Riyaz al-salatin 103: VICEROYALTY OF NAWAB AMIR-UL-UMARA SHAISTA KHAN.

103

After the Khan-i-Khanan's death, the office of Subadar of Bengal being conferred on Amir-ul-Umara Shaista Khan, the latter arrived in Bengal. For some years devoting himself to administrative work, he administered justice and promoted the welfare of the people. Bestowing grants of villages and lands on widows of nobles and others in straitened circumstances, he made them well-off. Spies informed the Emperor, whereon Shaista Khan himself went to the latter and explained the true state of things. As the alleged dissipation of the Imperial revenue was unfounded, he was re-invested with the Khellat of appointment, and sent back to Bengal. But as the Khan was not desirous of staying in this Province, he used constantly to write letters to the Emperor, requesting permission to kiss the Royal feet, and begging deputation of some other officer to assume the office of Subadar of this Province. At first his resignation was not accepted; but at length, owing to Shaista Khan's importunities, the Nizamat was bestowed on Nawab Ibrahim Khan, a son of 'Ali Mardan Khan Yar Ofadar. Traces of the beneficent administration of the Nawab Amir-ul-umara are known not only in Bengal, but throughout Hindustan. One is this, that during his Nizamat the cheapness of food-grains was so great that for a damri, one seer of rice could be purchased in the market. At the time of his return to the capital Shahjahanabad (Delhi), he caused the following inscription to be engraved on the western gate of Jahangirnagar (Dacca): "Let him only open this gate that can shew the selling rate of rice as cheap as this." From his time onward till the regime of Nawab Shujaud-din Muhammad Khan, this gate remained closed. In the period of the Viceroyalty of Nawab Sarfaraz Khan, the gate was again opened, as will be mentioned hereafter. The Katrah and other buildings of the 'Amir-ul-umara up to this day exist in Jahangirnagar (Dacca).