On Sunday, the 24th Zi-l-hijja (20th March, 1610), after two watches
and three gharis the sun entered into the constellation of Aries, which
is the house of honour and good fortune, and at this auspicious hour
the New Year's feast was arranged at Bak Bhal, one of the villages of
the parganah of Bari, and according to the rules of my revered father
I mounted the throne. On that morning, which was the New Year's Day
that lighted up the world, and coincided with the 1st of Farwardin
of the 5th year from my accession, I held a public reception, and
all the nobles and servants of the Court had the good fortune to
pay their respects. Some of the nobles' offerings were laid before
me. Khan A`zam gave a pearl worth 4,000 rupees; Miran Sadr Jahan,
twenty-eight hawks and falcons, and other gifts; Mahabat Khan, two
European boxes, the sides of which were made with slabs of glass,
so that whatever was placed inside could be seen from outside in a
way that you might say there was nothing between them; Kishwar Khan,
twenty-two male and female elephants. In the same way each of the
servants of the Court laid before me the presents and offerings that
they had. Nasru-llah, son of Fathu-llah sharbatchi (in charge of the
sharbat), was placed in charge of the offerings. By Sarang Deo, who had
been appointed to carry orders to the victorious army of the Deccan,
I sent souvenirs (tabarruk) to Parwiz and to each of the officers. I
presented Husamu-d-din, son of Ghazi Khan [300] Badakhshi, who had
taken to the ways of a dervish and seclusion, with 1,000 rupees and
a farji shawl. The day after the New Year's Day I mounted and started
for a tiger-hunt. Two males and a female were killed. I gave rewards
to the ahadis who had shown bravery and gone in to the tigers, and
increased their monthly pay. On the 26th of the same month I went and
busied myself mostly with hunting nilgaw. As the air was hot and the
(propitious) hour for re-entering Agra had nearly arrived, I went to
Rupbas, and hunted antelope in that neighbourhood for some days. On
Saturday, the 1st Muharram, 1019, Rup Khawass, who was the founder of
Rupbas, presented the offering that he had prepared. That which pleased
was accepted and what remained was given him back as a reward. At the
same time Bayazid Mankali and his brothers, who had come from the Subah
of Bengal, were honoured with paying their respects. Sayyid Adam, son
of Sayyid Qasim Barha, who had come from Ahmadabad, also had the same
good fortune. He presented an elephant as an offering. The faujdarship
of the Subah of Multan was given to Wali Bi Uzbeg in place of Taj Khan.
On Monday, the 3rd Muharram of the 5th year, I halted at the
Mandakar Garden, which is in the neighbourhood of the city. On the
morning on which was the auspicious hour of entry into the city,
after a watch and two gharis had passed I mounted and rode on a
horse to the beginning of the inhabited part, and when I came to
the immediate neighbourhood mounted on an elephant, so that the
people from far and near might see, and scattering money on both
sides of the road, at the hour that the astrologers had chosen,
after midday had passed, entered with congratulation and happiness
the royal palace. In accordance with the usual custom of the New
Year I had ordered them to decorate the palace, which is like the
courts of heaven. After seeing the decorations, Khwaja Jahan laid
before me the offering that he had prepared. Having accepted out of
the ornaments and jewels, dresses and goods, whatever I approved of,
I gave the rest as a reward to him. I had ordered the clerks of the
hunting department to write out (a list of) all the animals that
had been killed from the time of my leaving until I re-entered the
city. At this time they represented that in 56 days 1,362 animals,
quadrupeds, and birds had been killed; the tigers were 7 in number;
nilgaw, male and female, 70; black buck, 51; does and mountain goats
and antelope (rojh), etc., 82; kulang (cranes); peacocks, surkhab,
[301] and other birds, 129; fish, 1,023. On Friday, the 7th, Muqarrab
Khan came from the ports of Cambay and Surat, and had the honour of
waiting on me. He had brought jewels and jewelled things, and vessels
of gold and silver made in Europe, and other beautiful and uncommon
presents, male and female Abyssinian slaves, Arab horses, and things
of all kinds that came into his mind. Thus his presents were laid
before me for two and a half months, and most of them were pleasing
to me. On this day Safdar Khan, who held the rank of 1,000 personal
and 500 horse, had an increase of 500 personal and 200 horse, and was
presented with a standard, and given leave to return to his former
jagir. Standards were also given to Kishwar Khan and Faridun [302]
Khan Barlas. A fighting elephant for Afzal Khan (Abu-l-fazl's son)
was handed over to his son Bishutan, to take to his father. I bestowed
1,000 rupees on Khwaja Husain, a descendant of Khwaja Mu`inu-d-din
Chishti, as was usual for the half-year. The Khankhanan had sent
as an offering a "Yusuf and Zulaikha" in the handwriting of Mulla
Mir `Ali, [303] with illustrations and in a beautiful gilt binding,
worth 1,000 muhrs. This Ma`sum, his Wakil, brought and submitted. Up
to the day of culmination, which is the conclusion of the New Year's
feast, every day many offerings were laid before me by the Amirs and
servants of the Court. Whichever of the rarities was approved of by
me I accepted, and gave back what was left. On Thursday, the 13th,
corresponding to the 19th Farwardin, which is the day of culmination
of the sun and of gladness and pleasure, I ordered them to prepare
an entertainment of different kinds of intoxicating drinks, and an
order was given to the Amirs and servants of the Court that everyone
might choose the kind of drink he affected. Many took wine and some
mufarrih (exhilarating drinks), whilst some ate what they wished of the
preparations of opium. The assembly was successfully held. Jahangir
Quli Khan from Gujarat had sent as an offering a throne of silver,
inlaid and painted, of a new fashion and shape, which was presented to
me. A standard was also conferred on Maha Singh. In the commencement
of my reign I had repeatedly given orders that no one should make
eunuchs or buy or sell them, and whoever did so would be answerable
as a criminal. At this time Afzal Khan sent some of these evildoers
to Court from the Subah of Behar, who were continually perpetrating
this vile offence. I ordered these unthinking ones (bi-`aqibatan)
to be imprisoned for life.
On the night of the 12th an uncommon and strange event took place. Some
Delhi singers (Qawwalan, see Jarrett, ii, 236) were singing songs
in my presence, and Sayyidi [304] Shah was, by way of buffoonery,
mimicking a religious dance. This verse of Amir Khusrau was the refrain
(miyan-khana) of the song--
"Each nation has its right road of faith and its shrine
(qibla-gahi).
I've set up my shrine (qibla) on the path of him with the
cocked cap."
I asked what was the real meaning of the (last) hemistich. Mulla
`Ali Ahmad, [305] the seal engraver, who in his own craft was one of
the first of the age, and had the title of Khalifa, and was an old
servant, and with whose father I had learned when I was little, came
forward and said, "I have heard from my father that one day Shaikh
Nizamu-d-din Auliya had put his cap on the side of his head, and
was sitting on a terraced roof by the bank of the Jumna and watching
the devotions [306] of the Hindus. Just then Amir Khusrau appeared,
and the Shaikh turned to him and said, 'Do you see this crowd,'
and then he recited this line:--
'Each race has its right road of faith and its shrine'
(qibla-gahi).
The Amir, without hesitating, respectfully did homage to the Shaikh,
and addressing him said--
'I've set up my shrine in the direction of him with the
cocked cap.'" [307]
The aforesaid Mulla, when these words were uttered, and the last words
of the second hemistich passed over his tongue, became senseless and
fell down. Conceiving a great fear from his falling down, I went to
his head. Most of those who were present doubted whether he had not
had an epileptic fit. The physicians who were present distractedly
made inquiry and felt his pulse and brought medicine. However much
they beat their hands and feet and exerted themselves, he did not come
to. Immediately he fell he had delivered his soul to the Creator. As
his body was quite warm, they thought that possibly some life might
be left in him. After a short time it became evident that the thing
was all over and he was dead. They carried him away dead to his own
house. I had never seen this kind of death, and sent money to his
sons for his shroud and burial, and the next morning they sent him
to Delhi and buried him in the burial-place of his ancestors.
On Friday, the 21st, Kishwar Khan, who held the rank of 1,500, was
promoted to 2,000 personal and horse, and, having been presented
with an Iraq horse out of my private stable, a robe of honour and a
private elephant, named Bakht-jit, [308] and the Faujdarship of the
country of Uch, was dismissed with a view to the punishment of the
rebels of that region. Bayazid Mankali, having been honoured with
a robe and a horse, was sent off together with his brothers in the
company of Kishwar Khan. An elephant from my private stud, by name
`Alam-guman, was entrusted to Habibu-llah for Raja Man Singh and
sent. A special horse was sent to Bengal for Kesho Das Maru, [309]
and a female elephant was now given to `Arab Khan, the jagirdar
of Jalalabad. At this time Iftikhar Khan had sent an offering of a
rare elephant from Bengal. As I approved of it, it was entered among
my private elephants. I raised the rank of Ahmad [310] Beg Khan,
who had been nominated to the command of the army of Bangash on
account of his good service and that of his sons, from his original
rank of 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse by 500 more personal. I sent
a gold throne [311] of jewelled work for Parwiz, and a sarpich,
which was of rubies and pearls, and made at a cost of 2,000 rupees,
was sent for Khan Jahan by the hand of Habib, son of Sarbarah Khan,
to Burhanpur. At this time it became known that Kaukab, son of Qamar
Khan, had become intimate with a Sanyasi, and by degrees his words,
which were all blasphemous and impious, made an impression on that
foolish fellow. He had made `Abdu-l-Latif, son of Naqib Khan, and
Sharif, his cousins, partners in that error. When this affair was
discovered, with only a slight frightening they revealed certain
circumstances with regard to themselves, the relation of which would
be extremely disgusting. Considering their punishment advisable,
I imprisoned Kaukab [312] and Sharif after giving them a whipping,
and ordered `Abdu-l-Latif a hundred lashes in my presence. This
special chastisement (was given) for the purpose of carrying out
the Divine law in order that other ignorant persons might not be
disposed towards the same actions. On Monday, the 24th, Mu`azzam
Khan was despatched to Delhi to punish the rebels and disaffected
of that neighbourhood. Two thousand rupees were given to Shaja`at
Khan Dakhani. I had ordered Shaikh Husain Darshani to proceed with
certain firmans to Bengal and presents to each of the Amirs of that
Subah. I now gave him his orders and despatched him. With an eye on
his actions and his approved services, I promoted Islam Khan to the
rank of 5,000 personal and horse, and bestowed on him a special dress
of honour. I gave a special dress of honour also to Kishwar Khan, and
presented Raja Kalyan with an Iraq horse, and similarly to the other
Amirs there were given robes of honour or horses. Faridun Barlas,
who held the rank of 1,500 personal and 1,300 horse, I promoted to
2,000 personal and 1,500 horse.
On the night of Monday, the 1st Safar, through the carelessness of the
servants, a great fire occurred in the house of Khwaja Abu-l-hasan,
and before they became aware of it and the fire could be put out
many of his properties were burnt. In order to afford consolation to
the mind of the Khwaja and to make up for the loss he had sustained,
I gave him 40,000 rupees. On Saif Khan Barha, who had been cherished
and brought up by me, I bestowed a standard. I increased the rank of
Mu`izzu-l-mulk, who had been appointed to the Diwanship of Kabul,
from his original of 1,000 personal and 225 horse by 200 personal
and 275 horse, and dismissed him. The next day I sent a phul-katara
(dagger) studded with valuable jewels to Burhanpur to Khan Jahan.
A widow woman complained that Muqarrab Khan had taken her daughter
by force in the port of Cambay, and after some while, during which
he had kept her in his own house, when she enquired for the girl had
said that she had died by an unavoidable death. I ordered an enquiry
to be made into the affair. After much search I discovered that one
of his attendants had been guilty of this outrage, and had him put
to death, and reduced Muqarrab Khan's mansab by one half, and made
an allowance to the woman who had been thus injured.
As on Sunday, the 7th of the month, a qiran-i-nahsin (an unlucky
conjunction) had occurred, I gave alms of gold and silver and other
metals, and different kinds of cereals, to faqirs and indigent people
to be divided in most parts of the dominion. On the night of Monday,
the 8th, having sent for Shaikh Husain Sirhindi and Shaikh Mustafa,
who were celebrated for the adoption of the ways of dervishdom and the
state of poverty, a party was held, and by degrees the assembly engaged
warmly in sama` and wajd (dervish dancing and ecstasy). Hilarity and
frenzy were not wanting. After the meeting was over I gave money to
each and gave him leave. As Mirza Ghazi Beg Tarkhan repeatedly made
representations with regard to provisions for Qandahar and the monthly
pay of the musketeers of the said fort, I ordered 200,000 rupees to
be sent there from the treasury of Lahore. [313]
On the 19th Urdibihisht, in the fifth year of my reign, corresponding
with the 4th Safar, there occurred a strange affair at Patna, which
is the seat of government of the province of Behar. Afzal Khan, the
governor of the Subah, went off to the jagir to which he had just
been appointed, and which was at a distance of 60 kos from Patna, and
handed over the fort and the city to the charge of Shaikh Banarasi and
Ghiyas Zain-khani, the Diwan of the Subah, and to a number of other
mansabdars. With the idea that there were no enemies in that region he
did not satisfy himself as he should have with regard to the protection
of the fort and city. By chance, at that time an unknown man of the
name of Qutb belonging to the people of Uch, who was a mischievous
and seditious fellow, came to the province of Ujjainiyya, [314]
which is in the neighbourhood of Patna, with the look of a dervish
and the clothes of a beggar, and having made acquaintance with men
of that part, who were always seditious, represented to them that he
was Khusrau, who had escaped from prison and conveyed himself there;
saying that if they would accompany and assist him, after the affair
had been completed they would be the ministers of his State. In short,
deceiving those simpletons with foolish words he brought them over to
him and persuaded them that he was Khusrau. He showed those deceived
ones the parts about his eyes, where at some time he had produced
scars, of which the marks were still apparent, and told them that in
the prison they had fastened cups (katori) on them and those were the
marks. [315] Through these falsehoods and deceit a number of foot- and
horsemen had collected round him, and had obtained information that
Afzal Khan was not at Patna. Considering this a great opportunity,
they made a raid, and when two or three hours of the day had passed
on Sunday came to the city, and being hindered by nothing went for
the fort. Shaikh Banarasi, who was in the fort, obtaining news of
this, went in a disturbed state to the gate of the fort. The enemy,
who came on with speed, did not give him time to close the gate of
the fort. Together with Ghiyas, he betook himself to the side of the
river by a wicket gate, and procuring a boat proposed to go to Afzal
Khan. Those rebels came with ease into the fort and took possession
of Afzal Khan's property and the royal treasury; and some of those
wretched creatures who wait on events, who were in the city and its
neighbourhood, joined them. This news reached Afzal Khan at Gorakhpur
(Kharakpur), [316] and Shaikh Banarasi and Ghiyas also came to him
there by way of the river. Letters came from the city that this wretch,
who called himself Khusrau, was in reality not Khusrau. Afzal Khan,
placing his trust on the grace and mercy of Allah, and through my
good fortune, started without delay against those rebels. In five
days he reached the neighbourhood of Patna. When the news of Afzal
Khan's coming reached those scoundrels, they entrusted the fort to
one of those whom they had confidence in, and the horse and foot
arraying themselves went out for four kos to meet Afzal Khan. A
fight took place on the bank of the river Pun Pun, and after a slight
skirmish the array of those ill-fated ones was broken and they became
scattered. In great bewilderment a second time that wretch was coming
into the fort with a few men. Afzal Khan followed him, and did not
allow them to close the gate of the fort. Going to Afzal Khan's house
in a state of confusion, they fortified the house and remained there
for three watches, and fought. They wounded about thirty people with
arrows. After his companions had gone to jahannam (hell) he himself
became helpless, and asked for quarter, and waited upon Afzal Khan. In
order to put a stop to this affair, Afzal Khan executed him on the
same day, and imprisoned some of his companions who had fallen alive
into his hand. These items of news one after another reached the
royal ear. I summoned to Agra Shaikh Banarasi and Ghiyas Zain-khani
and the other mansabdars who had made default in holding the fort and
protecting the city, and ordered their hair and beards to be cut off,
and that they should be clothed in women's clothes, seated on asses,
and paraded round the city of Agra and in the bazars, as a warning
and example to others.
At this time representations succeeded each other from Parwiz and the
Amirs appointed to the Deccan and those who were well-wishers of the
State, that `Adil Khan Bijapuri prayed that they would send to him
Mir Jamalu-d-din Husain Inju, on whose words and acts all the rulers
of the Deccan had great reliance, that he might associate himself
with them and dispel the fear in their minds, and the affairs of
that place might be arranged as it might seem proper to `Adil Khan,
who had chosen the way of loyalty and service. In any case, he might
drive out of their minds the fear that was in them, and soothing them
might give him hopes of the royal favour. In order to obtain this end,
on the 16th of the same month I despatched the above-mentioned Mir,
giving him a present of 10,000 rupees. I increased the former rank of
Qasim Khan, which was 1,000 personal and 500 horse, by 500 personal
and horse, in order that he might go to the support of his brother
Islam Khan in Bengal. At the same time, in order to punish Bikramajit,
Zamindar of the province Bandhu, [317] who had withdrawn his foot
from the circle of obedience and service, I appointed Maha Singh,
grandson of Raja Man Singh, to proceed to put down the disaffection
in that region and at the same time administer the estate of the
jagir of the Raja, which was in that neighbourhood.
On the 20th of the month I gave an elephant to Shaja`at Khan
Dakhani. As the governor of Jalalabad had written and represented
the ruinous state of the fort of that place, I ordered what might be
required for the repair of the said fort to be taken from the treasury
of Lahore. Iftikhar Khan had done approved service in Bengal. On
the request of the governor of that Subah I increased his original
rank, which was 1,500, by 500. On the 28th a representation came from
`Abdu-llah Khan Firuz-jang, containing recommendations in favour of
some of the zealous servants who had been sent with him to subdue the
rebel Rana. As Ghaznin Khan Jalwari had shown the greatest zeal of all
in this service, I increased by 500 personal and 400 horse his former
rank, which was 1,500 personal and 300 horse. In the same manner each
one of those persons was promoted according to his services.
Daulat Khan, who had been sent to Allahabad to bring the throne of
black stone, came on Wednesday, the 4th of the month of Mihr (15th
September, 1610), and had an audience and brought the stone safe and
sound. In truth it was a wonderful slab, very black and shining. Many
say it is of a species of touchstone; in length it was one-eighth
less than four cubits, and in breadth 2 1/2 cubits and one tasu,
[318] whilst its thickness may be three tasu. I ordered stone-cutters
to carve suitable couplets on the sides of it. They had attached feet
to it of the same kind of stone. I often sat on that throne.
As the brothers of Khan `Alam became security for him, I brought out
of prison `Abdu-s-Subhan Khan, who was in confinement for certain
offences, and promoted him to the rank of 1,000 personal and 400
horse, and appointed him to the faujdarship of the Subah of Allahabad,
and gave him the jagir of Qasim Khan, the brother of Islam Khan. I
sent Tarbiyat Khan to the faujdarship of the Sarkar of Alwar. On the
12th of the same month a representation arrived from Khan Jahan that
the Khankhanan, according to my order, had started for the Court in
company with Mahabat Khan, and that Mir Jamalu-d-din Husain, who had
been nominated by the Court to go to Bijapur, had also gone from
Burhanpur, together with the wakils of `Adil Khan, to Bijapur. On
the 21st of the same month I promoted Murtaza Khan to the subadarship
of the Panjab, which is one of the largest charges in my dominions,
and gave him a special shawl. Having appointed Taj Khan, who was
in the Subah of Multan to the governorship of Kabul, I added 500
horse to the rank of 3,000 personal and 1,500 horse already held by
him. At the request of `Abdu-llah Khan Firuz-jang, the son of Rana
Shankar was also promoted in rank. When Mahabat Khan, who had been
sent to Burhanpur to ascertain the numbers of the forces of the Amirs
appointed to the Deccan, and to bring the Khankhanan, arrived in the
neighbourhood of Agra, he left the Khankhanan some stages off the city
and came on in front himself, and was honoured with the good fortune
of paying his respects and kissing the threshold. After a few days,
on the 12th Aban, the Khankhanan came and waited on me. As many of
those who were loyal had represented the state of his affairs whether
true or false, according to their ideas, and I was displeased with
him, because the degree of favour and regard that I previously had
observed in his case and that I had seen in my revered father had
not produced its effect, I did justice in the matter, for previously
to this a letter of appointment to the service of the Deccan for a
certain time had been given to him, and he had proceeded there in
attendance on Sultan Parwiz with other nobles for that important
matter. After he arrived at Burhanpur he had not looked to the
opportuneness of the time, and at an improper season for moving,
and when forage and other necessaries had not been laid in, he had
taken Sultan Parwiz and his forces above the Ghats, and by degrees,
in consequence of want of concert among the Sardars and his treachery,
and of conflicting opinions, things had come to such a pass that
grain was obtained with difficulty, and not a man was to be got for
large sums of money. The affairs of the army became so confused that
nothing went on properly, and horses, camels, and other four-footed
beasts died. In consequence of the exigency of the time he had patched
up a kind of peace with the enemy and withdrawn Sultan Parwiz and
the army to Burhanpur. As this business did not turn out well, all
the well-wishers of the State knew that this division (of counsels)
and confusion had arisen from treachery and want of arrangement of the
Khankhanan, and represented this to the Court. Although this appeared
altogether incredible, at last this impression was left upon my mind,
and a representation came from Khan Jahan to the effect that all
this mischief and confusion had arisen through the treachery of the
Khankhanan; either this service should be left entirely in his control,
or, summoning him to Court, I should appoint to this duty this man
whom I had myself cherished and brought up, and appoint 30,000 horse
to support this slave (Khan Jahan himself), in order that in the space
of two years, having freed the whole of the royal province, now in the
possession of the enemy, and having brought the fort of Qandahar [319]
and other forts on the border into the occupation of the servants of
the Court, he should include in the royal dominions the province of
Bijapur. If he did not complete this service in that time, he might
be debarred from the good fortune of paying his respects (to me)
and would not show his face to the servants of the Court. When the
relations between the Sardars and the Khankhanan reached this point,
I did not consider it advisable for him to be there any longer, and
handed over the command to Khan Jahan and sent for him to Court. In
reality the cause of my disinclination and want of favour to him was
this. The degree of inclination and disinclination towards him in
future will be in accordance with whatever may become clear.
I favoured and promoted Sayyid `Ali Barha, who is one of our
distinguished young men, with an increase of 500 personal and 200
horse beyond his previous rank, which was 1,000 personal and 500 horse,
and gave Darab Khan, son of the Khankhanan, the rank of 1,000 personal
and 500 horse, with the Sarkar of Ghazipur as his jagir. Previously to
this I had had the daughter of Mirza Muzaffar Husain, son of Sultan
Husain Mirza Safawi, ruler of Qandahar, betrothed to my son Sultan
Khurram, and on this date, the 17th Aban, as the marriage meeting
had been arranged, I went to the house of Baba Khurram and passed the
night there. I presented most of the Amirs with robes of honour. Some
of those confined in the fort of Gwalior I released, and especially
Haji Mirak. Islam Khan had collected 100,000 rupees from the khalisa
(directly managed) parganahs. As he was at the head of the army and the
service, I handed this over to him as a present. Giving a little gold
and silver and some of every kind of jewellery and grain to trustworthy
men, I determined that they should distribute them to the poor of
Agra. On the same day a report came from Khan Jahan that Iraj, the son
of the Khankhanan, had obtained leave from the prince, and according
to orders he had despatched him to Court. With regard to what had been
ordered in the case of Abu-l-fath, of Bijapur, as the above-mentioned
was an experienced man, and his being sent would cause despair to
the other Sardars of the Deccan to whom promises had been made, he
had (therefore) kept him under surveillance. [320] An order had been
sent that as Kesho Das, the son of Ray Kalah(?), was in the service
of Parwiz, if any impediment should occur in sending him, he (Khan
Jahan) should despatch him whether he wished it or not. Immediately
on this becoming known to Parwiz, he gave him leave and said to Khan
Jahan: "These few words from my mouth thou wilt represent, that as
I would give my existence and life for the service of my visible God
(Jahangir), what is there in the being or annihilation of Kesho Das
[321] that I should show any resistance in sending him? When they
(i.e. the king) send for my confidential servants for any reason it
produces a feeling of hopelessness and disquietude of mind in the rest,
and becoming known in these regions gives an idea of disfavour on the
part of our lord and Qibla (place looked towards in worship). As for
the rest, it is His Majesty's order." From the date on which the fort
of Ahmadnagar, by the efforts of my deceased brother Daniyal, came
into the possession of the heads of the victorious State, up till now,
the guardianship and preservation of that place had been entrusted to
Khwaja Beg Mirza Safawi, who was a relative of the asylum of pardon
Shah Tahmasp. After the disturbance of the rebel Deccanis went to a
great length, and they besieged the said fort, he had committed no
fault in the duties of devotedness and holding of the fort. When
the Khankhanan and the Amirs and other leaders who had assembled
at Burhanpur in waiting on Parwiz devoted themselves to the driving
back and defeat of the rebels, and from the differences of opinion
and quarrels of the Amirs, and the absence of provision of forage
and grain, those who looked after matters of importance brought this
large army into improper roads and among hills and difficult passes,
they in a short space of time rendered it wretched and impotent,
and matters had come to such a pass and the difficulty with regard
to grain was such that they were giving a life for a loaf. They then
turned back helplessly with their objects unfulfilled. The garrison of
the fort, who were expecting aid from this army, on hearing this news,
lost heart and stability, and tumultuously wished to vacate the fort
at once. When Khwaja Beg Mirza became aware of this he endeavoured
to soothe and quiet the men, but though he did his best it had
no good result. At last, under an agreement, he vacated the fort,
and proceeded to Burhanpur, and on the day mentioned waited on the
prince. Representations with regard to his coming reached me, and,
as it was clear that he had not been wanting in bravery and loyalty,
I ordered his rank of 5,000 personal and horse to be confirmed and
a jagir to be given him. On the 9th a petition came from some of the
Amirs in the Deccan that on the 22nd Sha`ban Mir Jamalu-d-din Husain
had gone to Bijapur. `Adil Khan sent his wakil forward for 20 kos,
and himself received him at a distance of 3 kos, and took the Mir by
the same road to his own residence.
As the desire to hunt overcame me, at a propitious hour determined by
the astrologers, when a watch and six gharis had passed on the night
of Friday, the 15th Ramazan, corresponding with the 10th Azar in the
5th year (of my reign), I started to hunt, and made my first halt in
the Dahrah Garden, which is near the city. At this stage I gave Mir
`Ali Akbar leave to go into the city after bestowing on him 2,000
rupees and a special warm wrapper (fargul). In order that the grain
and cultivation should not be trodden down by my men I ordered that
all should remain in the city but the men who were actually wanted
and my personal servants. Having entrusted the charge of the city
to Khwaja Jahan I gave him his leave. On the 14th Sa`du-llah Khan,
son of Sa`id Khan, was given an elephant. On the 28th, corresponding
with the 21st Ramazan, forty-four elephants, which Hashim Khan, son
of Qasim Khan, had sent as an offering from Orissa, were produced
before me. Of these one was very good and tame; this one I put in my
private stud. On the 28th an eclipse (of the sun, kusuf) took place,
in order to do away with the unluckiness of which I weighed myself
against gold and silver; it came to 1,800 tolas of gold and 4,900
rupees. This, along with several kinds of vegetables and sorts of
animals such as elephants and horses and cattle, I ordered to be
divided among deserving people who were unprovided for and helpless
poor of the city of Agra and other cities in the neighbourhood.
As the affairs of the army which had been nominated for the subjugation
of the Deccan under the command of Parwiz, and leadership of the
Khankhanan and other high Amirs such as Raja Man Singh, Khan Jahan,
Asaf Khan, the Amiru-l-umara, and other mansabdars, and other leaders
of every tribe and condition, had ended in this, that they had turned
back from half-way and returned to Burhanpur, and all the confidential
servants and news-writers who spoke the truth had sent in reports
to the Court, that although there were many causes for the ruin of
this army, yet the chief reason was the disagreement of the Amirs,
especially the treachery of the Khankhanan, it came into my mind that
I must send Khan A`zam with another fresh and powerful army to make
amends for and set to rights some of the improper proceedings that had
arisen from the disagreement of the Amirs that has been described. On
the 11th of Day he (Khan A`zam) was honoured with the charge of this
duty, and an order was given to the Diwans to make preparations and
send him off quickly. I appointed Khan `Alam, Faridun Khan Barlas,
Yusuf Khan, son of Husain Khan Tukriyah, `Ali Khan Niyazi, Baz Bahadur
Qalmaq, and other mansabdars, near to the number of 10,000 horse,
to accompany him. It was settled that in addition to the ahadis
who were appointed to this duty 2,000 others should accompany him,
making altogether 12,000 horse. Having sent with him thirty lakhs of
rupees and several elephants, I gave him his leave and presented him
with a magnificent dress of honour, a jewelled sword-belt, a horse
with a jewelled saddle, a private elephant, and 500,000 rupees for
expenses. An order was given that the chiefs of the civil department
should recover this from his jagir. The Amirs who were under his
orders were honoured with robes of honour, horses, and presents. I
increased by 500 more horse the rank held by Mahabat Khan, of 4,000
personal and 3,000 horse, and ordered him to conduct Khan A`zam and
this army to Burhanpur, and having enquired into (the circumstances of)
the destruction of the army, should give the order of the appointment
of the Khan A`zam to the Amirs of those regions and make them of one
purpose and counsel with him. He was to see the state of preparation
of the army of those parts, and after arranging all matters should
bring the Khankhanan with him to Court. On Sunday, the 4th Shawwal,
when near the end of the day, I engaged in a cheetah hunt. I had
determined that on this day and Thursdays no animals should be killed
and I would eat no meat, on Sunday especially because of the respect my
revered father had for that day in not being inclined to eat flesh on
it, and in forbidding the killing of any animals for the reason that
on the night of Sunday his own honoured birth had taken place. He
used to say it was better on that day that all animals should be
free from the calamity of those of a butcherly disposition. Thursday
is the day of my accession. On that day also I ordered that animals
should not be killed, so that whilst sporting I should not shoot an
arrow or a gun at wild animals. In hunting with cheetahs Anup Ray,
who is one of my close attendants, was heading the men who were with
him in the hunt at a little distance [322] from me and came to a
tree on which some kites were sitting. When his sight fell on those
kites he took a bow and some pointless arrows (tukka) and went towards
them. By chance in the neighbourhood of that tree he saw a half-eaten
bullock. Near it a huge, powerful tiger got up out of a clump that was
near and went off. Though not more than two gharis of day remained,
as he knew my liking for tiger-hunting, he and some of those who
were with him surrounded the tiger and sent some one to me to give
me the news. When it reached me I rode there at once in a state of
excitement and at full speed, and Baba Khurram, Ram Das, I`timad Ray,
Hayat Khan, and one or two others went with me. On arriving I saw the
tiger standing in the shade of a tree, and wished to fire at him from
horseback but found that my horse was unsteady, and dismounted and
aimed and fired my gun. As I was standing on a height and the tiger
below, I did not know whether it had struck him or not. In a moment
of excitement I fired the gun again, and I think that this time I hit
him. The tiger rose and charged, and wounding the chief huntsman,
who had a falcon on his wrist and happened to be in front of him,
sat down again in his own place. In this state of affairs, placing
another gun on a tripod, [323] I took aim (majra giriftam [324]). Anup
Ray stood holding the rest, and had a sword in his belt and a baton
(kutaka) in his hand. Baba Khurram was a short distance off to my
left, and Ram Das and other servants behind him. Kamal the huntsman
(qarawul) loaded the gun and placed it in my hand. When I was about
to fire, the tiger came roaring towards us and charged. I immediately
fired. The ball passed through the tiger's mouth and teeth. The noise
of the gun made him very savage, and the servants who had crowded
together could not stand his charge and fell over one another, so
that I, through their pushing and shock, was moved a couple of paces
from my place and fell down. In fact, I am sure that two or three of
them placed their feet on my chest and passed over me. I`timad Ray
and the huntsman Kamal assisting me, I stood up. At this moment the
tiger made for those who were on the left-hand side. Anup Ray let the
rest slip out of his hand and turned towards the tiger. The tiger,
with the same activity with which he had charged, turned on him,
and he manfully faced him, and struck him twice with both hands on
the head with the stick he had in his hand. The tiger, opening his
mouth, seized both of Anup Ray's arms with it, and bit them so that
his teeth passed through both, but the stick and the bracelets on his
arms were helpful, and did not allow his arms to be destroyed. From
the attack and pushing of the tiger Anup Ray fell down between
the tiger's fore-feet, so that his head and face were opposite the
tiger's chest. At this moment Baba Khurram and Ram Das came up to
the assistance of Anup Ray. The prince struck the tiger on the loins
with his sword, and Ram Das also struck him twice with his sword,
once on the shoulder-blade. On the whole it was very warm work, and
Hayat Khan struck the tiger several blows over the head with a stick
he had in his hand. Anup Ray with force dragged his arms out of the
tiger's mouth and struck him two or three times on the cheek with
his fist, and rolling over on his side stood up by the force of his
knees. At the time of withdrawing his arms from the tiger's mouth,
as his teeth had passed through them, they were partly torn, and
both his paws passed over his shoulders. When he stood up, the tiger
also stood up and wounded him on the chest with his claws, so that
those wounds troubled him for some days. As the ground was uneven,
they rolled over each other, holding on like two wrestlers. In the
place where I was standing the ground was quite level. Anup Ray says
that God Almighty gave him so much intelligence that he bore the tiger
over deliberately to [325] one side (in the original, that side), and
that he knew no more. At this time the tiger left him and was making
off. He in that state of bewilderment raised up his sword and followed
him and struck him on the head. When the tiger turned his face round,
he struck him another blow on the face, so that both his eyes were cut,
and the skin of the eyebrows, which had been severed by the sword,
fell over his eyes. In this state of affairs, a lamp-man of the name
of Salih, as it was time to light the lamps, came in a hurry and by
a blind chance [326] came across the tiger. The tiger struck him one
blow with his paw and knocked him down. To fall and give up his life
were the same thing. Other people came in and finished the tiger's
business. As Anup Ray had done this service to me and I had witnessed
the way in which he offered his life, after he had recovered from the
pain of his wounds and had the honour of waiting on me, I bestowed on
him the title of Anira'i Singh-dalan. Anira'i [327] they call in the
Hindi language the leader of an army, and the meaning of Singh-dalan
is a tiger-slayer. Giving him a special sword of my own, I increased
his mansab. I gave Khurram, son of Khan A`zam, who had been appointed
to the governorship of the province of Junagadh, the title of Kamil
Khan. On Sunday, the 3rd Zi-l-qa`da, I employed myself in fishing,
and 766 fish were caught; these were divided in my presence among the
Amirs, Ibachkian (?), [328] and most of the servants. I eat no fish but
those that have scales, but not because the professors of the Shiah
faith look on those without scales as unlawful, but the cause of my
aversion is this, that I have heard from old men, and it has become
known to me by experience as well, that fish without scales eat the
flesh of dead animals and fish with scales do not eat it. From this
cause, to eat them is contrary to my disposition. The Shiahs know
[329] why they do not eat them and for what reason they consider
them unlawful. One of my home-bred camels that was with me in the
hunt carried five nilgaws that weighed 42 Hindustani maunds. I had
before this sent for Naziri of Nishapur, who excelled other men in
the art of poetry, and passed his time in Gujarat as a merchant. At
this time he came and waited on me, and imitating a poem of Anwari,
"Again, what youth and beauty this is for the world!"
laid before me a poem that he had composed on me. I presented him
with 1,000 rupees, a horse, and a robe of honour as a gift for this
poem. I had also sent for Hakim Hamid Gujarati, whom Murtaza Khan
greatly praised, and he came and waited on me. His good qualities
and purity were better than his doctoring. He waited on me for some
time. When it became known that there was no physician but himself in
Gujarat, and I found he himself desired leave to go, I gave him and his
sons 1,000 rupees and some shawls, and set aside a whole village for
his maintenance; he went off to his native place quite happy. Yusuf
Khan, son of Husain Khan Tukriyah, came from his jagir and waited on
me. On Thursday, the 10th Zi-l-hijja, was the festival of the Qurban
(the sacrifice of Ishmael). As it is forbidden to take life on that
day (Thursday), I ordered that on the Friday they should kill the
sacrificial animals. Having sacrificed three sheep with my own hand,
I mounted to go hunting, and returned when six gharis of night had
passed. On this day was killed a nilgaw (commonly called blue bull)
of the weight of 9 maunds and 35 seers. The story of this nilgaw is
written because it is not devoid of strangeness. In the two past years,
during which I had come to this same place to wander about and hunt I
had shot at him each time with a gun. As the wounds were not in a fatal
place, he had not fallen, but gone off. This time again I saw that
nilgaw in the hunting-ground (shikargah), and the watchman recognized
that in the two previous years he had gone away wounded. In short, I
fired at him again three times on that day. It was in vain. I pursued
him rapidly on foot for three kos, but however much I exerted myself
I could not catch him. At last I made a vow that if this nilgaw fell
I would have his flesh cooked, and for the soul of Khwaja Mu`inu-d-din
would give it to eat to poor people. I also vowed a muhr and one rupee
to my revered father. Soon after this the nilgaw became worn out with
moving, and I ran to his head and ordered them to make it lawful (cut
its throat in the name of Allah) on the spot, and having brought it to
the camp I fulfilled my vow as I had proposed. They cooked the nilgaw,
and expending the muhr and rupee on sweets. I assembled poor and hungry
people and divided them among them in my own presence. Two or three
days afterwards I saw another nilgaw. However much I exerted myself
and wished he would stand still in one place, so that I might fire
at him, I could get no chance. With my gun on my shoulder I followed
him till near evening until it was sunset, and despaired of killing
him. Suddenly it came across my tongue, "Khwaja, this nilgaw also
is vowed to you." My speaking and his sitting down were at one and
the same moment. I fired at and hit him, and ordered him, like the
first nilgaw, to be cooked and given to the poor to eat. On Saturday,
the 19th Zi-l-hijja, I fished again. This time about 330 fish were
caught. On the night of Wednesday, the 28th [330] of the same month,
I encamped at Rupbas. As this was one of my fixed hunting-places
and there was an order that no one should hunt in the neighbourhood,
a great number of antelope had come together in the desert there, so
much so that they came into the inhabited parts and were not subject
to any kind of molestation. I hunted for two or three days in those
desert plains, and shot, and hunted with cheetahs many antelopes. As
the hour for entering the city was near, making two halts on the way,
I alighted on the night of Thursday, the 2nd Muharram, in the year 1020
(17th March, 1611), at the garden of `Abdu-r-Razzaq Ma`muri, which is
near, in fact close to, the city. On this night many of the servants
of the Court, such as Khwaja Jahan, Daulat Khan, and a number who had
remained in the city, came and waited on me. Iraj also, whom I had
sent for from the Subah of the Deccan, had the honour of kissing the
threshold. I stayed in that garden also on the Friday. On that day
`Abdu-r-Razzaq presented his own offerings. As this was the last day
for hunting, an order was given that the duration of the hunt and the
number of animals killed should be counted up to me. The time of the
hunt was from the 9th of the month of Azar to the 29th Isfandarmuz of
the 5th year, or three months and twenty days. In this time tigers
12, deer (gawzan) 1, chikarah (gazelle) 44, kutah-pacha (hog-deer)
1 head, fawns 2 head, black buck 68 head, does 31 head, foxes 4,
kurara deer 8, patal (?) 1, bears 5, hyænas 3, hares 6, nilgaw 108,
fish 1,096, eagle 1, bustard 1, peafowl 5, herons 5, partridges 5,
brahmini ducks (surkhab) 1, saras 5, dhik (?) 1; total, 1,414.
On Saturday, the 29th Isfandarmuz, corresponding to the 4th Muharram,
I mounted an elephant and went to the city. From the garden of
`Abdu-r-Razzaq to the palace the distance is a kos and 20 tanab. I
scattered 1,500 rupees to the crowd. At the fixed hour I entered the
palace. The bazars had been decorated with cloths after the manner of
the New Year's feast. As at the hunting-time an order had been given
to Khwaja Jahan to prepare in the Mahall (Zenanah) a building fit for
me to sit in, the said Khwaja had in the space of three months prepared
and brought to perfection this kind of lofty building, and with folded
hands (in humility) had done exceedingly active work. Coming off
the dust of the road I entered that Paradise-like building and went
to look round that abode, and it was very much to my taste. Khwaja
Jahan was dignified with much praise and commendation. The offerings
he had prepared were displayed to me in the same building. Some of
these were approved and accepted and the remainder presented to him.