On Sunday, the 1st Bahman, a reward of 1,000 darb (Rs. 500) was given to Ḥāfi Nād ‘Alī,* the reciter. For a long time past Muḥibb ‘Alī, s. Budāgh* K. Chikanī, and Abū-l-Qāsim Gīlānī, whom the Ruler of Irān had blinded and driven into the desert of exile, have passed their days in ease under the refuge of this State. To each of them, according to his condition, an allowance for living had been granted. On this day they came from Agra, and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold, and each of them was presented with Rs. 1,000. The Mubārak-shamba entertainment was held in state in the palace, and my private servants were gladdened with cups of pleasure. Naṣru-llah, whom my son, Sulṭān Parwīz, had sent to Court with the elephant Kūh-damān,* took his leave and returned. A copy (jild) of the Jahāngīr­nāma, together with a special tipchāq horse, were given to him to take to my son. On Sunday, the 8th, Kunwar Karan, son of Rānā Amar Singh, was presented with a horse, an elephant, a dress of honour, a jewelled khapwa, and a phūl-kaṭāra. I gave him leave to go to his jagir, and sent a horse with him for the Rānā. On the same day I went out sporting to Amānābād. As there was an order that no one should kill the antelope of that region, in the course of six years many antelope had come together, and they had grown very tame. On Thursday, the 12th, I returned to the palace, and on that day, according to custom, a feast of cups was prepared.

On the eve of Friday, the 13th (Bahman), I went to the mausoleum of the refuge of pardon, Shaikh Salīm Chishtī, a little concerning whose blessed qualities has been written in the preface* to this record of prosperity, and the fātiḥa was recited. Although the manifestation of miracles and wonders is not approved by the elect of the throne of God, and from humility and a feeling of their low rank (as saints) they avoid such display, yet occasionally in the excitement of ecstasy an appearance is manifested unintentionally and without con­trol, * or for the sake of teaching someone the exhibition is made. Among these was this, that he before my birth gave my father the good news of the advent of this suppliant and of my two brothers. Again, one day my father incidentally asked him how old he was, and when would he depart to the abiding regions. He replied: “The glorious God knows what is secret and hidden.” After much urgency he indicated this suppliant (Prince Salīm), and said: “When the Prince, by the instruction of a teacher or in any other way, shall commit something to memory and shall recite it, this will be a sign of my union with God.” In consequence of this, His Majesty gave strict orders to all who were in attendance on me that no one should teach me anything in prose or verse. At length when two years and seven months had passed away, it hap­pened one day that one of the privileged* women was in the palace. She used to burn rue constantly in order to avert the evil eye, and on this pretext had access to me. She used to partake of the alms and charities. She found me alone and regardless of (or ignorant of) what had been said (by Akbar), she taught me this couplet:

“O God, open the rosebud of hope
Display a flower from the everlasting garden.”*

I went to the Shaikh and repeated this couplet. He involun­tarily rose up and hastened to wait on the King, and informed him of what had occurred. In accordance with Fate, the same night the traces of fever appeared, and the next day he sent someone to the King (with the request) to call Tān Sen Kalāwant, who was unequalled as a singer. Tān Sen, having gone to wait upon him, began to sing. After this he sent some one to call the King. When H.M. came, he said: “The promised time of union has come, and I must take leave of you.” Taking his turban from his head, he placed it on mine, and said: “We have made Sulṭān Salīm our successor, and have made him over to God, the protector and preserver.” Gradually his weakness increased, and the signs of passing* away became more evident, till he attained union with the “True Beloved.”

One of the greatest monuments of my father's reign is this mosque and cemetery (rauẓa). Certainly they are exceedingly lofty and solid buildings. There is nothing like this mosque in any other country. It is all built of beautiful stone, and five lakhs of rupees were expended from the public treasury upon it. Qubu-d-dīn K. Kokaltāsh made the marble railing (maḥjar) round* the cemetery, the flooring (farsh) of the dome and portico, and these are not included in the five lakhs. The mosque has two great gateways. The one* towards the south is extremely lofty, and is very beautiful. The archway (pīshtāq) is 12 yards broad, 16 long, and 52 high. One must mount thirty-two steps to get to the top of it. The other gateway is smaller, and is towards the east. The length of the mosque from east to west, including the width of the walls, is 212 yards. Out of this, the Maqṣūra (the chancel) is 25 1/2 yards, the middle is 15 yards by 15, the portico (pīshtāq) is 7 yards broad, 14 yards long, and 25 yards high. On each side of the large dome are two smaller domes 10 yards by 10. Then there is a veranda (aiwān) which is pillared. The breadth of the mosque from north to south is 172 yards. Round it are ninety verandas (aiwān) and eighty-four cells. The breadth of each cell is 4 yards,* and the length 5 yards. The verandas are 7 1/2 yards broad. The courtyard (ṣaḥn) of the mosque, exclusive of the maqṣūra, and the verandas, and the gates, is 169 yards long and 143 yards broad. Above the verandas, the gates, and the mosque, small domes have been constructed, and on the eves of anniversaries and on holy days lamps are placed in these, and they are enveloped in coloured* cloths, so that they look like lamp-shades (?). Under the courtyard they have made a well, and they fill this with rainwater. As Fatḥpūr has little water, and what there is is bad, this well* yields a sufficient supply for the whole year for the members of the family (of Salīm Chishtī) and for the dervishes who are the mujāwirs (caretakers) of the mosque. Opposite the great entrance and towards the north-north-east is the tomb of the Shaikh. The middle dome is 7 yards, and round the dome is a portico of marble, and on the front side of this is a marble lattice. It is very beautiful. Opposite this tomb on the west, at a little distance, is another dome, in which are laid to rest the sons-in-law and sons of the Shaikh, such as Qubu-d-dīn K., Islām K., Mu‘aam K.,* and others, who were all connected with this family, and rose to the position of Amirs and to lofty rank. Accordingly, the circumstances of each have been recorded in their places. At present the son of Islām K., who is distinguished by the title of Ikrām K., is the lord of the prayer-carpet. The signs of auspiciousness are manifest in him; I am much inclined to cherish him.