The Memoirs of Bābur 935.2
The Bābur-nāma in English (A. S. Beveridge) 935.2
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935.2.1
Three sides of Urwā are solid rock, not the red rock of Bīāna but one paler in colour. On these sides people have cut out idol-statues, large and small, one large statue on the south side being perhaps 20 _qārī_ (yds.) high.[2284] These idols are shewn quite naked without covering for the privities. Along the sides of [Sidenote: Fol. 342b.] the two Urwā lakes 20 or 30 wells have been dug, with water from which useful vegetables (_sabzī kārlīklār_), flowers and trees are grown. Urwā is not a bad place; it is shut in (T. _tūr_); the idols are its defect; I, for my part, ordered them destroyed.[2285] Going out of Urwā into the fort again, we enjoyed the window[2286] of the Sultānī-pūl which must have been closed through the pagan time till now, went to Raḥīm-dād's flower-garden at the Evening Prayer, there dismounted and there slept. (_h. A son of Rānā Sangā negociates with Bābur._) (_Sep. 29th_) On Tuesday the 14th of the month came people from Rānā Sangā's second son, Bikramājīt by name, who with his mother Padmāwatī was in the fort of Rantanbūr. Before I rode out for Gūālīār,[2287] others had come from his great and trusted Hindū, Asūk by name, to indicate Bikramājīt's submission and obeisance and ask a subsistence-allowance of 70 _laks_ for him; it had been settled at that time that _parganas_ to the amount he asked should be bestowed on him, his men were given leave to go, with tryst for Gūālīār which we were about to visit.
935.2.2
They came into Gūālīār somewhat after the trysting-day. The Hindū Asūk[2288] is said to be a near relation of Bikramājīt's mother Padmāwatī; he, for his part, set these particulars forth father-like [Sidenote: Fol. 343.] and son-like;[2289] they, for theirs, concurring with him, agreed to wish me well and serve me. At the time when Sl. Maḥmūd (_Khīljī_) was beaten by Rānā Sangā and fell into pagan captivity (925 AH.-1519 AD.) he possessed a famous crown-cap (_tāj-kula_) and golden belt, accepting which Sangā let him go free. That crown-cap and golden belt must have become Bikramājīt's; his elder brother Ratan-sī, now Rānā of Chītūr in his father's place, had asked for them but Bikramājīt had not given them up,[2290] and now made the men he sent to me, speak to me about them, and ask for Bīāna in place of Rantanbūr. We led them away from the Bīāna question and promised Shamsābād in exchange for Rantanbūr. To-day (_Muḥ. 14th_) they were given a nine days' tryst for Bīāna, were dressed in robes of honour, and allowed to go. (_i. Hindū temples visited._)
935.2.3
We rode from the flower-garden to visit the idol-houses of Gūālīār. Some are two, and some are three storeys high, each storey rather low, in the ancient fashion. On their stone plinths (_izāra_) are sculptured images. Some idol-houses, College-fashion, have a portico, large high cupolas[2291] and _madrāsa_-like cells, each topped by a slender stone cupola.[2292] In the lower cells are idols carved in the rock. [Sidenote: Fol. 343b.] After enjoying the sight of these buildings (_`imāratlār_) we left the fort by the south Gate,[2293] made an excursion to the south, and went (north) to the Chār-bāgh Raḥim-dād had made over-against the Hātī-pūl.[2294] He had prepared a feast of cooked-meat (_āsh_) for us and, after setting excellent food before us, made offering of a mass of goods and coin worth 4 _laks._ From his Chār-bāgh I rode to my own. (_j. Excursion to a waterfall._)
935.2.4
(_Sep. 30th._) On Wednesday the 15th of the month I went to see a waterfall 6 _kurohs_ (12 m.) to the south-east of Gūālīār. Less than that must have been ridden;[2295] close to the Mid-day Prayer we reached a fall where sufficient water for one mill was coming down a slope (_qīā_) an _arghamchī_[2296] high. Below the fall there is a large lake; above it the water comes flowing through solid rock; there is solid rock also below the fall. A lake forms wherever the water falls. On the banks of the water lie piece after piece of rock as if for seats, but the water is said not always to be there. We sat down above the fall and ate _ma`jūn_, went up-stream to visit its source (_badayat_), returned, got out on higher ground, and stayed while musicians played and reciters [Sidenote: Fol. 344.] repeated things (_nīma aītīlār_). The Ebony-tree which Hindīs call _tindū_, was pointed out to those who had not seen it before. We went down the hill and, between the Evening and Bed-time Prayers, rode away, slept at a place reached near the second watch (midnight), and with the on-coming of the first watch of day (6 a.m. _Muḥ. 16th-Oct. 1st_) reached the Chār-bāgh and dismounted. (_k. Ṣalāḥu'd-dīn's birth-place._)[2297]
935.2.5
(_Oct. 2nd_) On Friday the 17th of the month, I visited the garden of lemons and pumeloes (_sadā-fal_) in a valley-bottom amongst the hills above a village called Sūkhjana (?)[2298] which is Ṣalāḥu'd-dīn's birth-place. Returning to the Chār-bāgh, I dismounted there in the first watch.[2299] (_l. Incidents of the march from Gūālīār._) (_Oct. 4th_) On Sunday the 19th of the month, we rode before dawn from the Chār-bāgh, crossed the Kawārī-water and took our nooning (_tūshlāndūk_). After the Mid-day Prayer we rode on, at sunset passed the Chaṃbal-water, between the Evening and Bed-time Prayers entered Dulpūr-fort, there, by lamp-light, visited a Hot-bath which Abū'l-fatḥ had made, rode on, and dismounted at the dam-head where the new Chār-bāgh is in making.
935.2.6
(_Oct. 5th_) Having stayed the night there, at dawn (_Monday 20th_) I visited what places had been ordered made.[2300] The face (_yūz_) of the roofed-tank, ordered cut in the solid rock, was not being got up quite straight; more stone-cutters were sent for who were to make the tank-bottom level, pour in water, and, by help of the water, to get the sides to one height. They got the face up straight just before the Other Prayer, were then ordered to fill the tank with water, by help of the water made the sides [Sidenote: Fol. 344b.] match, then busied themselves to smooth them. I ordered a water-chamber (_āb-khāna_) made at a place where it would be cut in the solid rock; inside it was to be a small tank also cut in the solid rock. (_Here the record of 6 days is wanting._)[2301]
935.2.7
(_Oct. 12th_?) To-day, Monday (_27th_?), there was a _ma`jūn_ party. (_Oct. 13th_) On Tuesday I was still in that same place. (_Oct. 14th_) On the night of Wednesday,[2302] after opening the mouth and eating something[2303] we rode for Sīkrī. Near the second watch (midnight), we dismounted somewhere and slept; I myself could not sleep on account of pain in my ear, whether caused by cold, as is likely, I do not know. At the top of the dawn, we bestirred ourselves from that place, and in the first watch dismounted at the garden now in making at Sīkrī. The garden-wall and well-buildings were not getting on to my satisfaction; the overseers therefore were threatened and punished. We rode on from Sīkrī between the Other and Evening Prayers, passed through Marhākūr, dismounted somewhere and slept. (_Oct. 15th_) Riding on (_Thursday 30th_), we got into Āgra during the first watch (6-9 a.m.). In the fort I saw the honoured Khadīja-sulṯān Begīm who had stayed behind for several reasons when Fakhr-i-jahān Begīm started for Kābul. Crossing Jūn (Jumna), I went to the Garden-of-eight paradises.[2304] (_m. Arrival of kinswomen._)
935.2.8
(_Oct. 17th_) On Saturday the 3rd of Ṣafar, between the Other and Evening Prayers, I went to see three of the great-aunt begīms,[2305] Gauhar-shād Begīm, Badī`u'l-jamāl Begīm, and Āq Begīm, with also, of lesser begīms,[2306] Sl. Maṣ`ūd Mīrzā's daughter Khān-zāda Begīm, and Sulṯān-bakht Begīm's daughter, and my _yīnkā chīcha's_ grand-daughter, that is to say, Zaināb-sulṯān Begīm.[2307] They had come past Tūta and dismounted at a small [Sidenote: Fol. 345.] standing-water (_qarā sū_) on the edge of the suburbs. I came back direct by boat. (_n. Despatch of an envoy to receive charge of Ranthaṃbhor._) (_Oct. 19th_) On Monday the 5th of the month of Ṣafar, Hāmūsī son of Dīwa, an old Hindū servant from Bhīra, was joined with Bikramājīt's former[2308] and later envoys in order that pact and agreement for the surrender of Ranthanbūr and for the conditions of Bikramājīt's service might be made in their own (hindū) way and custom. Before our man returned, he was to see, and learn, and make sure of matters; this done, if that person (_i.e._ Bikramājīt) stood fast to his spoken word, I, for my part, promised that, God bringing it aright, I would set him in his father's place as Rānā of Chitūr.[2309] (_Here the record of 3 days is wanting._) (_o. A levy on stipendiaries._)
935.2.9
(_Oct. 22nd_) By this time the treasure of Iskandar and Ibrāhīm in Dihlī and Āgra was at an end. Royal orders were given therefore, on Thursday the 8th of Ṣafar, that each stipendiary (_wajhdār_) should drop into the Dīwān, 30 in every 100 of his allowance, to be used for war-material and appliances, for equipment, for powder, and for the pay of gunners and matchlockmen.