"I, poor wretch, was miserable at the tobacco notice;
By the just Shah's favour the tobacco-market became brisk."
On the 3rd of the same month, Husain Beg, the diwan of Bengal,
had the good fortune to kiss the threshold, and made an offering
of twelve elephants, male and female. Tahir, bakhshi of Bengal, who
had been accused of several offences, obtained the favour of paying
his respects to me, and presented before me an offering of twenty-one
elephants. Twelve of these were approved and the remainder I conferred
on him. On this day a wine-feast was arranged, and I gave wine to most
of the servants who were engaged in waiting on me, and made them all
heated with the wine of loyalty. On the 4th the huntsmen sent news that
they had marked down a lion in the neighbourhood of the Shakkar [583]
tank, which is inside the fort and one of the famous constructions of
the rulers of Malwa. I at once mounted and went towards that game. When
the lion appeared he charged the ahadis and the retinue and wounded ten
[584] or twelve of them. At last I finished his business with three
shots [585] (lit. arrows) from my gun, and removed his evil from the
servants of God. On the 8th the mansab of Mir Miran, which was 1,000
personal and 400 horse, was fixed at 1,500 personal and 500 horse. On
the 9th, at the request of my son Khurram, I increased the mansab of
Khan Jahan by 1,000 personal and horse, making it thus 6,000 personal
and horse; that of Ya`qub Khan, which was 1,500 personal with 1,000
horse, was made 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse; that of Bahlul Khan
Miyana [586] was increased by 500 personal and 300 horse to 1,500
personal and 1,000 horse; and that of Mirza Sharafu-d-din Kashghari,
by whom and his son great bravery had been shown in the Deccan, was
increased to 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. On the 10th Farwardin,
corresponding with the 22nd Rabi`u-l-awwal, 1026, my lunar weighing
took place. On this day two `Iraq horses from my private stable
and a dress of honour were conferred on my son Khurram and sent to
him by Bahram Beg. I increased the mansab of I`tibar Khan to 5,000
personal and 3,000 horse. On the 11th, Husain Beg, of Tabriz, whom the
ruler of Iran had sent to the ruler of Golconda by way of embassy,
as, in consequence of the quarrel of the Franks with the Persians,
the road of the Mir had been closed, [587] waited upon me with the
ambassador of the ruler of Golconda. Offerings came from him of two
horses and some tuquz [588] (nine-pieces?) of cloth from the Deccan
and Gujarat. On the same day an `Iraq horse from my private stable
was bestowed on Khan Jahan. On the 15th, 1,000 personal were added to
the mansab of Mirza Raja Bhao Singh, raising it to 5,000 personal and
3,000 horse. On the 17th, 500 horse were added to the mansab of Mirza
Rustam, and I made it up to 5,000 personal and 1,000 horse; that of
Sadiq Khan was fixed at 1,500 personal and 700 horse, original and
increase; Iradat Khan in the same manner was raised to the mansab
of 1,500 and 600 horse. To the mansab of Anira'i 500 personal and
100 horse were added, and it was made one of 1,500 personal and 500
horse. Three gharis of Saturday, the 19th, remained when the beginning
of the sharaf (day of sun's culmination) occurred, and at the same time
I again took my seat on the throne. Of the thirty-two prisoners from
the army of the rebel `Ambar who had been captured by the servants
of the victorious State in the battle won by Shah-nawaz Khan and the
defeat of that disastrous man (`Ambar), I had handed one man over to
I`tiqad Khan. The guards who had been appointed to keep him showed
carelessness and let him escape. I was much annoyed at this, and I
forbade I`tiqad Khan to come to wait on me for three months. As the
said prisoner's name and condition were unknown, he was not caught
again, although they showed activity in the matter. At last I ordered
the captain of the guards who had been careless in keeping him to
be capitally punished. I`tiqad Khan on this day, at the request of
I`timadu-d-daulah, had the good fortune to pay his respects to me.
As for a long time no good had been heard of the affairs of Bengal and
of the conduct of Qasim Khan, it entered my mind to send to the Subah
of Bengal Ibrahim Khan Fath-jang, who had carried on successfully the
affairs of the Subah of Behar and had brought a diamond mine into
the possession of the State, and to despatch Jahangir Quli Khan,
who had a jagir in the Subah of Allahabad, in his place to Behar. I
sent for Qasim Khan to Court. At the same hour on the auspicious day
(the day of culmination) an order was given that they should write
royal farmans to the effect that sazawalan (revenue collectors) should
be appointed to take Jahangir Quli Khan to Behar and to send Ibrahim
Khan Fath-jang to Bengal. Patronizing Sikandar, [589] the jeweller,
I promoted him to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 300 horse.
On the 21st I gave leave to Muhammad Riza, ambassador of the ruler
of Iran, and bestowed on him 60,000 darbs, equal to 30,000 rupees,
with a dress of honour. As an equivalent to the souvenir (yad-budi)
that my brother Shah `Abbas had sent to me, I forwarded with the
aforesaid ambassador certain presents of jewelled things which the
rulers of the Deccan had sent, with cloths and rare things of every
kind fit for presentation, of the value of 100,000 rupees. Among
these was a crystal cup that Chelebi [590] had sent from `Iraq. The
Shah had seen this cup and said to the ambassador that if his brother
(Jahangir) would drink wine out of it and send it to him it would
be a great mark of affection. When the ambassador represented this,
having drunk wine several times out of the cup in his presence,
I ordered them to make a lid and a saucer for it and sent it along
with the presents. The lid was of enamel (mina-kari). I ordered the
Munshis of mercurial writing (`Utarid-raqm) to write in due form an
answer to the letter he had brought.
On the 22nd the scouts brought in news of a tiger. Mounting
immediately, I went against the tiger and with three shots I delivered
the people from his wickedness, and himself from the wickedness of his
vile nature. Masihu-z-zaman produced before me a cat, and represented
that it was a hermaphrodite, and that in his house it had young ones,
and that when it had connection with another cat, young were born to
the latter.
On the 25th the contingent of I`timadu-d-daulah passed before me in
review on the plain under the jharoka. There were 2,000 cavalry well
horsed, most of whom were Moghuls, 500 foot armed with bows and guns,
and fourteen elephants. The bakhshis reckoned them up and reported
that this force was fully equipped and according to rule. On the 26th
a tigress was killed. On Thursday, the 1st Urdibihisht, a diamond that
Muqarrab Khan had sent by runners was laid before me; it weighed 23
surkh, and the jewellers valued it at 30,000 rupees. It was a diamond
of the first water, and was much approved. I ordered them to make a
ring of it. On the 3rd the mansab of Yusuf Khan was, at the request of
Baba Khurram, fixed at 1,000 with 1,500 horse and in the same way the
mansabs of several of the Amirs and mansabdars were increased at his
suggestion. On the 7th, as the huntsmen had marked down four tigers,
when two watches and three gharis had passed I went out to hunt them
with my ladies. When the tigers came in sight Nur-Jahan Begam submitted
that if I would order her she herself would kill the tigers with her
gun. I said, "Let it be so." She shot two tigers with one shot each
and knocked over the two others with four shots. In the twinkling of
an eye she deprived of life the bodies of these four tigers. Until
now such shooting was never seen, that from the top of an elephant and
inside of a howdah (`amari) six shots should be made and not one miss,
so that the four beasts found no opportunity to spring or move. [591]
As a reward for this good shooting I gave her a pair of bracelets
[592] (pahunchi) of diamonds worth 100,000 rupees and scattered 1,000
ashrafis (over her). On the same day Ma`mur Khan (the architect-Khan)
obtained leave to go to Lahore to complete the buildings of the
palace there. On the 10th the death of Sayyid Waris, who was faujdar
of the Subah of Oudh, was reported. On the 12th, as Mir Mahmud asked
for a faujdarship, I dignified him with the title of Tahawwur Khan,
and, increasing his mansab, appointed him to the faujdarship of
some of the parganahs of the Subah of Multan. On the 22nd, Tahir,
the bakhshi of Bengal, who had been forbidden to pay his respects,
waited upon me and presented his offerings. Eight elephants were also
presented as the offering of Qasim Khan, governor of Bengal, and two
as that of Shaikh Modhu. On the 28th, at the request of Khan Dauran,
an order was given for the increase of the mansab of `Abdu-l-`Aziz
Khan by 500. On the 5th Khurdad the duty of the Diwanship of Gujarat
was given to Mirza Husain in supercession of Kesho. I dignified him
with the title of Kifayat Khan. On the 8th, Lashkar Khan, who had
been appointed bakhshi of Bangash, came and waited on me; he offered
100 muhrs and 500 rupees. Some days before this Ustad Muhammad Nayi
(flute-player), who was unequalled in his craft, was sent by my son
Khurram at my summons. I had heard some of his musical pieces [593]
(majlis-saz), and he played a tune which he had composed for an ode
(ghazal) in my name. On the 12th I ordered him to be weighed against
rupees; this came to 6,300 rupees. I also gave him an elephant with
a howdah, [594] and I ordered him to ride on it and, having packed
[595] his rupees about him, to proceed to his lodging. Mulla Asad,
the story-teller, one of the servants of Mirza Ghazi, came on the same
day from Tattah and waited on me. As he was a reciter and story-teller
full of sweetness and smartness, I liked his society, and I made
him happy with the title of Mahzuz Khan, and gave him 1,000 rupees,
a dress of honour, a horse, an elephant, and a palanquin. After some
days I ordered him to be weighed against rupees, and his weight came up
to 4,400. He was raised to the mansab of 200 personal and 20 horse. I
ordered him always to be present at the meetings for talk (gap). On
the same day Lashkar Khan brought his men to the darshan jharoka before
me. There were 500 horse, 14 elephants, and 100 musketeers. On the 24th
news came that Maha Singh, grandson of Raja Man Singh, who was entered
among the great officers, had died from excessive wine-drinking at
Balapur in the province of Berar. His father also had died at the age
of 32 [596] from the drinking of wine beyond measure. On the same day
they had brought to my private fruit-house many mangoes from all parts
of the province of the Deccan, Burhanpur, Gujarat, and the parganahs
of Malwa. Although this province is well known and celebrated for
the sweetness, freedom from stringiness, and size of its mangoes, and
there are few mangoes that equal its mangoes--so much so that I often
ordered them to be weighed in my presence, when they were shown to
come to a seer or 1 1/4 seer or even more--yet in sweetness of water
and delicious flavour and digestibility the mangoes of Chapramau,
[597] in the province of Agra, are superior to all the mangoes of
this province and of all other places in India.
On the 28th I sent for my son Baba Khurram a special gold-embroidered
nadiri of a fineness such as had never been produced before in my
establishment; I ordered the bearer to tell him that as this rarity
had the speciality that I had worn it on the day I quitted Ajmir for
the conquest of the Deccan, I had sent it to him. On the same day I
placed the turban from my own head, just as it was, on the head of
I`timadu-d-daulah, and honoured him with this favour. Three emeralds,
a piece of jewelled urbasi, [598] and a ruby signet ring that Mahabat
Khan had sent by way of offering were laid before me. They came to
7,000 rupees in value. On this day, by the mercy and favour of Allah,
continued rain fell. Water in Mandu had become very scarce and the
people were agitated about the matter so that most of the servants had
been ordered to go to the bank of the Narbada. There was no expectation
of rain at that season. In consequence of the agitation of the people
I turned by way of supplication to the throne of God, and He in His
mercy and grace gave such rain that in the course of a day and a night
tanks, ponds (birkaha), and rivers became full, and the agitation of
the people was changed to complete ease. With what tongue can I render
thanks for this favour? On the 1st of Tir a standard was presented
to Wazir Khan. The offering of the Rana, consisting of two horses,
a piece of Gujarati cloth, and some jars of pickles and preserves,
was laid before me. On the 3rd, Mu`azza [599](?) brought news of the
capture of `Abdu-l-Latif, a descendant of the rulers of Gujarat,
who had always been the originator of mischief and disturbance in
that Subah. As his capture was a reason for the contentment of the
people, praise was given to God, and I ordered Muqarrab Khan to send
him to Court by one of his mansabdars. Many of the zamindars in the
neighbourhood of Mandu, came and waited on me, and laid offerings
before me. On the 8th, Ram Das, son of Raja Raj Singh Kachhwaha, was
given the tika of a Raja, and I honoured him with that title. Yadgar
Beg, who was known in Mawara'a-n-nahr (Transoxiana) as Yadgar Qurchi,
and had not been without connection and influence with the ruler of
that country, came and waited on me. Of all his offerings a white
china cup on a stand was the most approved. The offering of Bahadur
Khan, governor of Qandahar, consisting of nine horses, nine tuquz of
fine cloth (81 pieces?), two black foxes' skins, and other things,
was brought before me. Also on this day the Raja of Gadeha, Pem [600]
Narayan, had the good fortune to wait on me, and made an offering
of seven elephants, male and female. On the 10th a horse and dress
of honour were given to Yadgar Qurchi. On the 13th was the feast of
rose-water scattering (gulab-pashan). The rites due to that day were
performed. Shaikh Maudud Chishti, one of the officers of Bengal,
was honoured with the title of Chishti Khan, and I presented him
with a horse. On the 14th, Rawal Samarsi (Samarsimha), son of Rawal
Uday Singh, zamindar of Banswala, waited on me; he gave as offering
30,000 rupees, three elephants, a jewelled pan-dan (box for betel),
and a jewelled belt. On the 15th nine diamonds which Ibrahim Khan
Fath-jang, the governor of Behar, had sent along with Muhammad Beg
from the mine, and from the collections of the zamindars of that place,
were laid before me. Of these, one weighed 14 1/2 tanks, and was of the
value of 100,000 rupees. On the same day Yadgar Qurchi was presented
with 14,000 darbs, and I promoted him to the mansab of 500 personal
and 300 horse. I fixed the mansab of Tatar Khan, bakawul-begi (chief
steward), original and increase, at 2,000 personal and 300 horse, and
each of his sons was separately promoted to an increased mansab. At
the request of Prince Sultan Parwiz, I increased the personal mansab
of Wazir Khan by 500.
On the 29th, which was the auspicious day of Thursday, Sayyid
`Abdu-llah Barha, the envoy of my son of good fortune, Baba Khurram,
waited on me, and presented a letter from that son containing news
of a victory over the provinces of the Deccan. All the chiefs, laying
the head of duty in the noose of obedience, had consented to service
and humility, and laid before him the keys of forts and strongholds,
especially the fort of Ahmadnagar. In gratitude for this great favour
and beneficence, placing the head of supplication on the throne of that
God who requires no return, I opened my lips in thankfulness, and,
humbling myself, ordered them to beat the drums of rejoicing. Thanks
be to Allah that a territory that had passed out of hand has come back
into the possession of the servants of the victorious State, and that
the seditious, who had been breathing the breath of rebellion and
boasting, have turned towards supplication and weakness, and become
deliverers of properties and payers of tribute. As this news reached
me through Nur-Jahan Begam, I gave her the parganah of Boda (Toda?),
[601] the revenue of which is 200,000 rupees. Please God, when the
victorious forces enter the province of the Deccan and its forts, and
the mind of my excellent son Khurram is satisfied with regard to their
possession, he will bring with the ambassadors such an offering from
the Deccan as no other king of this age has received. It was ordered
that he should bring with him the Amirs who were to receive jagirs
in this Subah, in order that they might have the honour of waiting on
me. They will thereafter get leave to depart, and the glorious royal
standards will return with victory and rejoicing to the capital of
Agra. Some days before the news of this victory reached me, I took
one night an augury from the diwan of Khwaja Hafiz as to what would
be the end of this affair, and this ode turned up--
"The day of absence and night of parting from the friend are o'er.
I took this augury; the star passed and fulfilment came." [602]
When the secret tongue (lisanu-l-ghaib) of Hafiz showed such an ending
it gave me a strong hope, and accordingly, after twenty-five days,
the news of victory arrived. In many of my desires I have resorted
to the Khwaja's diwan, and (generally) the result has coincided with
what I found there. It is seldom that the opposite has happened.
On the same day I added 1,000 horse to the mansab of Asaf Khan, and
raised it to that of 5,000 personal and horse. At the end of the day
I went with the ladies to look round the building of the Haft Manzar
[603] (seven storeys), and at the beginning of the evening returned
to the palace. This building was founded by a former ruler of Malwa,
Sultan Mahmud Khalji. It has seven storeys, and in each storey there
are four chambers (suffa) containing four windows. The height of
this tower (minar) is 54 1/2 cubits, and its circumference 50 yards
(gaz). There are 171 steps from the ground to the seventh storey. In
going and returning I scattered 1,400 rupees. [604]
On the 31st I honoured Sayyid `Abdu-llah with the title of Saif Khan,
and having exalted him with a dress of honour, a horse, an elephant,
and a jewelled dagger, gave him leave and sent him to do duty with
my son of lofty fortune. I also sent by him a ruby of the value of
more than 30,000 rupees for my son. I did not regard its value, but
as for a long time I used to bind it on my own head, I sent it him by
way of good augury, considering it lucky for him. I appointed Sultan
Mahmud, a son-in-law of Khwaja Abu-l-hasan bakhshi, to be bakhshi
and news-writer of the Subah of Behar, and when he took leave I gave
him an elephant. At the end of the day of Thursday, 5th Amurdad,
I went with the ladies to see the Nil-kund, which is one of the most
[605] pleasant places in the fort of Mandu (Mandogarh). Shah-budagh
Khan, who was one of my revered father's most considerable Amirs, at
the time when he held this province in jagir, built in this place an
exceedingly pleasing and enjoyable building. Delaying there till two or
three gharis of night had passed I returned to the auspicious palace.
As several indiscretions on the part of Mukhlis Khan diwan and bakhshi
of the Subah of Bengal, had come to my ears, I reduced his mansab
by 1,000 personal and 200 horse. On the 7th a war (masti) elephant
from among those sent as offerings by `Adil Khan, by name Gaj-raj,
was sent to Rana Amr Singh. On the 11th, I went out to hunt and came
one stage from the fort. There was excessive rain, and the mud was
such that there was hardly any moving. For the convenience of the
people and the comfort of the animals I gave up this undertaking, and
passing the day of Thursday outside, returned on Friday eve. On the
same day Hidayatu-llah, who is very well suited to carry out the rules
and movements (in travelling) of the headquarters (lit. presence),
was honoured with the title of Fida'i Khan. In this rainy season rain
fell in such quantities that old men said that they did not remember
such rain in any age. For nearly forty days there was nothing but
cloud and rain, so that the sun only appeared occasionally. There was
so much wind that many buildings, both old and new, fell down. On the
first night there was [606] such rain and thunder and lightning as
has seldom been heard of. Nearly twenty women and men were killed,
and the foundations even of some of the stone buildings were broken
up. No noise is more terrifying than this. Till the middle of the
month was passed, wind and rain increased. After this they gradually
became less. What can be written of the verdure and self-grown fragrant
plants? They covered valley and plain and hill and desert. It is not
known if in the inhabited world there exists another such place as
Mandu for sweetness of air and for the pleasantness of the locality
and the neighbourhood, especially in the rainy season. In this season,
which lasts for months and extends up to the hot weather, one cannot
sleep inside houses without coverlets, and in the day the temperature
is such that there is no need for a fan or for change of place. All
that could be written would still fall short of the many beauties of
the place. I saw two things that I had not seen in any other place
in Hindustan. One was the tree of the wild plantain that grows in
most of the uncultivated places in the fort, and the other the nest
of the wagtail (mamula), which they call in Persian the dum-sicha
(tail-wagger). Up till now none of the hunters had pointed out its
nest. By chance in the building I occupied there was its nest, and
it brought out two young ones.
Three watches of day had passed on Thursday, the 19th, when I
mounted with the ladies in order to go round and see the courts and
buildings on the Shakkar tank, founded by former rulers of Malwa. As
an elephant had not been conferred on I`timadu-d-daulah on account of
his government of the Panjab, I gave him on the road one of my private
elephants of the name of Jagjot. I remained in this enchanting place
until the evening, and was much delighted with the pleasantness and
greenness of the surrounding open spaces. After performing my evening
prayer and counting my rosary, we returned to our fixed residence. On
Friday an elephant named Ran-badal (cloud of war?), which Jahangir
Quli Khan had sent as an offering, was brought before me. Having
adopted for myself certain special cloths and cloth-stuffs, I gave an
order that no one should wear the same but he on whom I might bestow
them. One was a nadiri coat that they wear over the qaba (a kind of
outer vest). Its length is from the waist down to below the thighs,
and it has no sleeves. It is fastened in front with buttons, and the
people of Persia call it kurdi (from the country of the Kurds). I
gave it the name of nadiri. Another garment is a Tus shawl, which my
revered father had adopted as a dress. The next was a coat (qaba)
with a folded collar (batu giriban). The ends of the sleeves were
embroidered. He had also appropriated this to himself. Another was a
qaba with a border, from which the fringes of cloth were cut off and
sewn round the skirt and collar and the ends of the sleeve. Another
was a qaba of Gujarati satin, and another a chira and waistbelt woven
with silk, in which were interwoven gold and silver threads.
As the monthly pay of some of Mahabat Khan's horsemen, according
to the regulation of three and two horsed men, for the performance
of duty in the Deccan, had become increased and the service [607]
had not been performed, I gave an order that the civil officers
(diwaniyan) should levy the difference from his jagir. In the end
of Thursday, the 26th, corresponding with the 14th Sha`ban, which is
the Shab-i-barat, I held a meeting in one of the houses of the palace
of Nur-Jahan Begam, which was situated in the midst of large tanks,
and summoning the Amirs and courtiers to the feast which had been
prepared by the Begam, I ordered them to give the people cups and all
kinds of intoxicating drinks according to the desire of each. Many
asked for cups, and I ordered that whoever drank a cup should sit
according to his mansab and condition. All sorts of roast meats, and
fruits by way of relish, were ordered to be placed before everyone. It
was a wonderful assembly. In the beginning of the evening they lighted
lanterns and lamps all round the tanks and buildings, and a lighting up
was carried out the like of which has perhaps never been arranged in
any place. The lanterns and lamps cast their reflection on the water,
and it appeared as if the whole surface of the tank was a plain of
fire. A grand entertainment took place, and the drinkers of cups took
more cups than they could carry.
"A feast was arranged that lighted up the heart,
It was of such beauty as the heart desired.
They flung over this verdant mead
A carpet broad as the field of genius.
From abundance of perfume the feast spread far,
The heavens were a musk-bag by reason of incense,
The delicate ones of the garden (the flowers) became glorious,
The face of each was lighted up like a lamp." [608]
After three of four gharis of night had passed, I dismissed the men
and summoned the ladies, and till a watch of night (remained?) passed
the time in this delightful place, and enjoyed myself. On this day of
Thursday several special things had happened. One was that it was the
day of my ascension of the throne; secondly, it was the Shab-i-barat,
thirdly, it was the day of the rakhi, which has already been described,
and with the Hindus is a special day. On account of these three pieces
of good fortune I called the day Mubarak-shamba.
On the 27th, Sayyid Kasu was dignified with the title of Parwarish
Khan. Wednesday in the same way that Mubarak-shamba had been a
fortunate one for me had fallen out exactly the opposite. On this
account I gave this evil day the name of Kam-shamba, in order that
this day might always fail from the world (lessen). On the next day
a jewelled dagger was conferred on Yadgar Qurchi, and I ordered that
after this he should be styled Yadgar Beg. I had sent for Jay Singh,
son of Raja Maha Singh. On this day he waited on me and presented an
elephant as an offering. A watch and three gharis of Mubarak-shamba,
the 2nd of Shahriyar, had passed, when I rode to look round the
Nil-kund and its neighbourhood; thence I passed on to the plain of the
`Id-gah on the top of a mound that was very green and pleasant. Champa
flowers and other sweet wild herbs of that plain had bloomed to such
a degree that on all sides on which the eye fell the world looked
like a world of greenery and flowers. I entered the palace when a
watch of night had passed.
As it had been several times mentioned to me that a kind of sweetmeat
was obtained from the wild plantain such that dervishes and other poor
people made it their food, I wished to enquire into the matter. What
I found was that the fruit of the wild plantain was an exceedingly
hard and tasteless thing. The real fact is that in the lower part
(of the trunk) there is a thing shaped like a fir-cone from which
the real fruit of the plantain comes out. On this a kind of sweetmeat
forms which has exactly the juiciness and taste of paluda. It appears
that men eat this and enjoy it. [609]
With regard to carrier pigeons (kabutar-i-nama-bar), it had been
stated to me in the course of conversation that in the time of the
Abbaside Caliphs they taught [610] the Baghdad pigeons who were styled
'letter-carriers' (nama-bar), and were one-half larger [611] than
the wild pigeon. I bade the pigeon-fanciers to teach their pigeons,
and they taught some of them in such a manner that we let them fly
from Mandu in the early morning, and if there was much rain they
reached Burhanpur by 2 1/2 pahars (watches) of the day, or even in
1 1/2 pahars. If the air was very clear most of them arrived by one
pahar of the day and some by four gharis (hours) of the day.
On the 3rd a letter came from Baba Khurram, announcing the coming
of Afzal Khan and Ray Rayan and the arrival of the ambassadors of
`Adil Khan, and their bringing suitable offerings of jewels, jewelled
things, elephants, and horses, offerings such as had never come in
any reign or time, and expressing much gratitude for the services
and loyalty of the aforesaid Khan, and his faithfulness to his word
and duty. He asked for a gracious royal firman bestowing on him the
title of farzand (son) and for other favours, which had never yet been
vouchsafed in his honour. Since it was very gratifying to me to please
my son, and his request was reasonable, I ordered that the Munshis of
the mercurial pen should write a farman in the name of `Adil Khan,
conveying every kind of affection and favour, and exceeding in his
praise ten or twelve times what had been previously written. They
were ordered in these farmans to address him as farzand. In the body
of the farman I wrote this couplet with my own hand--
"Thou'st become, at Shah Khurram's request,
Renowned in the world as my son" (farzandi).
On the 4th day this farman was sent off with its copy, so that my son
Shah Khurram might see the copy and send off the original. On
Mubarak-shamba, the 9th, I went with the ladies to the house
of Asaf Khan. His house was situated in the valley, and was
exceedingly pleasant and bright. It had several valleys round
it; in some places there were flowing waterfalls, and mango and
other trees exceedingly green and pleasant and shady. Nearly 200
or 300 keora shrubs (gul-i-keora, Pandanus odoratissimus) grew
in one valley. In fine that day passed in great enjoyment. A
wine party was held and cups were presented to the Amirs and
intimates, and an offering from Asaf Khan was laid before
me. There were many rare things. I took whatever I approved,
and the remainder was given to him. On the same day Khwaja Mir,
son of Sultan Khwaja, who had come on a summons from Bangash,
waited on me, and presented as an offering a ruby, two pearls,
and an elephant. Raja Bhim Narayan, a zamindar of the province
of Gadeha, was promoted to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 500
horse. An order was given that a jagir should be provided him
out of his native country. On the 12th a letter came from my son
Khurram that Raja Suraj Mal, son of Raja Baso, whose territory is
near the fort of Kangra, had promised that in the course of a year
he would bring that fort into the possession of the servants of
the victorious State. He also sent his letter which covenanted for
this. I ordered that after comprehending his desires and wishes,
and satisfying himself with regard to them, he should send off the
Raja to wait on me, so that he might set about the said duty. On
the same day, which was Monday, the 11th, corresponding with the
1st Ramazan (2nd September, 1617), after four gharis and seven
pals had passed, a daughter was born to my son by the mother of
his other children, who was the daughter of Asaf Khan. This child
was named Rushanara Begam. As the Zamindar of Jaitpur, which is
in the jurisdiction [612] of Mandu, in consequence of wickedness
had not had the felicity of kissing the threshold I ordered Fida'i
Khan to proceed against him with some mansabdars and 400 or 500
musketeers and plunder his country. On the 13th one elephant was
given to Fida'i Khan and one to Mir Qasim, son of Sayyid Murad. On
the 16th Jay Singh, son of Raja Maha Singh, who was 12 years old,
was promoted to the mansab of 1,000 personal and horse. To Mir
Miran, son of Mir Khalilu-llah, I gave an elephant which I had
myself approved, and another to Mulla `Abdu-s-Sattar. [613] Bhoj,
son of Raja Bikramajit Bhadauriya, after his father's death,
came from the Deccan and waited on me, and presented 100 muhrs
as an offering. On the 17th it was represented that Raja Kalyan
had come from the province of Orissa, and proposed to kiss my
threshold. As some unpleasant stories had been told with regard to
him, an order was given that they should hand him over with his
son to Asaf Khan to enquire into the truth of what had been said
about him. On the 19th an elephant was given to Jay Singh. On the
20th 200 horses were added to the mansab of Kesho Das Maru, so
that it came, original and increase, to 2,000 personal and 1,200
horse. On the 23rd, having distinguished Allah-dad, the Afghan,
with the title of Rashid Khan, I gave him a parm-narm (shawl). The
offering of Raja Kalyan Singh, consisting of eighteen elephants,
was brought before me; sixteen elephants were included in my
private elephant stud, and I presented him with two. As the news
had arrived from Iraq of the death of the mother of Mir Miran,
daughter of Shah Isma`il II, of the race of the Safawi kings,
I sent him a dress of honour and brought him out of the robes
of mourning. On the 25th Fida'i Khan received a dress of honour,
and, in company with his brother Ruhu-llah and other mansabdars,
obtained leave to go to punish the Zamindar of Jaitpur. On the
28th, having come down from the fort with the intention of seeing
the Narbada and to hunt in its neighbourhood, I took the ladies
with me and halted two stages down on the bank of the river. As
there were many mosquitoes and fleas, I did not stay more than one
night. Having come the next day to Tarapur I returned on Friday,
the 31st. On the 1st of the month of Mihr, Muhsin Khwaja, who at
this time had come from Transoxiana, received a dress of honour
and 5,000 rupees. On the 2nd, after enquiry into the matters of
Raja Kalyan, with regard to which a report had been received, and
which Asaf Khan had been appointed to investigate, as he appeared
innocent, he enjoyed the good fortune to kiss the threshold,
and presented as an offering 100 muhrs and 1,000 rupees. His
offering of a string of pearls, consisting of eighty pearls and
two rubies with a bracelet with a ruby and two pearls, and the
golden figure of a horse studded with jewels, was laid before
me. A petition from Fida'i Khan arrived stating that when the
victorious army entered the province of Jaitpur the zamindar had
elected to run away. He could not oppose Fida'i, and his country
was ravaged. He now repented of what he had done, and intended
to come to the Court, which was the asylum of the world, and
proffer service and obedience. A force with Ruhu-llah was sent
in pursuit of him to capture and bring him to Court, or to lay
waste and ruin his domain and imprison his women and dependants,
who had gone into the country of the neighbouring zamindars. On the
8th Khwaja Nizam came and laid before me fourteen pomegranates from the
port of Mukha (Mocha), which they had brought to Surat in the space of
fourteen days, and in eight days more to Mandu. The size of these was
the same as that of the Thatta pomegranates. Though the pomegranates of
Thatta are seedless and these have seeds, [614] yet they are delicate,
and in freshness excel those of Thatta. On the 9th news came that
while Ruhu-llah was passing through the villages, he came to know that
the women and dependants of the Jaitpuri zamindar were in a certain
village. He remained outside, and sent men into the village to make
enquiries and to bring out the persons who were there. Whilst he was
making enquiries, one of the devoted servants of the zamindar came
along with the villagers. Whilst his men were scattered here and there,
and Ruhu-llah with some servants had brought out his furniture and was
sitting on a carpet, that devoted servant came behind him and struck
him with a spear; the blow was fatal and the spearhead came out at
his breast. The pulling out of the spear and the reverting [615] to
his original (dying) of Ruhu-llah took place together. Those who were
present sent that wretch to hell. All the men who had been scattered
about put on their armour and attacked the village. Those doomed men
(khun-giriftaha) had the disgrace of harbouring [616] rebels and
sedition-mongers, and were killed in the course of an astronomical
hour. They brought into captivity their wives and daughters, and,
setting fire to the village, made it so that nothing was seen
but heaps of ashes. They then lifted up the body of Ruhu-llah and
went and joined Fida'i Khan. With regard to the bravery and zeal
of Ruhu-llah, there was no dispute; at the most, his carelessness
brought about this turn of fortune. No traces of habitation remained
in that region; the zamindar of that place went into the hills and
jungles and concealed and obliterated himself. He then sent someone
to Fida'i Khan and begged for pardon for his offences. An order was
given that he should be allowed quarter and brought to Court.
The mansab of Muruwwat Khan was fixed, original and increase, at
2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, on condition that he should destroy
Harbhan, [617] Zamindar of Chandra-kota, from whom travellers endured
great annoyance. On the 13th Raja Suraj Mal, together with Taqi, the
bakhshi who was in attendance on Baba Khurram, came and waited on
me. He represented all his requirements. His engagement to perform
the work was approved, and at the request of my son he was honoured
with a standard and drums. To Taqi, who had been appointed with him, a
jewelled khapwa (dagger) was given, and it was arranged that he should
finish his own affairs and start off quickly. The mansab of Khwaja `Ali
Beg Mirza, who had been appointed to the defence and administration of
Ahmadnagar, was fixed at 5,000 personal and horse. An elephant apiece
was given to Nuru-d-din Quli, Khwajagi Tahir, Sayyid Khan Muhammad,
Murtaza Khan, and Wali Beg. On the 17th the mansab of Hakim Beg was
fixed, original and increase, at 1,000 personal and 200 horse. On
the same day, after presenting Raja Suraj Mal with a dress of honour,
an elephant, and a jewelled khapwa, and Taqi with a dress of honour,
I gave them leave to proceed on duty to Kangra. When those who had been
sent by my son of lofty fortune, Shah Khurram, with the ambassadors of
`Adil Khan and his offerings, arrived at Burhanpur, and my son's mind
was completely satisfied with regard to the affairs of the Deccan,
he prayed for the Subahdarship of Berar, Khandesh, and Ahmadnagar for
the Commander-in-Chief, the Khankhanan, and sent his son Shah-nawaz
Khan, who is really Khankhanan junior, with 12,000 cavalry to hold
possession of the conquered provinces. Every place and estate were put
as jagirs into the hands of reliable men, and fitting arrangements
were made for the government of the province. He left, out of the
troops that were with him, 30,000 horse and 7,000 musketeer infantry,
and took with him the remainder, amounting to 25,000 horse and 2,000
gunners, and set off to wait on me. On Thursday (Mubarak-shamba), the
20th [618] of the month of Mihr (Divine month), in the twelfth year
from my accession, corresponding with the 11th Shawwal, 1026 Hijra
(12th October, 1617), after three watches and one ghari had passed,
he entered the fort of Mandu auspiciously and joyfully, and had the
honour of waiting on me. The duration of our separation was 11 [619]
months and 11 days. After he had performed the dues of salutation
and kissing the ground, I called him up into the jharokha, and with
exceeding kindness and uncontrolled delight rose from my place and
held him in the embrace of affection. In proportion as he strove to be
humble and polite, I increased my favours and kindness to him and made
him sit near me. He presented 1,000 ashrafis and 1,000 rupees as nazar
and the same amount by way of alms. As the time did not allow of his
presenting all his offerings, he now brought before me the elephant
Sarnak (?) (snake-head?), that was the chief of the elephants of
`Adil Khan's offering, with a casket of precious stones. After this
the bakhshis were ordered to arrange according to their mansabs the
Amirs who had come with my son to pay their respects. The first who
had the honour of audience was Khan Jahan. Sending for him above,
I selected him for the honour of kissing my feet. He presented 1,000
muhrs and 1,000 rupees as nazr, and a casket filled with jewels and
jewelled things as an offering (pish-kash). What was accepted of his
offering was worth 45,000 rupees. After this `Abdu-llah Khan kissed
the threshold, and presented 100 muhrs as nazr. Then Mahabat Khan
had the honour of kissing the ground, and presented an offering of
100 muhrs and 1,000 rupees, with a parcel (gathri) [620] of precious
stones and jewelled vessels, the value of which was 124,000 rupees. Of
these one ruby weighed 11 miskals; an European brought it last year
to sell at Ajmir, and priced it at 200,000 rupees, but the jewellers
valued it at 80,000 rupees. Consequently the bargain did not come
off, and it was returned to him and he took it away. When he came to
Burhanpur, Mahabat Khan bought it from him for 100,000 rupees. After
this Raja Bhao Singh waited on me, presenting 1,000 rupees as nazr
and some jewels and jewelled things as a pish-kash. In the same
manner Darab Khan, son of the Khankhanan, Sardar Khan, brother of
`Abdu-llah Khan, Shaja`at Khan the Arab, Dayanat Khan, Shah-baz Khan,
Mu`tamad Khan bakhshi, Uda Ram, [621] who was one of the chief Amirs
of Nizamu-l-mulk, and who came on the promise of my son Shah Khurram
and joined the ranks of the loyal, waited on me in the order of
their mansabs. After this the Wakils of `Adil Khan had the honour
of kissing the ground, and presented a letter from him. Before this,
as a reward for the conquest of the Rana, a mansab of 20,000 personal
and 10,000 horse was conferred on my son of lofty fortune. When he
had hastened to the capture of the Deccan he had obtained the title
of Shah, and now, in reward for this distinguished service, I gave
him a mansab of 30,000 personal and 20,000 horse and bestowed on
him the title of Shah Jahan. An order was given that henceforth they
should place a chair in the paradise-resembling assemblies near my
throne for my son to sit upon. This was a special favour for my son,
as it had never been the custom heretofore. A special dress of honour
with a gold-embroidered charqab, with collar, the end of the sleeves
and the skirt decorated with pearls, worth 50,000 rupees, a jewelled
sword with a jewelled pardala (belt), and a jewelled dagger were
bestowed upon him. In his honour I myself came down from the jharokha
and poured over his head a small tray of jewels and a tray of gold
(coins). [622] Having called Sarnak elephant to me, I saw without
doubt that what had been heard in its praise and of its beauty was
real. It stood all the tests in size, form, and beauty. Few elephants
are to be seen of such beauty. As it appeared acceptable to me, I
myself mounted (i.e. drove it) and took it into my private palace,
and scattered a quantity of gold coins on its head, and ordered them
to tie it up inside the royal palace. With regard to this I gave it
the name of Nur-bakht [623] (light of fortune). On Friday, the 24th,
Raja Bharjiv, Zamindar of Baglana, came and waited on me. His name is
Partap; every Raja there has been of that place they call Bharjiv. He
has about 1,500 horse in his pay (mawajib-khwar), and in time of need
he can bring into the field 3,000 horse. The province of Baglana lies
between Gujarat, Khandesh, and the Deccan. It has two strong forts,
Saler and Maler (Muler), and as Maler is in the midst of a populous
country he lives there himself. The country of Baglana has pleasant
springs and running waters. The mangoes of that region are very sweet
and large, and are gathered for nine months from the beginning of
immaturity [624] until the end. It has many grapes, but not of the
best kinds. The aforesaid Raja does not drop the thread of caution
and prudence in dealing with the rulers of Gujarat, the Deccan, and
Khandesh. He has never gone himself to see any of them, and if any
of them has wished to stretch out his hand to possess his kingdom,
he has remained undisturbed through the support of the others. After
the provinces of Gujarat, the Deccan, and Khandesh came into the
possession of the late king (Akbar), Bharjiv came to Burhanpur
and had the honour of kissing his feet, and after being enrolled
among his servants was raised to the mansab of 3,000. At this time,
when Shah Jahan went to Burhanpur, he brought eleven elephants as an
offering. He came to Court in attendance on my son, and in accordance
with his friendship and service was dignified with royal favours,
and had presented to him a jewelled sword, an elephant, a horse,
and dress of honour. After some days I conferred on him three rings
of jacinth (yaqut), diamond, and ruby. On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday),
the 27th, Nur-Jahan Begam prepared a feast of victory for my son
Shah Jahan, and conferred on him dresses of honour of great price,
with a nadiri with embroidered flowers, adorned with rare pearls,
a sarpich (turban ornament) decorated with rare gems, a turban with
a fringe of pearls, a waistbelt studded with pearls, a sword with
jewelled pardala (belt), a phul katara (dagger), a sada (?) of pearls,
with two horses, one of which had a jewelled saddle, and a special
elephant with two females. In the same way she gave his children
and his ladies dresses of honour, tuquz (nine pieces) of cloth with
all sorts of gold ornaments, and to his chief servants as presents
a horse, a dress of honour, and a jewelled dagger. The cost of this
entertainment was about 300,000 rupees. Presenting on the same day
a horse and dress of honour to `Abdu-llah Khan and Sardar Khan, his
brother, I gave them leave to go to the Sarkar of Kalpi, which had
been given them in jagir, and also dismissed Shaja`at Khan to his
jagir, which was in the Subah of Gujarat, with a dress of honour and
an elephant. I dismissed Sayyid Haji, who was a jagirdar of Behar,
with a gift of a horse.
It was frequently reported to me that Khan Dauran had become old and
weak, so as to be unfit for active duty, and the Subahs of Kabul and
Bangash is a land of disturbance, and to subdue the Afghans required
riding and active movement. Inasmuch as caution is the condition of
rule, I appointed Mahabat Khan, Subahdar of Kabul and Bangash, giving
him a dress of honour, and promoted Khan Dauran to the governorship of
the province of Thatta. Ibrahim Khan Fath-jang had sent as an offering
from Behar forty-nine elephants; these were submitted to me. On this
day they brought some sona-kela (golden plantains, bananas) for me. I
had never eaten such plantains before. In size they are one finger,
and are very sweet and of good flavour; they have no resemblance to
plantains of other descriptions, but are somewhat indigestible, so
that from the two that I ate I experienced heaviness, whilst others
say they can eat as many as seven or eight. Though plantains are
really unfit to eat, yet of all the kinds this is the one fit to
eat. This year, up to the 23rd of the month of Mihr, Muqarrab Khan
sent Gujarat mangoes by post (dak-chauki).
On this date I heard that Muhammad Riza, ambassador of my brother Shah
`Abbas, gave up the deposit of his life at Agra through the disease
of ishal (diarrhoea). I made the merchant Muhammad Qasim, who had come
from my brother, his executor, and ordered that according to the will
he should convey his goods and chattels to the Shah, so that he might
grant them in his own presence to the heirs of the deceased. Elephants
and dresses of honour were conferred on Sayyid Kabir and Bakhtar Khan,
Wakils of `Adil Khan. On Mubarak-shamba, the 13th Aban, Jahangir Quli
Beg, Turkman, who is dignified with the title of Jan-sipar Khan, came
from the Deccan and waited on me. His father was included among the
Amirs of Iran. He had come from Persia in the time of the late king
Akbar, and having a mansab conferred on him was sent to the Deccan. He
was brought up in that Subah. Although he had been appointed to a
duty, yet as my son Shah Jahan came at this time to pay his respects
and represented his sincerity and devotion, I ordered that he should
come post to Court and have the good fortune to wait upon me and then
return. On this day I promoted Uda Ram [625] to the rank of 3,000
personal and 1,500 horse. He is a brahmin by caste, and was much relied
on by `Ambar. At the time when Shah-nawaz Khan went against `Ambar,
Adam Khan Habshi, Jadu Ray, Babu Ray Kayath, Uda Ram, and some other
Sardars of Nizamu-l-mulk left him and came to Shah-nawaz Khan. After
`Ambar's defeat they, by the persuasions of `Adil Khan and the deceit
of `Ambar, left the right road again and gave up their loyalty and
service. `Ambar took an oath on the Koran to Adam Khan and put him
off his guard, and, capturing him deceitfully, imprisoned him in the
fort of Daulatabad, and at last killed him. Babu Ray Kayath and Uda
Ram came away and went to the borders of `Adil Khan's dominions, but
he would not admit them into his territory. About that time Babu Ray
Kayath lost his life (lit. played away the coin of existence) by the
deceit of his intimates, and `Ambar sent a force against Uda Ram. He
fought well and defeated `Ambar's army. But afterwards, as he could
not remain in that country, he threw himself on to the borders of
the royal dominions, and, having got a promise, came with his family
and dependants and entered the service of my son Shah Jahan. That son
distinguished him with favours and kindnesses of all sorts, and made
him hopeful by giving him a mansab of 3,000 personal and 1,000 horse,
and brought him to Court. As he was a useful servant, I increased
this by 500 horse. I also increased the mansab of Shah-baz Khan,
who had one of 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, by 500 more horse,
and gave him the faujdarship of the Sarkar of Sarangpur and a part of
the Subah of Malwa. A special horse and elephant were given to Khan
Jahan. On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the 10th of the month, my son Shah
Jahan produced his own offerings--jewels and jewelled things and fine
cloths and other rare things. These were all laid out in the courtyard
of the jharokha, and arranged together with the horses and elephants
adorned with gold and silver trappings. In order to please him I came
down from the jharokha and looked through them in detail. Among all
these there was a fine ruby they had bought for my son at the port of
Goa for 200,000 rupees; its weight was 19 1/2 tanks, or 17 miskals,
and 5 1/2 surkhs. There was no ruby in my establishment over 12 tanks,
and the jewellers agreed to this valuation. Another was a sapphire,
among the offerings of `Adil Khan; it weighed 6 tanks and 7 surkhs
and was valued at 100,000 rupees. I never before saw a sapphire
of such a size and good colour. Another was the Chamkora diamond,
also of `Adil Khan's; its weight was 1 tank and 6 surkhs, which they
valued at 40,000 rupees. The name of Chamkora is derived from this,
that there is in the Deccan a plant called sag-i-chamkora. [626]
At the time when Murtaza Nizamu-l-mulk conquered Berar he had gone
one day with his ladies round to look at the garden, when one of
the women found the diamond in a chamkora vegetable, and took it to
Nizamu-l-mulk. From that day it became known as the Chamkora diamond,
and came into the possession of the present Ibrahim `Adil Khan during
the interregnum (fatarat) of Ahmadnagar. Another was an emerald,
also among `Adil Khan's offerings. Although it is from a new mine,
it is of such a beautiful colour and delicacy as I have never before
seen. Again, there were two pearls, one of the weight of 64 surkhs, or
2 miskals and 11 surkhs, and it was valued at 25,000 rupees. The other
weighed 16 surkhs, and was of exceeding roundness and fineness. It was
valued at 12,000 rupees. Another was a diamond from the offerings of
Qutbu-l-mull, in weight 1 tank, and valued at 30,000 rupees. There were
150 elephants, out of which three had gold trappings, chains, etc.,
and nine had silver trappings. Though twenty [627] elephants were put
into my private stud, five were very large and celebrated. The first,
Nur-bakht, which my son presented on the day of meeting, was worth
125,000 rupees. The second, Mahipati, [628] from the offerings of
`Adil Khan, was valued at 100,000 rupees; I gave it the name of
Durjansal. Another, also from his offerings, was Bakht-buland, and
valued at 100,000 rupees; I called it Giran-bar. Another was Qaddus
Khan, and the fifth was Imam Riza. They were from the offerings of
Qutbu-l-mulk. Each of the two was valued at 100,000 rupees. Again,
there were 100 Arab and Iraq horses, most of which were good horses. Of
these, three had jewelled saddles. If the private offerings of my
son and those of the rulers of the Deccan were to be written down
in detail, it would be too long a business. What I accepted of his
presents was worth 2,000,000 rupees. In addition to this he gave his
(step-)mother, [629] Nur-Jahan Begam, offerings worth 200,000 rupees,
and 60,000 rupees to his other mothers and the Begams. Altogether my
son's offerings came to 2,260,000 rupees, or 75,000 tumans of the
currency of Iran or 6,780,000 current Turan-khanis. Such offerings
had never been made during this dynasty. I showed him much attention
and favour; in fact, he is a son who is worth grace and kindness. I
am very pleased and satisfied with him. May God Almighty allow him
to enjoy long life and prosperity!
As I had never in my life had any elephant-hunting, and had a great
desire to see the province of Gujarat and to look on the salt sea,
and my huntsmen had often gone and seen wild elephants and fixed on
hunting-places, it occurred to me to travel through Ahmadabad and
look on the sea, and having hunted elephants on my return, when it
was hot and the season for hunting them to go back to Agra. With this
intention I despatched to Agra Hazrat Maryamu-z-zaman (his mother)
and the other Begams and people of the harem with the baggage and
extra establishments, and betook myself to a tour in the Subah of
Gujarat to hunt, with such as were indispensable with me. On the eve
of Friday in the month of Aban (precise date not given, but apparently
the 10th), I marched auspiciously and happily from Mandu, and pitched
on the bank of the tank of Nalchha. In the morning I went out to
hunt and killed a blue bull with my gun. On the eve of Saturday,
Mahabat Khan was presented with a special horse and an elephant,
and obtained leave to go to his Subah of Kabul and Bangash. At his
request I conferred on Rashid Khan a robe of honour, a horse, an
elephant, and a jewelled dagger, and appointed him to assist him. I
promoted Ibrahim Husain to the post of bakhshi in the Deccan, and
Mirak Husain to that of news-writer in the same Subah. Raja Kalyan,
[630] son of Raja Todar Mal, had come from the Subah of Orissa; on
account of some faults which had been attributed to him he had for some
days been forbidden the honour of paying his respects. After enquiry
his innocence appeared clear, and having given him a dress of honour
and a horse, I appointed him to do duty together with Mahabat Khan in
Bangash. On Monday I gave the Wakils of `Adil Khan jewelled turban
fringes after the fashion of the Deccan, one of the value of 5,000
rupees and the other worth 4,000 rupees. As Afzal Khan and Ray Rayan
had performed the duties of Wakils to my son Shah Jahan in a becoming
manner, I raised them both in mansab and honoured Ray Rayan with the
title of Bikramajit, which among Hindus is the highest title. In
truth he is a servant worthy of patronage. On Saturday, the 12th,
I went to hunt and shot two female nilgaw. As the hunting-ground was
a long way from this halting-place, I on Monday marched 4 1/2 kos
[631] and pitched at the village of Kaid Hasan. On Tuesday, the
15th, I killed three blue bulls, the larger one of which weighed
12 maunds. On this day Mirza Rustam escaped a great danger. [632]
It seems that he had taken aim at a mark and fired his gun. Then he
reloaded, and as his bullet was very flexible, he rested the gun on
his chest and put the bullet between his teeth in order that he might
contract it and put it right. By chance the match reached the pan,
and his chest at the place where the gun was resting was burnt to the
extent of the palm of the hand, and the grains of powder got into his
skin and flesh and a wound was made, and he suffered much pain. [633]
On Sunday (?), the 16th, [634] four nilgaw were killed, three females
and one bukra [635] nilgaw. On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday) I went to look
round a hill valley in which there was a waterfall near the camp. At
this season it had but little water, but as for two or three days
they had dammed the watercourse and, about the time of my reaching
the place, let it loose, it flowed over very well. Its height might
be 20 gaz. It separates at the top of the hill and flows down. In
this way it is a great boon (ghanimat) on the road. Having enjoyed
the usual cups on the edge of the stream and the shade of the hill,
I came back to the camp at night. On this day the Zamindar of Jaitpur,
whose offences I had forgiven at the request of my son Shah Jahan,
had the good fortune of kissing the threshold. On Friday, the 18th,
a large blue bull and a bukra, and on Saturday, the 19th, two females,
were killed. As my huntsmen represented that there was much game in
the parganah of Hasilpur, I left my large camp at this halting-place,
and on Sunday, the 20th, and with some of my close attendants,
hastened to Hasilpur, a distance of 3 kos. Mir Husamu-d-din, son of
Mir Jamalu-d-din Husain Inju, who has the title of `Azudu-d-daulah,
was promoted to the mansab, original and increase, of 1,000 personal
and 400 horse. I presented Yadgar Husain Qush-begi and Yadgar Qurchi,
who had been appointed to do duty in Bangash, with an elephant each. On
this day some Husaini grapes without seeds arrived from Kabul; they
were very fresh. The tongue of this suppliant at the throne of God
fails in gratitude for the favours by which, notwithstanding a distance
of three months, grapes from Kabul arrive quite fresh in the Deccan. On
Monday, the 21st, three small blue bulls, on Tuesday, the 22nd, one
blue bull and three cows, and on Kam-shamba (Wednesday), the 23rd,
one cow, were killed. On Mubarak-shamba, the 24th, a feast of cups was
held on the bank of the tank of Hasilpur. Cups were presented to my
son Shah Jahan and some of the great Amirs and private servants. On
Yusuf Khan, son of Husain Khan (Tukriyah), who was of the houseborn
ones worthy of patronage, was bestowed the mansab of 3,000 personal
and 1,500 horse, original and increase, and he was dismissed to the
faujdarship of Gondwana, dignifying him with a gift of a dress of
honour and an elephant. Ray Bihari Das, the diwan of the Subah of the
Deccan, had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. On Friday Jan-sipar
Khan was exalted with a standard, presented with a horse and a dress
of honour, and despatched to the Deccan. This day I made a remarkable
shot with a gun. By chance there was inside the palace a khirni tree
(Mimusops Kauki). A qurisha [636] (?) came and sat on a high branch,
and I saw its breast in the midst of it. I fired at it and struck it in
the middle of its breast; from where I stood to the top of the branch
was 22 gaz. On Saturday, the 26th, marching about 2 kos, I pitched
at the village of Kamalpur. On this day I shot a blue bull. [637]
Rustam Khan, who was one of the principal attendants of my son Shah
Jahan, and who had been appointed from Burhanpur with a body of the
royal servants against the zamindars of Gondwana, having taken a
tribute of 110 elephants and 120,000 rupees, came this day to wait
upon me. Zahid, son of Shaja`at Khan, was given the mansab of 1,000
personal and 400 horse, original and increase. On Sunday, the 27th,
I hunted with hawks and falcons. On Monday I killed a large blue bull
and a bukra; the bull weighed 12 1/2 maunds. On Tuesday, the 29th,
a blue bull was killed. Bahlul Miyana and Allah-yar came from service
in Gondwana, and had the good fortune to wait upon me. Bahlul Khan
is the son of Hasan Miyana, and Miyana is an Afghan tribe. In the
commencement of his career Hasan was a servant of Sadiq Khan, but a
servant who recognized the king (worthy of a king's service), and was
at last included among the royal servants and died on service in the
Deccan. After his death his sons were granted mansabs. He had eight
sons, and two of them became famous as swordsmen. The elder brother
in his youth gave up the deposit of his life. Bahlul by degrees was
promoted to the mansab of 1,000. At this time my son Shah Jahan arrived
at Burhanpur, and, finding him worthy of patronage, made him hopeful
with a mansab of 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. As he had not yet
waited on me and was very desirous to kiss the threshold, I summoned
him to Court. He is in truth a good Khana-zada (household-born one),
inasmuch as his heart is adorned with the perfection of bravery
and his exterior is not wanting in good appearance. The mansab my
son Shah Jahan had bespoken for him was granted at his request, and
he was honoured with the title of Sar-buland Khan. Allah-yar Koka
was also a brave youth and a servant worthy of patronage. Finding
him fit and suitable for service in my presence, I sent for him to
Court. On Kam-shamba (Wednesday), the 1st of the month of Azar, I
went out to hunt and shot a blue bull. On this day the Kashmir [638]
reports were laid before me. One was that in the house of a certain
silk-seller two girls were born with teeth, and with their backs as
far as the waist joined together, but the heads, arms, and legs were
separate; they lived a short time and died. On Mubarak-shamba, the
2nd, on the bank of a tank where my tents were, a feast of cups was
held. Presenting Lashkar Khan with a dress of honour and an elephant,
I promoted him to the duty of diwan of the Subah of the Deccan, and
gave him the mansab of 2,500 personal and 1,500 horse, original and
increase. To each of the Wakils of `Adil Khan two [639] kaukab-i-tali`
(horoscope star) muhrs, the weight of each of which was 500 ordinary
muhrs, were given. I gave a horse and robe of honour to Sar-buland
Khan. As fitting service and approved activity were manifest in
Allah-yar Koka, I honoured him with the title of Himmat Khan and
gave him a dress of honour. On Friday, the 3rd, I marched 4 1/4 kos
and halted the royal standards in the parganah of Dikhtan. [640] On
Saturday also I marched 4 1/4 kos and halted at the township of Dhar.
Dhar is one of the old cities, and Raja Bhoj, who was one of the
great Rajas of Hindustan, lived in it. From his time 1,000 [641]
years have passed, and in the time of the Sultans of Malwa it was
for a long time the capital. At the time when Sultan Muhammad Tughluq
was proceeding to the conquest of the Deccan, he built a fort of cut
stone on the top of a ridge. Outside it is very showy and handsome,
but inside the fort is devoid of buildings. I ordered them to measure
its length, breadth, and height. The length inside the fort was 12
tanab, 7 gaz; the breadth, 17 tanab, 13 gaz, and the breadth of the
fort wall 19 1/2 gaz. Its height up to the battlements appeared to
be 17 1/2 gaz. The length of the outer circuit (?) of the fort was
55 tanabs. `Amid Shah Ghori, who was called Dilawar Khan, and who
in the time of Sultan Muhammad, son of Sultan Firuz, king of Delhi,
had complete authority over the province of Malwa, built the Jami`
mosque in the inhabitable part outside the fort, and opposite the gate
of the mosque fixed a quadrangular iron column. When Sultan Bahadur
of Gujarat took the province of Malwa into his own possession, he
wished to transfer this column to Gujarat. The artificers did not
take proper precautions when they lowered it, and it fell and broke
into two pieces, one of them of 7 1/2 gaz and the other of 4 1/4
gaz. The column was 1 1/4 gaz round. As it was lying there useless,
I ordered them to take the larger piece to Agra and put [642] it up in
the courtyard of the mausoleum of H.M. Akbar, and to burn a lamp on
the top of it at night. The aforesaid mosque has two gates. In front
of the arch of one gate some sentences in prose have been carved on
a stone tablet; their purport is that Amid Shah Ghori founded this
mosque in the year 870, [643] and on the arch of the other gate a
qasida has been written, and these few couplets are from it--
"The lord of the age the star of the sphere of glory,
Centre of the people of the earth, sun of the zenith of perfection,
Asylum and support of religious law, `Amid Shah Da'ud, [644]
In whose excellent qualities Ghor glories,
Helper and protector of the Faith of the Prophet, Dilawar Khan,
Who has been chosen by the most mighty Lord (God),
Founded the Jami` mosque in the city of Dhar,
At a fortunate, auspicious time, on a day of happy omen.
The date of eight hundred and seven [645] had passed
When the Court of hopes was completed by Fortune."
When Dilawar Khan gave up the deposit of his life there was
no king with full dominion over Hindustan, and it was a time of
confusion. Hushang, son of Dilawar Khan, who was just and possessed
of courage, seeing his opportunity, sat on the throne of sovereignty
in Malwa. After his death through destiny the rule was transferred
[646] to Mahmud Khalji, son of Khan Jahan, who had been Vizier to
Hushang and passed from him to his son Ghiyasu-d-din, and after him to
Nasiru-d-din, son of Ghiyasu-d-din, who gave his father poison and sat
on the throne of infamy. From him it passed to his son Mahmud. Sultan
Bahadur of Gujarat took from Mahmud the province of Malwa. The
succession of kings of Malwa ended with the aforesaid Mahmud.