ON the morning of Thursday, the 4th of the month of Rabī‘u-l-ākhir, Hijrī 1028 (March 10, 1619), the world-enlightening sun entered his house of honour in Aries, and the fourteenth year of the reign of this suppliant commenced in all prosperity and happiness. On Thursday, the 1st of the New Year, my prosperous son, Shāh-Jahān, who is the star of the forehead of accomplished desires, and the brilliancy of the brow of prosperity, prepared a grand entertainment, and presented me as offerings with a selection of the precious things of the age, and rareties and curiosities of every country. One of these is a ruby, weighing 22 surkhs, of good colour, and water, and shape. The jewellers have valued it at Rs. 40,000. Another is a Qubī* (?) ruby, in weight 3 tānks, and very delicate, valued at Rs. 40,000. Further, six pearls, one of them 1 tānk and 8 surkhs in weight. The Vakils of my son had bought it in Gujarat for Rs. 25,000, and the five others for Rs. 33,000. Also one diamond, the price of which was Rs. 18,000. Also a jewelled parda (sash), a sword-hilt made in his own goldsmith's shop; most of the jewels he had himself set and cut. He had brought great dexterity to bear on the design. Its value was fixed as Rs. 50,000. The designs* were his own; no one else had up to this day thought of them. Undoubtedly it was a fine piece of workmanship. There was also a pair of drums made of gold for playing the mursal (overture?) with a whole orchestra—viz., kuwarga, naqqāra, karanā, surnā, etc.—whatever was required for the naqqāra-khāna (music-hall) of great princes, and all made of silver. At the auspicious hour at which I had seated myself on the throne of success these were all sounded. The whole of them came to a value of Rs. 65,000. Another was a seat for riding an elephant, called by moderns a howdah (hauda), made of gold, worth Rs. 30,000. Beside this there were two large elephants and five elephant-trappings of the offerings of Qubu-l-mulk, ruler of Golconda. The first elephant was named Dād-i-Ilāhī (the gift of God). As it entered the private elephant-house on New Year's Day, I gave it the name of Nūr-i-Naurūz (the Light of New Year's Day). In truth he is a grand elephant, and lacks nothing of size, beauty, and dignity. As he looked well to my eye, I mounted him and rode him into the courtyard of the palace. His value was fixed at Rs. 80,000, and the value of six* others at Rs. 20,000. Its golden trappings, consisting of golden chains, etc., my son had had made for the elephant Nūr-i-Naurūz, were worth Rs. 30,000. The second elephant, with silver housings, was also presented, with Rs. 10,000 more in various choice jewels. The kurkarāqs* of my son had also prepared and sent delicate cloths from Gujarat. If all details were to be written, it would take too long. Briefly, the whole of his offerings was of the value of Rs. 450,000. It is hoped that he will eat the fruit of long life and prosperity.
On Friday, the 2nd, Shajā‘at K. ‘Arab, and Nūru-d-dīn Qulī, the kotwal, laid their offerings before me. On Saturday, the 3rd, Dārāb K., son of the Khān-khānān, and on Sunday, the 4th, Khān Jahān, prayed to be allowed to entertain me. Out of the latter's offerings I accepted one pearl, bought for Rs. 20,000, with other rareties, altogether of the value of Rs. 130,000, and presented him with the rest. On Monday, the 5th, Rāja Kishan Dās and Ḥākim K., on Tuesday, the 6th, Sardār K., and on Wednesday, the 7th, Muṣafā K. and Amānat K., presented their offerings. From each of these I took a trifle in order to dignify them. On Thursday, the 8th, I‘timādu-d-daula, Madār-ul-mulk (the pivot of the country), having prepared a royal entertainment, begged to be allowed to receive me. In accepting this request his standing was raised. In fact, in decorating the assembly and the largeness of his offering, he had exceeded himself, and made many decorations, and illuminated all sides of the lake as far as the eye could reach, and decorated the streets both near and far with all kinds of lights and coloured lanterns. Among the offerings of that Madār-us-salṭana there was a throne of gold and silver, much ornamented and decorated, the supports of which were in the form of tigers. It had been completed with great assiduity in the space of three years, and was made at the cost of Rs. 450,000. This throne had been made by a skilful European of the name of Hunarmand (skilful), who had no rival in the arts of a goldsmith and a jeweller, and in all sorts of skill (hunarmandī). He had made it very well, and I gave him this name. In addition to the offerings he had brought for me, he offered the value of Rs. 100,000 in jewelled ornaments and cloths to the Begams and other ladies of the Palace. Without exaggeration, from the beginning of the reign of the late king (may the light of Allah be his testimony!) until now, which is the fourteenth year of the rule of this suppliant, not one of the great Amirs has presented such offerings. In fact, what comparison is there between him and others?
On this day Ikrām K., s. Islām K. was honoured with the mansab, original and increased, of 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse, and Anīrā'ī Singh-dalan with that of 2,000 personal and 1,600 horse, original and increased. On Friday, the 9th, I‘tibār K. presented his offering, and on the same day Khān Daurān, having been presented with a horse and an elephant, took leave to go to the government of Patna.* His mansab, according to a previous rule, was fixed at 6,000 personal and 5,000 horse. On Saturday, the 10th, Fäẓil K., on Sunday, the 11th, Mīr Mīrān, on Monday, the 12th, I‘tiqād K., on Tuesday, the 13th, Tātār K. and Anīrā'ī Singh-dalan, and on Wednesday, the 14th, Mīrzā Rājā Bhāo Singh, presented their offerings. Selecting from them what was delicate and new, I gave the remainder to them. On Thursday, the 15th, Āṣaf Khān prepared a grand assembly and a royal entertainment in his own house, which is a very fine and pleasant place, and begged to be allowed to receive me. At his request, giving him the dignity of acceptance, I went there with the ladies. That pillar of the kingdom looked on this as a bounty from the secret Giver, and in the increase of his offering and preparation of the entertainment displayed great magnificence. Of jewels of great price and delicate gold brocades and all sorts of gifts, that which was approved was selected, and I presented him with the remainder. Among the offerings was a ruby weighing 12 1/2 tānks, which was bought for Rs. 125,000. The value of the offerings that were accepted was Rs. 167,000. On this day Khwāja Jahān was raised to the mansab of 5,000 personal and 2,500 horse.
Lashkar K., having come, by order, from the Deccan, had the honour of waiting on me. As I had determined, after the rainy season had passed and in the beginning of the good weather, to go to the perpetual spring garden of Kashmīr under the favour of Almighty God, it seemed right to me that the guardianship and administration of the fort and city of Agra and the faujdarship of the district, after the manner in which they had been held by Khān Jahān, should be entrusted to Lashkar K., and I honoured him with the good news Amānat K. was entrusted with the duty of superintendent of branding (of horses) and of parading the troopers.* On Friday, the 16th, Khwāja Abū-lḤasan, Chief Bakhshī, on Saturday, the 17th, Ṣādiq K. Bakhshī, on Sunday, the 18th, Irädat K., Chief Butler, and on Monday, the 19th, which was the day of the sun's culmination, ‘Aẓudu-d-daula K., presented offerings, and I accepted from each of them, by way of exalting their dignity, what I approved. At this New Year the value of the accepted offerings of the servants of the Court came to Rs. 2,000,000. On the day of culmination I conferred on my auspicious son Sulṭān Parwīz* the mansab of 20,000 personal and 10,000 horse, original and increased. I‘timādu-d-daula was promoted to that of 7,000 personal and horse. I selected ‘Aẓudu-d-daula for the duty of tutor to the pupil of the eye of the Sultanate, Shāh Shujā‘. I hope that he (the latter) may endure for his natural term of life and may be one of the prosperous ones. Qāsim K. was raised to the mansab of 1,500 personal and 500 horse, and Bāqir K. to that of 1,000 personal and 400 horse. As Mahābat K. had asked for reinforcements, I appointed 500 Aḥadī horse to Bangash, and presented ‘Izzat K., who had done approved service in that province, with a horse and a jewelled khapwa. At this time ‘Abdu-s-Sattār* presented as an offering a compendium in the handwriting of the late king Humāyūn (may the lights of Allah be his testimony!), containing some prayers, an introduction to the science of astronomy, and other marvellous things, most of which he had studied and carried into practice. After reverently inspecting his auspicious handwriting, I felt a joy such as I had seldom experienced. I was exceedingly rejoiced, for, by God, no precious thing I have can be compared with this. In return I increased his mansab beyond what he had imagined possible, and gave him a present of Rs. 1,000. Hunarmand, the European who had made the jewelled throne, I presented with 3,000 darb, a horse and an elephant. I gave Rs. 1,000 to Khwāja Khāwand Maḥmūd, who is a pilgrim of the Path of the Khwājas, and is not void of dervishism and spirituality. Lashkar K. was promoted to the mansab of 3,000 personal and 2,000 horse, Ma‘mūr K. to that of 900 personal and 450 horse, Khwājagī āhir to that of 800 personal and 300 horse, and Sayyid Aḥmad Qādirī to that of 800 and 60 horse. On Rāja Sārang Deo was conferred the mansab of 700 personal and 30 horse, on Mīr Khalīlu-llah, s. ‘Aẓudu-d-daula, that of 600 personal and 250 horse, on the eunuch Fīrūz K., that of 600 and 150 horse, on Khidmat Khān that of 550 and 130 horse, on Maḥram K. that of 500 and 120 horse, on ‘Izzat K. that of 600 personal and 100 horse, on Rāy Newālī Dās, the accountant of the elephant department, that of 600 personal and 120 horse, on Rāy Mānī Dās, the superintendent of the Palace, that of 600 personal and 100 horse, on Nathmal and Jagmal, sons of Kishan Singh. that of 500 and 225 horse each. If the increase of mansab given to those of less than 500 were to be written in full it would be too long. Rs. 2,000 were given to Khiẓr K., who belonged* to Khandesh.