By the reckoning of the eye, there's one frame less:
By Wisdom's reckoning, the lessening is more than thousands.
Though the weight of such a kingdom was on his shoulders, and it is
not possible for or within the power of a mortal to make everyone
contented, yet no one ever went to I`timadu-d-daula with a petition
or on business who turned from him in an injured frame of mind. He
showed loyalty to the sovereign, and yet left pleased and hopeful
him who was in need. In fact, this was a speciality of his. From the
day on which his companion (his wife) attained to the mercy of God he
cared no longer for himself, but melted away from day to day. Although
outwardly he looked after the affairs of the kingdom, and taking pains
with the ordering of civil matters, did not withdraw his hand from
business, yet in his heart he grieved at the separation, and at last,
after three months and twenty days, he passed away. The next day I
went to condole with his sons and sons-in-law, and, presenting 41 of
his children and connections and 12 of his dependents with dresses
of honour, I took them out of their mourning garments.
The next day I marched with the same purpose (as before), and went
to see the fort of Kangra. In four stages the camp was pitched at
the river Banganga. Alf K. and Shaikh Faizu-llah, the guards of the
fort, had the good fortune to pay their respects. At this stage the
offering of the Raja of Chamba [545] was laid before me. His country
is 25 koss beyond Kangra. There is no greater Zamindari in these
hills than this. The country is the asylum of all the Zamindars of
the country. It has passes (`aqabaha) difficult to cross. Until now
he had not obeyed any king nor sent offerings. His brother also was
honoured by paying his respects, and on his part performed the dues of
service and loyalty. He seemed to me to be reasonable and intelligent
and urbane. I exalted him with all kinds of patronage and favour.
On the 24th [546] of the same month I went to see the fort of
Kangra, and gave an order that the Qazi, the Chief Justice (Mir
`Adl), and other learned men of Islam should accompany me and carry
out in the fort whatever was customary, according to the religion
of Muhammad. Briefly, having traversed about one koss, I went up to
the top of the fort, and by the grace of God, the call to prayer and
the reading of the Khutba and the slaughter of a bullock, which had
not taken place from the commencement of the building of the fort
till now, were carried out in my presence. I prostrated myself in
thanksgiving for this great gift, which no king had hoped to receive,
and ordered a lofty mosque to be built inside the fort. The fort of
Kangra is situated on a high hill, and is so strong that if furnished
with provisions and the necessaries for a fort the hand of force
cannot reach its skirt, and the noose of stratagem must fall short of
it. Although there are heights (sar-kubha) in some places, and guns
and muskets might reach (the fort) from them, yet no harm would accrue
to the garrison, for they could move to another part of the fort,
[547] and be safe. It has 23 bastions and seven gates. Its inner
circumference is 1 koss and 15 ropes, its length is 1/4 koss and 2
ropes (tanab), its breadth not more than 22 ropes nor less than 15. Its
height is 114 cubits. There are two reservoirs inside the fort, one 2
ropes long and 1 1/2 broad; the other is of the same length (?). [548]
After going round the fort I went to see the temple of Durga, which
is known as Bhawan. [549] A world has here wandered in the desert of
error. Setting aside the infidels whose custom is the worship of idols,
crowds on crowds of the people of Islam, traversing long distances,
bring their offerings and pray to the black stone (image). Near the
temple, and on the slope of the hill there is a sulphur-mine (kan),
and its heat causes flames to continually burst forth. They call it
Jwala Mukhi [550] (Flame-Face or Burning Mouth), and regard it as
one of the idol's miracles. In fact, Hindus, while knowing the truth,
[551] deceive the common people. Hindus say [552] that when the life
of Mahadeo's wife came to an end and she drank the draught of death,
Mahadeo, in his great love and attachment to her, took her dead body
on his back, and went about the world carrying her corpse. When some
time had passed in this manner, her form dissolved and dropped asunder,
and each limb fell in a different place: they give honour and dignity
to the place according to the dignity and grace of the member. As
the breast, which when compared with other members has the greatest
dignity, fell in this place, they hold it more precious than any
other. Some maintain that this stone, which is now a place of worship
for the vile infidels, is not the stone which was there originally,
but that a body of the people [553] of Islam came and carried off
the original stone, and threw it into the bottom of the river, with
the intent that no one could get at it. For a long time the tumult
of the infidels and idol-worshippers had died away in the world,
till a lying brahman hid a stone for his own ends, and going to the
Raja of the time said: "I saw Durga in a dream, and she said to me:
'They have thrown me into a certain place: quickly go and take me
up.'" The Raja, in the simplicity of his heart, and greedy for the
offerings of gold that would come to him, accepted the tale of the
brahman, and sent a number of people with him, and brought that stone,
and kept it in this place with honour, and started again the shop of
error and misleading. But God only knows!
From the temple I went to see the valley which is known as
Kuh-i-Madar. [554] It is a delightful place. From its climate,
the freshness of its verdure, and its delightful position it is a
place of pleasure worthy to be seen. There is a waterfall here which
pours down water from the top of the hill. I ordered them to put up a
symmetrical building there. On the 25th of the month the standards were
turned back to return. Having presented Alf K. and Shaikh Faizu-llah
with horses and elephants I left them to defend the fort. Next day I
encamped at the fort of Nurpur. [555] It was reported to me that in
this neighbourhood there were many jungle fowl. As I had never yet
caught these, I made a halt of another day, and enjoyed myself with
the sport, having caught four. One cannot distinguish them in shape
and colour from domestic fowls. One of the peculiarities of these
birds is that if they are caught by the feet and turned upside down,
wherever they are taken they make no sound, and remain silent, contrary
to the domestic fowl, which makes an outcry. Until the domestic fowl
is plunged into hot water its feathers do not come off easily. The
jungle fowl, like the partridge and podna, [556] can be plucked when
dry. I ordered them to roast them. It was found that the flesh of
the full-grown ones was very tasteless and dry. The chickens had
some juiciness, but were not good to eat. They cannot fly farther
than a bow-shot. The cock [557] is chiefly red, and the hen black
and yellow. There are many in this Nurpur jungle. The ancient name of
Nurpur is Dhameri. [558] Since Raja Baso built the fort and made houses
and gardens they call it Nurpur, after my name. About Rs. 30,000 were
expended on the building. Certes, the buildings Hindus construct after
their fashion, however much they decorate them, are not pleasant. As
the place was fit and the locality enchanting, I ordered them to spend
Rs. 1,00,000 out of the public treasury, and to erect buildings at it,
and to make lofty edifices suited to the spot.
At this time it was reported to me that there was a Sannyasi Moti
[559] in the neighbourhood who had entirely renounced control over
himself. I ordered them to bring him that I might ascertain the real
state of affairs. They call Hindu devotees Sarb basi. [560] By usage
the word has become San-nyasi (laying down everything). There are
many degrees among them, and there are several orders among the Sarb
basi. Among them there is the Moti order. They put themselves into the
figure of a cross (?) (salb ikhtiyar mikunand) and surrender themselves
(taslim [561] misazand). For instance, they never speak. If for ten
days and nights they stand in one place, they do not move their feet
forwards or backwards; in fact, make no movement at all, and remain
like fossils. When he came into my presence I examined him, and found
a wonderful state of persistence. It occurred to me that in a state
of drunkenness and absence of mind and delirium, some change might
be wrought in him. Accordingly I ordered them to give him some cups
of spirit (`araq) of double strength. This was done in royal fashion
(liberally?), but not the least change took place, and he remained in
the same impassive state. At last his senses left him, and they carried
him out like a corpse. God Almighty granted him mercy so that he did
not lose his life. Certainly there was great persistence in his nature.
At this time Bi-badal K. presented me with the chronogram of the
conquest of Kangra, and that of the foundation of the mosque which
I had ordered. As he had hit it off well, I here record it: