an elephant to Mirza Sharafu-d-din Husain Kashghari, I dismissed him
to duty in the Subah of Bangash. A present of a jewelled dagger, a
muhr of 100 tolas, and 20,000 darbs was made to Uda Ram. On Tuesday,
the 7th, I shot an alligator in the tank at Dhar. Though only the
top of his snout was visible and the rest of his body was hidden in
the water, I fired at a guess and hit him in his lungs and killed
him with a single shot. An alligator is of the crocodile species and
exists in most of the rivers of Hindustan, and grows very large. This
one was not so very big. An alligator has been seen (by me) 8 gaz
long and 1 gaz in breadth. On Sunday, marching 4 1/2 kos, I halted at
Sa`dalpur. In this village there is a stream over which Nasiru-d-din
Khalji built a bridge and erected buildings. It is a place like
Kaliyada, and both are his works. Although his building is not worthy
of praise, yet as it has been built in the river-bed and they have
made rivulets and reservoirs, it is somewhat remarkable. At night
I ordered them to place lamps all round the canals and streams. On
Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the 9th, a feast of cups was held. On this
day I made a present to my son Shah Jahan of a ruby of one colour,
weighing 9 tanks and 5 surkh, of the value of 125,000 rupees, with
two pearls. This is the ruby which had been given to my father at
the time of my birth by Hazrat Maryam-makani, mother of H.M. Akbar,
by way of present when my face was shown, and was for many years in
his sarpich (turban ornament). After him I also happily wore it in
my sarpich. Apart from its value and delicacy, as it had come down
as of auspicious augury to the everlasting State, it was bestowed
on my son. Having raised Mubariz Khan to a mansab of 1,500 personal
and horse, I appointed him to the faujdarship of the province of
Mewat, distinguishing him with the present of a dress of honour,
a sword, and an elephant. A sword was given to Himmat Khan, son of
Rustam Khan. I gave Kamal Khan, the huntsman, who is one of the old
servants and is always present with me on hunting expeditions, the
title of Shikar Khan (hunting-Khan). Appointing Uda Ram to service
in the Subah of the Deccan, I conferred on him a dress of honour,
an elephant, and Iraq horses (lit. wind-footed ones), and sent with
him for the Commander-in-Chief, Khankhanan, the Ataliq, a special gilt
dagger (zar-nishan). On Friday, the 10th, I halted. On Saturday, the
11th, I marched 3 3/4 kos and halted at the village of Halwat. [647]
On Sunday, the 12th, marching 5 kos, I halted in the parganah [648]
of Badnor. This parganah from the time of my father had been in the
jagir of Kesho Das Maru, [649] and in fact had become a kind of watan
(native country) to him. He had constructed gardens and buildings. Out
of these one was a well (baoli) (step-well probably) on the road,
which appeared exceedingly pleasant and well made. It occurred to
me that if a well had to be made anywhere on a roadside it should be
built like this one. At least two such ought to be made.
On Monday, the 13th, I went to hunt and shot a blue bull. From the
day on which the elephant Nur-bakht was put into the special elephant
stables, there was an order that he should be tied up in the public
palace (court). Among animals elephants have the greatest liking
for water; they delight to go into the water, notwithstanding the
winter and the coldness of the air, and if there should be no water
into which they can go, they will take it from a water-bag (mashk)
with their trunks and pour it over their bodies. It occurred to me
that however much an elephant delights in water, and it is suited to
their temperament, yet in the winter the cold water must affect them. I
accordingly ordered the water to be made lukewarm (as warm as milk)
before they (the elephants) poured it into their trunks. On other days
when they poured cold water over themselves they evidently shivered,
but with warm water, on the contrary they were delighted. This usage
is entirely my own.
On Tuesday, the 14th, marching 6 kos, I halted at Silgarh (Sabalgarh
?). On Wednesday, the 15th, crossing the Mahi River, a halt was made
near Ramgarh. A march of 6 kos was made on Thursday, the 16th, and
a halt was made and a feast of cups held at a waterfall near the
camp. Distinguishing Sar-buland Khan with a standard and giving
him an elephant, I dismissed him to do duty in the Deccan. His
mansab, original and increase, was fixed at 1,500 personal and 1,200
horse. Raja Bhim Narayan, Zamindar of Gadeha, who had been promoted to
the mansab of 1,000 horse, obtained leave to go to his jagir. Having
raised Raja Bharjiv, Zamindar of Baglana, to the mansab of 4,000,
I gave him leave to go to his native country, and an order was given
that when he arrived there he should send to Court his eldest son, who
was his successor, that he might do duty in my presence. I honoured
Haji Baluch, who was the chief of the huntsmen and was an active
and old servant, with the title of Baluch Khan. On Friday, the 17th,
marching 5 kos, I alighted at the village of Dhavala. On Saturday,
the 18th, which was the feast of Qurban, after the Qurban rites had
been performed, marching 3 1/4 kos, I halted on the bank of the tank
of the village of Nagor. [650] On Sunday, the 19th, marching about
5 kos, the royal standards were erected on the bank of the tank of
the village of Samriya. On Monday, the 20th, marching 4 1/4 kos, we
alighted at the chief place of the Dohad [651] parganah. This parganah
is on the boundary between Malwa and Gujarat. Until I passed Badnor
the whole country was a jungle, with an abundance of trees and stony
land. On Tuesday, the 21st, I halted. On Kam-shamba (Wednesday), the
22nd, marching 5 1/4 kos, I halted at the village of Ranyad (Renav
?). On Thursday, the 23rd, I halted and held a feast of cups on the
bank of the village tank. On Friday, the 24th, marching 2 1/2 kos,
the royal standards were hoisted at the village of Jalot. At this halt
some jugglers from the Carnatic came and showed their tricks. One of
them placed one end of an iron chain, 5 1/2 gaz in length and weighing
1 seer and 2 dams, [652] in his throat and slowly swallowed it with
the aid of water. It was for a while in his stomach; after this he
brought it up. On Saturday, the 25th, there was a halt. On Sunday,
the 26th, marching 5 kos, I alighted at the village of Nimdah. On
Monday, the 27th, also marching 5 kos, I pitched on the bank of a
tank. On Tuesday, the 28th, marching 3 3/4 kos, the royal standards
alighted near the township of Sahra [653] on the edge of a tank. The
flower of the lotus, which in the Hindi language they call kumudini,
is of three colours--white, blue, and red. I had already seen the blue
and white, but had never seen the red. In this tank red flowers were
seen blooming. Without doubt it is an exquisite and delightful flower,
as they have said--
"From redness and moistness it will melt away." [654]
The flower of the kanwal [655] is larger than the kumudini. Its flower
is red. I have seen in Kashmir many kanwal with a hundred leaves
(petals). It is certain that it opens during the day and becomes a
bud at night. The kumudini, on the contrary, is a bud during the day
and opens at night. The black bee, which the people of India call
bhaunra, always sits on these flowers, and goes inside them to drink
the juice that is in both of them. It often happens that the kanwal
flower closes and the bee remains in it the whole night. In the same
manner it remains in the kumudini flower. When the flower opens it
comes out and flies away. As the black bee is a constant attendant on
these flowers, the poets of India look on it as a lover of the flower,
like the nightingale, and have put into verse sublime descriptions of
it. Of these poets the chief was Tan Sen Kalawant, who was without a
rival in my father's service (in fact, there has been no singer like
him in any time or age). In one of his compositions he has likened
the face of a young man to the sun and the opening of his eyes to the
expanding of the kanwal and the exit of the bee. In another place he
has compared the side-glance of the beloved one to the motion of the
kanwal when the bee alights on it.
At this place figs arrived from Ahmadabad. Although the figs of
Burhanpur are sweet and well-grown, these figs are sweeter and with
fewer seeds, and one may call them 5 per cent. better. On Kam-shamba,
the 29th, and Mubarak-shamba, the 30th, we halted. At this stage
Sar-faraz Khan came from Ahmadabad and had the good fortune to kiss the
threshold. Out of his offerings a rosary of pearls, bought for 11,000
rupees, two elephants, two horses, two bullocks and a riding cart,
and some pieces of Gujarati cloth, were accepted, and the remainder
presented to him. Sar-faraz Khan is a grandson of Musahib Beg, by which
name he was called by Akbar after his grandfather, who was one of the
Amirs of Humayun. In the beginning of my reign I increased his mansab
and appointed him to the Subah of Gujarat. As he had an hereditary
connection with the Court as a Khana-zada (one born in the house),
he proved himself efficient in the Subah of Gujarat. Considering
him worthy of patronage, I gave him the title of Sar-faraz Khan and
raised him in the world, and his mansab has risen to 2,000 personal
and 1,000 horse. On Friday, the 1st of Day, I marched 3 3/4 kos and
halted on the bank of the tank of Jhasod. [656] At this stage Ray Man,
captain of the Khidmatiya, [657] caught a rohu fish and brought it. As
I am particularly partial to the flesh of fish, especially that of the
rohu, which is the best kind of fish in Hindustan, and I had never,
notwithstanding much enquiry, had one for eleven months from the time
of crossing the pass of Ghati Chand [658] until the present time, and
now obtained it, I was greatly delighted. I presented a horse to Ray
Man. Although the parganah of Dohad is reckoned as within the boundary
of Gujarat, yet, in fact, it was from this stage that all things
appeared different. The open plains and soil are of a different kind;
the people are different and the language of another description. The
jungle that appeared on the road, has fruit-bearing trees, such as
the mango and khirni and tamarind, and the method of guarding the
cultivated fields is with hedges of zaqqum. The cultivators separate
their fields with cactus, and leave a narrow road between them for
coming and going. Since all this country has a sandy soil, when any
movement takes place, so much dust rises that the faces of people are
seen with difficulty, so that one should call Ahmadabad 'Gardabad'
[659] (abode of dust). On Saturday, the 2nd, having marched 3 3/4 kos,
I encamped on the bank of the Mahi. On Sunday, the 3rd, again after a
march of 3 3/4 kos, I halted at the village of Bardala. At this stage
a number of mansabdars who had been appointed to serve in Gujarat
had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. Marching 5 kos on Monday,
the 4th, the royal standards halted at Chitrasima, and the next day,
Tuesday, after a march of 5 kos, in parganah Monda. [660] On this
day three blue bulls were killed; one was larger than the others and
weighed 13 maunds and 10 seers. On Wednesday, the 6th, I marched 6
kos and halted in parganah Naryad. [661] In passing through the town
I scattered 1,500 rupees. On Thursday, the 7th, marching 6 1/2 kos,
I halted in the parganah of Pitlad. [662] In the country of Gujarat
there is no larger parganah than this; it has a revenue of 700,000
rupees, equal to 23,000 current tumans of Iraq. The population of the
town (qasba), too, is dense. Whilst I passed through it I scattered
1,000 rupees. All my mind is bent upon this, that under any pretext
the people of God may be benefited. As the chief way of riding among
the people of this country is in carts, I also wished to travel in a
cart. I sat for 2 kos in a cart, but was much troubled with the dust,
and after this till the end of the stage rode on horseback. On the
road Muqarrab Khan came from Ahmadabad, and had the good fortune to
wait on me, and presented an offering of a pearl he had bought for
30,000 rupees. On Friday, the 8th, marching 6 1/2 kos, the place of
the descent of prosperity was on the shore of the salt sea.
Cambay [663] is one of the old ports. According to the brahmins,
several thousand years have passed since its foundation. In the
beginning its name was Trimbawati, and Raja Tryambak Kunwar had the
government of the country. It would take too long to write in detail
the circumstances of the aforesaid Raja as the brahmins relate it. In
brief, when the turn to the government came round to Raja Abhay Kumar,
[664] who was one of his grandsons, by the decree of heaven a great
calamity happened to this city. So much dust and earth were poured
on it that all the houses and buildings were hidden, and the means
of livelihood of many people was destroyed. Before the arrival of
this calamity, an idol (but), which the Raja worshipped, came in a
dream and announced this event. The Raja with his family embarked
in a ship, and carried away the idol with them with a pillar it had
behind it for a support. By chance the ship also was wrecked by a
storm of misfortune. As there was left still a term of life for the
Raja, that pillar bore the boat of his existence in safety to the
shore, and he proposed to rebuild the city. He put up the pillar as
a mark of repopulation and the coming together of the people. As in
the Hindi language they call a pillar istambh and khambh, they called
the city Istambhnagari and Khambawati, and sometimes also Trimbawati,
in connection with the Raja's name; Khambawati has by degrees and much
use become Khambayat (Cambay). This port is one of the largest ports
[665] in Hindustan and is near a firth, which is one of the firths
of the Sea of Oman. It has been estimated to be 7 kos in width, and
nearly 40 kos in length. Ships cannot come inside the firth, but
must cast anchor in the port of Goga, which is a dependency [666]
of Cambay and situated near the sea. Thence, putting their cargoes
into ghurabs [667] (commonly called 'grabs') they bring them to the
port of Cambay. In the same way, at the time of loading a ship they
carry the cargo in ghurabs and put it in the ships. Before the arrival
of the victorious host some ghurabs from European ports had come to
Cambay to buy and sell, and were about to return. On Sunday, the 10th,
they decorated them and showed them to me. Taking leave they went
about their business. On Monday, the 11th, I myself went on board a
ghurab for about a kos on the face of the water. On Tuesday, the 12th,
I went out with cheetahs (yuz), and captured two [668] antelope. On
Wednesday, the 13th, I went to see the tank of Tarangsar (Narangsar?),
[669] and passed through the streets and bazaar on the way, scattering
nearly 5,000 rupees. In the time of H.M. Akbar (may Allah's lights
be his testimony), Kalyan Ray, the superintendent of the port, by
His Majesty's order built a wall of brick and cement round the city,
and many merchants came from various quarters and settled there, and
built fine houses and employed themselves in gaining their livelihood
under easy circumstances. Although its market is small, it is clean
and full of people. In the time of the Sultans of Gujarat the customs
of this port came to a large sum. Now in my reign it is ordered that
they should not take more than one in forty. In other ports, calling
it a tithe, they take one in ten or one in eight, and give all kinds
of trouble to merchants and travellers. In Jeddah, which is the port
of Mecca, they take one in four or even more. One may imagine from
this what the customs of the ports of Gujarat must have come to in
the time of the former rulers. God be praised that this suppliant
at the throne of God obtained the grace to remit the whole of the
customs dues of his dominions, which came to a countless sum, and
the very name of customs (tamgha) has passed away from my empire. At
this time an order was given that tankas [670] of gold and silver
should be coined twice the weight of ordinary muhrs and rupees. The
legend on the gold coin was on one side the words "Jahangir-shahi,
1027" (1618), and on the reverse "Struck in Cambay in the 12th year
of the reign." The legend for silver coins was on one side "Sikka,
Jahangir-shahi, 1027"; round it this hemistich, "King Jahangir of the
conquering ray struck this"; and on the reverse, "Coined at Cambay
in the 12th year of the reign," with this second hemistich round it--
"When after the conquest of the Deccan he came to Gujarat from
Mandu."
In no reign except mine have tankas been coined except of copper [671];
the gold and silver tankas are my invention. I ordered it to be
called the Jahangiri coinage. On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the
14th the offering of Amanat Khan, the superintendent (mutasaddi)
of Cambay, was laid before me in the women's apartments. His
mansab was fixed, original and increase, at 1,500 personal and 400
horse. Nuru-d-din Quli was honoured with the mansab, original and
increase, of 3,000 personal and 600 horse. On Friday, the 15th,
mounted on the elephant Nur-bakht, I made it run after a horse. It
ran exceedingly well, and when it was stopped stood well. This
is the third time that I myself have ridden it. On Saturday,
the 16th, Ram Das, son of Jay Singh [672], was promoted to the
mansab, original and increase, of 1,500 personal and 700 horse. On
Sunday, the 17th, an elephant each was given to Darab Khan. Amanat
Khan, and Sayyid Bayazid Barha. In these few days during which
I was encamped on the shore of the salt sea, merchants, traders,
indigent people, and other inhabitants of the port of Cambay having
been summoned before me, I gave each according to his condition
a dress of honour or a horse or travelling money or assistance
in living. On this day, Sayyid Muhammad, Sahib Sajjada (Lord of
the prayer carpet) of Shah `Alam (a mosque near Ahmadabad), the
sons of Shaikh Muhammad Ghaus, Shaikh Haidar, grandson of Miyan
Wajihu-d-din, and other Shaikhs living at Ahmadabad came to meet
me and pay their respects. As my desire was to see the sea and the
flow and ebb of the water, I halted for ten days, and on Tuesday,
the 19th (Day, about 30th December, 1618), the royal standards
started for Ahmadabad. The best description of fish procurable
in this place, the name of which is `arbiyat, [673] was caught
and frequently brought for me by the fishermen. Without doubt
these fish, are, as compared with other fish of this country,
more delicious and better, but they are not of the flavour of
the rohu. One might say as nine to ten or even eight to ten. Of
the food which is peculiar to the people of Gujarat there is
the khichri of bajra (a mixture of split peas and millet boiled
together); this they also call laziza. It is a kind of split
grain, which does not grow in any other country but Hindustan,
and which in comparison with many other regions of India is more
abundant in Gujarat; it is cheaper than most vegetables. As I had
never eaten it, I ordered them to make some and bring it to me. It
is not devoid of good flavour, and it suited me well. I ordered
that on the days of abstinence, when I partake of dishes not made
with flesh, they should frequently bring me this khichri On the
said Tuesday having marched 6 1/4 kos, I halted at the village of
Kosala. On Wednesday, the 20th, I passed through the parganah of
Babra [674] and halted on the bank of the river. This was a march
of 6 kos. On Mubarak-shamba, the 21st, I halted and held a feast
of cups. In this river I caught many fish, and divided them among
the servants who were present at the feast. On Friday, the 22nd,
having moved on 4 kos, I pitched at the village of Baricha. On
this road, walls came in sight from 2 1/2 to 3 gaz in length,
and on enquiry it appeared that people had made them from the
desire of spiritual reward. When a porter is tired on the road he
places his burden on the wall and gains his breath a little, and
lifting it up again with ease and without assistance from anyone
proceeds towards his destination. This is one of the peculiar
ideas of the people of Gujarat. The building of these walls
pleased me greatly, and I ordered that in all large towns [675]
they should make walls of this kind at the imperial expense. On
Saturday, the 23rd marching 4 3/4 kos, the camp was pitched
at the Kankriya tank. Qutbu-d-din Muhammad, grandson of Sultan
Ahmad, the founder of the city of Ahmadabad, made this tank, and
placed round it steps of stone and cement. In the middle of the
tank he constructed a little garden and some buildings. Between
the bank of the tank and these buildings he had made a causeway,
which was the way for entering and leaving, Since this occurred
a long time ago, most of the buildings had become dilapidated,
and there was no place left fit to sit in. At the time when the host
of prosperity was about to proceed towards Ahmadabad, Safi Khan,
bakhshi of Gujarat, repaired at the expense of government what was
broken down and in ruins, and clearing out the little garden erected
a new building in it. Certainly it is a place exceedingly enjoyable
and pleasant. Its style pleased me. On the side where the causeway
is, Nizamu-d-din Ahmad, [676] who was for a while bakhshi of Gujarat
in my father's time, had made a garden on the bank of the tank. At
this time a representation was made to me that `Abdu-llah Khan, in
consequence of a dispute that he had with `Abid, son of Nizamu-d-din
Ahmad, cut down the trees of this garden. I also heard that during
his government he, at a wine party, signed to a slave, and cut off
the head of an unfortunate man who was not wanting in fun and jesting,
merely because in a state of drunkenness he had uttered some improper
expressions by way of a joke. On hearing these two reports, my sense of
justice was shocked, and I ordered the Diwans to change one thousand of
his two-horsed and three-horsed cavalry into one-horsed, and to deduct
from his jagir the difference (of pay), which came to 7,000,000 dams.
As at this stage the tomb of Shah `Alam was by the roadside, I recited
the fatiha in passing by it. About 100,000 rupees had been spent in
building this mausoleum. Shah `Alam was the son of Qutb `Alam, and
their family goes back to Makhdum-i-Jahaniyan [677] (a saint). The
people of this country, high and low, have a wonderful belief in him,
and they say that Shah `Alam used to raise the dead. After he had
raised several dead men, his father became aware of this and sent him
a prohibition, saying it was presumption in him to meddle with the
workshop of God, and was contrary to true obedience. It happened that
Shah `Alam had an attendant (female) who had no children, but at Shah
`Alam's prayer God Almighty bestowed a son on her. When he reached
his 27th [678] year he died, and that slave came weeping and wailing
into his presence, saying, "My son has died, and he was my only son;
since God Almighty gave him to me by your favour, I am hopeful that
through your prayer he may become alive." Shah `Alam fell into thought
for a time and went into his cell, and the attendant went to his son,
who greatly loved her, and besought him to ask the Shah to make his son
alive. The son, who was of tender years, went into his cell, and used
much entreaty. Shah `Alam said, "If you are content to give up your
life for him, perhaps my petition may be accepted." He represented
"I am perfectly contented with what may be your wish and the desire
of God." Shah `Alam took his son's hands, and lifting him up from the
ground turned his face towards heaven and said, "O God, take this kid
in place of that one." Instantaneously the boy surrendered his soul to
God, and Shah `Alam laid him down on his own bed and covered his face
with a sheet, and coming out of the house said to that attendant,
"Go home, and get news of thy son; perhaps he may have been in a
trance and not have died." When she arrived at her house she saw
her son alive. In short, in the country of Gujarat they say many
things of this sort of Shah `Alam. I myself asked Sayyid Muhammad,
who is lord of his prayer carpet (in charge of the mausoleum), and
who is not wanting in excellence and reasonableness, what was the
real state of the case. He said, "I have also heard the same from
my father and grandfather, and it has come down in succession, and
wisdom is from Allah." Although this affair is beyond the laws of
understanding, yet, as it has attained great notoriety among men,
it has been recorded as a strange occurrence. His departure from
this perishable mansion to the eternal world took place in 880
(1475), in the time of the reign of Sultan Mahmud Bigara, and the
buildings of this mausoleum are the memorial of Taj Khan Tariyani,
[679] who was one of the Amirs of Sultan Muzaffar, the son of Mahmud.
As an hour on Monday had been chosen for my entry into the city,
on Sunday, the 24th, I halted. At this place some melons came from
Kariz, which is a town dependent on Herat, and it is certain that
in Khurasan there are no melons better than those of Kariz. Although
this is at a distance of 1,400 kos, and kafilahs (caravans) take five
months to come, they arrived very ripe and fresh. They brought so many
that they sufficed for all the servants. Together with these there
came oranges (kaunla) from Bengal, and though that place is 1,000 kos
distant most of them arrived quite fresh. As this is a very delicate
and pleasant fruit, runners bring by post as much as is necessary for
private consumption, and pass it from hand to hand. My tongue fails
me in giving thanks to Allah for this.
"Thankfulness for Thy favours is one of Thy favours."
On this day Amanat Khan presented two elephants' tusks; they were
very large, one of them being 3 cubits 8 tassu (finger-breadths)
in length and 16 tassu in circumference; it weighed 3 maunds and 2
seers, or 24 1/2 Iraq maunds. On Monday, the 25th, after six gharis,
I turned towards the city in pleasure and prosperity at the propitious
hour, and mounted the elephant Surat-gaj, a favourite elephant of
mine, which is perfect in appearance and disposition. Although
he was fractious (mast), I had confidence in my own riding and
his pleasant paces (?). [680] Crowds of people, men and women,
had assembled, and were waiting in the streets and bazars and at
the gates and the walls. The city of Ahmadabad did not seem to me
so worthy of praise as I had heard. Although they had made the main
road of the bazar wide and spacious, they had not suited the shops
to this breadth. Its buildings are all of wood and the pillars of
the shops slender and mean (zabun). The streets of the bazar were
full of dust, and there was dust from the Kankriya tank up to the
citadel, which in the dialect of the country they call Bhadar. I
hastened along scattering money. The meaning of Bhadar is 'blessed'
(bhadra). The houses of the Sultans of Gujarat, which were inside the
Bhadar, have fallen into ruin within the last fifty or sixty years,
and no trace of them is left. However, our servants who have been sent
to the government of this country have erected buildings. When I was
proceeding from Mandu to Ahmadabad, Muqarrab Khan had done up the old
buildings and prepared other places for sitting that were necessary,
such as a jharokha, a public audience hall, etc. As to-day was the
auspicious day for the weighing of my son Shah Jahan, I weighed him
in the usual manner against gold and other things, and the 27th year
from his blessed birth began in pleasure and enjoyment. I hope that
the Giver of gifts will bestow him on this suppliant at His throne
and let him enjoy life and prosperity. On the same day I gave the
province of Gujarat in jagir to that son. From the fort of Mandu to
the fort of Cambay, by the road we came, it is 124 kos, which were
traversed in twenty-eight marches and thirty halts. I remained at
Cambay for ten days; from that place to the city of Ahmadabad is 21
kos; which we traversed in five marches with two halts. Altogether,
from Mandu to Cambay and from Cambay to Ahmadabad by the road we came
is 145 kos, which we accomplished in two months and fifteen days;
this was in thirty-three marches and forty-two halts.
On Tuesday, the 26th, I went to see the Jami` mosque, and gave
with my own hand in alms to the fakirs who were present there about
500 rupees. This mosque was one of the memorials of Sultan Ahmad,
the founder of the city of Ahmadabad. It has three gates, [681]
and on each side a bazar. Opposite the gate that looks towards the
east is the mausoleum of the said Sultan Ahmad. In that dome Sultan
Ahmad, his son Muhammad, and his grandson Qutbu-d-din are laid to
rest. The length of the court of the mosque, excluding maqsura
(the holy of holies), is 103 [682] cubits, and its breadth 89
cubits. Round this they have made an aywan (portico), in breadth 4
3/4 cubits. The flooring of the court is of trimmed bricks, and the
pillars of the portico of red stone. The maqsura contains 354 [683]
pillars, above which there is a dome. The length of the maqsura is
75 cubits, and its breadth 37 cubits. The flooring of the maqsura,
the mihrab (arch towards which the face is turned in prayer), and the
pulpit are made of marble. On both sides of the main arch (pish-taq)
are two polished minarets of cut stone, containing three ashyana
(stories) beautifully shaped and decorated. On the right-hand side of
the pulpit near the recess of the maqsura they have made a separate
seat for the king. The space between the pillars has been covered in
with a stone platform, and round this up to the roof of the maqsura
they have put stone cages [684] (in which women sit so as not to be
seen). The object of this was that when the king came to the Friday
service or the `Id he went up there with his intimates and courtiers,
and performed his devotions. This in the dialect of the country they
call the Muluk-khana (King's chamber). This practice and caution were
on account of the crowding of the people. Truly this mosque is a very
noble building. [685]
On Wednesday, [686] the 27th, I went to the monastery of Shaikh
Wajihu-d-din, which was near the palace, and the fatiha was read at the
head of his shrine, which is in the court of the monastery. Sadiq Khan,
who was one of the chief Amirs of my father, built this monastery. The
Shaikh was a successor of Shaikh Muhammad Ghaus, [687] but a successor
against whom the teacher disputed. Wajihu-d-din's loyalty to him is a
clear proof [688] of the greatness of Shaikh Muhammad Ghaus. Shaikh
Wajihu-d-din was adorned with visible excellencies and spiritual
perfection. He died thirty years ago in this city (Ahmadabad),
and after him Shaikh `Abdu-llah, according to his father's will,
took his place. He was a very ascetic dervish. When he died his son
Shaikh Asadu-llah sat in his place, and also quickly went to the
eternal world. After him his brother Shaikh Haidar became lord of
the prayer carpet, and is now alive, and is employed at the grave
of his father and grandfather in the service of dervishes and in
looking after their welfare. The traces of piety are evident on the
forehead of his life. As it was the anniversary festival of Shaikh
Wajihu-d-din, 1,500 rupees were given to Shaikh Haidar for the
expenses of the anniversary, and I bestowed 1,500 rupees more on the
band of fakirs who were present in the monastery, with my own hand
in charity, and made a present of 500 rupees to the grandson (?) of
Shaikh Wajihu-d-din. In the same way I gave something for expenses, and
land to each of his relatives and adherents according to his merit. I
ordered Shaikh Haidar to bring before me the body of dervishes and
deserving people who were associated with him, in order that they
might ask for money for expenses and for land. On Thursday, the 28th,
I went to look round the Rustam-Khan-bari, and scattered 1,500 rupees
on the road. They call a garden a bari in the language of India. This
is a garden that my brother Shah Murad made in the name of his son
Rustam. I made a Thursday entertainment in this garden, and gave cups
to some of my private servants. At the end of the day I went to the
little garden of the hawali (mansion) of Shaikh Sikandar, which is
situated in the neighbourhood of this garden, and which has exceedingly
good figs. As picking the fruit with one's own hand gives it quite
a different relish, and I had never before plucked figs with my own
hand, their excellence in this respect was approved. Shaikh Sikandar
[689] is by origin a Gujarati, and is not wanting in reasonableness,
and has complete information about the Sultans of Gujarat. It is now
eight or nine years since he has been employed among the servants
(of the State). As my son Shah Jahan had appointed to the government
of Ahmadabad Rustam Khan, who is one of his chief officers, at his
request I, in accordance with the association of his name, presented
him with (the garden) Rustam-bari. On this day Raja Kalyan, zamindar
of the province of Idar, had the good fortune to kiss my threshold,
and presented an elephant and nine horses as an offering; I gave him
back the elephant. He is one of the most considerable zamindars on the
frontier of Gujarat, and his country is close to the hill-country of
the Rana. The Sultans of Gujarat constantly sent armies against the
Raja of that place. Although some of them have professed obedience
and presented offerings, for the most part none of them have come to
see anyone personally. After the late king Akbar conquered Gujarat,
the victorious army was sent to attack him. As he understood that
his deliverance lay in obedience and submission, he agreed to serve
and be loyal, and hastened to enjoy the good fortune of kissing the
threshold. From that date he has been enrolled among the servants (of
the State). He comes to see whoever is appointed to the government
of Ahmadabad, and when work and service are necessary appears with
a body of his men. On Saturday, the 1st of the month of Bahman,
in the 12th year of my reign, Chandar Sen, who is one of the chief
zamindars of this country, had the good fortune to kiss the threshold,
and presented an offering of nine horses. On Sunday, the 2nd, I
gave elephants to Raja Kalyan, zamindar of Idar, to Sayyid Mustafa,
and Mir Fazil. On Monday I went out hawking, and scattered nearly
500 rupees on the road. On this day pears came from Badakhshan. On
Mubarak-shamba, the 6th, I went to see the "garden of victory" at
the village of Sair-khaiz (Sarkhej), and scattered 1,500 rupees on
the way. As the tomb of Shaikh Ahmad Khattu [690] is on the road, I
first went there and the fatiha was read. Khattu is the name of a town
in the Sarkar of Nagor, and was the birthplace of the Shaikh. [691]
The Shaikh lived in the time of Sultan Ahmad, who founded the city of
Ahmadabad, and the latter had a great respect for him. The people of
this country have a strange belief in him, and consider him one of the
great saints. Every Friday night a great crowd of people, high and low,
go to visit his shrine. Sultan Muhammad, son of the aforesaid Sultan
Ahmad, built lofty buildings in the shape of mausoleums, mosques, and
monasteries at the head of his tomb, and near his mausoleum on the
south side made a large tank, and surrounded it with stone and lime
(masonry). This building was completed in the time of Qutbu-d-din,
son of the aforesaid Muhammad. The shrines of several of the Sultans
of Gujarat are on the bank of the tank by the feet of the Shaikh. In
that dome there have been laid at rest Sultan Mahmud Bigara, Sultan
Muzaffar, his son, and Mahmud, the martyr, grandson of Sultan Muzaffar,
and who was the last of the Sultans of Gujarat. Bigara, in the
language of the people of Gujarat, signifies 'turned-up moustache,'
and Sultan Mahmud had a large turned-up moustache; on this account
they call him Bigara. Near his (Shaikh Khattu's) tomb is the dome of
his ladies. [692] Without doubt the mausoleum of the Shaikh is a very
grand building and a beautiful place. It is estimated that 500,000
rupees were spent on it. God only knows what is true.
After performing this visitation I went to Fath-bagh (garden
of victory). This garden is situated on the ground on which the
Commander-in-Chief, Khankhanan Ataliq fought with and defeated Nabu
(Nannu? Nanhu?), who gave himself the title of Muzaffar Khan. On
this account he called it Bagh-i-fath; the people of Gujarat call
it Fath-bari. The details of this are that when, by means of the
good fortune of the late king Akbar, the country of Gujarat was
conquered, and Nabu fell into his hands, I`timad Khan represented
that he was the son of a carter. As no son was left by Sultan Mahmud,
and moreover there was no one of the descendants of the Sultans of
Gujarat whom he could raise to the throne, he (I`timad) had accepted
the most available course, and had made out that this was the son of
Mahmud. He gave him the name of Sultan Muzaffar, and raised him to
the sovereignty. Men from necessity consented to this. As His Majesty
considered the word of I`timad Khan of weight, he ignored Nabu, and
for some time he did duty among the servants, and the king paid no
attention to his case. In consequence of this he ran away from Fathpur,
and coming to Gujarat lived for some years under the protection of
the zamindars. When Shihabu-d-din Ahmad Khan was turned out from the
government of Gujarat and I`timad Khan installed in his place, a body
of the servants of Shihabu-d-din Khan, who were attached to Gujarat,
separated from him, and remained at Ahmadabad in the hope of service
with I`timad. After I`timad entered the city they had recourse to
him, but had no good luck with him. They had not the face to go to
Shihabu-d-din, and had no prospects in Ahmadabad. As they were without
hope they thought their remedy lay in betaking themselves to Nabu,
and in making him an excuse for disturbance. With this intent 600 or
700 horsemen from among them went to Nabu and carried him off along
with Lona Kathi, under whose protection he was living, and proceeded
to Ahmadabad. When he arrived near the city many wretched men on
the look out for an occasion joined him, and nearly 1,000 horsemen,
Mughals and Gujaratis, collected together. When I`timad Khan became
aware of this he left his son Shir Khan in the city, and hastened
off in search of Shihab Khan, who was proceeding towards the Court,
in order that with his help he might quiet the disturbance. Many of
the men had separated themselves from him, and he read on the faces
of those who were left the signs of unfaithfulness, but Shihabu-d-din,
in company with I`timad Khan, turned his rein. It happened that before
their arrival Nabu had entered the fort of Ahmadabad. Those who were
loyal drew up their troops near the city, and the rebels came out of
the fort and hastened to the battlefield. When the army of the rebels
showed itself, those of the servants of Shihab Khan who were left
took the wrong road and joined the enemy. Shihab Khan was defeated
and hastened towards Patan (Patan?), which was in the possession of
the royal servants. His retinue and camp were plundered, and Nabu,
bestowing mansabs and titles on the rebels, went against Qutbu-d-din
Muhammad Khan, who was in Baroda. The servants of the latter,
like the servants of Shihab Khan, took the road of faithlessness
and chose separation, as is related in detail in the Akbar-nama. In
the end, after giving his word to Qutbu-d-din Muhammad, he sent him
to martyrdom, and his goods and property, which were equal to the
treasure of his courtesy and grandeur, were plundered. Nearly 45,000
horsemen collected round Nabu.
When this state of affairs was represented to H.M. Akbar he sent
against him Mirza Khan, son of Bairam Khan, with a force of brave
warriors. On the day when Mirza Khan arrived near the city, he drew
up the ranks of good fortune. He had about 8,000 or 9,000 horse, and
Nabu met him with 30,000, and drew up his host tainted with ruin. After
prolonged fighting and slaughter the breeze of victory blew on the flag
of the loyal, and Nabu, being defeated, fled in wretched plight. My
father, in reward for this victory, gave Mirza Khan a mansab of 5,000
with the title of Khankhanan and the government of the country of
Gujarat. The garden that Khankhanan made on the field of battle is
situated on the bank of the River Sabarmati. He founded lofty buildings
along that eminence on the river, and made a strong wall of stone and
cement round the garden. The garden contains 120 jarib of land, and
is a charming resort. It may have cost 200,000 rupees. It pleased me
greatly. One may say that in the whole of Gujarat there is no garden
like this. Arranging a Thursday feast, I bestowed cups on my private
servants, and remained there for the night. At the end of the day,
on Friday, I entered the city, scattering about 1,000 rupees on the
road. At this time the gardener represented that a servant of Muqarrab
Khan had cut down some champa trees above the bench alongside the
river. On hearing this I became angry, and went myself to enquire into
the matter and to exact satisfaction. When it was established that this
improper act had been committed by him, I ordered both his thumbs to
be cut off as a warning to others. It was evident that Muqarrab Khan
knew nothing of this affair, or otherwise he would have punished him
there and then. On Tuesday, the 11th, the Kotwal of the city caught
a thief and brought him. He had committed several thefts before, and
each time they had cut off one of his members; once his right hand,
the second time the thumb of his left hand, the third time his left
ear, and fourth time they hamstringed him, and the last time his nose;
with all this he did not give up his business, and yesterday entered
the house of a grass-seller in order to steal. By chance the owner
of the house was on the look out and seized him. The thief wounded
the grass-seller several times with a knife and killed him. In the
uproar and confusion his relatives attacked the thief and caught him. I
ordered them to hand over the thief to the relatives of the deceased,
that they might retaliate on him.
"The lines of the face show the thought of your head (?)."
On Wednesday, the 12th, 3,000 rupees were handed over to `Azamat
Khan and Mu`taqad Khan, that they might go the next day to the tomb
of Shaikh Ahmad Khattu, and divide it among the fakirs and indigent
people who had taken up their abode there. On Thursday, the 13th,
I went to the lodging of my son Shah Jahan, and held a Mubarak-shamba
entertainment there, and distributed cups among my private servants. I
gave my son the elephant Sundar Mathan, [693] which was superior
to all my private elephants in speed and beauty and pleasant paces,
and competed with horses, and was the first among the elephants, and
one much liked by King Akbar. My son Shah Jahan had a great liking
for him, and frequently asked him of me, and seeing no way out of it
I gave it to him with its gold belongings of chains, etc., together
with a female elephant. A present of 100,000 of darbs was given to
the wakils of `Adil Khan. At this time it was represented [694] to
me that Mukarram Khan, son of Mu`azzam Khan, who was the governor of
Orissa, had conquered the country of Khurda, and that the Raja of that
place had fled and gone into the Rajmahendra. As he was a khana-zad
(houseborn one) and worthy of patronage, I ordered his mansab, original
and increase, to be 3,000 personal and 2,000 horse, and honoured him
with drums, a horse, and a dress of honour. Between the province of
Orissa and Golconda there were two zamindars, one the Raja of Khurda
and the second the Raja of Rajmahendra. The province of Khurda has
come into the possession of the servants of the Court. After this it
is the turn of the country of Rajmahendra. My hope in the grace of
Allah is that the feet of my energy may advance farther. At this time
a petition from Qutbu-l-mulk reached my son Shah Jahan to the effect
that as the boundary of his territory had approached that of the King,
and he owed service to this Court, he hoped an order would be issued to
Mukarram Khan not to stretch out his hand, and to acquire possession
of his country. It was a proof of Mukarram's valour and energy that
such a one as Qutbu-l-mulk should be apprehensive about his (Mukarram)
becoming his neighbour.
On this day Ikram Khan, son of Islam Khan, was appointed faujdar of
Fathpur and its neighbourhood, and presented with a dress of honour
and an elephant; Chandar Sen, the zamindar of Haloz (Halwad?), [695]
was given a dress of honour, a horse, and an elephant. An elephant
was also given to Lachin Qaqshal. At the same time Muzaffar, [696]
son of Mirza Baqi Tarkhan, had the honour of kissing the threshold. His
mother was the daughter of Barha (Bhara), the zamindar of Kachh. When
Mirza Baqi died and the government of Thatta went to Mirza Jani,
Muzaffar was apprehensive of Mirza Jani, and he took refuge with the
aforesaid zamindar. He had remained from his childhood until now in
that country. Now that the fortunate retinue had reached Ahmadabad, he
came and did homage. Though he had been reared among men of the wilds,
and was unfamiliar with civilized ways and ceremonies, yet as his
family had had the relations of service with our exalted dynasty from
the times of Timur [697]--may God make his proof clear!--I considered
it right to patronize him. For the present I gave him 2,000 rupees
for expenses, and a dress of honour. A suitable rank will be given
to him, and perhaps he will show himself efficient as a soldier.
On Thursday, the 20th, I went to the "Garden of Victory," and
contemplated the red roses. One plot had bloomed well. There are not
many red roses (gul-i-surkh) in this country, so it was pleasant
to see so many here. The anemone [698] bed, too, was not bad, and
the figs had ripened. I gathered some figs with my own hands, and
weighed the largest one. It came to 7 1/2 tolas. On this day there
arrived 1,500 melons from Kariz. The Khan `Alam had sent them as a
present. I gave a thousand of them to the servants in attendance,
and five hundred to the women of the harem. I spent four days in
this garden in enjoyment, and on Monday eve, the 24th, I came to the
city. Some of the melons were given to the Shaikhs of Ahmadabad, and
they were astonished to see how inferior were the Gujarat melons. They
marvelled at the goodness of the Deity.
On Thursday, the 27th, I held a wine-feast in the Nagina [699]
garden, which is inside the palace grounds, and which one of the
Gujarat Sultans had planted. I made my servants happy with flowing
bowls. A pergola (takhta) of grapes had ripened in this garden, and
I bade those who had been drinking to gather the bunches with their
own hands and partake of them.
On Monday, the 1st of Isfandarmuz, I left Ahmadabad and marched towards
Malwa. I scattered money on the road till we reached the bank of the
Kankriya tank, where I halted for three days. On Thursday, the 4th,
the presents of Muqarrab Khan were laid before me. There was nothing
rare among them, nor anything that I took a fancy to, and so I felt
ashamed. I gave them to my children to take into the harem. I accepted
jewellery and decorated vessels and cloths to the value of a lakh,
and gave him back the rest. Also about one hundred Kachhi horses were
taken, but there was none of great excellence.
On Friday, the 5th, I marched 6 kos, and encamped on the bank of
the Ahmadabad River. As my son Shah Jahan was leaving Rustam Khan,
one of his chief servants, in charge of the government of Gujarat, I,
at my son's request, gave him a standard, drums, a dress of honour,
and a decorated dagger. Up till now it had not been the custom in
this dynasty to give to the prince's servants standards or drums. For
instance, H.M. Akbar with all his affection and graciousness to me,
did not decide upon giving to my officers a title or a standard. But
my consideration for this son is so unbounded that I would do anything
to please him, and, in fact, he is an excellent son, and one adorned
with every grace, and in his early youth has accomplished to my
satisfaction, everything that he has set his hand to.
On this day Muqarrab Khan took leave to go to his home.
As the shrine of Qutb `Alam, the father of Shah `Alam Bukhari, was in
the village of Batoh, [700] and on my way, I went there and gave 500
rupees to the guardians. On Saturday, the 6th, I entered a boat on
the Mahmudabad River and went a-fishing. On the bank is the tomb of
Sayyid Mubarak Bukhari. He was one of the leading officers of Gujarat,
and his son Sayyid Miran erected this monument to him. It is a very
lofty cupola, and there is a very strong wall of stone and lime round
it. It must have cost more than two lakhs of rupees. None of the tombs
of the Gujarat Sultans that I saw came up to one-tenth of it. Yet
they were sovereigns, and Sayyid Miran was only a servant. Genius
and the help of God have produced this result. A thousand blessings
on a son who has made such a tomb for his father: [701]
"That there may remain a memorial of him upon earth."
On Sunday I halted and fished, and caught 400 fish. One of them had
no scales, and is called the sang-mahi, 'the stone-fish.' Its belly
was very large and swollen, so I ordered them to cut it open in my
presence. Inside was a fish with scales which it had recently swallowed
and which had as yet undergone no change. I told them to weigh both
fish. The stone-fish came to 6 1/2 seers and the other to nearly 2.
On Monday, the 8th, I marched 4 1/4 kos, and encamped in the village
of Moda (Mahaondat). The inhabitants praised the rainy season of
Gujarat. It happened that on the previous night and on this day before
breakfast some rain fell, and the dust was laid. As this is a sandy
country, it is certain that there would not be any dust in the rainy
season, nor would there be any mud. The fields would be green and
cheerful. At any rate, a specimen of the rainy season has been seen
by me. On Tuesday I marched 5 1/2 kos, and halted at the village of
Jarsima (Jarisama). [702]
At this stage news came that Man Singh Sewra had surrendered his
soul to the lords of hell. The account of this in brief is that
the Sewras [703] are a tribe of infidel Hindus who always go with
their head and feet bare. One set of them root out their hair, their
beards, and moustaches, while another set shave them. They do not
wear sewn garments, and their central principle is that no living
creature should be injured. The Banyans regard them as their pirs
and teachers, and even worship them. There are two sects of Sewras,
one called Pata (Tapa) and the other Kanthal (Kartal). Man Singh was
the head of the latter, and Bal Chand the head of the Patas. [704]
Both of them used to attend upon H.M. Akbar. When he died and Khusrau
fled and I pursued him, Ray Singh Bhurtiya, zamindar of Bikanir,
who had been made an Amir by Akbar's kindness, asked Man Singh what
would be the duration of my reign and the chances of my success. That
black-tongued fellow, who pretended to be skilled in astrology and
the extraction of judgments, said to him that my reign would, at most,
last for two years. The doting old idiot (Ray Singh) relied upon this,
and went off without leave to his home. Afterwards, when the glorious
God chose out this suppliant and I returned victorious to the capital,
he came, ashamed and downcast, to Court. What happened to him in the
end has been told in its proper place. [705] In fine, Man Singh, in
the course of three or four months, was struck with leprosy (juzam),
and his limbs fell off him till he was in such a state that death
was by many degrees preferable to life. He was living at Bikanir,
and now I remembered him and sent for him. On the road he, out of
excessive fear, took poison, and surrendered his soul to the lords
of hell. So long as the intentions of this suppliant at God's courts
are just and right, it is sure that whoever devises evil against me
will receive retribution according to his merits.
The sect of the Sewras exists in most of the cities of India, but is
especially numerous in Gujarat. As the Banyans are the chief traders
there, consequently the Sewras also are plentiful. Besides making
idol-temples for them, they have built houses for them to dwell in
and to worship in. In fact, these houses are the headquarters of
sedition. The Banyans send their wives and daughters to the Sewras,
who have no shame or modesty. All kinds of strife and audacity are
perpetrated by them. I therefore ordered that the Sewras should be
expelled, and I circulated farmans to the effect that wherever there
were Sewras in my empire they should be turned out.
On Wednesday, the 10th, I went out to hunt, and shot two nilgaw,
one male and one female. On this day the son of Dilawar Khan came
from Pattan, which was his father's fief, and paid his respects. He
presented a Kachhi horse. It was a very handsome animal, and pleasant
to ride. Till I came to Gujarat no one had presented me with so fine
a horse. Its value was 1,000 rupees.
On Thursday, the 11th, I had a wine party on the bank of the tank,
and bestowed many favours on those servants who had been appointed to
the province, and then dismissed them. Among the promotions was that
of Shaja`at Khan, the Arab, to the rank of 2,500 personal and 2,000
horse. I also gave him drums, a horse, and a robe of honour. Himmat
Khan was raised to the rank of 1,500 with 800 horse, and had a
robe of honour and an elephant. Kifayat Khan, who was made Diwan of
the province, received the rank of 1,200 with 300 horse. Safi Khan
bakhshi received a horse and a robe of honour. Khwaja `Aqil had the
rank of 1,500 with 650 horse, and was made bakhshi of the Ahadis,
and had the title of `Aqil Khan. Thirty thousand darbs were given to
the wakil of Qutbu-l-Mulk, who had brought the tribute.
On this day my son Shah Jahan presented pomegranates and quinces
that had been sent to him from Farah. I had never seen such large
ones, and I ordered them to be weighed. The quince weighed 29 tolas
9 mashas and the pomegranate 40 1/2 tolas. On Friday, the 12th, I
went a-hunting and shot two nilgaw, a male and a female. On Saturday,
the 13th, I shot three nilgaw, two males and one female. On Sunday,
the 14th, I gave Shaikh Isma`il, the son of Shaikh Muhammad Ghaus, a
robe of honour and 500 rupees. On Monday, the 15th, I went a-hunting
and shot two female nilgaw. On Tuesday, the 16th, I again presented
the Shaikhs of Gujarat, who were in attendance, with robes of honour
and maintenance-lands. To each of them I gave a book from my special
library, such as the Tafsir-i-kashshaf, [706] the Tafsir-i-Husaini,
[707] and the Rauzatu-l-ahbab. [708] I wrote on the back of the
books the day of my arrival in Gujarat and the day of presentation
of the books.
At the time that Ahmadabad was adorned by the setting up of the
royal standards my employment by day and by night was the seeing of
necessitous persons and the bestowing on them of money and land. I
directed Shaikh Ahmad the Sadr and some other tactful servants to
bring before me dervishes and other needy persons. I also directed the
sons of Shaikh Muhammad Ghaus, the grandson of Shaikh Wajihu-d-din,
and other leading Shaikhs to produce whatever persons they believed
to be in want. Similarly I appointed some women to do the same thing
in the harem. My sole endeavour was that as I a king had come to this
country after many years, no single person should be excluded. God is
my witness that I did not fall short in this task, and that I never
took any rest from this duty. Although I have not been delighted with
my visit to Ahmadabad, yet I have this satisfaction--that my coming
has been the cause of benefit to a large number of poor people.
On Tuesday, the 16th, they caught Kaukab, the son of Qamar Khan. He had
in Burhanpur put on a faqir's dress and gone off into the wilds. The
brief account of his case is this:--He was the grandson of Mir
`Abdu-l-Latif, who was one of the Saifi Sayyids and was attached to
this Court. Kaukab had been appointed to the Deccan army, and had
spent some days with it in poverty and wretchedness. When for a long
time he did not get promotion he suspected that I was unfavourable
to him, and foolishly took the dress of asceticism and went off to
the wilderness. In the course of six months he traversed the whole
of the Deccan, including Daulatabad, Bidar, Bijapur, the Carnatic,
and Golconda, and came to the port of Dabul. [709] From there he came
by ship to the port of Goga, and after visiting the ports of Surat,
Broach, etc., he reached Ahmadabad. At this time Zahid, a servant
of Shah Jahan, arrested him and brought him to Court. I ordered them
to bring him before me heavily bound. When I saw him I said to him,
"Considering the obligations of service of your father and grandfather,
and your position as a houseborn one, why have you behaved in such an
inauspicious manner?" He replied that he could not tell a lie in the
presence of his qibla and real teacher, and that the truth was that
he had hoped for favours, but as he was unlucky he had left outward
ties and gone into the wilderness of exile. As his words bore the
marks of truth they made an impression on me, and I abandoned my
harsh tone and asked him if in his misfortunes he had waited upon
`Adil Khan, or Qutbu-l-Mulk, or `Ambar. He replied that though he
had been unsuccessful at this Court and had remained thirsty in
this boundless ocean of beneficence, he had never--God forbid that
he should--approached with his lips other fountains. Might his head
be cut off if it had bowed at this Court and then lowered itself at
another! From the time that he went into exile he had kept a diary
showing what he had done, and by examining it it would be seen how he
had conducted himself. These words of his increased my compassion for
him, and I sent for his papers and read them. It appeared from them
that he had encountered great hardship, and that he had spent much
time on foot, and that he had suffered from want of food. On this
account I felt kindly disposed towards him. Next day I sent for him
and ordered them to remove the bonds from his arms and legs, and gave
him a robe of honour, a horse, and 1,000 rupees for his expenses. I
also increased his rank by one half, and showed him such kindness as
he never had imagined. He repeated this verse--
"What I see, is it, O God, waking or in a trance?
Do I behold myself in such comfort after such torture?"
On Wednesday, the 17th, I marched 6 kos and halted at the village of
Barasinor (Balasinor). It has already been mentioned that the plague
had appeared in Kashmir. On this day a report of the chronicler of
events arrived, stating that the plague had taken firm hold of the
country and that many had died. The symptoms were that the first day
there was headache and fever and much bleeding at the nose. On the
second day the patient died. In the house where one person died all
the inmates were carried off. Whoever went near the sick person or a
dead body was affected in the same way. In one instance the dead body
was thrown on the grass, and it chanced that a cow came and ate some
of the grass. It died, and some dogs that had eaten its flesh also all
died. Things had come to such a pass that from fear of death fathers
would not approach their children, and children would not go near their
fathers. A strange thing was that in the ward in which the disease
began, a fire broke out and nearly 3,000 houses were burnt. During
the height of the plague, one morning when the people of the city and
environs got up, they saw circles on their doors. There were three
large circles, and on the face of these (i.e. inside them) there were
two circles of middle size and one small one. There were also other
circles which did not contain any whiteness [710] (i.e. there were no
inner circles). These figures were found on all the houses and even on
the mosques. From the day when the fire took place and these circles
appeared, they say there was a diminution of the plague. This has been
recorded as it seems a strange affair. It certainly does not agree
with the canons of reason, and my intellect cannot accept it. Wisdom
is with God! I trust that the Almighty will have mercy on his sinful
slaves, and that they will be altogether freed from such calamity.
On Thursday, the 18th, I marched 2 1/2 kos and halted on the bank of
the Mahi. On this day the Jam zamindar [711] had the good fortune to
kiss the ground. He presented 50 horses, 100 muhrs, and 100 rupees. His
name is Jassa, and Jam is his title. Whoever succeeds is called Jam. He
is one of the chief zamindars of Gujarat, and, indeed, he is one of
the noted rajas of India. His country is close to the sea. He always
maintains 5,000 or 6,000 horse, and in time of war can supply as many
as 10,000 or 12,000. There are many horses in his country; Kachhi
horses fetch as much as 2,000 rupees. I gave him a dress of honour.
On the same day Lachmi Narayan, Raja of Kuch (Bihar), which adjoins
Bengal, did homage and presented 500 muhrs. He received a dress of
honour and an ornamented dagger.
Nawazish Khan, son of Sa`id Khan, who had been appointed to Junagarh,
had the good fortune to pay his respects. On Friday, the 19th, I
halted, and on Saturday, the 20th, I marched 3 3/4 kos and halted
at the tank of Jhanud. On Sunday I marched 4 1/2 kos and halted at
the tank of Badarwala. On this day there came the news of the death
of `Azamat Khan Gujarati. On account of illness he had remained in
Ahmadabad. He was a servant who knew one's disposition, and did good
work. As he had thorough knowledge of the Deccan and Gujarat, I was
grieved at his death. In the tank above mentioned I noticed a plant
which at the approach of the finger or the end of a stick contracts
its leaves. After a while it opens them out again. Its leaves resemble
those of the tamarind, and it is called in Arabic Shajaru-l-haya,
'the plant of modesty.' In Hindi it is called Lajvanti. Laj means
modesty. It is certainly not void of strangeness. They also call it
naghzak, and say that it also grows on dry land.
On Monday, the 22nd, I halted. My scouts reported that there was a
tiger in the neighbourhood which vexed wayfarers, and in the forest
where it was they had seen a skull and some bones lying. After midday
I went out to shoot it, and killed it with one discharge. Though it
was a large tiger, I had killed several that were larger. Among them
was a tiger which I killed in the fort of Mandu, and which was 8 1/2
maunds. This one weighed 7 1/2 maunds, or 1 maund less.
On Tuesday, the 23rd, I marched over 3 1/2 kos and alighted on
the bank of the River Bayab. [712] On Wednesday I marched nearly 6
kos and halted at the tank of Hamda. [713] On Thursday I ordered a
halt and had a wine party, and gave cups to my special servants. I
promoted Nawazish Khan to the rank of 3,000 with 2,000 horse, which
was an increase of 500 personal, and gave him a robe of honour and an
elephant, and allowed him to go to his fief. Muhammad Husain Sabzak,
[714] who had been sent to Balkh to buy horses, came to Court to-day
and paid his respects. Of the horses he brought, one was piebald
and was of fine shape and colour. I had never seen a piebald horse
of this colour before. He had also brought other good roadsters. I
therefore gave him the title of Tijarati Khan.
On Friday, the 26th, I marched 5 1/4 kos and halted at the village of
Jalod. [715] Raja Lachmi Narayan, the paternal uncle of the Raja of
Kuch, to whom I had now given the territory of Kuch, was presented
with a horse. On Saturday I marched 3 kos and halted at Boda. [716]
On Sunday I marched 5 kos and set up the royal standards at Dohad. It
is on the borders of Malwa and Gujarat.
Pahluwan Baha'u-d-din, the musketeer, brought a young monkey (langur)
with a goat, and represented that on the road one of his marksmen had
seen the female langur with a young one in its arms on a tree. The
cruel man had shot the mother, which on being struck had left the
young one on a branch, and had herself dropped on the ground and
died. Pahluwan Baha'u-d-din had then come up and taken down the young
one, and had put it beside the goat to be suckled. God had inspired
the goat with affection for it, and it began to lick the monkey and to
fondle it. In spite of difference of species she showed such love as
if it had come out of her own womb. I told them to separate them, but
the goat immediately began to lament, and the young langur also became
much distressed. The affection of the monkey is not so remarkable,
as it wanted to get milk, but the affection of the goat for it is
remarkable. The langur is an animal belonging to the monkey tribe. But
the hair of the monkey (maimun) is yellowish and its face is red,
while the hair of the langur is white and its face is black. Its tail,
too, is twice as long as the maimun's. I have written these things on
account of their strangeness. On Monday, the 29th, I halted and went
to hunt nilgaw. I shot two, one male and one female. On Tuesday also,
the 30th, I halted.
End of the twelfth year of the Emperor's reign,
in the Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri.