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Lubb al-tawarikh-i Hind 2: Prosperity of the Country during Shah Jahán's Reign.

Lubbu-t Tawáríkh-i Hind, of Rái Bhárá Mal (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 2

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English

2

The means employed by the King in these happy times to protect and nourish his people; to punish all kinds of oppressive evil-doers; his knowledge on all subjects tending to the welfare of his people; his impressing the same necessity upon the revenue functionaries, and the appointment of honest and intelligent officers in every district; his administration of the country, and calling for and examining annual statements of revenue, in order to ascertain what were the resources of the empire; his showing his royal affection to the people, and expressing his displeasure when necessary; his issuing stringent orders to the officers appointed to the charge of the crown and assigned lands, to promote the increase and welfare of the tenants; his admonishing the disobedient, and constantly directing his generous attention towards the improvement of agriculture and the collection of the revenues of the state;—all these contributed in a great measure to advance the prosperity of his empire. The pargana, the income of which was three lacs of rupees in the reign of Akbar (whose seat is in the highest heaven!), yielded, in this happy reign, a revenue of ten lacs! The collections made in some districts, however, fell short of this proportionate increase. The chakladárs who, by carefully cultivating their lands, aided in increasing the revenue, received marked consideration, and vice versâ.
Notwithstanding the comparative increase in the expenses of the State during this reign, gratuities for the erection of public edifices and other works in progress, and for the paid military service and establishments, such as those maintained in Balkh, Badakhshan, and Kandahar, amounted, at one disbursement only, to fourteen krors of rupees, and the advances made on account of edifices only were two krors and fifty lacs of rupees. From this single instance of expenditure, an idea may be formed as to what the charges must have been under others. Besides, in times of war, large sums were expended, in addition to fixed salaries and ordinary outlay. In short, the expenditure of former reigns, in comparison with that of the one in question, was not even in the proportion of one to four; and yet this King, in a short space of time, amassed a treasure which it would have taken several years for his predecessors to accumulate!