Ḥājī Bī Ūzbeg, who was honoured with the title of Ūzbeg Khān. Bahāduru-l-mulk, who belonged to the army of the Deccan, and held the mansab of 2,500 personal and 2,100 horse, received an increase of 500 personal and 200 horse. An increase of 200 was made in the mansab of Khwāja Taqī, which was 800 personal and 180 horse. On the 25th an increase of 200 horse was made in the rank of Salāmu-llah, the Arab, so that it became 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. I presented Mahābat Khān with the black piebald horse out of my special horses which the ruler of Iran had sent me. At the end of the day of Thursday I went to the house of Bābā Khurram and remained there till a watch of the night had passed. His second offering was laid before me on that day. On the first day he paid his respects he laid before me a celebrated ruby of the Rānā, which, on the day of his paying his respects, he had made an offering of to my son, and which the jewellers valued at 60,000 rupees. It was not worthy of the praise they had given it. The weight of this ruby was eight tānk,285 and it was formerly in the possession of Rāy Maldeo, who was the chief of the tribe of the Rāṭhors and one of the chief rulers (or Rays) of Hindustan. From him it was transferred to his son Chandar Sen, who, in the days of his wretchedness and hopelessness, sold it to Rānā Uday Singh. From him it went to Rānā Partāp, and afterwards to this Rānā Amar Singh. As they had no more valuable gift in their family, he presented it on the day that he paid his respects to my fortunate son Bābā Khurram, together with the whole of his stud of elephants, which, according to the Indian idiom, they call gheta chār.285a I ordered them to engrave on the ruby that at the time of paying his respects Rānā Amar Singh had presented it as an offering to Sulṭān Khurram. On that day certain other things from among the offerings of Bābā Khurram were accepted. Among them was a little crystal box of Frank work, made with great taste, with some emeralds, three rings, four Iraq horses, and various other things, the value of which was 80,000 rupees. On the day on which I went to his house he had prepared a great offering, in fact there were laid before me things and rarities worth about four or five lakhs of rupees. Of these the equivalent of 100,000 rupees was taken away and the balance given to him.
On the 28th the mansab of Khwāja Jahān, which was 3,000 personal and 1,800 horse, was increased by 500 personal and 400 horse. In the end of the month I presented Ibrāhīm Khān with a horse, a robe of honour, a jewelled dagger, a standard and drums, and dismissed him to the province of Behar. The office of ‘arẓ-mukarrir (reviser of petitions), that belonged to Khwājagī Ḥājī Muḥammad, as he had died, I gave to Mukhliṣ Khān, who was in my confidence. Three hundred horse were increased in the mansab of Dilāwar Khān, who now had 1,000 personal and horse. As the hour of the leave-taking of Kunwar Karan was at hand, I was desirous of showing him my skill in shooting with a gun. Just at this time the qarāwulān (shikaris) brought in news of a tigress. Though it is an established custom of mine only to hunt male tigers, yet, in consideration that no other tiger might be obtained before his departure, I went for the tigress. I took with me Karan, and said to him that I would hit it wherever he wished me to do so. After this arrangement I went to the place where they had marked down the tiger. By chance there was a wind anḍ disturbance in the air, and the female elephant on which I was mounted was terrified of the tigress and would not stand still. Notwithstanding these two great obstacles to shooting, I shot straight towards her eye. God Almighty did not allow me to be ashamed before that prince, and, as I had agreed, I shot her in the eye. On the same day Karan petitioned me for a special gun, and I gave him a special Turkish one.
As on the day for his departure I had not given Ibrāhīm Khān an elephant, I now gave him a special elephant, and I also sent an elephant to Bahāduru-l-mulk and one to Wafādār Khān. On the 8th Urdībihisht the assemblage for my lunar weighing was held, and I weighed myself against silver and other things, distributing them amongst the deserving and needy. Nawāzish Khān took leave to go to his jagir, which was in Malwa. On the same day I gave an elephant to Khwāja Abū-l-ḥasan. On the 9th they brought Khān A‘ẓam, who had come to Agra from the fort of Gwalior, and who had been sent for. Though he had been guilty of many offences, and in all that I had done to him I was right, yet when they brought him into my presence and my eye fell on him, I perceived more shame in myself than in him. Having pardoned all his offences, I gave him the shawl I had round my waist. I gave Kunwar Karan 100,000 darab. On the same day Rāja Sūraj Singh brought a large elephant of the name of Ran-rāwat, which was a celebrated elephant of his, as an offering. In fact, it was such a rare elephant that I put it into my private stud. On the 10th the offering of Khwāja Jahān, which he sent me from Agra by the hand of his son, was laid before me. It was of all kinds of things, of the value of 40,000 rupees. On the 12th the offering of Khān Daurān, which consisted of forty-five287 horse, two strings of camels, Arabian dogs (greyhounds), and hunting animals (hawks?), was brought before me. On the same day seven other elephants from Rāja Sūraj Singh were also brought to me as an offering, and were placed in my private stud. Taḥayyur Khān, after he had been in attendance on me for four months, to-day got leave to go. A message was sent to ‘Ādil Khān. I impressed on him the profit and loss of friendship and enmity, and made an agreement (with Taḥayyur Khān) that all these words should be repeated to ‘Ādil Khān, and he should bring him back to the path of loyalty and obedience. At the time of his taking leave I also bestowed on him certain things. On the whole, in this short time, what with the gifts bestowed on him by me privately, by the princes, and those given him by the Amirs according to order, the account mounted up to about 100,000 rupees that he had received. On the 14th the rank and reward of my son Khurram were fixed. His mansab had been one of 12,000 personal and 6,000 horse, and that of his brother (Parwīz) 15,000 personal and 8,000 horse. I ordered his mansab to be made equal with that of Parwīz, besides other rewards. I gave him a private elephant of the name of Panchī Gaj,288 with accoutrements of the value of 12,000 rupees. On the 16th an elephant was given to Mahābat Khān. On the 17th the mansab of Rāja Sūraj Singh, which was 4,000 personal and 3,000 horse, was increased by 1,000, and it was raised to 5,000. At the request of ‘Abdu-llah Khān the mansab of Khwāja ‘Abdu-l-Laṭīf, which was 500 personal and 200 horse, was raised by 200, and it was ordered to be 1,000 personal and 400 horse. ‘Abdu-llah, the son of Khān A‘ẓam, who was imprisoned in the fort of Ranṭambhor, was sent for at the request of his father. He came to the Court, and I took the chains off his legs and sent him to his father's house. On the 24th, Rāja Sūraj Singh presented me with another elephant, called Fauj-sangār (‘ornament of the army’), by way of offering. Although this is also a good elephant, and has been placed in my private stud, it is not to be compared with the first elephant (he sent), which is one of the wonders of the age, and is worth 20,000 rupees. On the 26th, 200 personal were added to the mansab of Badī‘u-z-zamān, son of Mīrzā Shāhrukh; it was 700 personal and 500 horse. On the same day Khwāja Zainu-d-dīn, who is of the Naqshbandī Khwājas, came from Māwarā'a-n-nahr and waited on me, bringing as an offering eighteen horses. Qizilbāsh Khān, who was one of the auxiliaries of the province of Gujarat, had come to Court without the leave of the governor. I ordered that an ahadi should put him into confinement, and that he be sent back to the governor of Gujarat, so that others might not desire to do the same. The mansab of Mubārak Khān Sazāwal I raised 500 personal, so that it should be 1,500 personal and 700 horse. On the 29th I gave Khān A‘ẓam 100,000 rupees, and ordered that the parganahs of Ḍāsna289 and Kāsna,289a which are equivalent to 5,000 personal, should be made his jagir. At the end of the same month I gave leave to Jahāngīr Qulī Khān, with his brothers and other relatives, to go to Allahabad, which had been appropriated to them as jagir. At this meeting twenty horse, a qabā (parm narm) of Cashmere cloth, twelve deer, and ten Arabian dogs were given to Karan. The next day, which was the 1st Khūrdād, forty horse, the next day forty-one horse, and the third day twenty, amounting in the space of three days to 101 head, were given as a present to Kunwar Karan. In return for the elephant Fauj-sangār, an elephant worth 10,000 rupees out of my private stud was presented to Rāja Sūraj Singh. On the 5th of the month ten turbans (chīra), ten coats (qaba), and ten waist-bands were given to Karan. On the 20th I gave him another elephant.
In these days the news-writer of Kashmir had written that a Mullā of the name of Gadā'ī, a disciplined dervish, who for forty years had lived in one of the monasteries of the city, had prayed the inheritors of that monastery two years290 before he was to deliver over the pledge of his life that he might select a corner in that monastery as a place for his burial. They said, “Let it be so.” In short, he selected a place. When the time for his delivery came he informed his friends and relations and those who were dear to him that an order had reached him that, delivering over the pledge (of life) he had, he should turn towards the last world. Those who were present wondered at his words, and said that the prophets had no such information, and how could they believe such words? He said, “Such an order has been given to me.” He then turned to one of his confidants, who was of the sons of the Qāẓīs of the country, and said: “You will expend the price290a of my Koran, which is worth 700 tankas, in carrying me (to the grave). When you hear the call to Friday's prayer you will enquire for me.” This conversation took place on the Thursday, and he divided all the goods in his room among his acquaintance and disciples, and went, and at end of the day bathed at the baths. The Qāẓī-zāda aforesaid came before the call for prayer, and enquired as to the health of the Mullā. When he came to the door of the cell he found the door closed and a servant sitting there. He asked the slave what had happened, and the servant said, “The Mullā has enjoined me that until the door of the cell open of its own accord I must not go in.” Shortly after these words were said the door of the cell opened. The Qāẓī-zāda entered the cell with that servant and saw that the Mullā was on his knees with his face turned toward the qibla, and had given up his soul to God. Happy the state of the freed who can fly away from this place of the snares of dependence with such ease!
By the increase of 200 personal and 50 horse in the mansab of Karam Sen Rāṭhor, I raised it to 1,000 personal and 300 horse. On the 11th of this month the offering of Lashkar Khān, which consisted of three strings of Persian camels and twenty cups and plates from Khiṭā (China) and twenty Arabian dogs, was brought before me. On the 12th a jewelled dagger was bestowed on I‘tibār Khān, and to Karan I gave a plume (kalgī) worth 2,000 rupees. On the 14th I gave a dress of honour to Sar-buland291 Rāy, and gave him leave to go to the Deccan.
On the night of Friday, the 15th, a strange affair occurred. By chance on that night I was at Pushkar. To be brief, Kishan, own brother to Rāja Sūraj Singh, was in great perturbation through Gobind Dās, the Vakil of the said Raja having some time ago killed his nephew, a youth of the name of Gopāl Dās. The cause of the quarrel it would take too long to tell. Kishan Singh expected that, as Gopāl Dās was also the nephew of the Raja (Sūraj Singh), the latter would kill Gobind Dās. But the Raja, on account of the experience and ability of Gobind Dās, relinquished the idea of seeking revenge for his nephew's death. When Kishan saw this neglect on the part of the Raja, he resolved himself to take revenge for his nephew, and not allow his blood to pass away unnoticed. For a long time he kept this matter in his mind, until on that night he assembled his brothers, friends, and servants, and told them that he would go that night to take Gobind Dās's life, whatever might happen, and that he did not care what injury might happen to the Raja. The Raja was in ignorance of what was happening, and when it was near dawn Kishan came with Karan, his brother's son, and other companions. When he arrived at the gate of the Raja's dwelling he sent some of the experienced men on foot to the house of Gobind Dās, which was near the Raja's. He himself (Kishan) was on horseback, and stationed himself near the gate. The men on foot entered Gobind Dās's house, and killed some of those who were there on guard. Whilst this fight was going on Gobind Dās awoke, and seizing his sword in a state of bewilderment was coming out from one side of the house to join the outside watchmen. When the men on foot had finished killing some of the people, they came out of the tent to endeavour to find out Gobind Dās, and, meeting him, they finished his affair (killed him). Before the news of the killing of Gobind Dās reached Kishan, he, unable to bear it any more, dismounted and came inside the dwelling. Although his men protested in a disturbed state that it was not right to be on foot, he would in no way listen to them. If he had remained a little longer and the news of his enemy having been killed had reached him, it is possible that he would have escaped safe and sound, mounted as he was. As the pen of destiny had gone forth after another fashion, as soon as he alighted and went in, the Raja, who was in his maḥall (female apartment), awoke at the uproar among the people, and stood at the gate of his house with his sword drawn. People from all sides were aroused and came in against the men who were on foot. They saw what the number of men on foot was, and came out in great numbers and faced Kishan Singh's men, who were about ten in number. In short, Kishan Singh and his nephew Karan, when they reached the Raja's house, were attacked by these men and both of them killed. Kishan Singh had seven and Karan nine wounds. Altogether in this fight 66 men on the two sides were killed, on the Raja's side 30 and on Kishan Singh's 36. When the sun rose and illumined the world with its light, this business was revealed, and the Raja saw that his brother, his nephew, and some of his servants, whom he considered dearer than himself, were killed, and the whole of the rest had dispersed to their own places. The news reached me in Pushkar, and I ordered them to burn those who were killed, according to their rites, and inform me of the true circumstances of the affair. In the end it became clear that the affair had happened in the manner in which it has been written here, and that no further enquiry was necessary.
On the 8th Mīrān Ṣadr Jahān came from his native place and waited on me with an offering of 100 muhrs. Rāy Sūraj Singh was dismissed to his duty in the Deecan. I presented him with a couple of pearls for his ears and a special Kashmir shawl (parm narm). A pair of pearls were also sent to Khān Jahān. On the 25th I increased the mansab of I‘tibār Khān by 600 horse, so as to bring it to 5,000 personal and 2,000 horse. On the same day Karan obtained leave to go to his jagir. He received a present of a horse, a special elephant, a dress of honour, a string of pearls of the value of 50,000 rupees, and a jewelled dagger which had been completed for 2,000 rupees. From the time of his waiting on me till he obtained leave, what he had had in the shape of cash, jewellery, jewels, and jewelled things was of the value of 200,000 rupees, with 110 horses, five elephants, in addition to what my son Khurram bestowed on him at various times. I gave Mubārak Khān Sazāwal a horse and an elephant, and appointed him to accompany him. I sent several verbal messages to the Rānā. Rāja Sūraj Singh also obtained leave to go to his native country, with a promise to return in two months. On the 27th, Pāyanda Khān Moghul,294 who was one of the old Amirs of the State, gave up the deposit of his life.
At the end of this month news came that the ruler of Iran had executed his eldest son Ṣafī Mīrzā. This was a cause of great bewilderment. When I enquired into it they said that at Darash,294a which is one of the noted cities of Gīlān, he ordered a slave of the name of Bihbūd to kill Ṣafī Mīrzā. The slave found an opportunity, early in the morning on the 5th of Muḥarram, in the year 1024 (25th January, 1615), when the Mīrzā was returning from the baths towards his house, and finished his affair for him with two wounds from a sword (sīkhakī).294b After a great part of the day had passed, while his body lay between the water and the mud, Shaikh Bahā'u-d-dīn Muḥammad, who was the best known man in the country for learning and holiness, and on whom the Shah had full reliance, reported the affair, and, obtaining leave to lift him up, took his corpse and sent it to Ardabīl, where was the burial-ground of his ancestors. Although much enquiry was made of travellers from Iran, no one would say a word of this affair that satisfied my mind with regard to it. The killing of a son must have some powerful motive in order to do away with the disgrace of it.
On the 1st of the month of Tīr I gave an elephant of the name of Ranjīt with its trappings to Mīrzā Rustam and another to Sayyid ‘Alī Bārha. Mīrak Ḥusain, a relation of Khwāja Shamsu-d-dīn, was appointed bakhshi and news-writer of the Subah of Behar, and took leave to go. I gave Khwāja ‘Abdu-l-Laṭīf Qūsh-begī (the falconer) an elephant and a dress of honour, and dismissed him to his jagir. On the 9th of the same month I gave a jewelled sword to Khān Daurān, and a jewelled dagger was sent for Allahdād, the son of Jalālā the Afghan, who had become loyal. On the 13th took place the meeting for the festival of the Āb-pāshān295 (rose-water scattering), and the servants of the Court amused themselves with sprinkling rose-water over each other. On the 17th, Amānat Khān was appointed to the port of Cambay. As Muqarrab Khān proposed to come to Court, the (charge of the) aforesaid port was changed. On the same day I sent a jewelled waist-dagger to my son Parwīz. On the 18th the offering of Khānkhānān was laid before me. He had prepared all kinds of jewellery and other things, jewels with jewelled things, such as three rubies and 103 pearls, 100 rubies (yāqūt), two jewelled daggers and an aigrette adorned with rubies and pearls, a jewelled water-jar, a jewelled sword, a quiver bound with velvet, and a diamond ring, altogether of the value of about 100,000 rupees, in addition to jewels and jewelled things, cloth from the Deccan and Carnatic, and all kinds of gilt and plain things, with fifteen elephants and a horse whose mane reached the ground. The offering of Shāh-nawāz Khān (his son) also, consisting of five elephants, 300 pieces of all kinds of cloth, was brought before me. On the 8th I honoured Hūshang with the title of Ikrām Khān. Rūz-afzūn, who was one of the princes of the Subah of Behar, and who had been from his youth one of the permanent servants of the Court, having been honoured by admission into Islam, was made Raja of the province of his father, Rāja Sangrām.296 Though the latter had been killed in opposing the leaders of the State, I gave him an elephant and leave to go to his native place. An elephant was presented to Jahāngīr Qulī Khān. On the 24th, Jagat Singh, son of Kunwar Karan; who was in his 12th year, came and waited on me, and presented petitions from his grandfather, the Rānā Amar Singh, and from his father. The signs of nobility and high birth were evident on his face. I pleased him with a dress of honour and kindness. To the mansab of Mīrzā ‘Īsā Tarkhān an addition of 200 personal was made, so that it attained to 1,200 personal and 300 horse. In the end of the month, having honoured Shaikh Ḥusain Rohīla with the title of Mubāriz Khān, I dismissed him to his jagir. Ten thousand darabs (5,000 rupees) were given to the relations of Mīrzā Sharafu-d-dīn Ḥusain Kāshgharī, who at this time had come and had the honour of kissing the threshold. On the 5th Amurdād, to the mansab of Rāja Nathmal, which was 1,500 personal and 1,100 horse, an addition of 500 personal and 100 horse was made. On the 7th, Kesho (Dās) Mārū, who had a jagir in the Sarkar of Orissa, and who had been sent for to Court on account of a complaint296a against the governor of the Subah of that place, came and paid his respects. He produced as an offering four elephants. As I had a great desire to see my farzand (son) Khān Jahān (Lodī), and for the purpose of enquiring into important matters connected with the Deccan, it was necessary for him to come at once, I sent for him. On Tuesday, the 8th of the same month, he waited on me, and presented as an offering 1,000 muhrs, 1,000 rupees, 4 rubies, 20 pearls, 1 emerald, and a jewelled phūl kaṭāra, the total value being 50,000 rupees. On the night of Sunday, as it was the anniversary of the great Khwāja (Mu‘īnu-d-dīn), I went to his revered mausoleum, and remained there till midnight. The attendants and Sufis exhibited ecstatic states, and I gave the fakirs and attendants money with my own hand; altogether there were expended 6,000 rupees in cash, 100 ṯaub - kurta (a robe down to the ankles), 70 rosaries of pearls,297 coral and amber, etc. Mahā Singh, grandson of Rāja Mān Singh, was honoured with the title of Raja, and a standard and drums given him. On the 16th an Iraq horse out of my private stable and another horse were presented to Mahābat Khān. On the 19th an elephant was given to Khān A‘ẓam. On the 20th, 200 horse were added to the mansab of Kesho (Dās) Mārū, which was 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse, and he was dignified with a dress of honour. An increase of 200 personal and horse was made to the mansab of Khwāja ‘Āqil, which was 1,200 personal and 600 horse. On the 22nd, Mīrzā Rāja Bhāo Singh took leave to go to Amber, which was his ancient native place, and had given him a special Kashmir phūp (?) robe.297a On the 25th, Aḥmad Beg Khān, who was imprisoned at Ranṭambhor, paid his respects to me, and his offences were pardoned on account of his former services. On the 28th, Muqarrab Khān came from the Subah of Gujarat and waited on me, and offered an aigrette and a jewelled throne.297b An increase of 500 personal and horse was made to the mansab of Salāmu-llah, the Arab, and it was brought to 2,000 personal and 1,100 horse. On the 1st of the month of Shahrīwar the following increases were made in the rank of a number of men who were going on service to the Deccan:—To Mubāriz Khān 300 horse, making 1,000 personal and horse. Nāhir Khān was also raised to 1,000 personal and horse. Dilāwar Khān was raised by 300 horse to 2,500 personal and horse. Manglī Khān's rank was increased by 200 horse to 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. Girdhar, the son of Ray Sāl, had the rank of 800 personal and horse bestowed on him, and Ilf Khān Qiyām Khān the same mansab, original and increase. Yādgār Ḥusain was raised to 700 personal and 500 horse, and Kamālu-d-dīn, son of Shīr Khān, to the same mansab. One hundred and fifty horse were added to the rank of Sayyid ‘Abdu-llah Bārha, which then came to 700 personal and 300 horse, original and increase. On the 8th of the said month I bestowed one Nūr-jahānī muhr, which is equal to 6,400 rupees, on Muṣṭafā Beg, the ambassador of the ruler of Iran, and presented five cheetahs to Qāsim Khān, governor of Bengal. Mīrzā Murād, eldest son of Mīrzā Rustam, on the 12th of the same month was honoured with the title of Iltifāt Khān. On the night of the 16th, corresponding with the Shab-i-barāt (consecrated to the memory of forefathers), I ordered them to light lamps on the hills round the Ānā Sāgar tank and on its banks, and went myself to look at them. The reflection of the lamps fell on the water and had a wonderful appearance. I passed the most of that night with the ladies of the mahall on the bank of that tank.
On the 17th, Mīrzā Jamālu-d-dīn Ḥusain,298 who had gone as an ambassador to Bijapur, came and waited on me, and presented three rings, the stone of one of which was a cornelian from Yemen, of great beauty and pureness of water, the like of which is seldom seen among the cornelians of Yemen. ‘Ādil Khān sent a person of the name of Sayyid Kabīr Khān on his own part with the said Mir, and forwarded as offerings elephants with gold and silver fittings, Arab horses, jewels and jewelled things, and all kinds of cloth made in that country. On the 24th of this month they were brought before me with a letter he had brought. On the same day the assembly for my solar weighing was held. On the 26th, Muṣṭafā Beg, the ambassador, took his leave. In addition to what had been bestowed on him during the time of his attendance, I gave him 20,000 rupees more in cash and a dress of honour, and in answer to the letter he had brought sent a friendly letter written in the perfection of friendship. On the 4th of the month of Mihr the mansab of Mīr Jamālu-d-dīn Ḥusain, which was 2,000 personal and 500 horse, was fixed at 4,000 personal and 2,000 horse. On the 5th, Mahābat Khān, in company with Khān Jahān, who had been appointed to serve in the Deccan, at the hour that had been appointed for him, took his leave; he was honoured with a dress of honour, a jewelled dagger, a phūl kaṭāra, a special sword, and an elephant. On the 8th, Khān Jahān took his leave, and I presented him with a dress of honour, and a special nādirī (a dress), and an ambling horse with a saddle, a special elephant, and a special sword. On the same date 1,700 horse of those under the command of Mahābat Khān were ordered to have assignments (tankhwāh) for two or three horses given them. The whole of the men who were at this time appointed for service in the Deccan were 330 mansabdars, 3,000 ahadis, 700 horse from the Ūymaqs, and 3,000 Dalazāk Afghans. Altogether there were 30,000299 cavalry, and 3,000,000 rupees of treasure, and an efficient artillery, and war elephants. They proceeded on this duty. The mansab of Sarbuland Rāy was increased by 500 personal and 260 horse, and came to 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse. Bāljū, nephew of Qilīj Khān, was promoted to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 700 horse, original and increase. I also increased Rāja Kishan Dās's mansab by 500. At the request of Khān Jahān, the mansab of Shāhbāz Khān Lodī, who belonged to the Deccan force, was fixed, original and increase, at 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse; and 200 horse were added to the mansab of Wazīr Khān. The mansab of Suhrāb Khān, son of Mīrzā Rustam, was fixed at 1,000 personal and 400 horse, original and increase. On the 14th of the same month 1,000 was added to the mansab of Mīr Jamālu-d-dīn Ḥusain, and by increasing it also by 500 horse he was raised to the exalted rank of 5,000 personal and 2,500 horse. On the 19th, Rāja Sūraj Singh, with his son Gaj Singh, who had gone home, came and paid their respects, and presented as offerings 100 muhrs and 1,000 rupees. I gave Sayyid Kabīr, who had been sent by ‘Ādil Khān, one Nūrjahānī muhr, which weighed 500 tūlcha. On the 23rd, ninety elephants of those which Qāsim Khān had acquired from the conquest of the country of Kūch (Behar), and the conquest of the Maghs and the zamindars of Orissa, were brought before me and placed in the special elephant houses. On the 26th, Irādat Khān was raised to the rank of Mīr-sāmānī (head butler), Mu‘tamad Khān to that of Bakhshi of the Ahadis, Muḥammad Riẓā Jābirī to that of Bakhshi of the Subah of the Panjab and news-writer of that place. Sayyid Kabīr, who had come on the part of ‘Ādil Khān to beg pardon for the offences of the rulers (dunyā-dārān) of the Deccan, and to promise the restoration of the fort of Ahmadnagar and the royal territory which had been taken out of the possession of the chiefs of the victorious State through the rebellion of certain rebels, came and waited on me, and obtained leave to go on this date; and, having received a dress of honour, an elephant, and a horse, started off. As Rāja Rāj Singh Kachhwāha had died in the Deccan, I promoted his son Rām Dās to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 400 horse. On the 4th of Ābān, drums were given to Saif Khān Bārha and his mansab increased by 300 horse, so as to bring it up to 3,000 personal and 2,000 horse. On the same date I released Rāja Mān, who was in confinement in the fort of Gwalior, on the security of Murtaẓā Khān, and, confirming his mansab, sent him to the said Khān for duty at the fort of Kāngra. At the request of Khān Daurān, an increase of 300 horse was ordered to the mansab of Ṣādiq Khān, raising it to 1,000 personal and horse. Mīrzā ‘Īsā Tarkhān came from the province of Sambhal, which was his jagir, and waited on me, and offered 100 muhrs. On the 16th, Rāja Sūraj Singh obtained leave to go to his duty in the Deccan, and I increased his mansab by 300 horse, so as to make it 5,000 personal and 3,300 horse; he received a dress of honour and a horse, and started. On the 18th I confirmed the mansab of Mīrzā ‘Īsā, original and increase, at 1,500 personal and 800 horse, and gave him an elephant and a dress of honour, and he took leave to go to the Deccan.
On the same day the news of the death of the wretch Chīn Qilīj was received by a letter from Jahāngīr Qulī Khān. After the death of Qilīj Khān, who was one of the old servants of this State, I had made this inauspicious man an Amir, and shown him great favour, and given him in jagir such a place as Jaunpur. I also sent his other brothers and relations with him and made them his deputies. He had one brother of the name of Lahorī,301 of a very wicked disposition. It was reported to me that the servants of God (people) were greatly oppressed by his conduct. I sent an ahadi to bring him (Lahorī) from Jaunpur. At the coming of the ahadi, suspicion without any cause prevailed over Chīn Qilīj, and it came into his mind to run away, taking his misguided brother with him. Leaving his mansab, his government, place, and jagir, money, property, children, and people, he took a little money and gold and a few jewels and went with a small body among the zamindars. This news arrived a few days ago and caused great astonishment. In short, to whatever zamindar he went he took money302 from him (?) and then let him go (?), until news came that he had entered the country of Johaṭ.302a When this news reached Jahāngīr Qulī Khān, he sent some of his men to take and bring that thoughtless one. They took him as soon as they arrived, and were intending to take him to Jahāngīr Qulī Khān, when he at that very moment went to hell. Some of those who had accompanied him said that for some days previously he had contracted an illness and it had killed him. But this was heard of him as well, that he committed suicide, in order that they might not take him to Jahāngīr Qulī Khān in this state. In any case, they brought his body with his children and servants who were with him to Allahabad. They made away with most of the money that he had, and the zamindars took it from him. Alas, that salt (i.e. loyalty) should not have brought such black-faced wretches to condign punishment!
On the 22nd, at the request of Khān Daurān, 200 horse were added to the mansab of Nād ‘Alī Maidānī, one of the officers appointed to Bangash, which brought it to 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse; 100 horse were also added to the mansab of Lashkar Khān, which was 2,000 personal and 900 horse. On the 24th I confirmed the mansab of Muqarrab Khān, which was 3,000 personal and 2,000 horse, and increased it to 5,000 personal and 2,500 horse. On the same day I bestowed the title of Khan on Qiyām, son of Shāh Muḥammad Qandahārī, who was an Amīr-zāda, and was in service as a huntsman. On the 5th of the month of Āzar a jewelled dagger was given to Dārāb Khān, and by the hand of Rāja Sārang Deo dresses of honour were bestowed on the Amirs of the Deccan. As some (evil) things had been heard about Ṣafdar Khān, governor of Kashmir, I dismissed him from the government, and favouring Aḥmad Beg Khān on account of his previous services, I promoted him to be Subadar of Kashmir, and confirmed his mansab of 2,500 personal and 1,500 horse, honoured him with a jewelled waist-dagger and a dress of honour, and gave him leave. By the hand of Ihtimām Khān I sent winter dresses of honour to Qāsim Khān, governor of Bengal, and the Amirs that were attached to that province. On the 15th of the month there was laid before me the offering of Maka'ī, son of Iftikhār Khān, consisting of an elephant, goṭ303 horses, and pieces of cloth. He was honoured with the title of Muruwwat Khān. At the request of I‘timādu-d-daula, I had sent for Dayānat Khān, who was in the fort of Gwalior, and he had the good fortune to pay his respects; his property, which had been confiscated, was restored to him.
At this time Khwāja Hāshim, of Dahbīd, who at this day vigorously maintains in Transoxiana the profession of a dervish, and in whom the people of that country have great belief, sent a letter by the hand of one of his disciples pointing out his old devotion (to the royal family) and connection and friendship of his ancestors with this illustrious family, together with a farjī304 and a bow and a couplet which the late king Bābar had made for a saint of the name of Khwājagī, who also belonged to that sect of dervishes. The last hemistich is as follows:—
“We are bound to the Khwājagī and are servants to the Khwājagī.”
I also with my own pen wrote some lines in the style of that writing, and sent impromptu quatrains with 1,000 Jahāngīrī muhrs to the said Khwāja—
“O thou whose kindness to me is ever more and more,
The State has remembrance of thee, O Dervish,
As from good tidings our heart is rejoiced,
We are glad that thy kindness passes all bounds.”
As I ordered that whoever had the poetic temperament should recite (compose?) this quatrain,304a Hakīm Masīḥu-z-zamān said, and said very well—
“Although we have the business of kingship before us,
Every moment more and more we think on the dervishes.
If the heart of our Dervish be gladdened by us
We count that to be the profit of our kingship.”
I gave the Ḥakīm 1,000 muhrs for the composition of this quatrain. On the 7th of the month of Day, when I was coming back from Pushkar and returning to Ajmir, on the way forty-two wild pigs were taken.
On the 20th, Mīr Mīrān came and waited on me. A summary of his circumstances and of his family is now written. On the side of his father305 he is the grandson of Mīr Ghiyāṯu-d-dīn Muḥammad Mīr Mīrān, son of Shāh Ni‘matu-llah Walī. During the reigns of the Ṣafawī kings the family had attained to great respect, so that Shāh Ṭahmāsp gave his own sister Jānish305a Khānim to Shāh Ni‘matu-llah, and so on account of his being a great Shaikh and of his being an instructor he was made a relative and a son-in-law (of kings). On the side of his mother he was the daughter's son of Shāh Isma‘īl Khūnī (Isma‘īl II, the Bloody). After the death of Shāh Ni‘matu-llah, his son Ghiyāṯu-d-dīn Muḥammad Mīr Mīrān received great consideration, and the late Shāh (Ṭahmāsp) gave to his eldest son in marriage a daughter from the royal family. He gave the daughter of the above-mentioned Shāh Isma‘īl to another son of his, Khalīlu-llah, to whom Mīr Mīrān was born. The aforesaid Mīr Khalīlu-llah, seven or eight years before this, had come from Persia and waited on me at Lahore. As he belonged to a high and saintly family, I was much interested in his affairs, and gave him a mansab and a jagir, and honoured and cherished him. After the seat of government was at Agra, in a short time he was attacked by bilious305b diarrhœa from eating too many mangoes, and in ten or twelve days gave up his soul to the Creator. I was grieved at his going, and ordered what he had left in cash and jewels to be sent to his children in Persia. Meanwhile Mīr Mīrān, who was 22 years old, became a qalandar and dervish, and came to me at Ajmir in a way that nobody on the road could recognize him. I soothed all the troubles of his mind and the miseries of his inward and outward condition, and gave him a mansab of 1,000 personal and 400 horse, and presented him with 30,000 darabs in cash. He is now in waiting and attendance on me.
On the 12th, Ẓafar Khān, who had been removed from the Subah of Behar, came and waited on me, and made an offering of 100 muhrs, as well as three elephants. On the 15th of Day I increased the mansab of Qāsim Khān, the Subahdar of Bengal, by 1,000 personal and horse, so as to make it 4,000 personal and horse. As the diwan and bakhshi of Bengal, Ḥusain Beg and Ṭāhir, had not done approved service, Mukhliṣ Khān, who was one of the confidential servants of the Court, was nominated to these duties. I conferred on him a mansab of 2,000 personal and 700 horse, and also gave him a standard. The duty of ‘arẓ-mukarrir (reviser of petitions) I ordered to be given to Dayānat Khān. On the 25th, Friday, the weighing of my son Khurram took place. Up to the present year, when he is 24 years old, and is married and has children, he has never defiled himself with drinking wine. On this day, when the assembly for his weighing was held, I said to him: “Bābā, thou hast become the father of children, and kings and kings' sons have drunk wine. To-day, which is the day of thy being weighed, I will give thee wine to drink, and give thee leave to drink it on feast days and at the time of the New Year, and at all great festivals. But thou must observe the path of moderation, for wise men do not consider it right to drink to such an extent as to destroy the understanding, and it is necessary that from drinking only profit should be derived.” Bū ‘Alī (Avicenna), who is one of the most learned of hakims and physicians, has written this quatrain—
“Wine is a raging enemy, a prudent friend;
A little is an antidote, but much a snake's poison.
In much there is no little injury,
In a little there is much profit.”
With much trouble wine was given to him. I had not drunk it till I was 15307 years old, except when in the time of my infancy two or three times my mother and wet-nurses gave it by way of infantile remedy. They asked for a little spirit from my revered father, and gave it me to the extent of a tola mixed with water and rosewater to take away a cough, designating it as medicine. At the time when the camp of my revered father had been pitched in order to put down the disturbance of Yūsufza'e Afghans at the fort of Attock, which is on the bank of the Nīlāb (Indus) River, one day I had mounted to go out to hunt. When I had moved about a good deal and the signs of weariness had set in, a gunner of the name of Ustād Shāh-qulī, a wonderful gunner out of those under my revered uncle Mīrzā Muḥammad Ḥakīm, said to me that if I would take a cup of wine it would drive away the feeling of being tired and heavy. It was in the time of my youth, and as I felt disposed towards it I ordered Maḥmūd, the Āb-dār (person in charge of drinking water, etc.), to go to the house of Ḥakīm ‘Alī and bring me an intoxicating draught. He sent me307a the amount of one and a half cups of yellow wine of a sweet taste in a little bottle. I drank it, and found its quality agreeable. After that I took to drinking wine, and increased it from day to day until wine made from grapes ceased to intoxicate me, and I took to drinking arrack (‘araq, spirits), and by degrees during nine years my potions rose to twenty cups of doubly distilled spirits, fourteen during the daytime and the remainder at night. The weight of this was six Hindustani sirs or one and a half maunds of Iran. The extent of my eating in those days was a fowl308 with bread and vegetables (lit. radish).308a In that state of matters no one had the power to forbid me, and matters went to such a length that in the crapulous state from the excessive trembling of my hand I could not drink from my own cup, but others had to give it me to drink, until I sent for Ḥakīm Humām, brother of Ḥakīm Abū-l-fatḥ, who was of the most intimate with my revered father, and informed him of my state. He, with excessive sincerity and unfeigned burning of heart, said to me without hesitation, “Lord of the world, by the way in which you drink spirits, God forbid it, but in six months matters will come to such a pass that there will be no remedy for it.” As his words were said out of pure good-will, and sweet life was dear to me, they made an impression on me, and from that day I began to lessen my allowance and set myself to take filūnīyā.308b In proportion as I diminished my liquor, I increased the amount of filuniya.
I also ordered that the arrack should be diluted with wine of the grape so that there should be two parts wine and one part arrack. Every day I diminished the quantity I took, and in the course of seven years I brought it down to six cups. The weight of each cupful was 18 1/4 misqals. It is now fifteen years that I have drunk at this rate, neither more nor less. And my drinking time is the night except on the day of Thursdays, as it is the day of the blessed accession. Also on the eve309 of Friday, which is the most blessed eve of the week, and is the prelude to a blessed day (I do not drink). I drink at the end of each day with these two309a exceptions, for it does not appear right that this eve (Thursday night) should be spent in neglect, and that there should be an omission (on Friday) of returning thanks to the True Benefactor. On the day of Thursday and on the day of Sunday I do not eat meat. Not on Thursday, because it is the day of my auspicious accession, and not on Sunday, because it is the birthday of my revered father, and he greatly honoured and held dear the day. After some time I substituted opium for filuniya. Now that my age has arrived at 46 solar years and 4 months, I eat eight surkhs (a red berry used as a weight) of opium when five gharis of day have passed, and six surkhs after one watch of night.
I gave a jewelled dagger to ‘Abdu-llah Khān by the hand of Maqṣūd ‘Alī. Shaikh Mūsā, a relation of Qāsim Khān, was dignified with the title of Khān, and promoted to the mansab of 800 personal and 400 horse, and was allowed to go to Bengal. The mansab of Ẓafar Khān was increased to 500 personal and horse, and he was appointed to duty in Bangash. On the same day Muḥammad Ḥusain, brother of Khwāja Jahān, was given the faujdarship of the Sarkar of Ḥiṣṣār and dismissed, his mansab being increased by 200 horse to raise it to 500 personal and 400 horse, with the gift of an elephant. On the 5th Bahman an elephant was conferred on Mīr Mīrān. When the merchant ‘Abdu-l-Karīm left Iran for Hindustan, my exalted brother Shāh ‘Abbās sent me by his hand a rosary of cornelian from Yemen and a cup of Venetian workmanship, which was very fine and rare. On the 9th of the same month they were laid before me. On the 18th some offerings of many kinds of jewelled ornaments, etc., which Sulṭān Parwīz had sent to me, were laid before me. On the 7th Isfan-dārmu z, Ṣādiq, nephew of I‘timādu-d-daulah, who was permanently employed as Bakhshi, was honoured with the title of Khān. I had also conferred this title on Khwāja ‘Abdu-l-‘Azīz. According to what was right, I called him by the title of ‘Abdu-l-‘Azīz Khān and Ṣādiq by that of Ṣādiq Khān. On the 10th, Jagat Singh, son of Kunwar Karan, who had obtained leave to go to his native country, when he took leave was presented with 20,000 rupees, a horse, an elephant, a dress of honour, and a special shawl. Five thousand rupees, a horse, and a dress of honour were also given to Haridās Jhālā, who was one of the confidants of the Rānā and tutor to Karan's son. By his hand I also sent a mace of gold (shashparī) for the Rānā.
On the 20th of the same month, Rāja Sūraj Singh, son of Rāja Bāso, who on account of the nearness of his dwelling-place to it had been sent with Murtaẓā Khān to capture the fort of Kāngra, came on my summons and waited on me. The aforesaid Khān had entertained certain suspicions with regard to him, and on this account, considering him an undesirable companion, had repeatedly sent petitions to the Court, and wrote things about him until an order was received to summon him.
On the 26th, Niẓāmu-d-dīn Khān came from Multan and waited on me. In the end of this year news of victory and prosperity came in from all sides of my dominions. In the first place, this was with regard to the disturbance of Aḥdād, the Afghan, who for a long time past had been in rebellion in the hill country of Kabul, and round whom many of the Afghans of that neighbourhood had assembled, and against whom from the time of my revered father until now, which is the 10th year after my accession, armies have always been employed. He by degrees was defeated, and, falling into a wretched state, a part of his band was dispersed and a part killed. He took refuge for some time in Charkh, which was a place on which he relied, but Khān Daurān surrounded it and closed the road for entry and exit. When there remained no grass for his beasts or means of living for men in the fortress, he at night brought down his animals from the hills and grazed them on the skirts, and accompanied them himself, in order that he might set an example to his men. At last this intelligence reached Khān Daurān. He then appointed a body of his leaders and experienced men to go into ambush on an appointed night in the neighbourhood of Charkh. That band went and hid itself at night in places of refuge, and Khān Daurān rode on the same day in that direction. When those ill-fated ones brought out their cattle and let them loose to graze, and the ill-conditioned Aḥdād himself passed by the places of ambush with his own band, suddenly a dust rose in front of him. When they enquired it became known that it was Khān Daurān. In a state of bewilderment he endeavoured to turn back, and the scouts announced to the aforesaid Khān that it was Aḥdād. The Khān gave his horse the reins and went at Aḥdād; the men who were in ambush also blocked the road and attacked him. The fight lasted till midday in consequence of the broken nature of the ground and the thickness of the jungle; at last defeat fell on the Afghans and they betook themselves to the hill: about 300 fighting men went to hell and 100 were taken prisoners. Aḥdād could not regain the stronghold and hold on there. Necessarily he turned his face towards Qandahar. The victorious troops, entering Charkh, burnt all the places and houses of those ill-fortuned ones, and destroyed and rooted them up from their foundations.
Another312 piece of news was the defeat of the ill-starred ‘Ambar and the destruction of his unfortunate army. Briefly, a band of the influential leaders and a body of Bargīs (Mahrattas), who are a hardy lot and who are the centre of resistance in that country, becoming angry with ‘Ambar, showed an intention to be loyal, and begging for quarter from Shāh-nawāz Khān, who was in Bālāpūr with an army of royal troops, agreed to interview the said Khān, and being satisfied, Ādam Khān, Yāqūt Khān, and other leaders, and the Bargīs Jādo313 Rāy and Bāpū Kāṭiyā, came and interviewed him. Shāh-nawāz Khān gave each of them a horse, an elephant, money, and dress of honour, according to their quality and condition, made them hot in duty and loyalty, and marching from Balapur started against the rebel ‘Ambar in their company. On the road they fell in with an army of the Dakhanis, whose leaders were Maḥalldār,313a Dānish (Ātash?), Dilāwar, Bijlī, Fīrūz, and others, and routed it.
“With broken arms and loosened loins,
No strength in their feet, no sense in their heads.”313b
They reached the camp of that ill-starred one, and he from excessive pride determined to fight with the victorious troops. Having collected those rebels who were with him and ‘Ādil Khān's army and that of Quṭbu-l-mulk together, and preparing their artillery, he started to meet the royal troops until a space of not more than 5 or 6 kos remained between. On Sunday, the 25th Bahman, the armies of light and darkness approached each other and the scouts became visible. Three watches of day had passed when cannon and rocket firing began. In the end Dārāb Khān, who was in command of the vanguard, with other leaders and zealous men such as Rāja Bīr Singh Deo, Rāy Chand, ‘Alī Khān the Tatar, Jahāngīr Qulī Beg Turkmān, and other lions of the forest of bravery, drew their swords and charged the vanguard of the enemy. Performing the dues of manliness and bravery, they scattered this army like the Banātu-n-na‘sh (‘Daughters of the Bier,’ i.e. the Great Bear); and not stopping there they attacked the enemy's centre. Turning on the army opposed to them, such a hand-to-hand struggle took place that the onlookers remained bewildered. For nearly two gharis this combat went on. Heaps of the dead lay there, and the ill-starred ‘Ambar, unable to offer further opposition, turned his face to flight. If darkness314 and gloom had not come on at the cry of those black-fortuned ones, not one of them would have found the road to the valley of safety. The crocodiles of the river of conflict followed the fugitives for 2 or 3 kos. When horses and men could move no more and the defeated were scattered, they drew rein and returned to their places. The whole of the enemy's artillery, with 300 laden camels that carried rockets, war elephants, Arab and Persian horses, weapons and armour beyond reckoning, fell into the hands of the servants of the State, and there was no counting the slain and the fallen. A great many of the leaders fell alive into their hands. The next day the victorious troops, marching from the place of victory, proceeded to Karkī, which was the nest of those owlish ones, and seeing no trace of them they encamped there, and obtained news that they during that night and day had fallen miserably in different places. For some days the victorious army, delayed at Karkī, levelled with the dark earth the buildings and houses of the enemy, and burnt that populous place. In consequence of the occurrence of certain events, to describe which in detail would take too long here, they returned from that place and descended by the Rohan Khanḍa Pass. In reward for this service I ordered increases to be made in the mansabs of a number who had shown zeal and bravery.
The third piece of news was the conquest of the province of Khokharā314a and the acquisition of the diamond mines, which were taken by the excellent exertions of Ibrāhīm Khān. This province is one of the dependencies of the Subah of Behar and Patna. There is a river there from which they procure diamonds. At the season when there is little water, there are pools and water-holes, and it has become known by experience to those who are employed in this work that above every water-hole in which there are diamonds, there are crowds of flying animals of the nature of gnats, and which in the language of India they call jhīngā (?).315 Keeping the bed of the stream in sight as far as it is accessible, they make a collection of stones (sangchīn) round the water-holes. After this they empty the water-holes with spades and shovels to the extent of a yard or 1 1/2 yards and dig up the area. They find among the stones and sand large and small diamonds315a and bring them out. It occasionally happens that they find a piece of diamond worth 100,000 rupees. Briefly, this province and this river were in possession of a Hindu Zamindar of the name of Durjan Sāl, and although the governors of the Subah frequently sent armies against him and went there themselves, in consequence of the difficult roads and thickness of the jungles they contented themselves with taking two or three diamonds and left him in his former conḍition. When the aforesaid Subah was transferred from Ẓafar Khān, and Ibrāhīm Khān was appointed in his place, at the time of his taking leave I ordered him to go and take the province out of the possession of that unknown and insignificant individual. As soon as he arrived in the province of Behar he assembled a force and went against that Zamindar. According to former custom he sent some of his men with a promise to give some diamonds and some elephants, but the Khān did not agree to this and entered impetuously into the province. Before the fellow could collect his men he found guides and invaded it. Just when the zamindar received this news, the hills and vales that are his abode were beleaguered. Ibrāhīm sent men about to find him, and they got hold of him in a cave with several women, one of whom was his mother, while others were also his father's wives. They arrested him, and also one of his brothers. They searched and took from them the diamonds they had with them. Twenty-three male and female elephants also fell into Ibrāhīm s hands. In reward for this service the mansab of Ibrāhīm Khān, original and increase, was made up to 4,000 personal and horse, and he was exalted with the title of Fatḥ-jang. Orders were also given for an increase in the mansabs of those who accompanied him on this service and had shown bravery. That province is now in possession of the imperial servaṇts of the State. They carry on work in the bed of the stream, and bring to Court whatever diamonds are found. A large diamond, the value of which has been estimated at 50,000 rupees, has lately been brought from there. If a little pains are taken, it is probable that good diamonds will be found and be placed in the jewel-room.
Fifteen gharis of day had passed on Sunday, the last day of Isfandārmuz, corresponding with the 1st Rabī‘u-l-awwal (19th March, 1616), when from the mansion of Pisces the sun cast the ray of prosperity on the palace of Aries. At this auspicious hour, having performed the dues of service and supplication at the throne of Almighty God, I ascended the throne of State in the public audience hall, the area of which was laid out with tents and canopies (shāmi-yānahā ), and its sides adorned with European sereens, painted gold brocades, and rare cloths. The princes, Amirs, the chief courtiers, the ministers of State, and all the servants of the Court performed their congratulatory salutations. As Ḥāfiẓ Nād ‘Alī, gūyanda (singer), was one of the ancient servants, I ordered that whatever offerings were made on the Monday by anyone in the shape of cash or goods should be given to him by way of reward. On the 2nd day (of Farwardīn) the offerings of some of the employés were laid before me. On the 4th day the offering of Khwāja Jahān, who had sent them from Agra, and which consisted of several diamonds and pearls, of jewelled things, cloth stuffs of all kinds, and an elephant, worth altogether 50,000 rupees, was brought before me. On the 5th day, Kunwar Karan, who had been given leave to go to his home, returned and waited on me. He presented as offering 100 muhrs, 1,000 rupees, an elephant with fittings, and four horses. To the mansab of Āṣaf Khān, which was 4,000 personal and 2,000 horse, I on the 7th made an addition of 1,000 personal and 2,000 horse, and honoured him with drums and a standard. On this day the offering of Mīr Jamālu-d-dīn Ḥusain was laid before me; what he offered was approved and accepted. Among the things was a jewelled dagger which had been made under his superintendence.318 On its hilt was a yellow ruby318a (yāqūt-i-zard), exceeding clear and bright, in size equal to half a hen's egg. I had never before seen so large and beautiful a yellow ruby. Along with it were other rubies of approved colour and old emeralds. Brokers (muqīmān) valued it (the dagger) at 50,000 rupees. I increased the mansab of the said Mīr by 1,000 horse, which brought it to 5,000 personal and 3,500 horse. On the 8th I increased the mansab of Ṣādiq Ḥāziq by 300 personal and horse, and that of Irādat Khān by 300 personal and 200 horse, so as to raise each to 1,000 personal and 500 horse. On the 9th the offering of Khwāja Abū-l-ḥasan was laid before me; of jewelled ornaments and cloth stuffs, what was of the value of 40,000 rupees was accepted, and the remainder I made a present to him. The offering of Tātār Khān Bakāwul-begī, consisting of one ruby (la‘l), one yāqūt, a jewelled takhtī (signet?), two rings, and some cloths, was accepted. On the 10th three elephants which Rāja Mahā Singh sent from the Deccan, and 100 and odd pieces of gold brocade, etc., which Murtaẓā Khān sent from Lahore, were laid before me. On this date Dayānat Khān presented his offering of two pearl rosaries, two rubies, six large pearls, and one gold tray, to the value of 28,000 rupees. At the end of Thursday, the 11th, I went to the house of I‘timādu-d-daulah in order to add to his dignity. He then presented me with his offering, and I examined it in detail. Much of it was exceedingly rare. Of jewels there were two pearls worth 30,000 rupees, one quṭbī ruby which had been purchased for 22,000 rupees, with other pearls and rubies. Altogether the value was 110,000 rupees. These had the honour of acceptance, and of cloth, etc., the value of 15,000 rupees was taken. When I had finished inspecting the offering I passed nearly one watch of the night in conviviality and enjoyment. I ordered that cups (of wine) should be given to the Amirs and servants. The ladies of the maḥall (harem) were also with me, and a pleasant assembly was held. After the festive assembly was over I begged I‘timādu-d-daulah to excuse me, and went to the hall of audience. On the same day I ordered Nūr-maḥall Begam to be called Nūr-Jahān Begam. On the 12th the offering of I‘tibār Khān was laid before me. They had made a vessel (ẓarf) in the form of a fish, jewelled with beautiful gems, exceedingly well shaped and calculated to hold my allowance.319 This, with other jewels and jewelled things and cloth stuffs, the value of which was worth 56,000 rupees, I accepted and gave back the rest. Bahādur Khān, governor of Qandahar, had sent seven Iraq horses and nine tuqūz (81?) of cloth stuffs. The offerings of Irādat Khān and Rāja Sūraj Mal, son of Rāja Bāso, were laid before me on the 13th. ‘Abdu-s-Subḥān, who held a mansab of 1,200 personal and 600 horse, was promoted to 1,500 personal and 700 horse. On the 15th the Subahdarship of the province of Thatha was transferred from Shamshīr Khān Ūzbeg to Muẓaffar Khān. On the 16th the offering of I‘tiqād Khān, son of I‘timādu-d-daulah, was laid before me. Of this the equivalent of 32,000 rupees was taken, and I gave back the rest to him. On the 17th the offering of Tarbiyat Khān was inspected. Of jewels and cloth what was valued at 17,000 rupees was approved. On the 18th I went to the house of Āṣaf Khān, and his offering was presented to me there. From the palace to his house was a distance of about a kos. For half the distance he had laid down under foot velvet woven with gold and gold brocade and plain velvet, such that its value was represented to me as 10,000 rupees. I passed that day until midnight at his house with the ladies. The offerings he had prepared were laid before me in detail. Jewels, jewelled ornaments, and things of gold and beautiful cloth stuffs, things of the value of 114,000 rupees, four horses, and one camel were approved of. On the 19th (Farwardīn), which was the day of honour (rūz-i-sharaf) of the sun, a grand assembly was held in the palace. In order to observe the auspicious hour, when 2 1/2 gharis of day were left of the aforesaid day, I seated myself on the throne. My son Bābā Khurram at this blessed hour laid before me a ruby of the purest water and brilliancy, which they pronounced to be of the value of 80,000 rupees. I fixed his mansab, which was 15,000 personal and 8,000 horse, at 20,000 personal and 10,000 horse. On the same day my lunar weighing took place. I increased the mansab of I‘timādu-d-daulah, which was 6,000 personal and 3,000 horse, to 7,000 personal and 5,000 horse, and bestowed on him a tūmān tūgh (horse-tail standard), and ordered his drums to be beaten after those of my son Khurram. I increased the mansab of Tarbiyat Khān by 500 personal and horse, so as to bring it to 3,500 personal and 1,500 horse. The mansab of I‘tiqād Khān was increased by 1,000 personal and 400 horse. Niẓāmu-d-dīn Khān was promoted to 700 personal and 300 horse, and appointed to the Subah of Behar. Salāmu-llah, the Arab, was honoured with the title of Shajā‘at Khān, and, being dignified with a necklace of pearls, became one of the royal320 servants. I promoted Mīr Jamālu-d-dīn Injū to the title of ‘Aẓudu-d-daulah (Arm of the State). On the 21st Almighty God gave Khusrau a son by the daughter of Muqīm, son of Mihtar Fāẓil Rikāb-dār (stirrup-holder). To Allah-dād, the Afghan, who, accepting my service, had separated himself from the evil-minded Aḥdād and come to Court, I gave 20,000 darabs (10,000 rupees). On the 25th came the news of the death of Rāy Manohar, who had been attached to the army of the Deccan. Giving his son a mansab of 500 personal and 300 horse, I bestowed upon him his father's place and property. On the 26th the offering of Nād ‘Alī Maidānī, consisting of nine horses, several bits (? dahāna kīsh321 ), and four Persian camels (wilāyatī), was brought before me. On the 28th I presented Bahādur Khān, governor of Qandahar, Mīr Mīrān, son of Khalīlu-llah, and Sayyid Bāyazīd, governor of Bhakar, each with an elephant. On the 1st Urdībihisht, at the request of ‘Abdu-llah Khān, I presented drums to his brother Sardār Khān. On the 3rd I gave Allah-dād Khān, the Afghan, a jewelled khapwa (dagger). On the same day news came that Qadam,321a one of the Afrīdī Afghans who had been loyal and obedient, and to whom the rāh-dārī (transit dues) of the Khaibar Pass belonged, from some slight suspicion had withdrawn his feet from the circle of obedience and raised his head in sedition. He had sent a force against each of the posts (thāna), and wherever he and his men went, through the carelessness of those men (in the posts), had plundered and killed many of the people. Briefly, in consequence of the shameful action of this senseless Afghan, a new disturbance broke out in the hill country of Kabul. When this news arrived I ordered Hārūn, brother of Qadam, and Jalāl, his son, who were at Court, to be apprehended and handed over to Āṣaf Khān to be imprisoned in the fort of Gwalior. By the manifestation of the Divine mercy and kindness and the signs of God's favour, an affair took place at this time which is not devoid of strangeness. After the victory over the Rānā my son presented me in Ajmir with an exceedingly beautiful and clear ruby, valued at 60,000 rupees. It occurred to me that I ought to bind this ruby on my own arm. I much wanted two rare pearls of good water of one form to be a fit match for this kind of ruby. Muqarrab Khān had procured one grand pearl of the value of 20,000 rupees, and given it to me as a New Year's offering. It occurred to me that if I could procure a pair to it they would make a perfect bracelet. Khurram, who from his childhood had had the honour of waiting on my revered father, and remained in attendance on him day and night, represented to me that he had seen a pearl in an old turban (sar-band) of a weight and shape equal to this pearl. They produced an old sar-pīch (worn on the turban), containing a royal pearl of the same quality, weight, and shape, not differing in weight even by a trifle, so much so that the jewellers were astonished at the matter. It agreed in value, shape, lustre, and brilliance; one might say they had been shed from the same mould. Placing the two pearls alongside of the ruby, I bound them on my arm, and placing my head on the ground of supplication and humility, I returned thanks to the Lord that cherished His slave, and made my tongue utter His praise—
“Who succeeds with hand and tongue?
He who performs the dues of thanks.”
On the 5th (Urdībihisht) 30 Iraq and Turki horses that Murtaẓā Khān had sent from Lahore were brought before me, as also 63 horses, 15 camels, male and female, a bundle of crane's (kulang) plumes, 9 ‘āqirī (?),322 9 veined323 fish - teeth, 9 pieces of china from Tartary, 3 guns, etc., from Khān Daurān, which he had sent from Kabul, were accepted. Muqarrab Khān presented an offering of a small elephant from Abyssinia which they had brought by sea in a ship. In comparison with the elephants of Hindustan it presents some peculiarities. Its ears are larger than the ears of the elephants of this place, and its trunk and tail are longer. In the time of my revered father I‘timād Khān of Gujarat sent a young elephant323a as an offering; by degrees it grew up and was very fiery and bad-tempered. On the 7th a jewelled dagger was given to Muẓaffar Khān, governor of Thatha. On the same day news came that a band of Afghans323b had attacked ‘Abdu-s-Subḥān, brother of Khān ‘Ālam, who was stationed at one of the posts, and had laid siege to his post. ‘Abdu-s-Subḥān, with certain other mansabdars and servants who had been appointed to go with him, had behaved valiantly. But at last, in accordance with the saying—
“When gnats get wings they smite the elephant,”
those dogs overcame them, and elevated ‘Abdu-s-Subḥān with several of the men of the post to the dignity of martyrdom.323c As a condolence for this affair a gracious farman and a special dress of honour were sent to Khān ‘Ālam, who had been appointed ambassador to Iran (and was still in that country). On the 14th the offering of Mukarram Khān, son of Mu‘aẓẓam Khān, came from Bengal. It consisted of jewels and articles procurable in that province, and was brought before me. I increased the mansab of some of the jagirdars of Gujarat. Of these, Sardār Khān, whose mansab was that of 1,000 personal and 500 horse, was raised to 1,500 personal and 300324 horse, and had a standard given to him as well. Sayyid Qāsim, son of Sayyid Dilāwar Bārha, was raised to an original and increased mansab of 800 personal and 450 horse, and Yār Beg, nephew of Aḥmad Qāsim Koka, to one of 600 personal with 250 horse. On the 17th there came the news of the death of Razzāq of Merv, the Ūzbeg who belonged to the army of the Deccan. He was well skilled in war, and one of the distinguished Amirs of Māwarā'a-n-nahr. On the 21st, Allah-dād, the Afghan, was honoured with the title of Khān, and his mansab, which was 1,000 personal and 600 horse, was raised to 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse. Three hundred thousand rupees out of the treasury of Lahore were ordered as a reward and for expenses to Khān Daurān, who had greatly exerted himself in the Afghan disturbance. On the 28th, Kunwar Karan obtained leave to go home for his marriage. I conferred on him a dress of honour, a special Iraq horse with a saddle, an elephant, and a jewelled waist-dagger. On the 3rd of this month (Khūrdād) the news of the death of Murtaẓā Khān came. He was one of the ancients of this State. My revered father had brought him up and raised him to a position of consequence and trust. In my reign also he obtained the grace of noteworthy service, namely, the overthrow of Khusrau. His mansab had been raised to 6,000 personal and 5,000 horse. As he was at this time Subahdar of the Panjab, he had undertaken the capture of Kāngra, to which in strength no other fort in the hill country of that province or even in the whole inhabited world can be compared. He had obtained leave to go on this duty. I was much grieved in mind at this news; in truth, grief at the death of such a loyal follower is only reasonable. As he had died after spending his days in loyalty, I prayed to God for pardon for him. On the 4th Khūrdād the mansab of Sayyid Niẓām was fixed, original and increase, at 900 personal and 650 horse. I gave Nūru-d-dīn Qulī the post of entertainer to the ambassadors from all parts. On the 7th news came of the death of Saif Khān Bārha; he was a brave and ambitious young man. He had exerted himself in an exemplary way in the battle with Khusrau. He bade farewell to this perishable world in the Deccan through cholera (haiẓa). I conferred favours on his sons. ‘Alī Muḥammad, who was the eldest and most upright of his children, was given the mansab of 300325 personal and 400 horse, and his (‘Alī Muḥammad's) brother, by name Bahādur, that of 400 personal and 200 horse. Sayyid ‘Alī, who was his nephew, received an increase in rank of 500 personal and horse. On the same day Khūb-Allah, son of Shāh-bāz Khān Kambū, received the title of Ran-bāz Khān. On the 8th325a the mansab of Hāshim Khān, original and increase, was fixed at 2,500 personal and 1,800 horse. On this date I bestowed 20,000 darabs (10,000 rupees) on Allah-dād Khān, the Afghan. Bikramājīt, Raja of the province of Bāndhū, whose ancestors were considerable zamindars in Hindustan, through the patronage of my fortunate son Bābā Khurram, obtained the blessing of paying his respects to me, and his offences were pardoned. On the 9th,325b Kalyān of Jesalmīr, to summon whom Rāja Kishan Dās had gone, came and waited on me. He presented 100 muhrs and 1,000 rupees. His elder brother Rāwal Bhīm was a person of distinction. When he died he left a son 2 months old, and he too did not live long. In the time when I was prince I had taken his daughter in marriage, and called her by the title of Malika-Jahān326 (queen of the world). As the ancestors of this tribe had come of ancient loyal people, this alliance took place. Having summoned the aforesaid Kalyān, who was the brother of Rāwal Bhīm, I exalted326a him with the ṭīka of Rāja and the title of Rāwal. News came that after the death of Murtaẓā Khān loyalty was shown by Rāja Mān, and that, after giving encouragement to the men of the fort of Kāngra, an arrangement had been made that he should bring to Court the son of the Raja of that country, who was 29 years old. In consequence of his great zeal in this service, I fixed his mansab, which was 1,000 personal and 800 horse, at 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. Khwāja Jahān was promoted from his original and increased mansab to that of 4,000 personal and 2,500 horse. On this date326b an event occurred such that, although I was greatly desirous of writing it down, my hand and heart have failed me. Whenever I took my pen my state became bewildered, and I helplessly ordered I‘timādu-d-daulah to write it.
“An ancient sincere slave, I‘timādu-d-daulah, by order writes in this auspicious volume326c that on the 11th326d Khūrdād the traces of fever were seen in the pure daughter326e of Shāh Khurram of lofty fortune, for whom His Majesty showed much affection as the early fruit of the garden of auspiciousness. After three days pustules (ābila) appeared, and on the 26th of the same month, corresponding with Wednesday, the 29th Jumādā-l-awwal (15th June, 1616), in the year 1025, the bird of her soul flew from her elemental cage and passed into the gardens of Paradise. From this date an order was given that Chār-shamba (Wednesday) should be called Kam-shamba (or Gum-shamba). What shall I write as to what happened to the pure personality of the shadow of God in consequence of this heartburning event and grief-increasing calamity? Inasmuch as it happened after this manner to that soul of the world, what must be the condition of those other327 servants whose life was bound up with that pure personality? For two days the servants were not received in audience, and an order was given that a wall should be built in front of the house which had been the abode of that bird of paradise, so that it might not be seen. In addition to this he did not adorn the gate of the hall of audience (did not come there). On the third day he went in an agitated state to the house of the illustrious prince, and the servants had the good fortune to pay their salutations and found fresh life. On the road, however much the Ḥaẓrat (the Emperor) desired to control himself, the tears flowed from the auspicious eyes, and for a long time it was so that at the mere hearing of a word from which came a whiff of pain, the state of the Ḥaẓrat became bewildered. He remained for some days in the house of the prince of the inhabitants of the world, and on Monday327a of Tīr, Divine month, he went to the house of Āṣaf Khān, and turned back thence to the Chashma-i-Nūr, and for two or three days employed himself there. But as long as he was in Ajmir he could not control himself. Whenever the word ‘friendship’ reached his ear, the tears would drop from his eyes unrestrained, and the hearts of his faithful followers were torn in pieces. When the departure of the cortège of fortune to the Subah of the Deccan took place, he gained a little composure.”
On this date Prithī Chand, son of Rāy Manohar, obtained the title of Ray and the mansab of 500 personal and 400 horse, and a jagir in his native place. On Saturday, the 11th, I went from the Chashma-i-Nūr to the palace at Ajmir. On the eve of Sunday, the 12th, after 37 seconds had passed, at the time of the ascension of Sagittarius to the 27th degree, by the calculations of the Hindu astronomers, and the 15th degree of Capricorn, by the calculations of the Greeks, there came from the womb of the daughter of Āṣaf Khān (wife of Khurram) a precious pearl into the world of being. With joy and gladness at this great boon the drums beat loudly, and the door of pleasure and enjoyment was opened in the face of the people. Without delay or reflection the name of Shāh Shajā‘at came to my tongue. I hope that his coming will be auspicious and blessed to me and to his father. On the 12th a jewelled dagger328 and an elephant were bestowed on Rāwal Kalyān of Jesalmīr. On the same day arrived the news of the death of Khawāṣṣ Khān, whose jagir was in the Sarkar of Qanauj. I gave an elephant to Rāy Kunwar, Diwan of Gujarat. On the 22nd of the same month (Tīr) I added 500 personal and horse to the mansab of Rāja Mahā Singh, so as to make it one of 4,000 personal and 3,000 horse. The mansab of ‘Alī Khān Tatārī, who before this had been exalted with the title of Nuṣrat Khān, was fixed at 2,000 personal and 500 horse, and a standard was also conferred on him. With a view to the accomplishment of certain purposes, I had made a vow that they should place a gold railing with latticework at329 the enlightened tomb of the revered Khwāja. On the 27th of this month it was completed, and I ordered them to take and affix it. It had been made at a cost of 110,000 rupees. As the command and leading of the victorious army of the Deccan had not been carried out to my satisfaction by my son Sulṭān Parwīz, it occurred to me to recall him, and send Bābā Khurram as the advanced guard of the victorious army, inasmuch as the signs of rectitude and knowledge of affairs were evident in him, and that I myself would follow him, so that this important matter would be carried through in one and the same campaign. With this object a farman had already been sent in the name of Parwīz ordering him to start for the Subah of Allahabad, which is in the centre of my dominions. Whilst I was engaged in the campaign, he would be entrusted with the guarding and administration of that region. On the 29th of the same month a letter came from Bihārī Dās, the news-writer of Burhānpūr, that the prince on the 20th had left the city safely and well and gone towards the aforesaid Subah. On the 1st Amurdād I bestowed a jewelled turban on Mīrzā Rāja Bhāo Singh. An elephant was conferred on the shrine of Kushtīgīr. On the 18th, Lashkar Khān had sent four ambling (rāhwār) horses, and they were brought before me. Mīr Mughal was appointed to the faujdarship of the Sarkar of Sambal in the place of Sayyid ‘Abdu-l-Wāriṯ, who had obtained the governorship of the Subah of Qanauj in the place of Khawāṣṣ Khān. His mansab, in view of that duty, was fixed at 500 personal and horse. On the 21st the offering of Rāwal Kalyān of Jesalmīr was laid before me; it was 3,000 muhrs, 9 horses, 25 camels, and 1 elephant. The mansab of Qizil-bāsh Khān was fixed, original and increase, at 1,200 personal and 1,000 horse. On the 23rd, Shajā‘at Khān obtained leave to go to his jagir that he might arrange the affairs of his servants and his territory, and present himself at the time agreed upon. In this year,330 or rather in the 10th year after my accession, a great pestilence appeared in some places in Hindustan. The commencement of this calamity was in the parganahs of the Panjab, and by degrees the contagion spread to the city of Labore. Many of the people, Musulmans and Hindus, died through this. After this it spread to Sirhind and the Dū'āb, until it reached Delhi and the surrounding parganahs and villages, and desolated them. At this day it had greatly diminished. It became known from men of great age and from old histories that this disease had never shown itself in this country330a (before). Physicians and learned men were questioned as to its cause. Some said that it came because there had been drought for two years in succession and little rain fell; others said it was on account of the corruption of the air which occurred through the drought and scarcity. Some attributed it to other causes. Wisdom is of Allah, and we must submit to Allah's decrees!
“What does a slave who bows not his neck to the order?”
On 5th Shahrīwar 5,000 rupees towards her expenses were sent to the mother of Mīr Mīrān, the daughter of Shāh Isma‘īl II, by merchants who were proceeding to the province of Iraq. On the 6th a letter came from ‘Ābid Khān,330b bakhshi and news-writer of Ahmadabad, to the purport that ‘Abdu-llah Khān Bahādur Fīrūz-jang had quarrelled with him because he had recorded among (current) events certain affairs that had been unpleasing to him, and had sent a body of men against him, and had insulted him by carrying him away to his house, and had done this and that to him. This matter appeared serious to me, and I was desirous at once to cast him out of favour and ruin him. At last it occurred to me to send Dayānat Khān to Ahmadabad to enquire into this matter on the spot from disinterested people to see if it had actually occurred, and, if so, to bring ‘Abdu-llah Khān with him to the Court, leaving the charge and administration of Ahmadabad to Sardār Khān, his brother. Before Dayānat Khān started, the news reached Fīrūz-jang, and he in a state of great perturbation confessed himself an offender and started for the Court on foot. Dayānat Khān met him on the road, and seeing him in a strange condition, as he had wounded his feet with walking, he put him on horseback, and taking him with him came to wait on me. Muqarrab Khān, who is one of the old servants of the Court, from the time when I was a prince had continually wanted the Subah of Gujarat. It thus occurred to me that, as this kind of action on the part of ‘Abdu-llah Khān had come about, I might fulfil the hope of an ancient servant and send him to Ahmadabad in the place of the aforesaid Khān. A fortunate hour was chosen in these days, and I appointed him to be ruler of the Subah. On the 10th the mansab of Bahādur Khān, governor of Qandahar, which was 4,000 personal and 3,000 horse, was increased by 500 personal.
Shauqī, the mandolin player, is the wonder of the age. He also sings Hindi and Persian songs in a manner that clears the rust from all hearts. I delighted him with the title of Ānand Khān: Ānand in the Hindi language means pleasure and ease.
Mangoes332 used not to be in season in the country of Hindustan after the month of Tīr (June–July), (but) Muqarrab Khān had established gardens in the parganah of Kairāna,332a which is the native place of his ancestors, and looked after the mangoes there in such a manner as to prolong the season for more than two months, and sent them every day fresh into the special fruit storehouse. As this was altogether an unusual thing to be accomplished, it has been recorded here. On the 8th a beautiful Iraq horse of the name of La‘l Bī-bahā (priceless ruby) was sent for Parwīz by the hand of Sharīf, one of his attendants.
I had ordered quick-handed stone-cutters to carve full-sized figures of the Rānā and his son Karan out of marble. On this day they were completed and submitted to me. I ordered them to be taken to Agra and placed in the garden332b below the jharoka (exhibition-window). On the 26th the meeting for my solar weighing was held in the usual manner. The first weight came to 6,514 tūlcha of gold. I was weighed twelve times against different things; the second weighing was against quicksilver, the third against silk, the fourth against various perfumes, such as ambergris and musk, down to sandalwood, ‘ūd, bān, and so on, until twelve weighings were completed. Of animals, according to the number of years that I had passed, a sheep, a goat,333 and a fowl (for each year) were given to fakirs and dervishes. This rule has been observed from the time of my revered father up to the present day in this enduring State. They divide after the weighing all these things among the fakirs and those in need to the value of about 100,000 rupees.
This day a ruby which Mahābat Khān had purchased at Burhanpur for 65,000 rupees from ‘Abdu-llah Khān Fīrūz-jang was laid before me, and was approved of. It is a ruby of beautiful form. The special mansab of Khān Ā‘ẓam was fixed at 7,000 personal, and an order was passed that the diwani establishment should pay an equivalent to that in a tankhwāh jāgīr. At the request of I‘timādu-d-daulah, what had been deducted from the mansab of Dayānat on account of former proceedings was allowed to remain as before. ‘Aẓudu-d-daulah, who had obtained the Subah of Malwa in jagir, took his leave, and was dignified with the gift of a horse and a dress of honour. The mansab of Rāwal Kalyān of Jesalmir was fixed at 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse, and it was ordered that that province (Jesalmir) should be given him as tankhwah. As the (auspicious) hour of his departure was on that same day, he took leave to depart for his province well pleased and exalted with the gift of a horse, an elephant, a jewelled sword, a jewelled khapwa (dagger), a robe of honour, and a special Kashmir shawl. On the 31st, Muqarrab Khān took leave to go to Ahmadabad, and his mansab, which was 5,000 personal and 2,500 horse, was fixed at 5,000 personal and horse, and he was honoured with a dress of honour, a nādirī (a kind of dress), a takma334 of pearls, whilst two horses from my private stable, a special elephant, and a jewelled sword were also bestowed on him. He went off to the aforesaid Subah with delight and in a state of happiness. On the 11th of Mihr, Jagat Singh, son of Kunwar Karan, came from his native place and waited on me. On the 16th, Mīrzā ‘Alī Beg Akbar-shāhī came from the province of Oudh, which had been given him in jagir, and waited on me. He presented as offerings 1,000 rupees, and he produced before me an elephant which one of the zamindars of that province possessed, and which he had been ordered to take from him. On the 21st the offering of Quṭbu-l-mulk, the ruler of Golcondah, consisting of some jewelled ornaments, was inspected by me. The mansab of Sayyid Qāsim Bārha was fixed, original and increase, at 1,000 personal and 600 horse. On the eve of Friday, the 22nd, Mīrzā ‘Alī Beg, whose age had passed 75 years, gave up the deposit of his life. Great334a services had been performed by him for this State. His mansab rose by degrees to 4,000. He was one of the distinguished heroes of this family (jawānān-i īn ulūs)335 and of a noble disposition. He left neither son nor other descendants. He had the poetic temperament. As his inevitable destiny had been fulfilled335a on the day on which he went to pay his devotions at the venerated mausoleum of Khwāja Mu‘īnu-d-dīn, I ordered them to bury him in the same blessed place.
At the time when I gave leave to the ambassadors of ‘Ādil Khān of Bijapur, I had requested that if in that province there were a wrestler, or a celebrated swordsman, they should tell ‘Ādil Khān to send him to me. After some time, when the ambassadors returned, they brought a Mughal, by name Shīr ‘Alī, who was born at Bijapur, and was a wrestler by profession and had great experience in the art, together with certain sword-players. The performances of the latter were indifferent, but I put Shīr ‘Alī to wrestle with the wrestlers and athletes who were in attendance on me, and they could none of them compete with him. One thousand rupees, a dress of honour, and an elephant were conferred on him; he was exceedingly well made, well shaped, and powerful. I retained him in my own service, and entitled him “the athlete of the capital.” A jagir and mansab were given him and great favours bestowed on him. On the 24th, Dayānat Khān, who had been appointed to bring ‘Abdu-llah Khān Bahādur Fīrūz-jang, brought him and waited on me, and presented as an offering 100 muhrs. On the same date Rām Dās, the son of Rāja Rāj Singh, one of the Rajput Amirs who had died on duty in the Deccan, was promoted to a mansab of 1,000 personal and 500 horse. As ‘Abdu-llah Khān had been guilty of faults, he made Bābā Khurram his intercessor, and on the 26th, in order to please him, I ordered the former to pay his respects to me. He waited upon me with a face of complete shame, and presented as offerings 100 muhrs and 1,000 rupees. Before the coming of ‘Ādil Khān's ambassadors I had made up my mind that, having sent Bābā Khurram with the vanguard, I should myself proceed to the Deccan and carry out this important affair, which for some reasons had been put off. For this reason I had given an order that except the prince no one should represent to me the affairs of the rulers of the Deccan. On this day the prince brought the ambassadors and laid their representation before me. After the death of Murtaẓā Khān, Rāja Mān and many of the auxiliary Sardars had come to Court. On this day, at the request of I‘timādu-d-daulah, I appointed Rāja Mān as the leader in the attack on the fort of Kāngra. I appointed all the men to accompany him, and according to the condition and rank of each made him happy with a present—a horse, an elephant, a robe of honour, or money—and gave them leave. After some days I conferred on ‘Abdu-llah Khān, at the request of Bābā Khurram, a jewelled dagger, as he was exceedingly broken-hearted and grieved in mind, and an order was passed that his mansab should continue as it was before, and that he should remain in attendance on my son among those appointed for duty in the Deccan. On the 3rd Ābān I ordered the mansab of Wazīr Khān, who was in attendance on Bābā Parwīz, to be, original and increase, 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse. On the 4th, Khusrau, who was in the charge, for safe keeping, of Anīrā'ī Singh-dalan, for certain considerations was handed over to Āṣaf Khān. I presented him with a special shawl. On the 7th (Ābān), corresponding with the 17th Shawwāl (28th October, 1616), a person of the name of Muḥammad Riẓā Beg, whom the ruler of Persia had sent as his representative, paid his respects. After performing the dues of prostration and salutation (kūrnish, sijda, taslīm), he laid before me the letter he had brought. It was decided that he should produce before me the horses and other presents he had brought with him. The written and verbal messages sent were full of friendship, brotherhood, and sincerity. I gave the ambassador on that same day a jewelled tiara (tāj) and a dress of honour. As in the letter much friendliness and affection were displayed, an exact copy is recorded in the Jahāngīr-nāma.337
On Sunday, the 18th Shawwāl, corresponding to the 8th Ābān,337a the camp equipage of my son Bābā Khurram left Ajmir for the purpose of the conquest of the provinces of the Deccan, and it was decided that my son aforesaid should start by way of advanced guard, followed by the glorious standards (of Jahāngīr). On Monday, the 19th, corresponding with the 9th Ābān, when three gharis of day had passed, the auspicious palace moved in the same direction in the like manner. On the 10th the mansab of Rāja Sūraj Mal, who had been appointed to accompany the prince, was made up, original and increase, to 2,000 personal and horse. On the night of the 19th Ābān, after my usual custom, I was in the ghusul-khāna. Some of the Amirs and attendants, and by chance Muḥammad Riẓā Beg, the ambassador of the ruler of Persia, were present. When six gharis had passed, an owl came and sat on top of a high terrace roof belonging to the palace, and was hardly visible, so that many men failed to distinguish it. I sent for a gun and took aim and fired in the direction that they pointed out to me. The gun, like the decree of heaven, fell on that ill-omened bird and blew it to pieces. A shout arose from those who were present, and involuntarily they opened their lips in applause and praise. On the same night I talked with the ambassador of my brother Shāh ‘Abbās, and at last the conversation turned on the slaying of Ṣafī Mīrzā, his (the Shah's) eldest son. I asked him because this was a difficulty in my mind. He represented that if his slaughter had not been carried out at that time he would certainly have attempted the Shah's life. As this intention became manifest from his behaviour, the Shah was beforehand with him and ordered him to be killed. On the same day the mansab of Mīrzā Ḥasan, son of Mīrzā Rustam, was fixed, original and increase, at 1,000 personal and 300 horse. The mansab of Mu‘tamad Khān,338 who had been appointed to the post of paymaster of the army with Bābā Khurram, was settled at 1,000 personal and 250 horse. The time for the leave-taking of Bābā Khurram had been fixed as Friday, the 20th (Ābān). At the end of this day he paraded before me the pick of his men armed and ready in the public hall of audience. Of the distinguished favours bestowed on the aforesaid son one was the title of Shāh, which was made a part of his name. I ordered that thereafter he should be styled Shāh Sulṭān Khurram. I presented him with a robe of honour, a jewelled chārqab, the fringe and collar of which were decorated with pearls, an Iraq horse with a jewelled saddle, a Turki horse, a special elephant called Bansī-badan,338a a carriage, according to the English fashion,338b for him to sit and travel about in, a jewelled sword with a special pardala (sword-belt) that had been taken at the conquest of the fort of Ahmad-nagar, and was very celebrated, and a jewelled dagger. He started with great keenness. My trust in Almighty God is that in this service he may gain renown (lit. become red-faced). On each of the Amirs and mansabdars, according to his quality and degree, a horse and an elephant were conferred. Loosening a private sword from my own waist, I gave it to ‘Abdu-llah Khān Fīrūz-jang. As Dayānat Khān had been appointed to accompany the prince, I gave the duty of ‘arẓ-mukarrir (reviser of petitions) to Khwāja Qāsim Qilīj Khān. Previously339 to this a band of thieves had carried off a certain sum of money from the royal treasury in the kotwālī chabūtara (Police Office). After some days seven men of that band, with their leader, of the name of Nawal, were caught, and a portion of that money was recovered. It occurred to me that as they had been guilty of such boldness I ought to punish them severely. Each was punished in exemplary fashion, and I ordered Nawal, the leader of them all, to be thrown under the feet of an elephant. He petitioned that if I would give the order he would fight the elephant. I ordered it to be so. They produced a very furious elephant. I bade them put a dagger into his hand and bring him in front of the elephant. The elephant several times threw him down, and each time that violent and fearless man, although he witnessed the punishments of his comrades, got up again and bravely and with a stout heart struck the elephant's trunk with the dagger, so that the animal refrained from attacking him. When I had witnessed this pluck and manliness, I ordered them to inquire into his history. After a short time, according to his evil nature and low disposition, he ran away in his longing for his own place and abode. This annoyed me greatly, and I ordered the jagirdars of that neighbourhood to hunt him up and apprehend him. By chance he was caught a second time, and this time I ordered that ungrateful and unappreciative one to be hanged. The saying of Shaikh Muṣliḥu-d-dīn Sa‘dī accords with his case—
“In the end a wolf's cub becomes a wolf,
Although he be brought up with man.”
On Tuesday,340 the 1st Zī-l-qa‘da (10th November, 1616), corresponding with the 21st Ābān, after two watches and five gharis of the day had passed, in good condition and with a right purpose I mounted the Frank carriage, which had four horses attached to it, and left the city of Ajmir. I ordered many of the Amirs to accompany me in carriages, and at about sunset alighted at a halting-place about 1 3/4 kos distant, in the village of Deo Rāy (Dorāī?).340a It is the custom of the people of India that if the movement of kings or great men for the conquest of a country is towards the east they should ride a tusked elephant, and if the movement is towards the west on a horse of one colour; if towards the north in a palanquin or a litter (singhāsan), and if towards the south, that is, in the direction of the Deccan (as on this occasion), on a rath, which is a kind of cart (arāba) or bahal (two-wheeled car). I had stayed at Ajmir for five days less than three years.340b They consider the city of Ajmir, which is the place of the blessed tomb of the revered Khwāja Mu‘īnu-d-dīn, to be in the second clime. Its air is nearly equable. The capital of Agra is to the east of it; on the north are the townships (district) of Delhi, and on the south the Subah of Gujarat. On the west lie Multan and Deālpūr. The soil of this province is all sandy; water is found with difficulty in the land, and the reliance for cultivation is on moist341 soil and on the rainfall. The cold season is very equable, and the hot season is milder than in Agra. From this subah in time of war 86,000341a horse and 304,000 Rajput foot are provided. There are two large lakes in this city; they call one of these the Bīsal341b and the other the Ānāsāgar. The Bīsal tank is in ruins and its embankment is broken. At this time I ordered it to be repaired. The Ānāsāgar at the time that the royal standards were there was always full of water and waves. This tāl is 1 1/2 kos and 5 ṭanāb (lit. tent-ropes) (in circumference?). Whilst at Ajmir I visited nine times the mausoleum of the revered Khwāja, and fifteen times went to look at the Pushkar lake; to the Chashma-i-Nūr I went thirty-eight times. I went out to hunt tigers, etc., fifty times. I killed 15 tigers, 1 cheetah, 1 black-ear (lynx), 53 nilgaw, 33 gazelle (gawazn), 90 antelope, 80 boars, and 340 water-fowl. I encamped seven times at Deo Rāy (Deo Rānī) (Dorāī?). At this halt 5 nilgaw and 12 water-fowl were killed. Marching on the 29th from Deo Rāy, my camp was pitched at the village of Dāsāwalī, 2 kos and 1 1/2 quarters distant from Deo Rāy. On this day I gave an elephant to Mu‘tamad Khān. I stayed the next day at this village. On this day a nilgaw was killed, and I sent two of my falcons to my son Khurram. I marched from this village on the 3rd Āzar, and pitched at the village of Bādhal (Māwal?), 2 1/4 kos distant. On the road six water-fowl, etc., were killed. On the 4th, having gone 1 1/2 kos, Rāmsar,342 which belongs to Nūr-Jahān Begam, became the place for the alighting of honour and glory. A halt was made at this place for eight days. In the place of Khidmat-gār Khān I here appointed Hidāyatu-llah mīr-tūzak (master of ceremonies). On the 5th day 7 antelope, 1 kulang (crane), and 15 fish were killed. The next day Jagat Singh, son of Kunwar Karan, received a horse and a robe of honour and took leave for his native place. A horse was also given to Kesho Dās Lālā and an elephant to Allah-dād Khān Afghān. On the same day I killed a gazelle, 3 antelope, 7 fish, and 2 water-fowl. On that day was heard the news of the death of Rāja Syām Singh, who belonged to the army of Bangash. On the 7th day 3 antelope, 5 water - fowl, and a qashqaldāgh342a (coot) were killed. On Thursday and the eve of Friday, as Rāmsar belongs to the jagir of Nūr-Jahān, a feast and entertainment were prepared. Jewels, jewelled ornaments, fine cloths, sewn tapestry, and every kind of jewellery were presented as offerings. At night on all sides and in the middle of the lake, which is very broad, lamps were displayed. An excellent entertainment was arranged. In the end of the said Thursday, having also sent for the Amirs, I ordered cups for most342b of the servants. On my journeys by land some boats are always taken along with the victorious camp; the boatmen convey them on carts. On the day after this entertainment I went to fish in these boats, and in a short time 208 large fish came into one net. Half of these were of the species of rahū. At night I divided them among the servants in my own presence. On the 13th Āzar I marched from Rāmsar, and hunting for 4 kos along the road, the camp was pitched at the village of Balodā.343 Here I stayed for two days. On the 16th, moving 3 1/4 kos, I alighted at the village of Nihāl.343a On the 18th the march was one of 2 1/4 kos. On this day I gave an elephant to Muḥammad Riẓā Beg, ambassador of the ruler of Persia. The village of Jonsā became the halting-place of the tents of greatness and prosperity. On the 20th I marched to the halting-place of Deogāon; I hunted along the road for a distance of 3 kos. I stayed at this place for two days, and at the end of the day went out to hunt. At this stage a strange affair was witnessed. Before the royal standards arrived at this halting-place, an eunuch went to the bank of a large tank there is in the village, and caught two young sāras, which are a kind of crane; at night, when we stopped at this halting-place, two large saras appeared making loud cries near the ghusul-khana (parlour), which they had placed on the edge of the tank, as if somebody were exercising oppression on them. They fearlessly began their cries and came forward. It occurred to me that certainly some kind of wrong had been done to them, and probably their young had been taken. After enquiry was made the eunuch who had taken the young saras brought them before me. When the saras heard the cries of these young ones, they without control threw themselves upon them, and suspecting that they had had no food, each of the two saras placed food in the mouths of the young ones, and made much lamentation. Taking the two young ones between them, and stretching out their wings and fondling them, they went off to their nest. Marching on the 23rd 3 3/4 kos, I alighted at the village of Bahāsū (Bhālū?). Here there was a halt of two days, and each day I rode to hunt. On the 26th the royal standards moved and the halt was outside of the village of Kākal. A halt was made after traversing 2 kos. On the 27th the mansab of Badī‘u-z-zamān, son of Mīrzā Shāhrukh, original and increased, was fixed at 1,500 personal and 750 horse. Marching on the 29th 2 3/4 kos, a halt was made at the village of Lāsā, near parganah Boda.344 This day corresponded with the festival of Qurbān (19th December, 1616). I ordered them to observe the ordinances of that day. From the date on which I left Ajmir up to the end of the aforesaid month, viz. the 30th Āzar, 67 nilgaw, antelope, etc., and 37 waterfowl, etc., had been killed. A march was made from Lāsā on the 2nd Day, and I marched and hunted for 3 kos 10 jarīb, and halted in the neighbourhood of the village of Kānṛā. On the 4th a march of 3 1/4 kos was made to the village of Sūraṭh. Marching 4 1/2 kos on the 6th, a halt was made near the village of Barora (Bardaṛā?). On the 7th, when there was a halt, 50 water-fowl and 14 qashqaldagh (coot) were killed. The next day was a halt as well. On this day 27 water-fowl became a prey. On the 9th a march of 4 1/8 kos was made. Hunting and overthrowing prey, I alighted at the halting-place of Khūsh Tāl. At this stage a report came from Mu‘tamad Khān that when the territory of the Rānā became the halting-place of Shāh Khurram, though there had been no agreement to this effect (i.e. to the Rānā's meeting him), the fame and dignity of the victorious army had introduced a commotion into the pillars of his patience and firmness, and he had come and paid his respects to him when he halted at Dūdpūr,344a which was on the border of his jagir, and observing all the dues and ceremonies of service he had neglected not the smallest portion of them. Shāh Khurram had paid him every attention, and pleased him with the gift of a dress of honour, a chārqab, a jewelled sword, a jewelled khapwa, Persian and Turki horses, and an elephant, and dismissed him with every honour. He had also favoured his sons and relations with dresses of honour, and out of his offering, which consisted of five elephants, twenty-seven horses, and a tray full of jewels and jewelled ornaments, had taken three horses and given back the remainder. It was settled that his son Karan should attend on the stirrup of Bābā Khurram in this expedition with 1,500 horse. On the 10th the sons of Rāja Mahā Singh came from their jagir and native place (Amber) and waited on me in the neighbourhood of Ranṭambhor, making an offering of three elephants and nine horses. Each one of them, according to his condition, received an increase of mansab. As the neighbourhood of the said fort became a halting-place for the royal standards, I released some of the prisoners who were confined in that fort. At this place I halted for two days and each day went to hunt. Thirty-eight waterfowl and qashqaldagh (coot) were taken. On the 12th I marched, and after going 4 kos halted at the village of Koyalā. On the road I killed fourteen water-fowl and an antelope. On the 14th, having traversed 3 3/4 kos, I halted in the neighbourhood of the village of Ekṭorā,345 killing on the road a blue bull, twelve herons (karwānak), etc. On the same day Āghā Fāẓil, who had been appointed deputy for I‘timādu-d-daulah at Lahore, was dignified with the title of Fāẓil Khān. At this stage they had erected the royal lodging (daulat-khāna) on the bank of a tank, which was exceedingly bright and pleasant. On account of the pleasantness of the place I halted two days there, and at the end of each went to hunt water-fowl. To this place the younger son of Mahābat Khān, by name Bahra-war, came from the fort of Ranṭambhor, which is his father's jagir, to pay his respects to me. He had brought two elephants, both of which were included in my private stud. I promoted Ṣafī, son of Amānat Khān, to the title of Khān, and, increasing his mansab, made him bakhshi and news-writer of the Subah of Gujarat. Having travelled 4 1/2 kos on the 17th, I halted at the village of Lasāyā.346 During the halt I killed one water-fowl and twenty-three sand-grouse (durrāj). As I had sent for Lashkar Khān to Court on account of the disagreement that had occurred between him and Khān Daurān, I at this place appointed ‘Ābid Khān,346a bakhshi and news-writer, in his stead. On the 19th, having made a march of 2 1/4 kos, an encampment was made in the neighbourhood of the village of Kūrāka (Korān?),346b which is situated on the bank of the Chambal. On account of the excellence of the place and the pleasantness of its air and water, a halt took place here for three days. Every day I sat in a boat and went to hunt water-fowl and to wander over the river. On the 22nd346c there was a march, and having traversed 4 1/2 kos, shooting on the road, the victorious camp was pitched at the villages of Sulṭānpūr and Chīla Mala (Chīlāmīlā?). On this day of halt I bestowed on Mīrān Ṣadr Jahān 5,000 rupees, and gave him leave to proceed to the place assigned to him as his jagir. Another 1,000 rupees were given to Shaikh Pīr. On the 25th I marched and hunted for 3 1/2 kos and encamped at the village of Bāsūr.346d According to fixed rules one halt and one march took place, and on the 27th I marched and hunted 4 1/8 kos and encamped at the village of Chārdūha (Varadhā?). Two days halt took place here. In this month of Day 416 animals were killed, namely, 97 sand-grouse (durraj), 192 qashqaldagh, 1 saras, 7 herons, 118 water-fowl, and 1 hare. On the 1st Bahman, corresponding with the 12th Muḥarram, 1026 (20th January, 1617), seating myself in boats with the ladies, I went forward one stage. When one ghari of day remained I arrived at the village of Rūpāheṛā, the halting-place, the distance being 4 kos and 15 jarib. I shot five sand-grouse. On the same day I sent by the hands of Kaikana winter dresses of honour to twenty-one Amirs on duty in the Deccan, and ordered him to take 10,000347 rupees from those Amirs as a thanksgiving for the dresses of honour. This halting-place had much verdure and pleasantness. On the 3rd a march took place. As on the previous day, I embarked in a boat, and after traversing 2 1/8 kos the village of Kākhā-dās (Kākhāvās?)347a became the encamping place of the victorious camp. As I came hunting on the way, a sand-grouse fell flying into a thicket. After much search it was marked, and I ordered one of the beaters to surround the thicket and catch it, and went towards it myself. Meanwhile another sand-grouse rose, and this I made a falcon seize. Soon afterwards the beater came and laid the sand-grouse before me. I ordered them to satisfy the falcon with this sand-grouse, and to keep the one we had caught, as it was a young bird. (But) before the order reached him the head huntsman fed the falcon with the sandgrouse (the second one, viz. that which the falcon had caught). After a while the beater represented to me that if he did not kill the sand-grouse it would die (and then could not be eaten as not properly killed). I ordered him to kill it if that was the case. As he laid his sword on its throat, it with a slight movement freed itself from the sword and flew away. After I had left the boat and mounted my horse, suddenly a sparrow (kunjishk) by the force of the wind struck the head of an arrow that one of the beaters who was in my retinue had in his hand, and immediately fell down and died. I was amazed and bewildered at the tricks of destiny; on one side it preserved the sand-grouse, whose time had not arrived, in a short time from three such dangers, and on the other hand made captive in the hand of destruction on the arrow of fate the sparrow whose hour of death had come—
“The world-sword may move from its place,
But it will cut no vein till God wills.”
Dresses of honour for the winter had also been sent by the hand of Qarā, the yasāwul (usher), to the Amirs at Kabul. I halted at this place on account of the pleasantness of the spot and the excellence of the air. On this day there came the news of the death of Nād ‘Alī Khān Maidānī at Kabul. I honoured his sons with mansabs, and at the request of Ibrāhīm Khān Fīrūz-jang348 increased the mansab of Rāwat Shankar by 500 personal and 1,000 horse. On the 6th there was a march, and going for 4 1/8 kos by the pass known as Ghāṭe Chāndā, the royal camp was pitched at the village of Amḥār (Amjār?). This valley is very green and pleasant and good trees are seen in it. Up to this stage, which is the limit of the country of the Subah of Ajmir, 84 kos had been traversed. It was also a pleasant stage. Nūr-Jahān Begam here shot with a gun a qarīsha (?), the like of which for size and beauty of colour had never been seen. I ordered them to weigh it, and it came to 19 tolas and 5 mashas. The aforesaid village is the commencement of the Subah of Malwa, which is in the second clime. The length348a of this Subah from the extremity of the province of Gaṛha to the province of Bānswāla (Bānswaṛā?) is 245 kos, and its breadth from the parganah of Chanderī to the parganah of Nandarbār is 230 kos. On the east is the province of Bāndho, and on the north the fort of Narwar, on the south the province of Baglānā, and on the west the Subahs of Gujarat and Ajmir. Malwa is a large province abounding in water and of a pleasant climate. There are five rivers in it in addition to streams, canals, and springs, namely, the Godavarī,349 Bhīmā, Kālīsindh, Nīrā, and Narbada. Its climate is nearly equable. The land of this province is low, but part of it is high. In the district of Dhār, which is one of the noted places of Malwa, the vine gives grapes twice in the year, in the beginning of Pisces and the beginning of Leo, but the grapes of Pisces are the sweeter. Its husbandmen and artificers are not without arms. The revenue of the province is 24,700,000 dams. When needful there are obtained from it about 9,300349a horse and four lakhs, 70,300 foot-soldiers, with 100 elephants. On the 8th, moving on 3 1/2 kos, an encampment was made near Khairābād. On the road 14 sand-grouse and 3 herons were killed, and having traversed and shot over 3 kos the camp was pitched at the village of Sidhārā. On the 11th, while there was a halt, I mounted at the end of the day to hunt, and killed a blue bull. On the 12th, after traversing 4 1/4 kos, a halt was made at the village of Bachhayārī. On that day Rānā Amar Singh had sent some baskets of figs. In truth it is a fine fruit, and I had never seen such delicious figs in India. But one must eat only a few of them; it does harm to eat many. On the 14th there was a march; having traversed 4 1/8 kos, I encamped at the village of Balbalī. Rāja Jānbā, who is an influential zamindar in these regions, had sent two elephants as an offering, and they were brought before me. At the same stage they brought many melons grown in Kārīz near Herat. Khān ‘Ālam had also sent 50 camels. In former years they had never brought melons in such abundance. On one tray they brought many kinds of fruit—Kārīz melons, melons from Badakhshan and Kabul, grapes from Samarkand350 and Badakhshan, apples from Samarkand, Kashmir, Kabul, and from Jalalabad, which is a dependency of Kabul, and pineapples, a fruit that comes from the European ports, plants of which have been set in Agra. Every year some thousands are gathered in the gardens there which appertain to the private domains (khāliṣa-i-sharīfa)350a ; kaula,350b which are similar in form to an orange, but smaller and better in flavour. They grow very well in the Subah of Bengal. In what language can one give thanks for such favours? My revered father had a great liking for fruit, especially for melons, pomegranates, and grapes. During his time the Kārīz melons, which are the finest kind, and pomegranates from Yezd, which are celebrated throughout the world, and Samarkand grapes had not been brought to Hindustan. Whenever I see these fruits they cause me great regret. Would that such fruit had come in those days, so that he might have enjoyed them!
On the 15th, which was a halting day, news came of the death of Mīr ‘Alī, son of Farīdūn Khān Barlās, who was one of the trusted amīr-zādas (descended from amirs) of this family (the Timurides). On the 16th a march took place. Having traversed 4 1/8 kos, the camp of heavenly dignity was pitched near the village of Girī. On the road the scouts brought news that there was a lion in this neighbourhood. I went to hunt him and finished him with one shot. As the braveness of the lion (shīr babar) has been established, I wished to look at his intestines. After they were extracted, it appeared that in a manner contrary to other animals, whose gallbladder is outside their livers, the gall-bladder of the lion is within his liver (?). It occurred to me that the courage of the lion may be from this cause. On the 18th, after traversing 2 3/4 kos, the village of Amriyā was our halting - place. On the 19th, which was a halt, I went out to hunt. After going 2 kos, a village came to view exceedingly sweet and pleasant. Nearly 100 mango-trees were seen in one garden; I had seldom seen mango-trees so large and green and pleasant. In the same garden I saw a bar-tree (a banyan), exceedingly large. I ordered them to measure its length, breadth, and height in yards (gaz). Its height from the surface to the highest branch (sar-shākh) was 74 cubits (ẓira‘). The circumference of its trunk was 44 1/2 cubits and its breadth351 175 1/2 measured by the gaz. This has been recorded as it is very unusual. On the 20th was a march, and on the road a blue bull was shot with a gun. On the 21st, which was a halt, I went out to hunt at the end of the day. After returning, I came to the house of I‘timādu-d-daulah for the festival of Khwāja Khiẓr, whom they call Khiẓrī; I remained there till a watch of the night had passed, and then feeling inclined for food I went back to the royal quarters. On this day I honoured I‘timādu-d-daulah as an intimate friend by directing the ladies of the harem not to veil their faces from him. By this favour I bestowed everlasting honour on him. On the 22nd an order was given to march, and after 3 1/8 kos were traversed the camp was pitched at the village of Būlgharī (Nawalkheṛī?). On the road two blue bulls were killed. On the 23rd day of Tīr, which was a halt, I killed a blue bull with a gun. On the 24th, traversing 5 kos, the village of Qāsim-kheṛā was the halting-place. On the road a white animal352 was killed, which resembled the kūtāh pāya (hog-deer); it had four horns, two of which were opposite the extremities of its eyes, and two finger-breadths in height, and the two other horns four finger-breadths towards the nape of the neck. These were four finger-breadths in height. The people of India call this animal dūdhādhārīt (dudhāriyā?). The male has four horns and the female none. It was said that this kind of antelope has no gall-bladder, but when they looked at its intestines the gall-bladder was apparent, and it became clear that this report has no foundation. On the 25th, which was a halt, at the end of the day I rode out to hunt and killed a female nilgaw with my gun. Bāljū, nephew of Qilīj Khān, who held the mansab of 1,000 personal and 850 horse, and had a jagir in Oudh, I promoted to 2,000 personal and 1,200 horse, dignified him with the title of Qilīj Khān, and appointed him to the Subah of Bengal. On the 26th a march took place, and after traversing 4 3/4 kos a halt was made at the village of Dih Qāẓiyān, which is in the neighbourhood of Ujjain. A number of mango-trees in this place had blossomed. They had pitched the tents on the bank of a lake, and had prepared an enchanting place. Pahāṛ, son of Ghaznīn353 Khān, was capitally punished at this stage. Cherishing this unlucky one after the death of his father, I had given him the fort and province of Jālaur, which was the place of his ancestors. As he was of tender years, his mother used to forbid him certain evil practices. That eternally black-faced one with some of his companions one night came into the house and killed his own full mother with his own hand. This news reached me and I ordered them to bring him. After his crime was proved against him, I ordered them to put him to death (kih ba biyāsā rasānī-dand ). At this halting-place a tamarind353a -tree came to view, the form and habit of which were somewhat strange. The original tree had one trunk; when it had grown to 6 gaz, it turned into two branches, one of which was 10 and the other 9 1/2 gaz. The distance between the two branches was 4 1/2 gaz. From the ground to the place where the branches and leaves came to an end (?), there were on the side of the large branch 16 gaz, and on the other branch 15 1/2 gaz. From the place whence the branches and green leaves began (?) to the top (trunk?) of the tree was 2 1/2 gaz, and the circumference was 2 3/4 gaz. I ordered them to make a chabūtara (platform) round it of the height of 3 gaz. As the trunk was very straight and well-shaped, I told my artists to depict it in the illustrations to the Jahāngīr-nāma. A march was made on the 27th. After traversing 2 1/8 kos, a halt was made at the village of Hinduwāl354 ; on the road a blue bull was killed. On the 28th, after traversing 2 kos, the village of Kāliyādaha became the halting-place. Kāliyādaha is a building which was made by Nāṣiru-d-dīn, son of Ghiyāṯu-d-dīn, son of Sulṭān Maḥmūd Khaljī, who was ruler of Malwa. In the time of his rule he had made it in the neighbourhood of Ujjain, which is one of the most celebrated cities in the Subah of Malwa. They say that the heat overcame him so much that he passed his time in the water. He made this building in the middle of the river, and divided its waters into canals, and brought the water on all sides, as well as inside and outside, of the house, and made large and small reservoirs suited to the place. It is a very pleasant and enjoyable place, and one of the noted habitations of Hindustan. Before it. was decided to halt at this place I sent architects and ordered them to clean up the place again. On account of its pleasantness I remained in this place for three days. At the same place Shajā‘at Khān came from his jagir and waited on me. Ujjain is one of the old cities, and is one of the seven established places of worship of the Hindus. Rāja Bikramājīt, who introduced the observation of the heavens and stars into Hindustan, lived in this city and province. From the time of his observations until now, which is the 1026th Hijra year (1617 A.D.) and the 11th year from my accession, 1,675354a years have passed. The deductions of the astronomers of India are all based on his observations. This city is on the bank of the River Sipra. The belief354b of the Hindus is that once in some year at an uncertain time the water of this river turns into milk. In the reign of my revered father, at the time when he had sent Abū-l-faẓl to set in order the affairs of my brother Shāh Murād, he sent a report from that city that a large body of Hindus and Musulmans had borne testimony that some days previously at night this river had become milk, so that people who took water from it that night found in the morning their pots full of milk.355 As this obtained currency it has been recorded, but my intelligence will in no way agree to it. The real truth of this affair is known to Allah. On the 2nd Isfandārmuz I embarked in a boat from Kāliyādaha, and went to the next stage. I had frequently heard that an austere Sanyāsī355a of the name of Jadrūp many years ago retired from the city of Ujjain to a corner of the desert and employed himself in the worship of the true God. I had a great desire for his acquaintance, and when I was at the capital of Agra I was desirous of sending for and seeing him. In the end, thinking of the trouble it would give him, I did not send for him. When I arrived in the neighbourhood of the city I alighted from the boat and went 1/8 kos on foot to see him. The place he had chosen to live in was a hole on the side of a hill which had been dug out and a door made. At the entrance there is an opening in the shape of a miḥrāb,355b which is in length (? height) 1 gaz and in breadth 10 gira (knots, each 1/16 of a gaz), and the distance from this door to a hole which is his real abode is 2 gaz and 5 knots in length and in breadth 11 1/4 knots. The height from the ground to the roof is 1 gaz and 3 knots. The hole whence is the entrance to the abode is in length 5 1/2 knots and its breadth 3 1/2 knots. A person of weak body (thin?) can only enter it with a hundred difficulties. The length and breadth of the hole are such. It has no mat and no straw. In this narrow and dark hole he passes his time in solitude. In the cold days of winter, though he is quite naked, with the exception of a piece of rag that he has in front and behind, he never lights a fire. The Mulla of Rūm (Jalālu-d-dīn) has put into rhyme the language of a dervish—
“By day our clothes are the sun,
By night our mattress and blanket the moon's rays.”
He bathes twice a day in a piece of water near his abode, and once a day goes into the city of Ujjain, and nowhere but to the houses of three brahmins whom he has selected out of seven, who have wives and children and whom he believes to have religious feelings and contentment. He takes by way of alms five mouthfuls of food out of what they have prepared for their own eating, which he swallows without chewing, in order that he may not enjoy their flavour; always provided that no misfortune has happened to their three houses, that there has been no birth, and there be no menstruous woman in the house. This is his method of living, just as it is now written. He does not desire to associate with men, but as he has obtained great notoriety people go to see him. He is not devoid of knowledge, for he has thoroughly mastered the science of the Vedānta, which is the science of Sufism. I conversed with him for six gharis; he spoke well, so much so as to make a great impression on me. My society also suited him. At the time when my revered father conquered the fort of Āsīr, in the province of Khandesh, and was returning to Agra, he saw him in the very same place, and always remembered him well.
The learned of India have established four modes of life for the caste of brahmins, which is the most honoured of the castes of Hindus, and have divided their lives into four periods. These four periods they call the four āsram.357 The boy who is born in a brahmin's house they do not call brahmin till he is 7 years old, and take no trouble on the subject. After he has arrived at the age of 8 years, they have a meeting and collect the brahmins together. They make a cord of mūnj grass, which they call mūnjī, in length 2 1/4 gaz, and having caused prayers and incantations to be repeated over it, and having had it made into three strands, which they call sih tan, by one in whom they have confidence, they fasten it on his waist. Having woven a zunnār (girdle or thread) out of the loose threads, they hang it over his right357a shoulder. Having given into his hand a stick of the length of a little over 1 gaz to defend himself with from hurtful things and a copper vessel for drinking-water, they hand him over to a learned brahmin that he may remain in his house for twelve years, and employ himself in reading the Vedas, which they believe in as God's book. From this day forward they call him a brahmin. During this time it is necessary that he should altogether abstain from bodily pleasures. When midday is passed he goes as a beggar to the houses of other brahmins, and bringing what is given him to his preceptor, eats it with his permission. For clothing, with the exception of a loin cloth (lungī) of cotton to cover his private parts, and 2 or 3 more gaz of cotton which he throws over his back, he has nothing else. This state is called brahmacharya, that is, being busied with the Divine books. After this period has passed, with the leave of his preceptor and his father, he marries, and is allowed to enjoy all the pleasures of his five senses until the time when he has a son who shall have attained the age of 16 years. If he does not have a son, he passes his days till he is 48 in the social life. During this time they call him a grihast, that is, householder. After that time, separating himself from relatives, connections, strangers, and friends, and giving up all things of enjoyment and pleasure, he retires to a place of solitude from the place of attachment to sociality (ta‘alluq-i-ābād-i-kaṯrat), and passes his days in the jungle. They call this condition bānprasta,358 that is, abode in the jungle. As it is a maxim of the Hindus that no good deed can be thoroughly performed by men in the social state without the partnership of the presence of a wife, whom they have styled the half of a man, and as a portion of the ceremonies and worshippings is yet before him (has to be accomplished), he takes his wife with him into the jungle. If she should be pregnant, he puts off his going until she bear a child and it arrive at the age of 5 years. Then he entrusts the child to his eldest son or other relation, and carries out his intention. In the same way, if his wife be menstruous, he puts off going until she is purified. After this he has no connection with her, and does not defile himself with communication with her, and at night he sleeps apart.358a He passes twelve years in this place, and lives on vegetables which may have sprung up of themselves in the desert and jungle. He keeps his zunnar by him and worships fire. He does not waste his time in looking after his nails or the hair of his head, or in trimming his beard and moustaches. When he completes this period in the manner related, he returns to his own house, and having commended his wife to his children and brothers and sons-in-law, goes to pay his respects to his spiritual guide, and burns by throwing into the fire in his presence whatever he has in the way of a zunnar, the hair of his head, etc., and says to him: “Whatever attachment (ta‘alluq) I may have had, even to abstinence and worshipping and will, I have rooted up out of my heart.” Then he closes the road to his heart and to his desires and is always employed in contemplation of God, and knows no one except the True Cause of Being (God). If he speak of science it is the science of Vedānta, the purport of which Bābā Fighānī has versified in this couplet—
“There's one lamp in this house, by whose rays
Wherever I look there is an assembly.”
They call this state sarvabiyās,359 that is, giving up all. They call him who possesses it sarvabiyāsī.
After interviewing Jadrūp I mounted an elephant and passed through the town of Ujjain, and as I went scattered to the right and left small coins to the value of 3,500 rupees, and proceeding 1 3/4 kos alighted at Dā'ūd-kheṛā, the place where the royal camp was pitched. On the 3rd day, which was a halting day, I went, from desire for association with him, after midday, to see Jadrūp, and for six gharis enjoyed myself in his company. On this day also he uttered good words, and it was near evening when I entered my palace. On the 4th day I journeyed 3 1/4 kos and halted at the village of Jarāo359a in the Pārāniyā garden. This is also a very pleasant halting - place, full of trees. On the 6th there was a march; after proceeding for 4 3/4 kos I halted on the bank of the lake of Debālpūr Bheriyā. On account of the pleasantness of the place and the delights of the lake, I halted at this stage for four days, and at the end of each day, embarking in a boat, employed myself in shooting ducks (murghābī) and other aquatic animals. At this halting-place they brought fakhrī grapes from Ahmadnagar. Although they are not as large as the Kabul fakhri grapes, they do not yield to them in sweetness.
At the request of my son Bābā Khurram the mansab of Badī‘u-z-zamān, son of Mīrzā Shāhrukh, was fixed at 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. On the 11th I marched, and after proceeding for 3 1/4 kos halted in the parganah Daulatabad. On the 12th, which was a halt, I rode out to hunt. In the village of Shaikhūpūr, which belonged to the said parganah, I saw a very large and bulky banyan-tree, measuring round its trunk 18 1/2 gaz, and in height from the root to the top of the branches 128 1/4 cubits. The branches spread a shade for 203 1/2 cubits. The length of a branch, on which they have represented the tusks of an elephant, was 40 gaz. At the time when my revered father passed by this, he had made an impression of his hand by way of a mark at the height of 3 3/4 gaz from the ground. I ordered them also to make the mark of my hand 8 gaz above another root. In order that these two hand-marks might not be effaced in the course of time, they were carved on a piece of marble and fastened on to the trunk of the tree. I ordered them to place a chabūtara and platform round the tree.
As at the time when I was prince I had promised Mīr Ẓiyā'u-dīn Qazwīnī, who was one of the Saifī Sayyids, and whom during my reign I have honoured with the title of Muṣṭafā Khān, to give the parganah of Maldah, which is a famous parganah in Bengal, to him and his descendants361 in āl tamghā (perpetual royal grant), this great gift was bestowed in his honour at this halting-place. On the 13th a march took place. Going separately from this camp to look round the country and hunt with some of the ladies and intimates and servants, I proceeded to the village of Ḥāṣilpūr, and whilst the camp was pitched in the neighbourhood of Nālcha (Bālchha?) I halted at the village of Sāngor. What shall be written of the beauty and sweetness of this village? There were many mango-trees, and its lands were altogether green and delightful. On account of its greenness and pleasantness I halted here for three days. I gave this village to Kamāl Khān, the huntsman, in place of Kesho Dās Mārū. An order was passed that they should hereafter call it Kamālpūr. At this same halting-place occurred the night of Shīvrāt (Shivrātri). Many Jogis collected. The ceremonies of this night were duly observed, and I met the learned of this body in social intercourse. In these days I shot three blue bulls. The news of the killing of Rāja Mān reached me at this place. I had appointed him to head the army that had been sent against the fort of Kāngṛā. When he arrived at Lahore he heard that Sangrām, one of the zamindars of the hill-country of the Panjab, had attacked his place and taken possession of part of his province. Considering it of the first importance to drive him out, he went against him. As Sangrām had not the power to oppose him, he left the country of which he had taken possession and took refuge in difficult hills and places. Rāja Mān pursued him there, and in his great pride, not looking to the means by which he himself could advance and retreat, came up to him with a small force. When Sangrām saw that he had no way to flee by, in accordance with this couplet—
“In time of need when no (way of) flight is left,
The hand seizes the edge of the sharp sword.”362
A fight took place, and according to what was decreed, a bullet struck Rāja Mān and he delivered his soul to the Creator thereof. His men were defeated and a great number of them killed. The remainder, wounded, abandoned their horses and arms, and with a hundred alarms escaped half-dead.
On the 17th. I marched from Sāngor, and after proceeding 3 kos came again to the village of Ḥāṣilpūr. On the road a blue bull was killed. This village is one of the noted places in the Subah of Malwa. It has many vines and mango-trees without number. It has streams flowing on all sides of it. At the time I arrived there were grapes contrary to the season in which they are in the Wilayat (Persia or Afghanistan). They were so cheap and plentiful that the lowest and meanest could get as much as they desired. The poppy had flowered and showed varied colours. In brief, there are few villages so pleasant. For three days more I halted in this village. Three blue bulls were killed with my gun. From Ḥāṣilpūr on the 21st in two marches I rejoined the big camp. On the road a blue bull was killed. On Sunday, the 22nd, marching from the neighbourhood of Nālcha (Bālchha?), I pitched at a lake that is at the foot of the fort of Māndū. On that day the huntsmen brought news that they had marked down a tiger within 3 kos. Although it was Sunday, and on these two days, viz. Sunday and Thursday, I do not shoot, it occurred to me that as it is a noxious animal it ought to be done away with. I proceeded towards him, and when I arrived at the place it was sitting under the shade of a tree. Seeing its mouth, which was half open, from the back of the elephant, I fired my gun. By chance it entered its mouth and found a place in its throat and brain, and its affair was finished with that one shot. After this the people who were with me, although they looked for the place where the tiger was wounded, could not find it, for on none of its limbs was there any sign of a gunshot wound. At last I ordered them to look in its mouth. From this it was evident that the bullet had entered its mouth and that it had been killed thereby. Mīrzā Rustam had killed a male wolf and brought it. I wished to see whether its gall-bladder was in its liver like that of the tiger, or like other animals outside its liver. After examination it was clear that the gall-bladder was also inside the liver. On Monday, the 23rd, when one watch had passed in a fortunate ascension and a benign hour, I mounted an elephant and approached the fort of Māndū. When a watch and three gharis of day had passed, I entered the houses which they had prepared for the royal accommodation. I scattered 1,500 rupees on the way. From Ajmir to Māndū, 159 kos, in the space of four months and two days, in forty-six marches and seventy-eight halts, had been traversed. In these forty-six marches our halts were made on the banks of tanks or streams or large rivers in pleasant places which were full of trees and poppy-fields in flower, and no day passed that I did not hunt while halting or travelling. Riding on horseback or on an elephant I came along the whole way looking about and hunting, and none of the difficulties of travelling were experienced; one might say that there was a change from one garden to another. In these huntings there were always present with me Āṣaf Khān, Mīrzā Rustam, Mīr Mīrān, Anīrā'ī, Hidāyatu-llah, Rāja Sārang Deo, Sayyid Kāsū, and Khawāṣṣ Khān. As before the arrival of the royal standards in these regions I had sent ‘Abdu-l-Karīm, the architect, to look to the repair of the buildings of the old rulers in Māndū, he during the time the camp halted at Ajmir had repaired some of the old buildings that were capable of repair, and had altogether rebuilt some places. In short, he had made ready a house the like of which for pleasantness and sweetness has probably not been made anywhere else. Nearly 300,000 rupees, or 2,000 Persian tumans, were expended on this. There should be such grand buildings in all great cities as might be fit for royal accommodation. This fort is on the top of a hill 10 kos in circumference; in the rainy season there is no place with the fine air and pleasantness of this fort. At nights, in the season of the qalbu-l-asad (Cor leonis or Regulus, the star a of Leo), it is so cold that one cannot do without a coverlet, and by day there is no need for a fan (bād-zan). They say364 that before the time of Rāja Bikramājīt there was a Raja of the name of Jai Singh Deo. In his time a man had gone into the fields to bring grass. While he was cutting it, the sickle he had in his hand appeared to be of the colour of gold. When he saw that his sickle had been transmuted, he took it to a blacksmith of the name of Mādan364a to be repaired. The blacksmith knew the sickle had been turned into gold. It had before this been heard that there was in this country the alchemist's stone (sang-i-pāras), by contact with which iron and copper became gold. He immediately took the grasscutter with him to that place and procured the stone. After this he brought to the Raja of the time this priceless jewel. The Raja by means of this stone made gold, and spent part of it on the buildings of this fort and completed them in the space of twelve years. At the desire of that blacksmith he caused them to cut into the shape of an anvil most of the stones that were to be built into the wall of the fort. At the end of his life, when his heart had given up the world, he held an assembly on the bank of the Narbada, which is an object of worship among the Hindus, and, assembling brahmins, made presents to each of cash and jewels. When the turn of a brahmin came who had long been associated with him, he gave this stone into his hand. He from ignorance became angry and threw the priceless jewel into the river. After he came to know the true state of the affair he was a captive to perpetual sorrow. However much he searched, no trace of it was found. These things are not written in a book; they have been heard, but my intelligence in no way accepts this story. It appears to me to be all delusion. Māndū365 is one of the famous Sarkars of the Subah of Malwa. Its revenue is 1,390,000 dams. It was for a long time the capital of the kings of this country. There are many buildings and traces of former kings in it, and up till now it has not fallen into ruin.
On the 24th I rode to go round and see the buildings of the old kings, and went first to the Jāmi‘ mosque, which is one built by Sulṭān Hūshang Ghūrī. A very lofty building came to view, all of cut stone, and although 180 years have passed since the time of its building, it is as if the builder had just withdrawn his hand from it. After this I went to the building containing the tombs of the Khaljī rulers. The grave of Naṣīru-d-dīn, son of Sulṭān Ghiyāṯu-d-dīn, whose face is blackened for ever, was also there. It is well known that that wretch advanced himself by the murder of his own father, Ghiyāṯu-d-dīn, who was in his 80th year. Twice he gave him poison, and he twice expelled it by means of a zahr-muhra (poison antidote, bezoar) he had on his arm. The third time he mixed poison in a cup of sherbet and gave it to his father with his own hand, saying he must drink it. As his father understood what efforts he was making in this matter, he loosened the zahr-muhra from his arm and threw it before him, and then turning his face in humility and supplication towards the throne of the Creator, who requires no supplication, said: “O Lord, my age has arrived at 80 years, and I have passed this time in prosperity and happiness such as has been attained to by no king. Now as this is my last time, I hope that Thou wilt not seize Naṣīr for my murder, and that reckoning my death as a thing decreed Thou wilt not avenge it.” After he had spoken these words, he drank off that poisoned cup of sherbet at a gulp and delivered his soul to the Creator. The meaning of his preamble was that he had passed the time of his reign in enjoyment such as has not been attained to by any of the kings. When in his 48th year he came to the throne, he said to his intimates and those near him, “In the service of my revered father I have passed thirty years in warfare and have committed no fault in my activity as a soldier; now that my turn to reign has arrived, I have no intention to conquer countries, but desire to pass the remainder of my life in ease and enjoyment.” They say that he had collected 15,000 women in his harem. He had a whole city of them, and had made it up of all castes, kinds, and descriptions— artificers, magistrates, qazis, kotwals, and whatever else is necessary for the administration of a town. Wherever he heard of a virgin possessed of beauty, he would not desist (lit. did not sit down from his feet) until he possessed her. He taught the girls all kinds of arts and crafts, and was much inclined to hunt. He had made a deer park and collected all kinds of animals in it. He often used to hunt in it with his women. In brief, in the period of thirty-two years of his reign, as he had determined, he went against no enemy, and passed this time in ease and enjoyment. In the same way no one invaded his country. It is reported that when Shīr Khān, the Afghan, in the time of his rule, came to the tomb of Naṣīru-d-dīn, he, in spite of his brutish nature, on account of Naṣīru-d-dīn's shameful conduct, ordered the head of the tomb to be beaten with sticks. Also when I went to his tomb I gave it several kicks, and ordered the servants in attendance on me to kick the tomb. Not satistied with this, I ordered the tomb to be broken open and his impure remains to be thrown into the fire. Then it occurred to me that since fire is Light, it was a pity for the Light of Allah to be polluted with burning his filthy body; also, lest there should be any diminution of torture for him in another state from being thus burnt, I ordered them to throw his crumbled bones, together with his decayed limbs; into the Narbada. During his lifetime he always passed his days in the water in consequence of the heat that had acquired a mastery over his temperament. It is well known that in a state of drunkenness he once threw himself into one of the basins at Kāliyādaha, which was very deep. Some of the attendants in the harem exerted themselves and caught his hair in their hands and drew him out of the water. After he had come to his senses they told him that this thing had happened. When he had heard that they had pulled him out by the hair of his head, he became exceedingly angry, and ordered the hands of the attendants to be cut off. Another time, when an affair of this kind took place, no one had the boldness to pull him out and he was drowned. By chance, after 110 years had passed since his death, it came to pass that his decayed limbs also became mingled with the water.
On the 28th, as a reward for the buildings of Māndū having been completed through his excellent exertions, I promoted ‘Abdu-l-Karīm to the rank of 800 personal and 400 horse, and dignified him with the title of Ma‘mūr Khān (the architect-Khān). On the same day that the royal standards entered the fort of Māndū, my son of lofty fortune, Sulṭān Khurram, with the victorious army, entered the city of Burhanpur, which is the seat of the governor of the province of Khandesh.
After some days, representations came from Afẓal Khān and the Rāy Rāyān, to whom at the time of leaving Ajmir my son had given leave to accompany the ambassador to ‘Ādil Khān, reporting that when the news of our coming reached ‘Ādil Khān he came out for 7 kos to meet the order and the litter of the prince, and performed the duties of salutation and respect which are customary at Court. He did not omit a hair's point of such ceremonies. At the same interview he professed the greatest loyalty, and promised that he would restore all those provinces that ‘Ambar of dark fate had taken from the victorious State, and agreed to send to the Court with all reverence a fitting offering with his ambassadors. After saying this he brought the ambassadors in all dignity to the place that had been prepared for them. On the same day he sent some one to ‘Ambar with a message of the matters it was necessary to acquaint him with. I heard this news from the reports of Afẓal Khān and the Rāy Rāyān.
From Ajmir up to Monday, the 23rd of the aforesaid368 month, during four months, 2 tigers, 27 blue bulls, 6 chītal (spotted deer), 60 deer, 23 hares and foxes, and 1,200 water-fowl and other animals had been killed. On these nights I told the story of my former hunting expeditions and the liking I had for this occupation to those standing at the foot of the throne of the Caliphate. It occurred to me that I might make up the account of my game from the commencement of my years of discretion up to the present time. I accordingly gave orders to the news-writers, the hunt-accountants and huntsmen, and others employed in this service to make enquiries and tell me of all the animals that had been killed in hunting. It was shown that from the commencement of my 12th year, which was in 988 (1580), up to the end of this year, which is the 11th year after my accession and my 50th lunar year, 28,532 head of game had been taken in my presence. Of these, 17,167 animals I killed myself with my gun or otherwise, viz.: Quadrupeds, 3,203; viz., tigers, 86; bears, cheetahs, foxes, otters (ūdbilāo), and hyænas, 9; blue bulls, 889; mhāka, a species of antelope, in size equal to a blue bull, 35 head; of antelope, male and female, chikāra, chītal, mountain goats, etc., 1,670369 ; rams (qūj) and red deer, 215; wolves, 64; wild buffaloes, 36; pigs, 90; rang, 26; mountain sheep, 22; arghalī, 32; wild asses, 6; hares, 23. Birds, 13,964; viz., pigeons, 10,348; lagaṛ-jhagaṛ (a species of hawk), 3; eagles, 2; qalīwāj (ghalīwāj, kite), 23; owls (chughd), 39; qauṭān (goldfinch?), 12; kites (mūsh-khwur, mice-eaters), 5; sparrows, 41; doves, 25; owls (būm), 30; ducks, geese, cranes, etc., 150; crows, 3,276. Aquatic animals, 10 magar machha, that is, crocodiles369a (nahang).
One ghari of day remained of Monday, the 30th of the aforesaid (Isfandiyār) month, corresponding to the 12th Rabī‘u-l-awwal, 1026 (20th March, 1617), when the sun changed from the constellation of Pisces into the pleasure-house of Aries, which is his abode of honour and good fortune. At the very time of transit, which was a fortunate hour, I sat upon the throne. I had ordered that according to the usual custom they should decorate the public audience hall with fine cloths, etc. Notwithstanding that many of the Amirs and chief men of the State were in attendance on my son Khurram, a meeting was arranged which was not inferior to those of previous years. I presented the offerings of Tuesday370 to Ānand Khān. On the same day, which was the 1st Farwardīn of the 12th year (21st or 22nd March, 1617), a representation arrived from Shāh Khurram to the effect that the New Year's festival had been arranged for in the same manner as in previous years, but as the days of travelling and service had occurred the annual offerings of the servants would be remitted. This proceeding of my son was much approved. Remembering my dear son in my prayers, I besought for him from the throne of Allah his welfare in both worlds, and ordered that on this New Year's Day no one should present offerings.
In consequence of the disturbance that tobacco brings about in most temperaments and constitutions, I had ordered that no one should smoke it (lit. draw). My brother Shāh ‘Abbās had also become aware of the mischief arising from it, and had ordered that in Iran no one should venture to smoke. As Khān ‘Ālam (ambassador to Persia) was without control in continual smoking of tobacco, he frequently practised it. Yādgār ‘Alī Sulṭān, ambassador of the ruler of Iran, represented to Shāh ‘Abbās that Khān ‘Ālam could never be a moment without tobacco, and he (Shāh ‘Abbās) wrote this couplet in answer—
“The friend's envoy wishes to exhibit tobacco;
With fidelity's lamp I light up the tobacco-market.”
Khān ‘Ālam in answer wrote and sent this verse—
“I, poor wretch, was miserable at the tobacco notice;
By the just Shah's favour the tobacco-market became brisk.”
On the 3rd of the same month, Ḥusain Beg, the diwan of Bengal, had the good fortune to kiss the threshold, and made an offering of twelve elephants, male and female. Ṭāhir, bakhshi of Bengal, who had been accused of several offences, obtained the favour of paying his respects to me, and presented before me an offering of twenty-one elephants. Twelve of these were approved and the remainder I conferred on him. On this day a wine-feast was arranged, and I gave wine to most of the servants who were engaged in waiting on me, and made them all heated with the wine of loyalty. On the 4th the huntsmen sent news that they had marked down a lion in the neighbourhood of the Shakkar371 tank, which is inside the fort and one of the famous constructions of the rulers of Malwa. I at once mounted and went towards that game. When the lion appeared he charged the ahadis and the retinue and wounded ten371a or twelve of them. At last I finished his business with three shots371b (lit. arrows) from my gun, and removed his evil from the servants of God. On the 8th the mansab of Mīr Mīrān, which was 1,000 personal and 400 horse, was fixed at 1,500 personal and 500 horse. On the 9th, at the request of my son Khurram, I increased the mansab of Khān Jahān by 1,000 personal and horse, making it thus 6,000 personal and horse; that of Ya‘qūb Khān, which was 1,500 personal with 1,000 horse, was made 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse; that of Bahlūl Khān Miyāna372 was increased by 500 personal and 300 horse to 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse; and that of Mīrzā Sharafu-d-dīn Kāshgharī, by whom and his son great bravery had been shown in the Deccan, was increased to 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. On the 10th Farwardīn, corresponding with the 22nd Rabī‘u-l-awwal, 1026, my lunar weighing took place. On this day two ‘Iraq horses from my private stable and a dress of honour were conferred on my son Khurram and sent to him by Bahrām Beg. I increased the mansab of I‘tibār Khān to 5,000 personal and 3,000 horse. On the 11th, Ḥusain Beg, of Tabriz, whom the ruler of Iran had sent to the ruler of Golconda by way of embassy, as, in consequence of the quarrel of the Franks with the Persians, the road of the Mīr had been closed,372a waited upon me with the ambassador of the ruler of Golconda. Offerings came from him of two horses and some tuqūz372b (nine-pieces?) of cloth from the Deccan and Gujarat. On the same day an ‘Iraq horse from my private stable was bestowed on Khān Jahān. On the 15th, 1,000 personal were added to the mansab of Mīrzā Rāja Bhāo Singh, raising it to 5,000 personal and 3,000 horse. On the 17th, 500 horse were added to the mansab of Mīrzā Rustam, and I made it up to 5,000 personal and 1,000 horse; that of Ṣādiq Khān was fixed at 1,500 personal and 700 horse, original and increase; Irādat Khān in the same manner was raised to the mansab of 1,500 and 600 horse. To the mansab of Anīrā'ī 500 personal and 100 horse were added, and it was made one of 1,500 personal and 500 horse. Three gharis of Saturday, the 19th, remained when the beginning of the sharaf (day of sun's culmination) occurred, and at the same time I again took my seat on the throne. Of the thirty-two prisoners from the army of the rebel ‘Ambar who had been captured by the servants of the victorious State in the battle won by Shāh-nawāz Khān and the defeat of that disastrous man (‘Ambar), I had handed one man over to I‘tiqād Khān. The guards who had been appointed to keep him showed carelessness and let him escape. I was much annoyed at this, and I forbade I‘tiqād Khān to come to wait on me for three months. As the said prisoner's name and condition were unknown, he was not caught again, although they showed activity in the matter. At last I ordered the captain of the guards who had been careless in keeping him to be capitally punished. I‘tiqād Khān on this day, at the request of I‘timādu-d-daulah, had the good fortune to pay his respects to me.
As for a long time no good had been heard of the affairs of Bengal and of the conduct of Qāsim Khān, it entered my mind to send to the Subah of Bengal Ibrāhīm Khān Fath-jang, who had carried on successfully the affairs of the Subah of Behar and had brought a diamond mine into the possession of the State, and to despatch Jahāngīr Qulī Khān, who had a jagir in the Subah of Allahabad, in his place to Behar. I sent for Qāsim Khān to Court. At the same hour on the auspicious day (the day of culmination) an order was given that they should write royal farmans to the effect that sazāwalān (revenue collectors) should be appointed to take Jahāngīr Qulī Khān to Behar and to send Ibrāhīm Khān Fatḥ-jang to Bengal. Patronizing Sikandar,373 the jeweller, I promoted him to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 300 horse.
On the 21st I gave leave to Muḥammad Riẓā, ambassador of the ruler of Iran, and bestowed on him 60,000 darbs, equal to 30,000 rupees, with a dress of honour. As an equivalent to the souvenir (yād-būdī) that my brother Shāh ‘Abbās had sent to me, I forwarded with the aforesaid ambassador certain presents of jewelled things which the rulers of the Deccan had sent, with cloths and rare things of every kind fit for presentation, of the value of 100,000 rupees. Among these was a crystạl cup that Chelebī374 had sent from ‘Iraq. The Shah had seen this cup and said to the ambassador that if his brother (Jahāngīr) would drink wine out of it and send it to him it would be a great mark of affection. When the ambassador represented this, having drunk wine several times out of the cup in his presence, I ordered them to make a lid and a saucer for it and sent it along with the presents. The lid was of enamel (mīnā-kārī). I ordered the Munshis of mercurial writing (‘Uṭārid-raqm) to write in due form an answer to the letter he had brought.
On the 22nd the scouts brought in news of a tiger. Mounting immediately, I went against the tiger and with three shots I delivered the people from his wickedness, and himself from the wickedness of his vile nature. Masīḥu-z-zamān produced before me a cat, and represented that it was a hermaphrodite, and that in his house it had young ones, and that when it had connection with another cat, young were born to the latter.
On the 25th the contingent of I‘timādu-d-daulah passed before me in review on the plain under the jharoka. There were 2,000 cavalry well horsed, most of whom were Moghuls, 500 foot armed with bows and guns, and fourteen elephants. The bakhshis reckoned them up and reported that this force was fully equipped and according to rule. On the 26th a tigress was killed. On Thursday, the 1st Urdībihisht, a diamond that Muqarrab Khān had sent by runners was laid before me; it weighed 23 surkh, and the jewellers valued it at 30,000 rupees. It was a diamond of the first water, and was much approved. I ordered them to make a ring of it. On the 3rd the mansab of Yūsuf Khān was, at the request of Bābā Khurram, fixed at 1,000 with 1,500 horse, and in the same way the mansabs of several of the Amirs and mansabdars were increased at his suggestion. On the 7th, as the huntsmen had marked down four tigers, when two watches and three gharis had passed I went out to hunt them with my ladies. When the tigers came in sight Nūr-Jahān Begam submitted that if I would order her she herself would kill the tigers with her gun. I said, “Let it be so.” She shot two tigers with one shot each and knocked over the two others with four shots. In the twinkling of an eye she deprived of life the bodies of these four tigers. Until now such shooting was never seen, that from the top of an elephant and inside of a howdah (‘amārī) six shots should be made and not one miss, so that the four beasts found no opportunity to spring or move.375 As a reward for this good shooting I gave her a pair of bracelets375a (pahunchī) of diamonds worth 100,000 rupees and scattered 1,000 ashrafis (over her). On the same day Ma‘mūr Khān (the architect-Khan) obtained leave to go to Lahore to complete the buildings of the palace there. On the 10th the death of Sayyid Wāriṯ, who was faujdar of the Subah of Oudh, was reported. On the 12th, as Mīr Maḥmūd asked for a faujdarship, I dignified him with the title of Tahawwur Khān, and, increasing his mansab, appointed him to the faujdarship of some of the parganahs of the Subah of Multan. On the 22nd, Ṭāhir, the bakhshi of Bengal, who had been forbidden to pay his respects, waited upon me and presented his offerings. Eight elephants were also presented as the offering of Qāsim Khān, governor of Bengal, and two as that of Shaikh Modhū. On the 28th, at the request of Khān Daurān, an order was given for the increase of the mansab of ‘Abdu-l-‘Azīz Khān by 500. On the 5th Khurdād the duty of the Diwanship of Gujarat was given to Mīrzā Ḥusain in supercession of Kesho. I dignified him with the title of Kifāyat Khān. On the 8th, Lashkar Khān, who had been appointed bakhshi of Bangash, came and waited on me; he offered 100 muhrs and 500 rupees. Some days before this Ūstād Muḥammad Nāyī (flute-player), who was unequalled in his craft, was sent by my son Khurram at my summons. I had heard some of his musical pieces376 (majlis-sāz), and he played a tune which he had composed for an ode (ghazal) in my name. On the 12th I ordered him to be weighed against rupees; this came to 6,300 rupees. I also gave him an elephant with a howdah,376a and I ordered him to ride on it and, having packed376b his rupees about him, to proceed to his lodging. Mullā Asad, the storyteller, one of the servants of Mīrzā Ghāzī, came on the same day from Tattah and waited on me. As he was a reciter and story-teller full of sweetness and smartness, I liked his society, and I made him happy with the title of Maḥẓūẓ Khān, and gave him 1,000 rupees, a dress of honour, a horse, an elephant, and a palanquin. After some days I ordered him to be weighed against rupees, and his weight came up to 4,400. He was raised to the mansab of 200 personal and 20 horse. I ordered him always to be present at the meetings for talk (gap). On the same day Lashkar Khān brought his men to the darshan jharoka before me. There were 500 horse, 14 elephants, and 100 musketeers. On the 24th news came that Mahā Singh, grandson of Rāja Mān Singh, who was entered among the great officers, had died from excessive wine-drinking at Bālāpūr in the province of Berar. His father also had died at the age of 32377 from the drinking of wine beyond measure. On the same day they had brought to my private fruit-house many mangoes from all parts of the province of the Deccan, Burhanpur, Gujarat, and the parganahs of Malwa. Although this province is well known and celebrated for the sweetness, freedom from stringiness, and size of its mangoes, and there are few mangoes that equal its mangoes—so much so that I often ordered them to be weighed in my presence, when they were shown to come to a seer or 1 1/4 seer or even more—yet in sweetness of water and delicious flavour and digestibility the mangoes of Chaprāmau,377a in the province of Agra, are superior to all the mangoes of this province and of all other places in India.
On the 28th I sent for my son Bābā Khurram a special gold-embroidered nādirī of a fineness such as had never been produced before in my establishment; I ordered the bearer to tell him that as this rarity had the speciality that I had worn it on the day I quitted Ajmir for the conquest of the Deccan, I had sent it to him. On the same day I placed the turban from my own head, just as it was, on the head of I‘timādu-d-daulah, and honoured him with this favour. Three emeralds, a piece of jewelled ūrbasī,378 and a ruby signet ring that Mahābat Khān had sent by way of offering were laid before me. They came to 7,000 rupees in value. On this day, by the mercy and favour of Allah, continued rain fell. Water in Māndū had become very scarce and the people were agitated about the matter, so that most of the servants had been ordered to go to the bank of the Narbada. There was no expectation of rain at that season. In consequence of the agitation of the people I turned by way of supplication to the throne of God, and He in His mercy and grace gave such rain that in the course of a day and a night tanks, ponds (birkahā), and rivers became full, and the agitation of the people was changed to complete ease. With what tongue can I render thanks for this favour? On the 1st of Tīr a standard was presented to Wazīr Khān. The offering of the Rānā, consisting of two horses, a piece of Gujarati cloth, and some jars of pickles and preserves, was laid before me. On the 3rd, Mu‘azzā378a (?) brought news of the capture of ‘Abdu-l-Laṭīf, a descendant of the rulers of Gujarat, who had always been the originator of mischief and disturbance in that Subah. As his capture was a reason for the contentment of the people, praise was given to God, and I ordered Muqarrab Khān to send him to Court by one of his mansabdars. Many of the zamindars in the neighbourhood of Māndū came and waited on me, and laid offerings before me. On the 8th, Rām Dās, son of Rāja Rāj Singh Kachhwāha, was given the ṭīka of a Raja, and I honoured him with that title. Yādgār Beg, who was known in Māwarā'a-n-nahr (Transoxiana) as Yādgār Qūrchī, and had not been without connection and influence with the ruler of that country, came and waited on me. Of all his offerings a white china cup on a stand was the most approved. The offering of Bahādur Khān, governor of Qandahar, consisting of nine horses, nine tuqūz of fine cloth (81 pieces?), two black foxes' skins, and other things, was brought before me. Also on this day the Rāja of Gadeha, Pem379 Narāyan, had the good fortune to wait on me, and made an offering of seven elephants, male and female. On the 10th a horse and dress of honour were given to Yādgār Qūrchī. On the 13th was the feast of rose-water scattering (gulāb-pāshān). The rites due to that day were performed. Shaikh Maudūd Chishtī, one of the officers of Bengal, was honoured with the title of Chishtī Khān, and I presented him with a horse. On the 14th, Rāwal Samarsī (Samarsiha), son of Rāwal Ūday Singh, zamindar of Bānswāla, waited on me; he gave as offering 30,000 rupees, three elephants, a jewelled pān-dān (box for betel), and a jewelled belt. On the 15th nine diamonds which Ibrāhīm Khān Fatḥ-jang, the governor of Behar, had sent along with Muḥammad Beg from the mine, and from the collections of the zamindars of that place; were laid before me. Of these, one weighed 14 1/2 tanks, and was of the value of 100,000 rupees. On the same day Yādgār Qūrchī was presented with 14,000 darbs, and I promoted him to the mansab of 500 personal and 300 horse. I fixed the mansab of Tātār Khān, bakāwul-begī (chief steward), original and increase, at 2,000 personal and 300 horse, and each of his sons was separately promoted to an increased mansab. At the request of Prince Sulṭān Parwīz, I increased the personal mansab of Wazīr Khān by 500.
On the 29th, which was the auspicious day of Thursday, Sayyid ‘Abdu-llah Bārha, the envoy of my son of good fortune, Bābā Khurram, waited on me, and presented a letter from that son containing news of a victory over the provinces of the Deccan. All the chiefs, laying the head of duty in the noose of obedience, had consented to service and humility, and laid before him the keys of forts and strongholds, especially the fort of Ahmadnagar. In gratitude for this great favour and beneficence, placing the head of supplication on the throne of that God who requires no return, I opened my lips in thankfulness, and, humbling myself, ordered them to beat the drums of rejoicing. Thanks be to Allah that a territory that had passed out of hand has come back into the possession of the servants of the victorious State, and that the seditious, who had been breathing the breath of rebellion and boasting, have turned towards supplication and weakness, and become deliverers of properties and payers of tribute. As this news reached me through Nūr-Jahān Begam, I gave her the parganah of Boda (Ṭoḍā?),380 the revenue of which is 200,000 rupees. Please God, when the victorious forces enter the province of the Deccan and its forts, and the mind of my excellent son Khurram is satisfied with regard to their possession, he will bring with the ambassadors such an offering from the Deccan as no other king of this age has received It was ordered that he should bring with him the Amirs who were to receive jagirs in this Subah, in order that they might have the honour of waiting on me. They will thereafter get leave to depart, and the glorious royal standards will return with victory and rejoicing to the capital of Agra. Some days before the news of this victory reached me, I took one night an augury from the diwan of Khwāja Ḥāfiẓ as to what would be the end of this affair, and this ode turned up—
“The day of absence and night of parting from the friend are o'er.
I took this augury; the star passed and fulfilment came.”381
When the secret tongue (lisānu-l-ghaib) of Ḥāfiẓ showed such an ending it gave me a strong hope, and accordingly, after twenty-five days, the news of victory arrived. In many of my desires I have resorted to the Khwāja's diwan, and (generally) the result has coincided with what I found there. It is seldom that the opposite has happened.
On the same day I added 1,000 horse to the mansab of Āṣaf Khān, and raised it to that of 5,000 personal and horse. At the end of the day I went with the ladies to look round the building of the Haft Manẓar381a (seven storeys), and at the beginning of the evening returned to the palace. This building was founded by a former ruler of Malwa, Sulṭān Maḥmūd Khaljī. It has seven storeys, and in each storey there are four chambers (ṣuffa) containing four windows. The height of this tower (mīnār) is 54 1/2 cubits, and its circumference 50 yards (gaz). There are 171 steps from the ground to the seventh storey. In going and returning I scattered 1,400 rupees.382
On the 31st I honoured Sayyid ‘Abdu-llah with the title of Saif Khān, and having exalted him with a dress of honour, a horse, an elephant, and a jewelled dagger, gave him leave and sent him to do duty with my son of lofty fortune. I also sent by him a ruby of the value of more than 30,000 rupees for my son. I did not regard its value, but as for a long time I used to bind it on my own head, I sent it him by way of good augury, considering it lucky for him. I appointed Sulṭān Maḥmūd, a son-in-law of Khwāja Abū-l-ḥasan bakhshi, to be bakhshi and news-writer of the Subah of Behar, and when he took leave I gave him an elephant. At the end of the day of Thursday, 5th Amurdād, I went with the ladies to see the Nīl-kunḍ, which is one of the most382a pleasant places in the fort of Mandu (Mānḍogaṛh). Shāh-budāgh Khān, who was one of my revered father's most considerable Amirs, at the time when he held this province in jagir, built in this place an exceedingly pleasing and enjoyable building. Delaying there till two or three gharis of night had passed I returned to the auspicious palace.
As several indiscretions on the part of Mukhliṣ Khān, diwan and bakhshi of the Subah of Bengal, had come to my ears, I reduced his mansab by 1,000 personal and 200 horse. On the 7th a war (mastī) elephant from among those sent as offerings by ‘Ādil Khān, by name Gaj-rāj, was sent to Rānā Amr Singh. On the 11th, I went out to hunt, and came one stage from the fort. There was excessive rain, and the mud was such that there was hardly any moving. For the convenience of the people and the comfort of the animals I gave up this undertaking, and passing the day of Thursday outside, returned on Friday eve. On the same day Hidāyatu-llah, who is very well suited to carry out the rules and movements (in travelling) of the headquarters (lit. presence), was honoured with the title of Fidā'ī Khān. In this rainy season rain fell in such quantities that old men said that they did not remember such rain in any age. For nearly forty days there was nothing but cloud and rain, so that the sun only appeared occasionally. There was so much wind that many buildings, both old and new, fell down. On the first night there was383 such rain and thunder and lightning as has seldom been heard of. Nearly twenty women and men were killed, and the foundations even of some of the stone buildings were broken up. No noise is more terrifying than this. Till the middle of the month was passed, wind and rain increased. After this they gradually became less. What can be written of the verdure and self-grown fragrant plants? They covered valley and plain and hill and desert. It is not known if in the inhabited world there exists another such place as Mandu for sweetness of air and for the pleasantness of the locality and the neighbourhood, especially in the rainy season. In this season, which lasts for months and extends up to the hot weather, one cannot sleep inside houses without coverlets, and in the day the temperature is such that there is no need for a fan or for change of place. All that could be written would still fall short of the many beauties of the place. I saw two things that I had not seen in any other place in Hindustan. One was the tree of the wild plantain that grows in most of the uncultivated places in the fort, and the other the nest of the wagtail (mamūla), which they call in Persian the dum-sīcha (tail-wagger). Up till now none of the hunters had pointed out its nest. By chance in the building I occupied there was its nest, and it brought out two young ones.
Three watches of day had passed on Thursday, the 19th, when I mounted with the ladies in order to go round and see the courts and buildings on the Shakkar tank, founded by former rulers of Malwa. As an elephant had not been conferred on I‘timādu-d-daulah on account of his government of the Panjab, I gave him on the road one of my private elephants of the name of Jagjot. I remained in this enchanting place until the evening, and was much delighted with the pleasantness and greenness of the surrounding open spaces. After performing my evening prayer and counting my rosary, we returned to our fixed residence. On Friday an elephant named Ran-bādal (cloud of war?), which Jahāngīr Qulī Khān had sent as an offering, was brought before me. Having adopted for myself certain special cloths and cloth-stuffs, I gave an order that no one should wear the same but he on whom I might bestow them. One was a nādirī coat that they wear over the qabā (a kind of outer vest). Its length is from the waist down to below the thighs, and it has no sleeves. It is fastened in front with buttons, and the people of Persia call it kurdī (from the country of the Kurds). I gave it the name of nadiri. Another garment is a Ṭūs shawl, which my revered father had adopted as a dress. The next was a coat (qaba) with a folded collar (batū girībān). The ends of the sleeves were embroidered. He had also appropriated this to himself. Another was a qaba with a border, from which the fringes of cloth were cut off and sewn round the skirt and collar and the ends of the sleeve. Another was a qaba of Gujarati satin, and another a chīra and waistbelt woven with silk, in which were interwoven gold and silver threads.
As the monthly pay of some of Mahābat Khān's horsemen, according to the regulation of three and two horsed men, for the performance of duty in the Deccan, had become increased and the service385 had not been performed, I gave an order that the civil officers (dīwāniyān) should levy the difference from his jagir. In the end of Thursday, the 26th, corresponding with the 14th Sha‘bān, which is the Shab-i-barāt, I held a meeting in one of the houses of the palace of Nūr-Jahān Begam, which was situated in the midst of large tanks, and summoning the Amirs and courtiers to the feast which had been prepared by the Begam, I ordered them to give the people cups and all kinds of intoxicating drinks according to the desire of each. Many asked for cups, and I ordered that whoever drank a cup should sit according to his mansab and condition. All sorts of roast meats, and fruits by way of relish, were ordered to be placed before everyone. It was a wonderful assembly. In the beginning of the evening they lighted lanterns and lamps all round the tanks and buildings, and a lighting up was carried out the like of which has perhaps never been arranged in any place. The lanterns and lamps cast their reflection on the water, and it appeared as if the whole surface of the tank was a plain of fire. A grand entertainment took place, and the drinkers of cups took more cups than they could carry.
“A feast was arranged that lighted up the heart,
It was of such beauty as the heart desired.
They flung over this verdant mead
A carpet broad as the field of genius.
From abundance of perfume the feast spread far,
The heavens were a musk-bag by reason of incense,
The delicate ones of the garden (the flowers) became glorious,
The face of each was lighted up like a lamp.”385a
After three of four gharis of night had passed, I dismissed the men and summoned the ladies, and till a watch of night (remained?) passed the time in this delightful place, and enjoyed myself. On this day of Thursday several special things had happened. One was that it was the day of my ascension of the throne; secondly, it was the Shab-i-barāt; thirdly, it was the day of the rākhī, which has already been described, and with the Hindus is a special day. On account of these three pieces of good fortune I called the day Mubārak-shamba.
On the 27th, Sayyid Kāsū was dignified with the title of Parwarish Khān. Wednesday, in the same way that Mubārak-shamba had been a fortunate one for me, had fallen out exactly the opposite. On this account I gave this evil day the name of Kam-shamba, in order that this day might always fail from the world (lessen). On the next day a jewelled dagger was conferred on Yādgār Qūrchī, and I ordered that after this he should be styled Yādgār Beg. I had sent for Jay Singh, son of Rāja Mahā Singh. On this day he waited on me and presented an elephant as an offering. A watch and three gharis of Mubārak-shamba, the 2nd of Shahriyār, had passed, when I rode to look round the Nīl-kunḍ and its neighbourhood; thence I passed on to the plain of the ‘Īd-gāh on the top of a mound that was very green and pleasant. Champa flowers and other sweet wild herbs of that plain had bloomed to such a degree that on all sides on which the eye fell the world looked like a world of greenery and flowers. I entered the palace when a watch of night had passed.
As it had been several times mentioned to me that a kind of sweetmeat was obtained from the wild plantain such that dervishes and other poor people made it their food. I wished to enquire into the matter. What I found was that the fruit of the wild plantain was an exceedingly hard and tasteless thing. The real fact is that in the lower part (of the trunk) there is a thing shaped like a fir - cone from which the real fruit of the plantain comes out. On this a kind of sweetmeat forms which has exactly the juiciness and taste of pālūda. It appears that men eat this and enjoy it.387
With regard to carrier pigeons (kabūtar-i-nāma-bar), it had been stated to me in the course of conversation that in the time of the Abbaside Caliphs they taught387a the Baghdad pigeons who were styled ‘letter-carriers’ (nāma-bar), and were one-half larger387b than the wild pigeon. I bade the pigeon-fanciers to teach their pigeons, and they taught some of them in such a manner that we let them fly from Mandu in the early morning, and if there was much rain they reached Burhanpur by 2 1/2 pahars (watches) of the day, or even in 1 1/2 pahars. If the air was very clear most of them arrived by one pahar of the day and some by four gharis (hours) of the day.
On the 3rd a letter came from Bābā Khurram, announcing the coming of Afẓal Khān and Rāy Rāyān and the arrival of the ambassadors of Ādil Khān, and their bringing suitable offerings of jewels, jewelled things, elephants, and horses, offerings such as had never come in any reign or time, and expressing much gratitude for the services and loyalty of the aforesaid Khān, and his faithfulness to his word and duty. He asked for a gracious royal firman bestowing on him the title of farzand (son) and for other favours, which had never yet been vouchsafed in his honour. Since it was very gratifying to me to please my son, and his request was reasonable, I ordered that the Munshis of the mercurial pen should write a farman in the name of ‘Ādil Khān, conveying every kind of affection and favour, and exceeding in his praise ten or twelve times what had been previously written. They were ordered in these farmans to address him as farzand. In the body of the farman I wrote this couplet with my own hand—
“Thou'st become, at Shāh Khurram's request,
Renowned in the world as my son” (farzandī).
On the 4th day this farman was sent off with its copy, so that my son Shāh Khurram might see the copy and send off the original. On Mubārak-shamba, the 9th, I went with the ladies to the house of Āṣaf Khān. His house was situated in the valley, and was exceedingly pleasant and bright. It had several valleys round it; in some places there were flowing waterfalls, and mango and other trees exceedingly green and pleasant and shady. Nearly 200 or 300 keora shrubs (gul-i-keoṛā, Pandanus odoratissimus) grew in one valley. In fine that day passed in great enjoyment. A wine party was held and cups were presented to the Amirs and intimates, and an offering from Āṣaf Khān was laid before me. There were many rare things. I took whatever I approved, and the remainder was given to him. On the same day Khwāja Mīr, son of Sulṭān Khwāja, who had come on a summons from Bangash, waited on me, and presented as an offering a ruby, two pearls, and an elephant. Rāja Bhīm Narāyan, a zamindar of the province of Gadeha, was promoted to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 500 horse. An order was given that a jagir should be provided him out of his native country. On the 12th a letter came from my son Khurram that Rāja Sūraj Mal, son of Rāja Bāso, whose territory is near the fort of Kangra, had promised that in the course of a year he would bring that fort into the possession of the servants of the victorious State. He also sent his letter which covenanted for this. I ordered that after comprehending his desires and wishes, and satisfying himself with regard to them, he should send off the Raja to wait on me, so that he might set about the said duty. On the same day, which was Monday, the 11th, corresponding with the 1st Ramaẓān (2nd September, 1617), after four gharis and seven pals had passed, a daughter was born to my son by the mother of his other children, who was the daughter of Āṣaf Khān. This child was named Rūshan-ārā Begam. As the Zamindar of Jaitpūr, which is in the jurisdiction389 of Mandu, in consequence of wickedness had not had the felicity of kissing the threshold, I ordered Fidā'ī Khān to proceed against him with some mansabdars and 400 or 500 musketeers and plunder his country. On the 13th one elephant was given to Fidā'ī Khān and one to Mīr Qāsim, son of Sayyid Murād. On the 16th Jay Singh, son of Rāja Mahā Singh, who was 12 years old, was promoted to the mansab of 1,000 personal and horse. To Mīr Mīrān, son of Mīr Khalīlu-llah, I gave an elephant which I had myself approved, and another to Mullā ‘Abdu-s-Sattār.389a Bhoj, son of Rāja Bikramājīt Bhadauriyā, after his father's death, came from the Deccan and waited on me, and presented 100 muhrs as an offering. On the 17th it was represented that Rāja Kalyān had come from the province of Orissa, and proposed to kiss my threshold. As some unpleasant stories had been told with regard to him, an order was given that they should hand him over with his son to Āṣaf Khān to enquire into the truth of what had been said about him. On the 19th an elephant was given to Jay Singh. On the 20th 200 horses were added to the mansab of Kesho Dās Mārū, so that it came, original and increase, to 2,000 personal and 1,200 horse. On the 23rd, having distinguished Allah-dād, the Afghan, with the title of Rashīd Khān, I gave him a parm-narm (shawl). The offering of Rāja Kalyān Singh, consisting of eighteen elephants, was brought before me; sixteen elephants were included in my private elephant stud, and I presented him with two. As the news had arrived from Iraq of the death of the mother of Mīr Mīrān, daughter of Shāh Isma‘īl II, of the race of the Ṣafawī kings, I sent him a dress of honour and brought him out of the robes of mourning. On the 25th Fidā'ī Khān received a dress of honour, and, in company with his brother Rūḥu-llah and other mansabdars, obtained leave to go to punish the Zamindar of Jaitpur. On the 28th, having come down from the fort with the intention of seeing the Narbada and to hunt in its neighbourhood, I took the ladies with me, and halted two stages down on the bank of the river. As there were many mosquitoes and fleas, I did not stay more than one night. Having come the next day to Tārāpūr, I returned on Friday, the 31st. On the 1st of the month of Mihr, Muḥsin Khwāja, who at this time had come from Transoxiana, received a dress of honour and 5,000 rupees. On the 2nd, after enquiry into the matters of Rāja Kalyān, with regard to which a report had been received, and which Āṣaf Khan had been appointed to investigate, as he appeared innocent, he enjoyed the good fortune to kiss the threshold, and presented as an offering 100 muhrs and 1,000 rupees. His offering of a string of pearls, consisting of eighty pearls and two rubies, with a bracelet with a ruby and two pearls, and the golden figure of a horse studded with jewels, was laid before me. A petition from Fidā'ī Khān arrived stating that when the victorious army entered the province of Jaitpur the zamindar had elected to run away. He could not oppose Fidā'ī, and his country was ravaged. He now repented of what he had done, and intended to come to the Court, which was the asylum of the world, and proffer service and obedience. A force with Rūḥu-llah was sent in pursuit of him to capture and bring him to Court, or to lay waste and ruin his domain and imprison his women and dependants, who had gone into the country of the neighbouring zamindars. On the 8th Khwāja Niẓām came and laid before me fourteen pomegranates from the port of Mukhā (Mocha), which they had brought to Surat in the space of fourteen days, and in eight days more to Mandu. The size of these was the same as that of the Thatta pomegranates. Though the pomegranates of Thatta are seedless and these have seeds,391 yet they are delicate, and in freshness excel those of Thatta. On the 9th news came that while Rūḥu-llah was passing through the villages, he came to know that the women and dependants of the Jaitpūrī zamindar were in a certain village. He remained outside, and sent men into the village to make enquiries and to bring out the persons who were there. Whilst he was making enquiries, one of the devoted servants of the zamindar came along with the villagers. Whilst his men were scattered here and there, and Rūḥu-llah with some servants had brought out his furniture and was sitting on a carpet, that devoted servant came behind him and struck him with a spear; the blow was fatal and the spearhead came out at his breast. The pulling out of the spear and the reverting391a to his original (dying) of Rūḥu-llah took place together. Those who were present sent that wretch to hell. All the men who had been scattered about put on their armour and attacked the village. Those doomed men (khūn-giriftahā) had the disgrace of harbouring392 rebels and sedition-mongers, and were killed in the course of an astronomical hour. They brought into captivity their wives and daughters, and, setting fire to the village, made it so that nothing was seen but heaps of ashes. They then lifted up the body of Rūḥu-llah and went and joined Fidā'ī Khān. With regard to the bravery and zeal of Rūḥu-llah, there was no dispute; at the most, his carelessness brought about this turn of fortune. No traces of habitation remained in that region; the zamindar of that place went into the hills and jungles and concealed and obliterated himself. He then sent someone to Fidā'ī Khān and begged for pardon for his offences. An order was given that he should be allowed quarter and brought to Court.
The mansab of Muruwwat Khān was fixed, original and increase, at 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, on condition that he should destroy Harbhān,392a Zamindar of Chandra-koṭa, from whom travellers endured great annoyance. On the 13th Rāja Sūraj Mal, together with Taqī, the bakhshi who was in attendance on Bābā Khurram, came and waited on me. He represented all his requirements. His engagement to perform the work was approved, and at the request of my son he was honoured with a standard and drums. To Taqī, who had been appointed with him, a jewelled khapwa (dagger) was given, and it was arranged that he should finish his own affairs and start off quickly. The mansab of Khwāja ‘Alī Beg Mīrzā, who had been appointed to the defence and administration of Ahmadnagar, was fixed at 5,000 personal and horse. An elephant apiece was given to Nūru-ddīn Qulī, Khwājagī Ṭāhir, Sayyid Khān Muḥammad, Murtaẓā Khān, and Walī Beg. On the 17th the mansab of Ḥākim Beg was fixed, original and increase, at 1,000 personal and 200 horse. On the same day, after presenting Rāja Sūraj Mal with a dress of honour, an elephant, and a jewelled khapwa, and Taqī with a dress of honour, I gave them leave to proceed on duty to Kangra. When those who had been sent by my son of lofty fortune, Shāh Khurram, with the ambassadors of ‘Ādil Khān and his offerings, arrived at Burhanpur, and my son's mind was completely satisfied with regard to the affairs of the Deccan, he prayed for the Subahdar-ship of Berar, Khandesh, and Ahmadnagar for the Commander-in-Chief, the Khankhanan, and sent his son Shāh-nawāz Khān, who is really Khankhanan junior, with 12,000 cavalry to hold possession of the conquered provinces. Every place and estate were put as jagirs into the hands of reliable men, and fitting arrangements were made for the government of the province. He left, out of the troops that were with him, 30,000 horse and 7,000 musketeer infantry, and took with him the remainder, amounting to 25,000 horse and 2,000 gunners, and set off to wait on me. On Thursday (Mubārak-shamba), the 20th393 of the month of Mihr (Divine month), in the twelfth year from my accession, corresponding with the 11th Shawwāl, 1026 Hijra (12th October, 1617), after three watches and one ghari had passed, he entered the fort of Mandu auspiciously and joyfully, and had the honour of waiting on me. The duration of our separation was 11393a months and 11 days. After he had performed the dues of salutation and kissing the ground, I called him up into the jharokha, and with exceeding kindness and uncontrolled delight rose from my place and held him in the embrace of affection. In proportion as he strove to be humble and polite, I increased my favours and kindness to him and made him sit near me. He presented 1,000 ashrafis and 1,000 rupees as nazar and the same amount by way of alms. As the time did not allow of his presenting all his offerings, he now brought before me the elephant Sarnāk (?) (snake-head?), that was the chief of the elephants of ‘Ādil Khān's offering, with a casket of precious stones. After this the bakhshis were ordered to arrange according to their mansabs the Amirs who had come with my son to pay their respects. The first who had the honour of audience was Khān Jahān. Sending for him above. I selected him for the honour of kissing my feet. He presented 1,000 muhrs and 1,000 rupees as nazr, and a casket filled with jewels and jewelled things as an offering (pīsh-kash). What was accepted of his offering was worth 45,000 rupees. After this ‘Abdu-llah Khān kissed the threshold, and presented 100 muhrs as nazr. Then Mahābat Khān had the honour of kissing the ground, and presented an offering of 100 muhrs and 1,000 rupees, with a parcel (gaṭhṛī)394 of precious stones and jewelled vessels, the value of which was 124,000 rupees. Of these one ruby weighed 11 miskals; an European brought it last year to sell at Ajmir, and priced it at 200,000 rupees, but the jewellers valued it at 80,000 rupees. Consequently the bargain did not come off, and it was returned to him and he took it away. When he came to Burhanpur, Mahābat Khān bought it from him for 100,000 rupees. After this Rāja Bhāo Singh waited on me, presenting 1,000 rupees as nazr and some jewels and jewelled things as a pīsh-kash. In the same manner Dārāb Khān, son of the Khan-khanan, Sardār Khān, brother of ‘Abdu - llah Khān, Shajā‘at Khān the Arab, Dayānat Khān, Shāh-bāz Khān, Mu‘tamad Khān bakhshi, Ūdā Rām,395 who was one of the chief Amirs of Niẓāmu-l-mulk, and who came on the promise of my son Shāh Khurram and joined the ranks of the loyal, waited on me in the order of their mansabs. After this the Wakils of ‘Ādil Khān had the honour of kissing the ground, and presented a letter from him. Before this, as a reward for the conquest of the Rānā, a mansab of 20,000 personal and 10,000 horse was conferred on my son of lofty fortune. When he had hastened to the capture of the Deccan he had obtained the title of Shah, and now, in reward for this distinguished service, I gave him a mansab of 30,000 personal and 20,000 horse, and bestowed on him the title of Shāh Jahān. An order was given that henceforth they should place a chair in the paradise-resembling assemblies near my throne for my son to sit upon. This was a special favour for my son, as it had never been the custom heretofore. A special dress of honour with a gold-embroidered chārqab, with collar, the end of the sleeves and the skirt decorated with pearls, worth 50,000 rupees, a jewelled sword with a jewelled pardala (belt), and a jewelled dagger were bestowed upon him. In his honour I myself came down from the jharokha and poured over his head a small tray of jewels and a tray of gold (coins).395a Having called Sarnāk elephant to me, I saw without doubt that what had been heard in its praise and of its beauty was real. It stood all the tests in size, form, and beauty. Few elephants are to be seen of such beauty. As it appeared acceptable to me, I myself mounted (i.e. drove it) and took it into my private palace, and scattered a quantity of gold coins on its head, and ordered them to tie it up inside the royal palace. With regard to this I gave it the name of Nūr-bakht396 (light of fortune). On Friday, the 24th, Rāja Bharjīv, Zamindar of Baglāṇa, came and waited on me. His name is Partāp; every Raja there has been of that place they call Bharjīv. He has about 1,500 horse in his pay (mawājib-khwār), and in time of need he can bring into the field 3,000 horse. The province of Baglāṇa lies between Gujarat, Khandesh, and the Deccan. It has two strong forts, Sāler and Māler (Muler), and as Māler is in the midst of a populous country he lives there himself. The country of Baglāṇa has pleasant springs and running waters. The mangoes of that region are very sweet and large, and are gathered for nine months from the beginning of immaturity396a until the end. It has many grapes, but not of the best kinds. The aforesaid Raja does not drop the thread of caution and prudence in dealing with the rulers of Gujarat, the Deccan, and Khandesh. He has never gone himself to see any of them, and if any of them has wished to stretch out his hand to possess his kingdom, he has remained undisturbed through the support of the others. After the provinces of Gujarat, the Deccan, and Khandesh came into the possession of the late king (Akbar), Bharjīv came to Burhanpur and had the honour of kissing his feet, and after being enrolled among his servants was raised to the mansab of 3,000. At this time, when Shāh Jahān went to Burhanpur, he brought eleven elephants as an offering. He came to Court in attendance on my son, and in accordance with his friendship and service was dignified with royal favours, and had presented to him a jewelled sword, an elephant, a horse, and dress of honour. After some days I conferred on him three rings of jacinth (yāqūt), diamond, and ruby. On Mubārak-shamba (Thursday), the 27th, Nūr-Jahān Begam prepared a feast of victory for my son Shāh Jahān, and conferred on him dresses of honour of great price, with a nādirī with embroidered flowers, adorned with rare pearls, a sarpīch (turban ornament) decorated with rare gems, a turban with a fringe of pearls, a waistbelt studded with pearls, a sword with jewelled pardala (belt), a phūl kaṭāra (dagger), a sada (?) of pearls, with two horses, one of which had a jewelled saddle, and a special elephant with two females. In the same way she gave his children and his ladies dresses of honour, tūquz (nine pieces) of cloth with all sorts of gold ornaments, and to his chief servants as presents a horse, a dress of honour, and a jewelled dagger. The cost of this entertainment was about 300,000 rupees. Presenting on the same day a horse and dress of honour to ‘Abdu-llah Khān and Sardār Khān, his brother, I gave them leave to go to the Sarkar of Kalpi, which had been given them in jagir, and also dismissed Shajā‘at Khān to his jagir, which was in the Subah of Gujarat, with a dress of honour and an elephant. I dismissed Sayyid Ḥājī, who was a jagirdar of Behar, with a gift of a horse.
It was frequently reported to me that Khān Daurān had become old and weak, so as to be unfit for active duty, and the Subahs of Kabul and Bangash is a land of disturbance, and to subdue the Afghans required riding and active movement. Inasmuch as caution is the condition of rule, I appointed Mahābat Khān, Subahdar of Kabul and Bangash, giving him a dress of honour, and promoted Khān Daurān to the governorship of the province of Thatta. Ibrāhīm Khān Fatḥ-jang had sent as an offering from Behar forty-nine elephants; these were submitted to me. On this day they brought some sōna-kela (golden plantains, bananas) for me. I had never eaten such plantains before. In size they are one finger, and are very sweet and of good flavour; they have no resemblance to plantains of other descriptions, but are somewhat indigestible, so that from the two that I ate I experienced heaviness, whilst others say they can eat as many as seven or eight. Though plantains are really unfit to eat, yet of all the kinds this is the one fit to eat. This year, up to the 23rd of the month of Mihr, Muqarrab Khān sent Gujarat mangoes by post (ḍāk-chaukī).
On this date I heard that Muḥammad Riẓā, ambassador of my brother Shāh ‘Abbās, gave up the deposit of his life at Agra through the disease of ishāl (diarrhœa). I made the merchant Muḥammad Qāsim, who had come from my brother, his executor, and ordered that according to the will he should convey his goods and chattels to the Shah, so that he might grant them in his own presence to the heirs of the deceased. Elephants and dresses of honour were conferred on Sayyid Kabīr and Bakhtar Khān, Wakils of ‘Ādil Khān. On Mubārak-shamba, the 13th Ābān, Jahāngīr Qulī Beg, Turkmān, who is dignified with the title of Jān-sipār Khān, came from the Deccan and waited on me. His father was included among the Amirs of Iran. He had come from Persia in the time of the late king Akbar, and having a mansab conferred on him was sent to the Deccan. He was brought up in that Subah. Although he had been appointed to a duty, yet as my son Shāh Jahān came at this time to pay his respects and represented his sincerity and devotion, I ordered that he should come post to Court and have the good fortune to wait upon me and then return. On this day I promoted Ūdā Rām398 to the rank of 3,000 personal and 1,500 horse. He is a brahmin by caste, and was much relied on by ‘Ambar. At the time when Shāh-nawāz Khān went against ‘Ambar, Ādam Khān Ḥabshī, Jādū Rāy, Bābū Rāy Kāyath, Ūdā Rām, and some other Sardārs of Niẓāmu-l-mulk left him and came to Shāh-nawāz Khān. After ‘Ambar's defeat they, by the persuasions of ‘Ādil Khān and the deceit of ‘Ambar, left the right road again and gave up their loyalty and service. ‘Ambar took an oath on the Koran to Ādam Khān and put him off his guard, and, capturing him deceitfully, imprisoned him in the fort of Daulatabad, and at last killed him. Bābū Rāy Kāyath and Ūdā Rām came away and went to the borders of ‘Ādil Khān's dominions, but he would not admit them into his territory. About that time Bābū Rāy Kāyath lost his life (lit. played away the coin of existence) by the deceit of his intimates, and ‘Ambar sent a force against Ūdā Rām. He fought well and defeated ‘Ambar's army. But afterwards, as he could not remain in that country, he threw himself on to the borders of the royal dominions, and, having got a promise, came with his family and dependants and entered the service of my son Shāh Jahān. That son distinguished him with favours and kindnesses of all sorts, and made him hopeful by giving him a mansab of 3,000 personal and 1,000 horse, and brought him to Court. As he was a useful servant, I increased this by 000 horse. I also increased the mansab of Shāh-bāz Khān, who had one of 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, by 500 more horse, and gave him the faujdarship of the Sarkar of Sārangpūr and a part of the Subah of Malwa. A special horse and elephant were given to Khān Jahān. On Mubārak-shamba (Thursday), the 10th of the month, my son Shāh Jahān produced his own offerings—jewels and jewelled things and fine cloths and other rare things. These were all laid out in the courtyard of the jharokha, and arranged together with the horses and elephants adorned with gold and silver trappings. In order to please him I came down from the jharokha and looked through them in detail. Among all these there was a fine ruby they had bought for my son at the port of Goa for 200,000 rupees; its weight was 19 1/2 tanks, or 17 miskals, and 5 1/2 surkhs. There was no ruby in my establishment over 12 tanks, and the jewellers agreed to this valuation. Another was a sapphire, among the offerings of ‘Ādil Khān; it weighed 6 tanks and 7 surkhs and was valued at 100,000 rupees. I never before saw a sapphire of such a size and good colour. Another was the Chamkora diamond, also of ‘Ādil Khān's; its weight was 1 tank and 6 surkhs, which they valued at 40,000 rupees. The name of Chamkoṛa is derived from this, that there is in the Deccan a plant called sāg-i-chamkoṛa.400 At the time when Murtaẓā Niẓāmu-l-mulk conquered Berar he had gone one day with his ladies round to look at the garden, when one of the women found the diamond in a chamkora vegetable, and took it to Niẓāmu-l-mulk. From that day it became known as the Chamkora diamond, and came into the possession of the present Ibrāhīm ‘Ādil Khān during the interregnum (fatarāt) of Ahmadnagar. Another was an emerald, also among ‘Ādil Khān's offerings. Although it is from a new mine, it is of such a beautiful colour and delicacy as I have never before seen. Again, there were two pearls, one of the weight of 64 surkhs, or 2 miskals and 11 surkhs, and it was valued at 25,000 rupees. The other weighed 16 surkhs, and was of exceeding roundness and fineness. It was valued at 12,000 rupees. Another was a diamond from the offerings of Quṭbu-l-mulk, in weight 1 tank, and valued at 30,000 rupees. There were 150 elephants, out of which three had gold trappings, chains, etc., and nine had silver trappings. Though twenty400a elephants were put into my private stud, five were very large and celebrated. The first, Nūr-bakht, which my son presented on the day of meeting, was worth 125,000 rupees. The second, Mahīpati,400b from the offerings of ‘Ādil Khān, was valued at 100,000 rupees; I gave it the name of Durjansāl. Another, also from his offerings, was Bakht-buland, and valued at 100,000 rupees; I called it Girān-bār. Another was Qaddūs Khān, and the fifth was Imām Riẓā. They were from the offerings of Quṭbu-l-mulk. Each of the two was valued at 100,000 rupees. Again, there were 100 Arab and Iraq horses, most of which were good horses. Of these, three had jewelled saddles. If the private offerings of my son and those of the rulers of the Deccan were to be written down in detail, it would be too long a business. What I accepted of his presents was worth 2,000,000 rupees. In addition to this he gave his (step-)mother,401 Nūr-Jahān Begam, offerings worth 200,000 rupees, and 60,000 rupees to his other mothers and the Begams. Altogether my son's offerings came to 2,260,000 rupees, or 75,000 tumans of the currency of Iran or 6,780,000 current Tūrān-khānīs. Such offerings had never been made during this dynasty. I showed him much attention and favour; in fact, he is a son who is worth grace and kindness. I am very pleased and satisfied with him. May God Almighty allow him to enjoy long life and prosperity!
As I had never in my life had any elephant-hunting, and had a great desire to see the province of Gujarat and to look on the salt sea, and my huntsmen had often gone and seen wild elephants and fixed on hunting-places, it occurred to me to travel through Ahmadabad and look on the sea, and having hunted elephants on my return, when it was hot and the season for hunting them, to go back to Agra. With this intention I despatched to Agra Ḥaẓrat Maryamu-z-zamān (his mother) and the other Begams and people of the harem with the baggage and extra establishments, and betook myself to a tour in the Subah of Gujarat to hunt, with such as were indispensable with me. On the eve of Friday in the month of Ābān (precise date not given, but apparently the 10th), I marched auspiciously and happily from Mandu, and pitched on the bank of the tank of Nālchhā. In the morning I went out to hunt and killed a blue bull with my gun. On the eve of Saturday, Mahābat Khān was presented with a special horse and an elephant, and obtained leave to go to his Subah of Kabul and Bangash. At his request I conferred on Rashīd Khān a robe of honour, a horse, an elephant, and a jewelled dagger, and appointed him to assist him. I promoted Ibrāhīm Ḥusain to the post of bakhshi in the Deccan, and Mīrak Ḥusain to that of news-writer in the same Subah. Rāja Kalyān,402 son of Rāja Ṭoḍar Mal, had come from the Subah of Orissa; on account of some faults which had been attributed to him he had for some days been forbidden the honour of paying his respects. After enquiry his innocence appeared clear, and having given him a dress of honour and a horse, I appointed him to do duty together with Mahābat Khān in Bangash. On Monday I gave the Wakils of ‘Ādil Khān jewelled turban fringes after the fashion of the Deccan, one of the value of 5,000 rupees and the other worth 4,000 rupees. As Afẓal Khān and Rāy Rāyān had performed the duties of Wakils to my son Shāh Jahān in a becoming manner, I raised them both in mansab and honoured Rāy Rāyān with the title of Bikramājīt, which among Hindus is the highest title. In truth he is a servant worthy of patronage. On Saturday, the 12th, I went to hunt and shot two female nilgaw. As the hunting-ground was a long way from this halting-place, I on Monday marched 4 1/2 kos402a and pitched at the village of Kaid Ḥasan. On Tuesday, the 15th, I killed three blue bulls, the larger one of which weighed 12 maunds. On this day Mīrzā Rustam escaped a great danger.403 It seems that he had taken aim at a mark and fired his gun. Then he reloaded, and as his bullet was very flexible, he rested the gun on his chest and put the bullet between his teeth in order that he might contract it and put it right. By chance the match reached the pan, and his chest at the place where the gun was resting was burnt to the extent of the palm of the hand, and the grains of powder got into his skin and flesh and a wound was made, and he suffered much pain.403a
On Sunday (?), the 16th,403b four nilgaw were killed, three females and one būkra403c nilgaw. On Mubārak-shamba (Thursday) I went to look round a hill valley in which there was a waterfall near the camp. At this season it had but little water, but as for two or three days they had dammed the watercourse and, about the time of my reaching the place, let it loose, it flowed over very well. Its height might be 20 gaz. It separates at the top of the hill and flows down. In this way it is a great boon (ghanīmat) on the road. Having enjoyed the usual cups on the edge of the stream and the shade of the hill, I came back to the camp at night. On this day the Zamindar of Jaitpur, whose offences I had forgiven at the request of my son Shāh Jahān, had the good fortune of kissing the threshold. On Friday, the 18th, a large blue bull and a bukra, and on Saturday, the 19th, two females, were killed. As my huntsmen represented that there was much game in the parganah of Ḥāṣilpūr, I left my large camp at this halting-place, and on Sunday, the 20th, and with some of my close attendants, hastened to Ḥāṣilpūr, a distance of 3 kos. Mīr Ḥusāmu-d-dīn, son of Mīr Jamālu-d-dīn Ḥusain Injū, who has the title of ‘Aẓudu-d-daulah, was promoted to the mansab, original and increase, of 1,000 personal and 400 horse. I presented Yādgār Ḥusain Qūsh-begi and Yādgār Qūrchī, who had been appointed to do duty in Bangash, with an elephant each. On this day some Ḥusainī grapes without seeds arrived from Kabul; they were very fresh. The tongue of this suppliant at the throne of God fails in gratitude for the favours by which, notwithstanding a distance of three months, grapes from Kabul arrive quite fresh in the Deccan. On Monday, the 21st, three small blue bulls, on Tuesday, the 22nd, one blue bull and three cows, and on Kam-shamba (Wednesday), the 23rd, one cow, were killed. On Mubārak-shamba, the 24th, a feast of cups was held on the bank of the tank of Ḥāṣilpūr. Cups were presented to my son Shāh Jahān and some of the great Amirs and private servants. On Yusūf Khān, son of Ḥusain Khān (Tukriyah), who was of the houseborn ones worthy of patronage, was bestowed the mansab of 3,000 personal and 1,500 horse, original and increase, and he was dismissed to the faujdarship of Gonḍwāna, dignifying him with a gift of a dress of honour and an elephant. Rāy Bihārī Dās, the diwan of the Subah of the Deccan, had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. On Friday Jān-sipār Khān was exalted with a standard, presented with a horse and a dress of honour, and despatched to the Deccan. This day I made a remarkable shot with a gun. By chance there was inside the palace a khirnī tree (Mimusops Kauki). A qurīsha404 (?) came and sat on a high branch, and I saw its breast in the midst of it. I fired at it and struck it in the middle of its breast; from where I stood to the top of the branch was 22 gaz. On Saturday, the 26th, marching about 2 kos, I pitched at the village of Kamālpūr. On this day I shot a blue bull.405 Rustam Khān, who was one of the principal attendants of my son Shāh Jahān, and who had been appointed from Burhanpur with a body of the royal servants against the zamindars of Gonḍwāna, having taken a tribute of 110 elephants and 120,000 rupees, came this day to wait upon me. Zāhid, son of Shajā‘at Khān, was given the mansab of 1,000 personal and 400 horse, original and increase. On Sunday, the 27th, I hunted with hawks and falcons. On Monday I killed a large blue bull and a bukra; the bull weighed 12 1/2 maunds. On Tuesday, the 29th, a blue bull was killed. Bahlūl Miyāna and Allah-yār came from service in Gonḍwāna, and had the good fortune to wait upon me. Bahlūl Khān is the son of Ḥasan Miyāna, and Miyāna is an Afghan tribe. In the commencement of his career Ḥasan was a servant of Ṣādiq Khān, but a servant who recognized the king (worthy of a king's service), and was at last included among the royal servants and died on service in the Deccan. After his death his sons were granted mansabs. He had eight sons, and two of them became famous as swordsmen. The elder brother in his youth gave up the deposit of his life. Bahlūl by degrees was promoted to the mansab of 1,000. At this time my son Shāh Jahān arrived at Burhanpur, and, finding him worthy of patronage, made him hopeful with a mansab of 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. As he had not yet waited on me and was very desirous to kiss the threshold, I summoned him to Court. He is in truth a good Khāna-zāda (household-born one), inasmuch as his heart is adorned with the perfection of bravery and his exterior is not wanting in good appearance. The mansab my son Shāh Jahān had bespoken for him was granted at his request, and he was honoured with the title of Sar-buland Khān. Allah-yār Koka was also a brave youth and a servant worthy of patronage. Finding him fit and suitable for service in my presence, I sent for him to Court. On Kam-shamba (Wednesday), the 1st of the month of Āẓar, I went out to hunt and shot a blue bull. On this day the Kashmir406 reports were laid before me. One was that in the house of a certain silk-seller two girls were born with teeth, and with their backs as far as the waist joined together, but the heads, arms, and legs were separate; they lived a short time and died. On Mubārak-shamba, the 2nd, on the bank of a tank where my tents were, a feast of cups was held. Presenting Lashkar Khān with a dress of honour and an elephant, I promoted him to the duty of diwan of the Subah of the Deccan, and gave him the mansab of 2,500 personal and 1,500 horse, original and increase. To each of the Wakils of ‘Ādil Khān two406a kaukab-i-ṭāli‘ (horoscope star) muhrs, the weight of each of which was 500 ordinary muhrs, were given. I gave a horse and robe of honour to Sar-buland Khān. As fitting service and approved activity were manifest in Allah-yār Koka, I honoured him with the title of Himmat Khān and gave him a dress of honour. On Friday, the 3rd, I marched 4 1/4 kos and halted the royal standards in the parganah of Dikhtān.406b On Saturday also I marched 4 1/4 kos and halted at the township of Dhār.
Dhār is one of the old cities, and Rāja Bhoj, who was one of the great Rajas of Hindustan, lived in it. From his time 1,000407 years have passed, and in the time of the Sultans of Malwa it was for a long time the capital. At the time when Sulṭān Muḥammad Tughluq was proceeding to the conquest of the Deccan, he built a fort of cut stone on the top of a ridge. Outside it is very showy and handsome, but inside the fort is devoid of buildings. I ordered them to measure its length, breadth, and height. The length inside the fort was 12 ṭanāb, 7 gaz; the breadth, 17 tanab, 13 gaz, and the breadth of the fort wall 19 1/2 gaz. Its height up to the battlements appeared to be 17 1/2 gaz. The length of the outer circuit (?) of the fort was 55 tanabs. ‘Amīd Shāh Ghorī, who was called Dilāwar Khān, and who in the time of Sulṭān Muḥammad, son of Sulṭān Fīrūz, king of Delhi, had complete authority over the province of Malwa, built the Jāmi‘ mosque in the inhabitable part outside the fort, and opposite the gate of the mosque fixed a quadrangular iron column. When Sulṭān Bahādur of Gujarat took the province of Malwa into his own possession, he wished to transfer this column to Gujarat. The artificers did not take proper precautions when they lowered it, and it fell and broke into two pieces, one of them of 7 1/2 gaz and the other of 4 1/4 gaz. The column was 1 1/4 gaz round. As it was lying there useless, I ordered them to take the larger piece to Agra and put407a it up in the courtyard of the mausoleum of H.M. Akbar, and to burn a lamp on the top of it at night. The aforesaid mosque has two gates. In front of the arch of one gate some sentences in prose have been carved on a stone tablet; their purport is that ‘Amīd Shāh Ghorī founded this mosque in the year 870,408 and on the arch of the other gate a qaṣīda has been written, and these few couplets are from it—
“The lord of the age, the star of the sphere of glory,
Centre of the people of the earth, sun of the zenith of perfection,
Asylum and support of religious law, ‘Amīd Shāh Dā'ūd,
408a In whose excellent qualities Ghor glories,
Helper and protector of the Faith of the Prophet, Dilāwar Khān,
Who has been chosen by the most mighty Lord (God),
Founded the Jāmi‘ mosque in the city of Dhār,
At a fortunate, auspicious time, on a day of happy omen.
The date of eight hundred and seven408b had passed
When the Court of hopes was completed by Fortune.”
When Dilāwar Khān gave up the deposit of his life there was no king with full dominion over Hindustan, and it was a time of confusion. Hūshang, son of Dilāwar Khān, who was just and possessed of courage, seeing his opportunity, sat on the throne of sovereignty in Malwa. After his death through destiny the rule was transferred408c to Maḥmūd Khaljī, son of Khān Jahān, who had been Vizier to Hūshang, and passed from him to his son Ghiyāṯu-d-dīn, and after him to Nāṣiru-d-dīn, son of Ghiyāṯu-d-dīn, who gave his father poison and sat on the throne of infamy. From him it passed to his son Maḥmūd. Sulṭān Bahādur of Gujarat took from Maḥmūd the province of Malwa. The succession of kings of Malwa ended with the aforesaid Maḥmūd.
On Monday, the 6th, I went to hunt and shot a female nilgaw. Presenting an elephant to Mīrzā Sharafu-d-dīn Ḥusain Kāshgharī, 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 Ūdā Rām. On Tuesday, the 7th, I shot an alligator in the tank at Dhār. 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‘dalpūr. In this village there is a stream over which Nāṣiru-d-dīn Khaljī built a bridge and erected buildings. It is a place like Kāliyāda, 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 Mubārak-shamba (Thursday), the 9th, a feast of cups was held. On this day I made a present to my son Shāh Jahān 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 Ḥaẓrat Maryam-makānī, mother of H.M. Akbar, by way of present when my face was shown, and was for many years in his sarpīch (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 Mubāriz Khān to a mansab of 1,500 personal and horse, I appointed him to the faujdarship of the province of Mewāt, distinguishing him with the present of a dress of honour, a sword, and an elephant. A sword was given to Himmat Khān, son of Rustam Khān. I gave Kamāl Khān, the huntsman, who is one of the old servants and is always present with me on hunting expeditions, the title of Shikār Khān (hunting-Khān). Appointing Ūdā Rām 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 Ātāliq, a special gilt dagger (zar-nishān). On Friday, the 10th, I halted. On Saturday, the 11th, I marched 3 3/4 kos and halted at the village of Ḥalwat.410 On Sunday, the 12th, marching 5 kos, I halted in the parganah410a of Badnor. This parganah from the time of my father had been in the jagir of Kesho Dās Mārū,410b and in fact had become a kind of waṭan (native country) to him. He had constructed gardens and buildings. Out of these one was a well (bāolī) (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 Nūr-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 Sīlgaṛh (Sabalgaṛh?). On Wednesday, the 15th, crossing the Mahī River, a halt was made near Rāmgaṛh. 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 Khān 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. Rāja Bhīm Narāyan, Zamindar of Gadeha, who had been promoted to the mansab of 1,000 horse, obtained leave to go to his jagir. Having raised Rāja Bharjīv, Zamindar of Baglāṇa, 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 Ḥājī Balūch, who was the chief of the huntsmen and was an active and old servant, with the title of Balūch Khān. On Friday, the 17th, marching 5 kos, I alighted at the village of Dhāvala. On Saturday, the 18th, which was the feast of Qurbān, after the Qurbān rites had been performed, marching 3 1/4 kos, I halted on the bank of the tank of the village of Nāgor.411 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 Doḥad411a 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 Ranyād (Renāv?). 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 Jālot. 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,412 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 Nīmdah. 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 Sahrā412a on the edge of a tank. The flower of the lotus, which in the Hindi language they call kumudinī, 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.”412b
The flower of the kaṇwal412c 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 bhauṇrā, 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 Tān Sen Kalāwant, 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 Mubārak-shamba, the 30th, we halted. At this stage Sar-faräz Khān 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 Gujaratī cloth, were accepted, and the remainder presented to him. Sar-farāz Khān is a grandson of Muṣāḥib Beg, by which name he was called by Akbar after his grandfather, who was one of the Amirs of Humāyūn. 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-farāz Khān 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.414 At this stage Rāy Mān, captain of the Khidmatiya,414a caught a rohū 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 Ghātī Chand414b until the present time, and now obtained it, I was greatly delighted. I presented a horse to Rāy Mān. 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 khirnī and tamarind, and the method of guarding the cultivated fields is with hedges of zaqqūm. 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 ‘Gardābād’414c (abode of dust). On Saturday, the 2nd, having marched 3 3/4 kos, I encamped on the bank of the Mahī. 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 Chitrasīmā, and the next day, Tuesday, after a march of 5 kos, in parganah Mondā.415 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 Naryād.415a 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 Pitlād.415b 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 (qaṣba), 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 Khān 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.
Cambay415c is one of the old ports. According to the brahmins, several thousand years have passed since its foundation. In the beginning its name was Trimbāwatī, and Rāja 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 Rāja Abhay Kumār,416 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 Istambhnagarī and Khambāwatī, and sometimes also Trimbāwatī, in connection with the Raja's name; Khambāwatī has by degrees and much use become Khambāyat (Cambay). This port is one of the largest ports416a 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 Gogā, which is a dependency416b of Cambay and situated near the sea. Thence, putting their cargoes into ghurābs416c (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 (yūz), and captured two417 antelope. On Wednesday, the 13th, I went to see the tank of Tārangsar (Narangsar?),417a 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), Kalyān Rāy, 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 (tamghā) has passed away from my empire. At this time an order was given that tankas417b 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 “Jahāngīr-shāhī, 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, Jahāngīr-shāhī, 1027”; round it this hemistich, “King Jahāngīr 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 Māndū.”
In no reign except mine have tankas been coined except of copper418 ; the gold and silver tankas are my invention. I ordered it to be called the Jahāngīrī coinage. On Mubārak-shamba (Thursday), the 14th, the offering of Amānat Khān, the superintendent (mutaṣaddī) 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. Nūru-d-dīn Qulī was honoured with the mansab, original and increase, of 3,000 personal and 600 horse. On Friday, the 15th, mounted on the elephant Nūr-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, Rām Dās, son of Jay Singh, 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 Dārāb Khān, Amānat Khān, and Sayyid Bāyazīd Bārha. 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 Muḥammad, Ṣāḥib Sajjāda (Lord of the prayer carpet) of Shāh ‘Ālam (a mosque near Ahmadabad), the sons of Shaikh Muḥammad Ghauṯ, Shaikh Ḥaidar, grandson of Miyān Wajīhū-d-dīn, 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 ‘arbīyat,419 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 rohū. 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 khichṛī of bājrā (a mixture of split peas and millet boiled together); this they also call lazīza. 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 Kosālā. On Wednesday, the 20th, I passed through the parganah of Bābrā419a and halted on the bank of the river. This was a march of 6 kos. On Mubārak-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 Bāṛīchā. 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 towns420 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 Kānkriya tank. Quṭbu-d-dīn Muḥammad, grandson of Sulṭān Aḥmad, 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, Ṣafī Khān, 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, Niẓāmu-d-dīn Aḥmad,420a 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 Khān, in consequence of a dispute that he had with ‘Ābid, son of Niẓāmu-d-dīn Aḥmad, 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 Shāh ‘Ālam was by the roadside, I recited the fātiḥa in passing by it. About 100,000 rupees had been spent in building this mausoleum. Shāh ‘Ālam was the son of Quṭb ‘Ālam, and their family goes back to Makhdūm-i-Jahāniyān421 (a saint). The people of this country, high and low, have a wonderful belief in him, and they say that Shāh ‘Ālam 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 Shāh ‘Ālam had an attendant (female) who had no children, but at Shāh ‘Ālam's prayer God Almighty bestowed a son on her. When he reached his 27th421a 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.” Shāh ‘Ālam 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. Shāh ‘Ālam 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.” Shāh ‘Ālam 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 Shāh ‘Ālam 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 Shāh ‘Ālam. I myself asked Sayyid Muḥammad, 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 Sulṭān Maḥmūd Bīgara, and the buildings of this mausoleum are the memorial of Tāj Khān Tariyānī,422 who was one of the Amirs of Sulṭān Muẓaffar, the son of Maḥmūd.
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 Kārīz, which is a town dependent on Herat, and it is certain that in Khurasan there are no melons better than those of Kārīz. 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 (kauṇlā) 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 Amānat Khān presented two elephants' tusks; they were very large, one of them being 3 cubits 8 ṭassū (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 Ṣūrat-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 (?).423 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 (zabūn). The streets of the bazar were full of dust, and there was dust from the Kānkriyā 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 Māndū to Ahmadabad, Muqarrab Khān 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 Shāh Jahān, 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 Māndū 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 Māndū 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 Jāmi‘ 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 Sulṭān Aḥmad, the founder of the city of Ahmadabad. It has three gates,424 and on each side a bazar. Opposite the gate that looks towards the east is the mausoleum of the said Sulṭān Aḥmad. In that dome Sulṭān Aḥmad, his son Muḥammad, and his grandson Quṭbu-d-dīn are laid to rest. The length of the court of the mosque, excluding maqṣūra (the holy of holies), is 103425 cubits, and its breadth 89 cubits. Round this they have made an aywān (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 354425a 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 mihrāb (arch towards which the face is turned in prayer), and the pulpit are made of marble. On both sides of the main arch (pīsh-ṭāq) are two polished minarets of cut stone, containing three āshyāna (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 cages425b (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 Mulūk-khāna (King's chamber). This practice and caution were on account of the crowding of the people. Truly this mosque is a very noble building.425c
On Wednesday,425d the 27th, I went to the monastery of Shaikh Wajīhu-d-dīn, which was near the palace, and the fātiḥa was read at the head of his shrine, which is in the court of the monastery. Ṣādiq Khān, who was one of the chief Amirs of my father, built this monastery. The Shaikh was a successor of Shaikh Muḥammad Ghauṯ,426 but a successor against whom the teacher disputed. Wajīhu-d-dīn's loyalty to him is a clear proof426a of the greatness of Shaikh Muḥammad Ghauṯ. Shaikh Wajīhu-ddīn was adorned with visible excellencies and spiritual perfection. He dīed 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 Ḥaidar 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 Wajīhu-d-dīn, 1,500 rupees were given to Shaikh Ḥaidar 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 Wajīhu-d-dīn. 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 Ḥaidar 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 - Khānbāṛī, and scattered 1,500 rupees on the road. They call a garden a bāṛī in the language of India. This is a garden that my brother Shāh Murād 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 ḥawālī (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 Sikandar427 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 Shāh Jahān had appointed to the government of Ahmadabad Rustam Khān, 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-bāṛī. On this day Rāja Kalyān, zamindar of the province of Īḍar, 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 Rānā. 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 Rāja Kalyān, zamindar of Īḍar, to Sayyid Muṣṭafā, and Mīr Fāẓil. On Monday I went out hawking, and scattered nearly 500 rupees on the road. On this day pears came from Badakhshan. On Mubārak-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 Aḥmad Khaṭṭū428 is on the road, I first went there and the fātiḥa was read. Khaṭṭū is the name of a town in the Sarkar of Nāgor, and was the birthplace of the Shaikh.428a The Shaikh lived in the time of Sulṭān Aḥmad, 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. Sulṭān Muḥammad, son of the aforesaid Sulṭān Aḥmad, 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 Quṭbu-d-dīn, son of the aforesaid Muḥammad. 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 Sulṭān Maḥmūd Bīgara, Sulṭān Muẓaffar, his son, and Maḥmūd, the martyr, grandson of Sulṭān Muẓaffar, and who was the last of the Sultans of Gujarat. Bīgara, in the language of the people of Gujarat, signifies ‘turned-up moustache,’ and Sulṭān Maḥmūd had a large turned-up moustache; on this account they call him Bīgara. Near his (Shaikh Khaṭṭū's) tomb is the dome of his ladies.429 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 Fatḥ-bāgh (garden of victory). This garden is situated on the ground on which the Commander-in-Chief, Khānkhānān Ātāliq, fought with and defeated Nabū (Nannū? Nanhū?), who gave himself the title of Muẓaffar Khān. On this account he called it Bāgh-i-fatḥ; the people of Gujarat call it Fatḥ-bāṛī. 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 Nabū fell into his hands, I‘timād Khān represented that he was the son of a carter. As no son was left by Sulṭān Maḥmūd, and moreover there was no one of the descendants of the Sultans of Gujarat whom he could raise to the throne, he (I‘timād) had accepted the most available course, and had made out that this was the son of Maḥmūd. He gave him the name of Sulṭān Muẓaffar, and raised him to the sovereignty. Men from necessity consented to this. As His Majesty considered the word of I‘timād Khān of weight, he ignored Nabū, 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 Fatḥpūr, and coming to Gujarat lived for some years under the protection of the zamindars. When Shihābu-ddīn Aḥmad Khān was turned out from the government of Gujarat and I‘timād Khān installed in his place, a body of the servants of Shihābu-d-dīn Khān, who were attached to Gujarat, separated from him, and remained at Ahmadabad in the hope of service with I‘timād. After I‘timād entered the city they had recourse to him, but had no good luck with him. They had not the face to go to Shihābu-d-dīn, and had no prospects in Ahmadabad. As they were without hope they thought their remedy lay in betaking themselves to Nabū, and in making him an excuse for disturbance. With this intent 600 or 700 horsemen from among them went to Nabū and carried him off along with Lonā Kāthī, 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‘timād Khān became aware of this he left his son Shīr Khān in the city, and hastened off in search of Shihāb Khān, 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 Shihābu-d-dīn, in company with I‘timād Khān, turned his rein. It happened that before their arrival Nabū 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 Shihāb Khān who were left took the wrong road and joined the enemy. Shihāb Khān was defeated and hastened towards Paṭan (Pātan?), which was in the possession of the royal servants. His retinue and camp were plundered, and Nabū, bestowing mansabs and titles on the rebels, went against Quṭbu-d-dīn Muḥammad Khān, who was in Baroda. The servants of the latter, like the servants of Shihāb Khān, took the road of faithlessness and chose separation, as is related in detail in the Akbar-nāma. In the end, after giving his word to Quṭbu-d-dīn Muḥammad, 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 Nabū.
When this state of affairs was represented to H.M. Akbar he sent against him Mīrzā Khān, son of Bairām Khān, with a force of brave warriors. On the day when Mīrzā Khān arrived near the city, he drew up the ranks of good fortune. He had about 8,000 or 9,000 horse, and Nabū 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 Nabū, being defeated, fled in wretched plight. My father, in reward for this victory, gave Mīrzā Khān a mansab of 5,000, with the title of Khānkhānān and the government of the country of Gujarat. The garden that Khān-khānān made on the field of battle is situated on the bank of the River Sābarmatī. 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 jarīb 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
“Though Nūr-Jahān be in form a woman,
In the ranks of men she's a tiger-slayer.”
The point of this couplet is that before Nūr-Jahān entered Jahāngīr's harem she was the wife of Shīr-afgan, the tiger-slayer. The line may also read “In battle she is a man-smiter and a tiger-slayer.”
↩2 Wrongly so in text, but Jay Singh should be corrected to Rāj Singh. The son of Jay Singh, Raja of Ajmir, was Rām Singh, who was born in Sambat, 1692.
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