Bindrāban ibn Ray Bihārā Mal, Ray fl. ca. 1101/1689-90

Little is known of the life of Ray Bindrāban ibn Ray Bihārā Mal. He served as the divān to Šāh ʿAlam, son and successor to Mughal Emperor Awrangzīb (see author 30), before his accession to the throne. He is mostly known for his work of history entitled Lubb al-tavārīḫ-i Hind, sometimes referred to as Lubb al-tavārīḫ.

Works

Lubb al-tavārīḫ-i Hind     Essence of Histories of Hindūstān

Extends to 1101/1689-90, composed 1106/1694-5.

Lubb al-tavārīḫ-i Hind is a short history of India from 572/1176-7 to 1101/1689-90, the 33rd year of Awrangzīb’s reign. The portion of the work extending to 1000/1591-2 is mainly an abridgement of Firištah’s Tārīḫ-i Firištah (see author number 69). Lubb al-tavārīḫ-i Hind is divided into ten sections, each section dealing with the former Kings of a particular region of India. Perhaps the greatest value of the work lies in its description and accounts of Awrangzīb’s reign, which the author witnessed himself. The work was composed in 1106/1694-5.