farmaish, a ruler of Yasin. When Taj Mughal, the chief of Badakhshan, arrived at Darkot for the purpose of attacking Gilgit, the Ra of which place had refused allegiance to Badakshan and stopped sending the tribute of Chogas, Farmaish wrote a letter to Su Malik, and enclosing it in the collar of the dog, ordered it to start at once for Gilgit. The dog arrived here within five hours, travelling by night. Su Malik got the letter and started on the same day with a strong force to check the enemy’s advance, and to assist Farmaish against the Mongols invading Yasin. Both the forces reached Yasin on the same day and encamped on the opposite sides of the river bank. The Mongols, who had come by short and slow marches, sent a message to Su Malik to commence the fighting ; but the Gilgit men were too weary to fight owing to their previous haste, and so Su Malik sent a reply requesting them to postpone the combat until the next day. However, he asked the Mongols that if there were any strong athletic men in their army, they should show him their skill. Taj Mughal ordered one of his champions to show his prowess to Su Malik. The man caught hold of a large goat and threw her ‘across the river, with such strength that the goat fell in the Sarginis (Gilgitis) camp near Su Malik. On this Su Malik, who was very strong, and had reached his full muscular development, took up a large and heavy log of wood and threw it in turn towards the Mongols with such force that, though the log was much heavier than the goat, it fell into the Mongol camp across the river. Seeing this prowess on the part of Su Malik, the Mongols lost their courage, and giving up the idea of any further fighting, they retreated on the same night. By dawn Su Malik, seeing no enemies in their camp, pursued them rapidly and caught them at Darkot, where Su Malik, having tumbled from his pony, fell into his enemies’ hands and was carried by them as a prisoner to Badakhshan, without its being known to them that he was the Ra of Gilgit. There he was given the work of bringing wood for the Mir’s kitchen. On a certain day when he was collecting wood he saw the head of a dead animal and began to weep over it. His companions asked him to explain the reason of his grief, but he made reply to none until the Mir of Badakhshan heard the news and sent for him to know the reason of his weeping. He related to the Mir that his grief was only because the head was that of an excellent tullufar horse. Taj Mughal, seeing that the man had a good knowledge of animals appointed him as a caretaker of his stable, and asked him to see if there was any tullufar animal in the stable. Su Malik saw all the animals and came to the Mir to say that a mare was in foal with a tullufar, and that the young animal should be taken out by opening the belly of the mare, as otherwise she would die in a few days and the colt would be lost as well as the mother. The Mir gave him permission to cut the mare’s belly. Thus obtaining the Mir’s consent, he performed the operation and secured a magnificent foal. On this success he received a handsome reward and a khillat from the Mir. When the foal grew up Su Malik used to take it about with him. The animal is said to have turned out so swift and strong a steed that Su Malik brought him back from a round of lOO miles in four hours. Su Malik then requested Taj Mughal that, as the animal had grown fit for riding, he should hold a Durbar to perform the ceremony of riding the new steed. A day was fixed for the Durbar, and invitations were sent by the Mir to all the officials and headmen of the district. On the appointed day the magnificent Tulufar was brought by Su Malik to the crowded ground caparisoned with gold. When everything was ready, Su Malik begged the Mir to give him permission to show the spectators the animal’s swiftness and merits. It was given, and Su Malik who was attired neatly, addressed the Mir in the following way: “I, who was brought by your men as a captive from Gilgit, am Su Malik, the Ra of that country, and now I am going back to my native land on this tullufar pony of yours. If it is in your power to arrest me now, pray try your utmost! Adieu!” As soon as he had uttered the above words, he spurred the pony, and galloped away at full speed from the assembly. A number of riders on good ponies were sent after him by the Mir to arrest him wherever they could find him, but in vain, as no one could catch him except one rider on a certain good mare. This man caught up Su Malik in Gujhal ‘ territory. On seeing him Su Malik stopped to await his arrival, and to satisfy his curiosity by seeing the excellent mare which had been able to compete with the tulufar, As soon as the man approached Su Malik, the latter informed him that one man like him was useless in attempting to arrest Su Malik, that he would lose his own life, and that it was better for him to return with the happy news that his mare was in foal with a tullufar colt. The rider was very pleased to hear this of his mare, and returned to Badakhshan to tell to the Mir that he had come back unsuccessful. From Gujhal Su Malik came to Yasin via the Darkot pass, and found that his sister was badly treated by her husband Farmaish, who had no fear of Su Malik, thinking that he would never return to his country. He was therefore severely punished by Su Malik. Now Su Malik is said to have been given a piece of advice by an old man of Yasin who “was well aware of his sudden fits of rage. These he soon learnt to overcome by following the advice, which was not to punish with the weapons at hand, but to start out and search for others at a distance. When Su Malik reached Gilgit, he saw a stranger sitting in his house by the side of his wife, and became so angry that he felt impelled to kill both his wife and the man by means of a big stone which was lying quite close to him. But he remembered the advice of the old Yasini and went out to search for another weapon. In the meantime, he came to know that the man whom he had thought to be a stranger was his own son Khisrau Khan, whom he now embraced. In gratitude he sent a good reward to his old Yasini adviser. 1 Wakhan was formerly called Gujhal, and its people Guijhali. As some Guijhais have come and settled in the upper part of Hunza, that country is now called Gujhal. Note: This content is an excerpt from the Festivals and Folklores of Gilgit, a book written by Ghulam Ahmad who was the chief clerk in the political office. The story is important from several aspects but published here with the moral that thought and reason should always be ahead of rage.–Courtesy Dardistan Times   ]]>