The ruins of the palace of Rajmahal are on the bank. During the reign of
Akbar, about 1591, Raja Maun Singh fixed upon this city as the capital
of Bengal, and changed its name to Raja-Mahul—the Raja erected the
palace, and surrounded the town with a rampart of brick and other
fortifications. In 1608, the seat of government was removed hence to
Dacca, by Islam Khan; but in 1639, the Sultan Shah Shuja brought it back
again, and strengthened the fortifications, of which, however, few
traces are now to be seen.
Prior to 1638 this town was the residence of the Sultan Shah Shuja, the
brother of Aurunzebe; but few vestiges of its ancient magnificence now
remain. The ruins of his palace are still standing, but have been much
injured by the encroachments of the Ganges. Cows now ruminate quietly
beneath the black marble arches that overlook the river, or seek for
shelter in its empty halls, which still present images of their former
grandeur. The marble floor of the Mosque remains, and a fine old _bāolī_
(a large well). Around Rajmahal is a beautiful _jangal_ of magnificent
bamboos, fine clumps interspersed with date-palm trees overshadowing the
cottages, around which are a number of small cows and fowls of a
remarkably good breed: every thing has an air of comfort, and the walks
in all directions are cool and pleasant. The steamers from Calcutta take
in their coal a mile below, and therefore do not destroy the beauty of
the old ruins with their smoke, and noise, and Birmingham appearance.
The Rajmahal hills are distant about five miles inland.
Sooraj-oo-Dowlah, after his flight from Plassey, reached Rajmahal, and
took shelter in the buildings of a deserted garden, where he was
discovered by a _Fakīr_ named Dana Shah, whose nose and ears he had
ordered to be cut off thirteen months before. This man recognized him,
made the circumstance known, and the Nawāb was carried a prisoner back
to Moorshedabad, where he was murdered by order of Meerun, the son of
the new Nawāb Meer Jaffier Khan. His mangled remains were placed on an
elephant, exposed throughout the city, and finally interred. Thus
perished Sooraj-oo-Dowlah, in the twentieth year of his age, and the
fifteenth month of his reign; a prince whose short career was connected
in a most important manner with the British interests in India, both for
good and evil.
[Illustration]