There's no exhilaration in decay, but to the eye
The glory of autumn is more brilliant than the Spring.
As the time was short and the hour of marching near, I took a short
circuit and returned. These few days I passed pleasantly in catching
[428] ducks. One day, in the midst of the sport, a boatman caught and
brought me a young qarqara (the demoiselle crane, Ardea virgo). It was
very thin and miserable. It did not live longer than one night. The
qarqara does not live in Kashmir. This had become ill and thin at
the time of coming from, or going to, Hindustan, and fallen there.
On Friday news came of the death of Mirza Rahmandad, s. the
Khan-khanan. He died a natural death at Balapur. It appears that he
had been suffering from fever for some days. When he was recovering,
the Deccanis one day appeared with an army. His elder brother,
Darab K., mounted with the intention of fighting. When the news
reached Rahman-dad, with great bravery, notwithstanding his weakness
and failing health, he went to his brother. After he had beaten the
enemy, he returned and in taking off his jubba (quilted waistcoat)
was not sufficiently careful. The wind immediately caught him, and
he was seized with convulsions, and his tongue became powerless to
speak. He remained two or three days in this state and died. He
was a good and brave youth, was fond of sword-play, and was very
zealous. In every place it was his idea to display his skill with the
sword. Although fire burns equally what is green and what is dry,
yet it appeared very grievous to me, and what must it have been to
his broken-hearted old father? Hardly had the wound from the calamity
of Shah-nawaz K. healed, when he received this fresh wound. I trust
that God Almighty may give him patience and resignation.
On Thursday, the 16th, Khanjar K. was promoted to the mansab of 3,000
personal and horse, Qasim K. to that of 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse,
and Muhammad Husain, brother of Khwaja Jahan, who held the post of
Bakhshi to the army of Kangra, that of 800 personal and horse. On the
night [429] of Monday, the 27th of the Divine month of Mihr, after
one watch and seven gharis had passed, the royal standards were raised
auspiciously and happily to return towards Hindustan. As the saffron
had blossomed, a march was made from the neighbourhood of the city to
the village of Pampur. [430] In the whole country of Kashmir there is
saffron only in this place. On Thursday, the 30th, the feast of cups
was held in a saffron field. Groves on groves, and plains on plains
were in bloom. The breeze in that place scented one's brain. The stem
is attached (close?) to the ground. The flower has four petals, and
its colour is that of a violet. It is of the size of a champa flower,
and from the middle of it three stigmas of saffron grow. They plant
the bulbs, and in a good year obtain 400 maunds of the current weight
or 3,002 [431] Khurasan maunds. The custom is for half to go to the
government, and half to the cultivators. A seer is bought and sold
for Rs. 10. Occasionally its market price is more or less, and it is
an established custom that they bring the saffron flowers plucked, and
according to the plan they have adopted from of old, they take half its
weight in salt as wages. There is no salt in Kashmir, and they bring
it from Hindustan. Again, among the excellencies of Kashmir are the
plumes of feathers (kalgi) and the hawks (janwar-i-shikari). As much
as 10,700 feathers are yearly obtained. Hawks and falcons are taken
in nets to the number of 260. It has also nest sparrow-hawks (basha),
[432] and the nest sparrow-hawk is not bad. On Friday, the 1st of
the divine month of Aban, marching from Pampur, I pitched my camp at
Khanpur. As it was reported to me that Zambil [433] Beg, ambassador
from my brother Shah `Abbas, had reached the neighbourhood of Lahore,
a dress of honour and Rs. 30,000 for expenses were sent to him by Mir
Husamu-d-din s. `Azudu-d-daula Inju. [434] I ordered that whatever he
might expend on entertaining the ambassador should be sent to him to
the extent of Rs. 5,000. [435] Before this I had directed that from
Kashmir to the end of the hilly country buildings should be erected
at each stage for the accommodation of myself and the ladies, for in
the cold weather one should not be in tents. Although the buildings at
this stage had been completed, as they were still damp and there was
a smell of lime, we put up in tents. On Saturday, the 2nd, I halted
at Kalampur. As it had repeatedly been represented to me that in
the neighbourhood of Hirapur there was a waterfall [436] very high
and wonderful, as it was 3 or 4 koss off on the left of the road,
I hastened there to see it. What can be written in its praise? The
water pours down in three or four gradations(?). I had never seen such
a beautiful waterfall. Without hesitation, it is a sight to be seen,
very strange and wonderful. I passed the time there in enjoyment till
the third watch of the day, and filled my eye and heart with the sight;
but in the cloudy and rainy season it is not devoid of wildness. After
the third watch had passed, in the evening I rode back to Hirapur,
[437] and passed the night at that stage. On Monday, the 4th, crossing
over the kotal of Bari Brari, [438] I chose Pirpanjal, at the head
of the kotal, for a halting-place. Of the roughnesses of the pass and
the difficulties of this road what shall I write? It is difficult for
thought even to cross it. In these last few days snow had repeatedly
fallen, the hills had become white, and in the middle of the path in
some places ice had formed, so that the hoof of a horse had no hold,
and a rider could only pass with difficulty. God Almighty bestowed
upon us His mercy, for it did not snow on this day. The advantage
was for those who went on in front. Those who followed came in for
snow. On Tuesday, the 5th, going by the pass of Pirpanjal the camp
was pitched at Poshana. Although on this side there is a descent, yet
as it is high, most of the people passed it on foot. On Wednesday,
the 6th, we pitched at Bahramgalla. Near this village there is a
waterfall and a very fine spring. According to orders, they had made
a terrace for me to sit upon; indeed, this is a sight to be seen. I
ordered that they should engrave on a stone tablet the date of the
crossing, and place it on the top of the terrace (suffa). Bi-badal
K. [439] composed some couplets, and this mark of my fortune remains
on the path of poetry as a memorial on the tablet of Time(?). There
are two Zamindars on this road in whose charge are the arrangements
for the traffic on it, and they are in reality the keys of the
country of Kashmir. They call one Mahdi Nayak and the other Husain
Nayak. The charge of the road from Hirapur to Bahramgalla is in their
hands. Bahram Nayak, the father of Mahdi Nayak, during the Kashmiri
government, was an important person. When the authority passed to the
imperial servants, Mirza Yusuf K., during his government, made Bahram
Nayak a traveller to the country of non-existence. It is now equally
in the possession and charge of the two. [440] Although outwardly
they are on good terms, they really bear great enmity towards each
other. On this day Shaikh Ibn Yamin, who was one of the old trusted
servants, went to the neighbourhood of God's mercy (died). [441]
On account of my great reliance on him, my opium and drinking water
[442] were in his charge. On the night when we were encamped above
the kotal of Pirpanjal, the tents and furniture had not arrived. He
was rather infirm and the cold affected him, and he became cramped
so that he could not speak. He remained alive for two days in this
state and then died. I gave over the private opium to Khawass K.,
and the ab-dar-khana (the water department) to Musawi K. On Thursday,
the 7th, the village of Thana [443] became the encamping place. Many
monkeys (maimun) were seen in Bahramgalla, and from that stage a great
difference was apparent in the climate, the language, the clothing,
the animals, and whatever properly belongs to a warm country. The
people here speak both Persian and Hindi. Evidently Hindi is their real
language, and they have acquired Kashmiri on account of the proximity
of Kashmir. Briefly, one enters India at this place. The women do
not wear woollen clothing, and like Indian women, they wear nose-rings.
On Friday, the 8th, Rajaur was the camping-ground. The people of
this country were in old times Hindus, and the landholders are called
Rajas. Sultan Firuz made them Muhammadans, but they are still called
Rajas. They still have the marks of the times of ignorance. One of
these is that just as some Hindu women burn themselves along with their
husbands (bodies), so these women (the Rajaur women) are put into the
grave along with their (dead) husbands. I heard that recently they
put alive into the grave a girl of ten or twelve along with her (dead)
husband, who was of the same age. Also, when a daughter is born to a
man without means, they put her to death by strangulation. [444] They
ally themselves with Hindus, and both give and take girls. Taking them
is good, but giving them, God forbid! I gave an order that hereafter
they should not do such things, and whoever was guilty of them, should
be capitally punished. There is a river at Rajaur. Its water during
the rainy season becomes much poisoned. Many of the people there get
a swelling (bughma) under the throat, and are yellow and weak. The
rice of Rajaur is much [445] better than the rice of Kashmir. There
are self-grown and sweet-scented violets in this skirt of the hills.
On Sunday, the 10th, I encamped at Naushahra. At this place, by order
of my father, they had built a stone fort, and there is constantly
here, by way of a station (thana), a body of men from the governor
of Kashmir. On Monday the camp was at Chauki Hatti. A chela named
Murad had exerted himself to complete the buildings at this place,
and had done it well. In the middle of the royal abode there was
a fine terrace, superior to those of other stages. I increased
his mansab. On Tuesday, the 12th, I halted at Bhimbar. Passing
this day out of kotals and hills, we entered the broad plains of
Hindustan. The hunters had previously been dispatched to form
qamurghas, so as to prepare jirgas (hunting rings) in Bhimbar
and Girjhak [446] and Makhiyala. On Wednesday and Thursday they
drove in the game. On Friday I rejoiced in a hunt. Hill quchqar,
[447] etc., to the number of 56 head were taken. On this day Raja
Sarang Deo, who was one of the intimate attendants, was promoted
to the mansab of 800 personal and 400 horse. On Saturday, the 16th,
I went towards Girjhak, and in five marches encamped on the bank of
the Bihat. On Thursday, the 21st, I hunted in the hunting-ring of
Girjhak. Less game than usual was taken, and I was not satisfied. On
Monday, the 25th, I hunted with much enjoyment in the hunting-ring
of Makhiyala, [448] thence in ten stages I encamped at the stage
of the hunting-place of Jahangirabad. When I was prince, this was
my hunting-place. Afterwards, I founded a village with my own name,
and erecting a small building, placed it in charge of Sikandar Mu`in,
who was one of my best huntsmen. After I came to the throne I made
a pargana of it, and bestowed it as a jagir on him. I gave an order
that they should construct there a building as a royal residence,
with a tank and a minaret [449] (manara). After his death this pargana
was given in jagir to Iradat K., and the charge of the buildings was
given to him. It has now been handsomely completed. Undoubtedly the
tank was very broad, [450] and in the middle there is a delightful
building. Altogether the buildings here cost Rs. 1,50,000. Really it
is a kingly hunting-place. On Thursday and Friday, having halted,
I enjoyed myself with various kinds of sport. Qasim K., who was
honoured with the charge of Lahore, had the good fortune to pay his
respects to me, and presented 50 muhars.
In one march after this stage I encamped at the garden of Mumin
`Ishq-baz, [451] which is on the bank of the Lahore River (the
Ravi), and has some lofty plane-trees and handsome cypresses. It
is certainly a rare garden. On Monday, the 9th of the Divine month
of Azar, corresponding with the 5th Muharram of A.H. 1030 [452]
(20 November, 1620), mounting an elephant of the name of Indra, I
went towards the city, scattering coin as I proceeded. After three
watches and two gharis of day had passed, at the selected auspicious
hour, having entered the royal residence, I alighted happily and
auspiciously at the building recently brought to completion and
finished handsomely by the exertions of Ma`mur K. Without exaggeration,
charming residences and soul-exciting sitting places had been erected
in great beauty and delicacy, adorned and embellished with paintings
by rare artists. Pleasant green gardens with all kinds of flowers
and sweet-scented herbs deceived the sight.