The Book of Akbar 297.3

297.3

The reason for thus assigning these two days was that Sunday appertains to the sun whose rays regulate rule and sovereignty, while Tuesday is Mars’s day and Mars is the patron of soldiers. Monday and Tuesday were days of joy (murad). On these days boon-companions and favourites and others of the Ahl-i-murad were treated with special favour. The point in selecting these two days was that Monday is the Moon’s day, and Wednesday is Mercury’s. Both of these have a special connection with household matters (amur-i-buyutat). Friday (Jam'a), in accordance with its name, applied to all objects, and on it all the classes of humanity participated in the royal bounty. One of the arrangements which characterised the diwan-days was that when the throne of the khilafat was set up and His Majesty being seated thereon was advising the Divan, information was given to the people by beat of drum, and when he left the Divan, cannoniers announced the fact to the subjects by the discharge of cannon. And on these days keepers of the wardrobe would bring several suits of apparel, (dast-i-khilat), and the treasurers several bags of gold near to the palace, so that there might be no stoppage to the gifts and largesses. Several brave men stood armed, and with cuirasses on their breasts. Another of his inventions was that of three golden arrows which were an allusion to the three divisions of sa’adat, daulat and murad.