[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [State papers](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin) › [Āʾīn-i Akbarī](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari) › [The Ain i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett) › 59 # The Institutes of Akbar 59: F. Fruits somewhat acid. The Áín i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett) 59 - **Language:** English ## Contents - [59.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.1) — 8 parts - [59.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.2) — 7 parts ### F. Fruits somewhat acid. ### [59.1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.1.1) Ambilí, per sér, 2 d. Kait, four up to 1 d. Badhal, one for 1 d. Kánki, Kamrak, four up to 1 d. Pakár, per sér, ½ d. Nárangí, two up to 1 d. Karná, one for 1 d. Mountain grapes, Labhíré Jaman, per sér, 1 d. Jambhirí, five up to 1 d. P’hálsah, do. 1½ d. Garnah, Karaundá, do. 1 d. Kamraks and nárangís are in season during winter; ambilís, badhals, mountain-grapes, p’hálsas, labhíras, during summer; and kaits, pákars, karnás, jámans, karaundás, jambhírís, during the rains. The fruits of Hindústán are either sweet, or subacid, or sour; each kind is numerous. Some fruits also taste well when dry; others as above described are used when cooked. I shall give now a few details. The Mangoe. The Persians call this fruit Naghzak, as appears from a verse of Khusrau. This fruit is unrivalled in colour, smell, and taste; and some of the gourmands of Túrán and Írán place it above muskmelons and grapes. In shape it resembles an apricot, or a quince, or a pear, or a melon, and weighs even one sér and upwards. There are green, yellow, red, variegated, sweet, and subacid mangoes. The tree looks well, especially when young; it is larger than a nut tree, and its leaves resemble those of the willow, but are larger. The new leaves appear soon after the fall of the old ones in autumn, and look green and yellow, orange, peach-coloured, and bright red. The flower which opens in spring, resembles that of the vine, has a good smell, and looks very curious. ### [59.1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.1.2) About a month after the leaves have made their appearance, the fruit is sour, and is used for preserves and pickles. It improves the taste of qalyahs (p. 61.) as long as the stone has not become hard. If a fruit gets injured whilst on the tree, its good smell will increase. Such mangoes are called Asílés. The fruit is generally taken down when unripe, and kept in a particular manner. Mangoes ripened in this manner are much finer. They mostly commence to ripen during summer, and are fit to be eaten during the rains; others commence in the rainy season, and are ripe in the beginning of winter: the latter are called Bháddiyyah. Some trees bloom and yield fruit the whole year; but this is rare. Others commence to ripen, although they look unripe; they must be quickly taken down; else the sweetness would produce worms. Mangoes are to be found every where in India, especially in Bengal, Gujrát, Málwah, Khándésh, and the Dekhan. They are rarer in the Panjáb, where their cultivation has, however, increased, since his Majesty made Láhor his capital. A young tree will bear fruit after four years. They put also milk and treacle round about the tree, which makes the fruits sweeter. Some trees yield in one year a rich harvest, and less in the next: others yield for one year no fruit at all. When people eat a great deal of mangoes, they may promote digestion by partaking of milk with the kernels of the mangoe stones. ### [59.1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.1.3) The kernels of old stones are subacid, and taste well: when two or three years old, they are used as medicine. If a half ripe mangoe, together with its stalk to a length of about two fingers, be taken from the tree, and the broken end of its stalk be closed with warm wax, and kept in butter, or honey, the fruit will retain its taste for two or three months, whilst the colour will remain even for a year. Pineapples are also called Kat’hal i Safarí, or the jackfruits for travels, because young plants, put into a vessel, may be taken on travels, and will yield fruits. In colour and shape they resemble an oblong orange; and in taste and smell, a mangoe. The plant is about a yard long, and its leaves have the shape of a hand. The edges of the leaves are like a saw. The fruit forms at the end of the stalk, and has a few leaves on its top. When the fruit is plucked, they cut out these leaves, separate them, and put them singly into the ground: they are the seedlings. Each plant bears only once, and one fruit only. Oranges have the colour of saffron, and the shape of quinces. They belong to the best fruits to be had in Hindústán. The tree resembles the lime tree; its flower has a weak, but fine smell. ### [59.1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.1.4) Sugarcane, which the Persians call Naishakar, is of various kinds; one species is so tender and so full of juice, that a sparrow can make it flow out by pecking it; and it would break to pieces, if let fall. Sugarcane is either soft, or hard. The latter is used for the preparation of brown sugarcandy, common sugar, white candy, and refined sugar, and thus becomes useful for all kinds of sweetmeats. It is cultivated as follows. They put some healthy sugarcane in a cool place, and sprinkle it daily with water. When the sun enters the sign of Aquarius, they cut off pieces, a cubit and upwards in length, put them into soft ground, and cover them up with earth. The harder the sugarcane is, the deeper they put it. Constant irrigation is required. After seven or eight months it will come up. ### [59.1.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.1.5) Sugarcane is also used for the preparation of intoxicating liquor, but brown sugar is better for this purpose. There are various kinds of preparing it. One way is as follows. They pound Babúl bark, mixing it at the rate of ten sérs to one man of sugarcane, and put three times as much water over it. Then they take large jars, fill them with the mixture, and put them into the ground, surrounding them with dry horse-dung. From seven to ten days are required to produce fermentation. It is a sign of perfection, when it has a sweet, but astringent taste. When the liquor is to be strong, they again put to the mixture some brown sugar, and sometimes even drugs and perfumes, as ambergris, camphor, &c. They let also meat dissolve in it. This beverage when strained, may be used, but it is mostly employed for the preparation of arrack. ### [59.1.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.1.6) They have several methods of distilling it; first, they put the above liquor into brass vessels, in the interior of which a cup is put, so as not to shake, nor must the liquid flow into it. The vessels are then covered with inverted lids which are fastened with clay. After pouring cold water on the lids, they kindle the fire, changing the water as often as it gets warm. As soon as the vapour inside reaches the cold lid, it condenses, and falls as arrack into the cup. Secondly, they close the same vessel with an earthen pot, fastened in the same manner with clay, and fix to it two pipes, the free ends of which have each a jar attached to them, which stands in cold water. The vapour through the pipes will enter the jars, and condense. Thirdly, they fill an earthen vessel with the above mentioned liquor, and fasten to it a large spoon with a hollow handle. The end of the handle they attach to a pipe, which leads into a jar. The vessel is covered with a lid, which is kept full with cold water. The arrack, when condensed, flows through the spoon into the jar. Some distil the arrack twice, when it is called Dudtashah, or twice burned. It is very strong. If you wet your hands with it, and hold them near the fire, the spirit will burn in flames of different colours, without injuring the hands. It is remarkable that when a vessel, containing arrack, is set on fire, you cannot put it out by any means; but if you cover the vessel, the fire gets at once extinguished. ### [59.1.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.1.7) The Jackfruit has the shape of a black pudding, looks greenish, and is sometimes a yard long, and half a yard broad. When small, it resembles a water melon; its peel is full of thorns. It grows out of the branches, the trunk, and the roots. Those that grow below the ground are sweetest. On opening you see round clusters, so viscous, that the fingers stick together, when you take them out. The tree looks like a nut tree, but is somewhat bigger, and has larger leaves. The flower, like the fruit, has a good smell. The fruits are also taken down, when unripe. They then apply chalk, &c., when the fruits will get ripe. ### [59.1.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.1.8) The Plantain tree looks straight like a spear; the leaves come out of the trunk thick and soft, and resemble an unsewn plaited sleeve, but are much larger and wider. Out of the middle rises something looking like a spindle, of a lilac colour; this is the bud. The fruit consists of a cluster of seventy to eighty plantains. In shape they resemble small cucumbers; the peel is easily removed. As plantains are very heavy, you cannot eat many. There are various kinds of plantains. The plant is every year cut down, and a stump only is left of it: if this is not done, it will no longer bear fruit. The vulgar believe that the plantain tree yields camphor, but this is wrong; for the camphor tree, as shall be hereafter explained, is a different tree, although it has the same name. They also say that pearls originate in plantain trees,—another statement upon which the light of truth does not shine. ### [59.2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.2.1) The Mahuwá tree resembles the mangoe tree; its wood is used for building purposes. The fruit, which is also called Gilaundah, yields an intoxicating liquor. The Bhólsirí tree is large and handsome; the fruit has an orange colour, and resembles jujubes. The Tárkul tree, and its fruit, resemble the cocoanut palm and its fruit. When the stalk of a new leaf comes out of a branch, they cut off its end, and hang a vessel to it, to receive the out-flowing juice. The vessel will fill twice or three times a day. The juice is called tárí; when fresh it is sweet; when it is allowed to stand for some time, it turns subacid, and is inebriating. The Paníálah fruit resembles the Zardálú; and its tree, the lime tree; the leaves are like those of the willow. When unripe, the fruit is green; and red, when ripe. The Gumbhí has a stem the branches of which are like creepers; its leaves and fruits, as those of the Aundr, come from below the roots. The Zarrf forms at the root; it grows mostly in the mountains, and weighs a man, more or less, when the creeper is a year old; and two, when two years old. It looks like a millstone. When older, it grows larger according to the same proportion. Its leaves resemble those of the water melon. The Piyár is like a small grape; brownish and sweet. The inside of the kernel is like butter, and is used in the preparation of food; it is called Chiraunjí. Its tree is about a yard high. ### [59.2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.2.2) The Cocoanut is called by the Persians Jauz i Hindí; the tree resembles the date tree, but is larger; its wood, however, looks better, and the leaves are larger. The tree bears fruit throughout the whole year; they get ripe in three months. They are also taken down, when unripe and green, and kept for some time. Their inside contains a cup full of milk-like juice, which tastes well, and is very often drunk in summer, mixed with sugar. When ripe the fruit looks brown. The juice has now become solid, and gets black when mixed with butter; it is sweet and greasy. When eaten with pan-leaves, it makes the tongue soft and fresh. The shell is used for spoons, cups, and ghichaks (a kind of violin). There are nuts having four, three, two, and one, holes or eyes; each kind is said to possess certain qualities, the last being considered the best. Another kind is used for the preparation of an antidote against poison. The nuts weigh sometimes twelve sérs and upwards. The bark of the tree is used for ropes; the large ropes used on ships are made of it. Dates are called in Hindi Pind khajúr. The tree has a short stem, rising little above the ground, and produces from four to five hundred fruits. ### [59.2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.2.3) The Supyárí, or betel nut, is called in Persian fúfal. The tree is graceful, and slender like the cypress. The wind often bends it, so that its crown touches the ground; but it rises up again. There are various kinds. The fruit when eaten raw, tastes somewhat like an almond, but gets hard when ripe. They eat it with betel leaves. The Sing’hárah is a triangular fruit; its creeper grows in tanks, and the fruit is on the surface of the water. They eat it raw or roasted. The Sálak grows in tanks under the earth. They go into the water and dig it up. The Pindálú is reared on lattice work, and grows about two yards high. Its leaf resembles the betel leaf; they dig up the root. The Kasérú grows in tanks. When the water gets low, they take it out of the ground and eat it, raw or boiled. The Súdét root is long and conical; the plant is a creeper, to whose root the fruit is attached. The Orange has the shape of an egg. One kind is called kághazí. Between the peel and the fruit is a thin white membrane. The fruit is juicy, and tastes well; one kind is to be had throughout the whole year. The Amalbét is like a lime, and very sour. If you put a steel needle into this fruit, the needle in a short time will dissolve; and a white shell when put into its juice, will soon disappear. ### [59.2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.2.4) The Karná resembles an apple, and appears after the plant has reached the third year. At first the fruit is green, sour, and also somewhat bitter, but turns afterwards yellow and bitter; when ripe it is red and sweet. When it is kept long, it turns green again. The tree looks like an orange tree, but the leaves are somewhat broader, and the buds like fine arrows. The flower is white, and has four petals and yellow stamens. It has a fine smell, and is used for ambergris; but it is beyond my power to describe the process of the manufacture. ### [59.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.2.5) The Betel leaf is properly speaking a vegetable, but connoisseurs call it an excellent fruit. Mír Khusrau of Dihlí in one of his verses says, ‘It is an excellent fruit like the flower of a garden, the finest fruit of Hindústán.’ The eating of the leaf renders the breath agreeable, and repasts odorous. It strengthens the gums, and makes the hungry satisfied, and the satisfied hungry. I shall describe some of the various kinds. 1. The leaf called Bilahrí is white and shining, and does not make the tongue harsh and hard. It tastes best of all kinds. After it has been taken away from the creeper, it turns white, with some care, after a month, or even after twenty days, when greater efforts are made. 2. The I’dékár leaf is white with spots, and full, and has hard veins. When much of it is eaten, the tongue gets hard. 3. The Jaiswár leaf does not get white, and is profitably sold mixed with other kinds. 4. The Kapúrí leaf is yellowish, hard, and full of veins, but has a good taste and smell. 5. The Kapúrkánt leaf is yellowish-green, and pungent like pepper; it smells like camphor. You could not eat more than ten leaves. It is to be had at Banáras; but even there it does not thrive in every soil. 6. The Banglah leaf is broad, full, hard, plushy, hot, and pungent. ### [59.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.2.6) The cultivation is as follows. In the month of Chait (March—April), about New-Year’s time, they take a part of a creeper four or five fingers long with Karhanj leaves on it, and put it below the ground. From fifteen to twenty days after, according as leaves and knots form, a new creeper will appear from a knot, and as soon as another knot forms, a leaf will grow up. The creepers and new leaves form for seven months, when the plant ceases to grow. No creeper has more than thirty leaves. As the plant grows, they prop it with canes, and cover it, on the top and the sides, with wood and straw, so as to rear it up in the shade. The plant requires continually to be watered, except during the rains. Sometimes they put milk, sesame oil and its seeds pressed out, about the plant. There are seven kinds of leaves, known under nine names: 1. The Karhanj leaf, which they separate for seedlings, and call Péri. The new leaf is called Gadautah. 2. The Nauti leaf. 3. The Bahuti leaf. 4. The Chhiw leaf. 5. The Adhividá leaf. 6. The Agahniyah or Léwár leaf. 7. The Karhanj leaf itself. With the exception of the Gadautah, the leaves are taken away from the creeper when a month old. The last kind of leaf is eaten by some; others keep it for seedlings: they consider it very excellent, but connoisseurs prefer the Péri. ### [59.2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59.2.7) A bundle of 11,000 leaves was formerly called Lahásah, which name is now given to a bundle of 14,000. Bundles of 200 are called Dholí; a lahásah is made up of dholís. In winter they turn and arrange the leaves after four or five days; in summer every day. From 5 to 25 leaves, and sometimes more, are placed above each other, and adorned in various ways. They also put some betelnut and kat'h on one leaf, and some chalk paste on another, and roll them up: this is called a bérah. Some put camphor and musk into it, and tie both leaves with a silk thread. Others put single leaves on plates, and use them thus. They are also prepared as a dish. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.59) · Pramāṇa