Page:The Oriental Biographical Dictionary.djvu/216

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Namkin 204 Nassi Namkin, i:}^}-*^ u^ Poetical title of Kasim Khan, who lived in the time of the emperor Jahangi'r. Namud, vide Taskhi'r. Nana, a corruption of Nanha, or Nannha, is the appellation by which Balaji Rao Peshwa was commonly known in Hindustan, and is by most supposed to he a title of State ; but as we are informed, it arose from the nickname given him when a child by his father ; Nannha signifying a little man. Nana, W^^^ ^^^S^^ , or Nanha Farnawis or Pharnawis, was the Karkun of Madho Rao Peshwa. Nana, V^^** or Nanha Sahib, the nickname of Dhondhiipant of Bithur near Kahnpur. This miscreant was an adopted son of Baji Rao II, the ex-Peshwa of Piina who died in December, 1852 A. D. According to Mr. Shephard's narrative of the Kahnpur Mutiny, Baji Rao died on the 28th January, 1851 A. D. Of all the butcheries in the disturbances of 1857, that enacted by this vile wretch, stands pre-eminent. ■ Out of seven hundred and fifty living souls (all Christians) in the strength and vigour of life, few escaped to tell the horrible tale. Lieutenants Delafosse and Thomson of the 63rd N. I., Ensign Brown, 5Gth N. I., and two other, soldiers, were the only survivors of the massacre. Three men and four women are reported to have also escaped and reached Allahabad. Thej' escaped the massacre in the river and were hid in Kahnpur, until the arrival of General Havolock's forces. The pension of the ex- Peshwa amounting to 8 laks of rupees per aimum, was not continued to the Nanha, and this ' appears to have been his principal, if not sole grievance, though he invariablj' maintained friendly relations with the European residents, and indeed on many occasions treated them with apparently cordial hospitality. His residence was at Bithur, situated ten miles from Kahnpur, where he owned an estate left him by his patron the ex-Peshwa, and he was allowed a retinue of 500 infantry and cavalry, with three guns of small callibre, and these troops were of course entirely independent of European authority. A proclamation was issued by the Governor-General in March, 1858 A. D., wherein a reward was offered of one lakh of rupees to any person, who should deliver Nanha Dhondhiipant of Bithur to the district, officer commanding in any military camp or at any military post ; and, in addition to the pecuniary reward, a free pardon was guaranteed to any mutineer, deserter or rebel (excepting the Nawabs of Farrukhabad, Bareli, Banda and Raja of Maiupuri) who should so deliver up the Nanha Sahib. Nanak, '^'^^K or Nanhak Shah, the founder of the sect called Sikhs, was born in the year 1469 A- D. He was the son of a Hindu grain-merchant, and disciple of Sayyad Husain, or as some say of Kabir, and consequent- ly a sort of Hindu deist, but his peculiar tenet was universal toleration. He maintained that devotion was - due to God, that forms were immaterial, and that Hindu and Muliammadan worsliip were the same in the sight of the Deity. During his travels, Nanhak was introduced to the emperor Babar, before whom he is said to have defended his doctrine with great firmness and eloquence. Nanhak died in the month of August, 1539 A. D., aged 70 years. After his sect had silently increased for more than a century, it excited the jealousy of the Musalman government, and its spiritual chief, the Guru Arjun, was put to death in 1606 A. D., within a j'ear after the decease of the emperor Akbar. This tp-anny changed the Sikhs from inoffensive quietists into fanatical warriors. They took up arms under Hargobind, the son of their martyred pontiff, who inspired them v,'ith his own spirit of revenge and of hatred to their oppressors. The following are the names of the SiJch from Nanhak. Guru Nanhak Shah, the founder of the SE'ct, |jig(j „ Angad, who wrote some of the sacred books, „ Amardas, " „ Ramdas who beautified Am- ritsir, „ Arjunmal, he compiled the " 'Adi Granth, ^ „ Hargobind, who was the first ' warlike leader, „ Har Rae, grandson of Har- gobind, „ Har Krishan, son of Har Rae, „ „ Teigh Bahadur, uncle of Har Krishan, „ Gobind, son of Teigh Bahadur. ^ " He remodelled the Sikh ( government. Hewasassas- J> „ sinated by a Pathan soldier | in J „ Banda, put to death by the Musalmans, 12 Misals of the Sikhs cap- tured Labor and occupied the Panjab. CharHt Singh of Sukelpaka misal Maha Singh his son. extended his rule, and his wife became regent, and Lakhpat Singh her minister, Eanjft Singh established Labor independency in 1805, vide Eanjit Singh, Guriis 1539 A. D. 1552 1574 1581 16dfe 1644 1661 1664 1675 put to death. 1708 Assas- sinated. [death. 1715 put to 1774 1792 [June. „ 1839 27th Nandkumar, J^S"-^, a rich MahSjan of Calcutta and Faujdar of Hugh'. All the power of the State had been committed to him without control, in the time of the Nawab Ja'far 'AH Khan. He was a treacherous enemy to the English. He was convicted of a forgery, condemned to suffer death, and was hanged at the appointed place of execution in Calcutta on the 5th August, 1775 A. D., 7th Jumada II, 1189 A. H. His treasure and efi'ects were given up to his son Raja Gurdas. It is said there were fifty-two lakhs of rupees in money, and about the same amount in jewels and rich goods. In his house were found the seals of several eminent persons which he had forged. The Brahmans of Calcutta were sti-uck with such horror when that execution took place, that they rushed into the sacred waters of the river to purge themselves of the pollution of such a sight, and looking upon Calcutta as a second Aceldama or field of bipod, they crossed the river and settled at Bali, six miles from the scene of execution. They gradually extend- ed their habitation beyond Bali and formed the village U'tarpara. Narayan Eao Peshwa, b^tijb i^^b'^, the third son of Balaji Rao Peshwa, succeeded his brother Madho Rao in November, 1770 A. D. He was assassinated by his paternal uncle Raghunath Rao, better known by the name Raghoba, in August 1772 A. D., and was succeeded by bis infant son Sewaji Madho Rao, Raghunath Rao failing in his views joined the Engiish at Surat. Nargisi, t5-~lr^ an author who died at Kandahar in 1530 A. D., 937 A. H., and has left a Di'wan. Nassi, iS^, the Narses of the Greeks, a king of the Sasa- nian dynasty, succeeded his brother Bahram III 393 A. D., on the thi'ouo of Persia, and after a reign of nine %