Another of his inventions was his dividing the department of State into four classes corresponding to the four elements, viz., Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. And for the transaction of the business of each of these four departments a vizier was appointed. The artiller and the arrangements of armour and arms and of other things with which fire had to do were called the Fire Department. Khwāja ‘Abdu l-Mulk was appointed to be vizier of it. The wardrobe (karqīrāqkhāna), the kitchen, the stable, and the necessary management of the mules and camels was called the Air Department. The charge of it was given to Khwāja Laif Ullāh. The arrangements of the Sharbatkhāna, the wine-cellar (sūcīkhāna), and of canals was called the Water Department. Khwāja Ḥasan was appointed the vizier thereof. The affairs of agriculture and of buildings* and the administration of exchequer-lands (ṣabṭ-i-khāliṣāt) and of some of the buildings (biyūtāt) were called the Earth Department. The vizier was Khwāja Jalālu-d-dīn Mīrzā Beg. In every one of the departments one of the Amīrs was employed. For instance, Amīr Nāṣir Qulī was the Mīr Sarkār, or head-officer, of the Fire Department and always wore red.
Another of the inventions of this time was that four large barges were set in the river Jamūna (Jumna) and that the master-carpenters constructed* on each of them a cārāq (a square house) of two storeys and of very elegant shape. The barges were so joined together that the cārāqs faced one another. Between every two of these four barges another āq (platform) was made* and thus there appeared an octagonal reservoir between the barges.
Another of his excellent inventions was his arrangement of shops and the putting up of a bazar on boats. This increased the amazement of the rare of intellect. In the year 939, 1532-33, when His Majesty went from Fīrūzābād-i-Dihlī (i.e., Delhi) to Agra, the capital, by way of the river, and was accompanied by most of the Amīrs and pillars of the State and all the īkcīān* and officers, a bazar of this kind was made and carried down the Jamūnā. Everyone could get what he wanted in that bazar.
In like manner the royal gardeners made, in accordance with orders, a garden on the river.
Another of his inventions was a movable* bridge.
Another of his wonderful inventions was a movable palace. This palace was composed of three storeys which were of cut beams. The master-carpenters had so joined the pieces together that whoever looked at them thought that the whole was of one piece. Whenever they wanted they could take it to pieces and convey it to any country. And the ladders (or steps) to the upper storey were so constructed that they could be opened out or shut up at pleasure.
One of the wonderful inventions of that holy mind was a cap (tāj) which was alike magnificent and agreeable to wear. The border (or margin) which went round the tāj had two divisions (furja), and each of these was in the form of the figure seven (V), and thus by there being two figures 7 (VV) the number 77 was produced, which was the numerical value of the word ‘izz. Here it was called the tāj-i-‘izzat or cap of honour. This was invented in Badakhshān* and when His Majesty came to Agra and appeared before His Majesty Getī Sitānī Firdūs Makānī the latter was much pleased.
Another of his inventions was a tent (khirgā) which had twelve partitions corresponding to the signs of the Zodiac. Each mansion (burj) had lattices (pinjarahā)* through the interstices of which there shone the light of the stars of dominion. And there was another tent* which was like the Heaven of Heavens which encompasses the heaven of the fixed stars. This surrounded the other tents and as the crystalline sphere (i.e., the Heaven of Heavens) is undotted (with stars) so this tent was without lattices.
One of his pleasure-increasing inventions was the “carpet of mirth” (basā-i-nishā). This was a round carpet corresponding to the orbits of the spheres and the elemental spheres. The first circle which corresponded to the crystalline sphere was white, the second blue (kabūd), the third black, like Saturn, the fourth, which was the house of Jupiter, was light brown (ṣandali), the fifth, which was related to Mars, was ruby-coloured, the sixth, which was the house of the Sun, was golden, the seventh, which was the house of Venus, was bright green, the eighth, which was the station of Mercury, was bluish (sūsanī, i.e., lily, or iris-coloured). For the nature of Mercury is composite and when blue and rose are mixed the result is sūsanī. And the reason why sūsanī was chosen in preference to other colours was that several philosophers have called the colour of Mercury that of collyrium (kuḥlī), and the sūsanī is nearer to collyrium than other mixed colours are. The ninth circle, which was the station of the Moon, was white. After the circle of the Moon came the region (kura, i.e., globe or sphere) of fire and air, then that of earth and water. The inhabited quarter of the earth was divided into seven climes. He himself occupied the golden circle (i.e., the one consecrated to the Sun) and there he adorned the throne of the khilāfat. Each section (or group) was ordered to sit in accordance with the one of the seven planets which was appropriate to it in the circle which corresponded therewith. Thus, the Indian officers sate in the circle of Saturn, while the Sayyids and the ‘Ulamā sate in the circle of Jupiter. The persons who occupied each circle made use of dice, on each side of which there was represented a human figure in a different position. According to each one's throw he assumed a position which corresponded to the figure that turned up. For example, if a standing figure turned up he stood, if a seated, he sate down, and if a reclining one he lay down. This was a means of increasing mirth.*
Another of his excellent devices was the wearing of clothes each day corresponding to the colour of the planet of that day. Thus on Sunday he wore a yellow robe, which is the colour appropriated to the Sun, who is the regent thereof. On Monday* he wore green, which is appropriate to the Moon, and so on. Another of his inventions was the drum* of justice. If the claim of anyone related to some dispute he beat the drum once. If his grievance consisted in the non-receipt of stipend, or wages he struck twice. If his goods and chattels (māl-u-jihāt) had been seized by oppression, or had been stolen, he complained by beating the drum thrice. If he had a claim of blood against anyone he beat the drum loudly four times.
The notes of the inventive genius of this khedive of holy type are many, but the above are enough to enable the understanding and the acute to comprehend the rare jewels of his soul. It is now better to abridge words and to come to the proper subject.