The Memoirs of Jahāngīr (Jahāngīrnāma) 13: The Eighth New Year after the auspicious Accession.
The Tūzuk-i-Jahāngīrī (Rogers, Beveridge) 13
- Language
- English
Contents
The Eighth New Year after the auspicious Accession.
13.1.1
The eighth year after my accession, corresponding with Muharram, 1022. On the night of Thursday, the 27th Muharram, corresponding with the 1st Farwardin in the eighth year after my accession, after 3½ gharis of day had elapsed, his honour the sun passed from the constellation of Pisces to that of Aries, which is his abode of rejoicing and victory. Early in the morning of the New Year's Day the feast was prepared and adorned after the custom of every year. At the end of that day I sat on the throne of State, and the Amirs and ministers of the State and the courtiers of the palace came to salute and congratulate me. On these days of happy augury I sat the whole day in the public audience hall. Those who had anything to ask or claim presented their petitions, and the offerings of the servants of the palace were laid before me. Abu-l-bi, governor of Qandahar, had sent for an offering Iraq horses and hunting dogs, and they were brought before me. On the 9th of the same month Afzal Khan came from the Subah of Behar, and in waiting on me presented 100 muhrs and 100 rupees, as well as an elephant. On the 12th the offering of I'timadu-d-daulah was laid before me, consisting of jewels, cloths, and other things. That which pleased me attained to the dignity of acceptance. Of the elephants of Afzal Khan's offering ten others were inspected on this day. On the 13th the offerings of Tarbiyat Khan were laid before me. Mu'taqid Khan bought a house at Agra, and passed some days in that place.
13.1.2
Misfortunes happened to him one after another. We have heard that prosperity and bad luck depend on four things: first, upon your wife; second, upon your slave; third, upon your house; fourth, upon your horse. In order to know the prosperity or ill-luck of a house a rule has been established, indeed they say it is infallible. One must clear a small piece of the site from earth, and again strew the earth upon the same ground. If it cover it, one may call it middling good fortune for that house, neither prosperity nor misfortune; if it become less (i.e. does not cover it exactly) it points to ill-luck, and if it does more (than cover it) it is fortunate and auspicious. On the 14th the mansab of I'tibar Khan was raised from 1,000 and 300 horse to 2,000 personal and 500 horse. I increased the mansab of Tarbiyat Khan by 500 personal and 50 horse, so that it became 2,000 personal and 850 horse. Hushang, son of Islam Khan, who was in Bengal with his father, came at this time and paid his respects. He brought with him some Maghs, whose country is near Pegu and Arracan, and the country is still in their possession. I made some enquiries as to their customs and religion. Briefly they are animals in the form of men. They eat everything there is either on land or in the sea, and nothing is forbidden by their religion. They eat with anyone. They take into their possession (marry) their sisters by another mother.
13.1.3
In face they are like the Qara Qalmaqs, but their language is that of Tibet and quite unlike Turki. There is a range of mountains, one end of which touches the province of Kashghar and the other the country of Pegu. They have no proper religion or any customs that can be interpreted as religion. They are far from the Musulman faith and separated from that of the Hindus. Two or three days before the Sharaf (the sun's highest point) my son Khurram desired me to go to his house that he might present his New Year's offerings from that place. I agreed to his request, and remained for one day and one night at his house. He presented his offerings. I took what I approved of and gave him back the rest. The next day Murtaza Khan presented his offerings. Every day until the day of culmination (ruz-i-sharaf) the offerings of one or of two or three of the Amirs were laid before me. On Monday, the 19th Farwardin, the assembly of the Sharaf was held. On that auspicious day I sat on the throne of State, and an order was given that they should produce all sorts of intoxicating things, such as wine, etc., so that every one according to his desire might take what he liked. Many took wine. The offerings of Mahabat Khan were on this day brought to me. I gave one gold muhr of 1,000 tolas, which is called the star of destiny (kaukab-i-tali'), to Yadgar 'Ali Khan, the ambassador of the ruler of Iran. The feast went off well.
13.1.4
After the assembly broke up I ordered that they might carry off the furniture and decorations. The offering of the Muqarrab Khan had not been arranged on New Year's Day. All sorts of rareties and excellent presents were now produced which he had collected together. Amongst others, twelve Iraq and Arab horses that had been brought in a ship, and jewelled saddles of Frank workmanship were produced before me. To the mansab of Nawazish Khan 500 horse were added so as to make it one of 2,000 personal and horse. An elephant called Bansibadan, which Islam Khan had sent from Bengal, was brought to me and put among my special elephants. On the 3rd Urdibihisht, Khwaja Yadgar, brother of 'Abdu-llah Khan, came from Gujarat and waited on me; he offered 100 Jahangiri muhrs. After he had been in attendance a few days he was honoured with the title of Sardar Khan. As a competent bakhshi had to be sent to the army of Bangash and those regions, I chose Mu'taqid Khan for this duty, and increased his mansab by 300 personal and 50 horse so that it became 1,500 with 350 horse, and dismissed him. It was settled that he must go quickly. I sent off Muhammad Husain Chelebi, who understood the purchase of jewels and collecting curiosities, with money to go by way of Iraq to Constantinople and buy and bring for the Sarkar curiosities and rareties. For this purpose it was necessary that he should pay his respects to the ruler of Iran. I had given him a letter and a memorandum (of what he was to procure).
13.1.5
Briefly, he saw my brother, Shah 'Abbas, in Mashhad, and the king enquired from him what kind of things should be brought for his master's Sarkar. As he was urgent, Chelebi showed the list he had brought with him. In that list there were entered good turquoise and mumiya (bitumen) from the mine of Ispahan. He told him that these two articles were not to be bought, but he would send them for me. He authorized Uwaisi Tupchi (gunner), who was one of his private servants, to hand over to him six bags (ambancha) of turquoise earth holding about 30 seers, with 14 tolas of mumiya and four Iraq horses, one of which was a piebald, and he wrote a letter containing many, many expressions of friendship. With regard to the inferior quality of the turquoise dust (khaka) and the small quantity of mumiya he made many apologies. The khaka appeared very inferior. Although the jewellers and makers of rings made every endeavour, no stone that was fit to be made into a finger ring could be produced. Probably in these days turquoise dust is not procurable from the mines such as it was in the time of the late king Tahmasp. He mentioned all this in the letter. With regard to the effect of mumiya I had heard much from scientists, but when I tried it no result was apparent. I do not know whether physicians have exaggerated its effect, or whether its efficacy had been lessened by its being stale.
13.1.6
At any rate, I gave it to a fowl with a broken leg to drink in larger quantity than they said and in the manner laid down by the physicians, and rubbed some on the place where it was broken, and kept it there for three days, though it was said to be sufficient to keep it from morning till evening. But after I had examined it, no effect was produced, and the broken place remained as it was. In a separate letter the Shah had written a recommendation of Salamu-llah, the Arab. I immediately increased his mansab and his jagir. I sent one of my private elephants with trappings to 'Abdu-llah Khan and gave another to Qilij Khan. I ordered that assignments (tankhwah) should be made to 12,000 horse on the establishment of 'Abdu-llah Khan at the rate of three horses and two horses for each trooper. As previously with a view to service in Junagarh I had increased the mansab of his brother Sardar Khan by 500 personal and 300 horse, and had afterwards assigned the duty to Kamil Khan, I ordered that he should retain his increase and that it should be counted (permanently) in his mansab. I increased the rank of Sarfaraz Khan, which was that of 1,500 personal and 500 horse, by 200 horse more. On the 27th Urdibihisht, corresponding with the 26th Rabi'u-l-awwal, in the eighth year of my reign, in the year 1022 of the Hijra era, on Thursday, the meeting for my lunar weighing took place in the house of Maryam-zamani (his mother).
13.1.7
Some of the money that was weighed I ordered to be given to the women and the deserving ones who had assembled in my mother's house. On the same day I increased by 1,000 the mansab of Murtaza Khan, so that it came to 6,000 personal and 5,000 horse. Khusrau Beg, a slave of Mirza Khan, came from Patna in the company of 'Abdu-r-Razzaq Ma'muri and waited on me, and Sardar Khan, brother of 'Abdu-llah Khan, obtained leave to go to Ahmadabad. An Afghan had brought from the Carnatic two goats that had pazahar (bezoar stones, an antidote against poison). I had always heard that an animal that has pazahar is very thin and miserable, but these goats were very fat and fresh. I ordered them to kill one of them, which was a female. Four pazahar stones became apparent, and this caused great astonishment.
13.2.1
It is an established fact that cheetahs in unaccustomed places do not pair off with a female, for my revered father once collected together 1,000 cheetahs. He was very desirous that they should pair, but this in no way came off. He had many times coupled male and female cheetahs together in gardens, but there, too, it did not come off. At this time a male cheetah, having slipped its collar, went to a female and paired with it, and after two and a half months three young ones were born and grew up. This has been recorded because it appeared strange. As cheetahs did not pair with cheetahs, (still less) had it ever been heard in former times (?) that tigers mated in captivity. As in the time of my reign wild beasts have abandoned their savagery, tigers have become so tame that troops of them without chains or restraint go about amongst the people, and they neither harm men nor have any wildness or alarm. It happened that a tigress became pregnant and after three months bore three cubs ; it had never happened that a wild tiger after its capture had paired. It had been heard from philosophers that the milk of a tigress was of great use for brightening eyes. Although we made every effort that the moisture of milk should appear in her breasts, we could not accomplish it.
13.2.2
It occurs to me that as it is a raging creature, and milk appears in the breasts of mothers by reason of the affection they have for their young, as milk comes into their breasts in connection with their young ones drinking and sucking at the time of their taking (the milk), their (the mothers') rage increases and the milk in their breasts is dried up. At the end of Urdibihisht, Khwaja Qasim, brother of Khwaja 'Abdu-l-'Aziz, who is of the Naqshbandi Khwajas, came from Mawara'a-n-nahr and waited on me. After a few days 12,000 rupees were given to him as a present. As Khwaja Jahan had made a melon-bed in the neighbourhood of the city, when two watches of day had passed on Thursday, the 10th Khurdad, I got into a boat and went to inspect the melon-bed, and took the ladies with me. We reached there when two or three gharis of day were left, and passed the evening in walking among the beds. A wonderfully sharp wind and whirlwind sprang up, so that the tents and screens fell down. I got into the boat and passed the night in it. I also passed part of the Friday in walking about the melon-bed, and returned to the city. Afzal Khan, who for a long time had been afflicted with boils and other sores, died on the 10th Khurdad. I transferred the jagir and hereditary land of Raja Jagman, who had failed in his service in the Deccan, to Mahabat Khan.
13.2.3
Shaikh Pir, who is one of the emancipated ones who hold aloof from the attachments of the age, and who on account of the pure friendship that he bears towards me has chosen to be my companion and servant, had before this founded a mosque in the parganah of Mairtha, which is his native place. At this time he took occasion to mention the circumstance. As I found his mind bent on the completion of this building I gave him 4,000 rupees, so that he himself might go and expend it, and also gave him a valuable shawl and dismissed him. In the public audience hall there were two railings (mahjar) of wood. Inside the first, Amirs, ambassadors, and people of honour sat, and no one entered this circle without an order. Within the second railing, which is broader than the first, the mansabdars of inferior rank, ahadis, and those who had work to do are admitted. Outside this railing stand the servants of the Amirs and all the people who may enter the Diwankhana. As there was no difference between the first and second railings, it occurred to me that I should decorate the first with silver. I ordered this railing and the staircase that led from this railing to the balcony of the Jharokha, as well as the two elephants placed on the two sides of the seat of the Jharokha, which skilful people had made of wood, to be decorated with silver. After this was completed it was reported to me that 125 maunds of silver in Hindustani weight, equal to 880 maunds of Persia, had been used up;
13.2.4
indeed, it now assumed a worthy appearance. On the 3rd of the month of Tir, Muzaffar Khan came from Thatta and waited on me. He made an offering of twelve muhrs and a Koran with a jewelled cover, and two jewelled roses (?) (du gul). On the 14th of the same month Safdar Khan came from the Subah of Behar and waited on me, offering 101 muhrs. After Muzaffar Khan had been some days in attendance, I increased his former mansab by 500 personal, and giving him a standard and a private shawl dismissed him to Thatta. I knew that every animal or living thing bitten by a mad dog died, but this had not been ascertained in the case of an elephant. In my time it so happened that one night a mad dog came into the place where was tied one of my private elephants, Gajpati by name, and bit the foot of a female elephant that was with mine. She at once cried out. The elephant-keepers at once ran in, and the dog fled away into a thorn-brake that is there. After a little while it came in again and bit my private elephant's fore-foot as well. The elephant killed it. When a month and five days had passed after this event, one day when it was cloudy the growling of thunder came to the ear of the female elephant, that was in the act of eating, and it of a sudden raised a cry and its limbs began to tremble. It threw itself on the ground, but rose again. For seven days water ran out of its mouth, then suddenly it uttered a cry and showed distress.
13.2.5
The remedies the drivers gave it had no effect, and on the eighth day it fell and died. A month after the death of the female elephant they took the large elephant to the edge of the river in the plain. It was cloudy and thundery in the same way. The said elephant in the height of excitement all at once began to tremble and sat down on the ground. With a thousand difficulties the drivers took it to its own place. After the same interval and in the same way that had happened to the female elephant this elephant also died. Great amazement was caused by this affair, and in truth it is a matter to be wondered at that an animal of such size and bulk should be so much affected by a little wound inflicted on it by such a weak creature. As Khankhanan had repeatedly begged for leave to be given to his son Shah-nawaz Khan, on the 4th Amurdad I gave him a horse and a robe of honour and dismissed him to the Deccan. I promoted Ya'qub Badakhshi, whose mansab was 150, to 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse, on account of the bravery he had displayed, and gave him the title of Khan as well as a standard. The Hindus are in four divisions, and each of these acts according to its own rules and ways. In every year they keep a fixed day. The first is the caste of the Brahmans, that is, those who know the Incomparable God.
13.2.6
Their duties are of six kinds — (1) to acquire religious knowledge, (2) to give instructions to others, (3) to worship fire, (4) to lead men to the worship of fire, (5) giving something to the needy, (6) taking gifts. There is for this caste an appointed day, and that is the last day of the month of Sawan, the second month of the rainy season. They consider this an auspicious day, and the worshippers go on that day to the banks of rivers and tanks, and recite enchantments, breathe upon cords and coloured threads ; on another day, which is the first of the New Year, they fasten them on the hands of the Rajas and great men of the time, and look on them as (good) omens. They call this thread rākhī, that is, preservation (nigāh-dāsht). This day occurs in the month of Tir, when the world-heating sun is in the constellation of Cancer. The second caste is that of the Chhatrī, which is known as Khatrī. Their duty is to protect the oppressed from the evil of the oppressors. The customs of this caste are three things — (1) that they study religious science themselves but do not teach others ; (2) that they worship fire, but do not teach others to do so ; (3) that they give to the needy, but although they are needy take nothing themselves. The day of this caste is the Bijay dasamin, ' the victorious tenth.' On this day with them it is lucky to mount and go against one's enemy with an army.
13.2.7
Ram Chand, whom they worship as their god, leading his army on that day against his enemy won a victory, and they consider this a great day, and, decorating their elephants and horses, perform worship. This day falls in the month of Shahriwar, when the Sun is in the mansion of Virgo, and on it they give presents to those who look after their horses and elephants. The third caste is that of Baish (Vaishya). Its custom is this, that they serve the other two castes of which mention has been made. They practise agriculture and buying and selling, and are employed in the business of profit and interest. This caste has also a fixed day which they call the Dewali ; this day occurs in the month of Mihr when the sun is in the constellation of Libra, the 28th day of the lunar month. On the night of that day they light lamps, and friends and those who are dear assemble in each other's houses and pass their time busily in gambling. As the eyes of this caste are on profit and interest, they consider carrying over and opening new accounts on that day auspicious. The fourth caste is the Sudras, who are the lowest caste of the Hindus. They are the servants of all, and derive no profit from those things which are the specialities of every (other) caste. Thursday is the Holi, which in their belief is the last day of the year. This day occurs in the month of Isfandarmuz, when the sun is in the constellation of Pisces.
13.2.8
On the night of this day they light fires at the head of the streets and ways, and when it becomes day they for one watch scatter the ashes on each other's heads and faces, and make a wonderful noise and disturbance, and after this wash themselves, put on their apparel, and walk about in the gardens and on the plains. As it is an established custom of the Hindus to burn the dead, to light fires on this night, which is the last night of the year that has passed, signifies that they burn the last year, which has gone to the abode of the dead. In the time of my revered father the Hindu Amirs and others in imitation of them performed the ceremony of rakhi in adorning him, making strings of rubies and royal pearls and flowers jewelled with gems of great value and binding them on his auspicious arms. This custom was carried on for some years. As they carried this extravagance to excess, and he disliked it, he forbade it. The brahmans by way of auguries used to tie these strings and (pieces of) silk according to their custom. I also in this year carried out this laudable religious practice, and ordered that the Hindu Amirs and the heads of the caste should fasten rakhis on my arms. On the day of the rakhi, which was the 9th Amurdad, they performed the same rites, and other castes by way of imitation did not give up this bigotry ; this year I agreed to it, and ordered that the brahmans should bind strings (of cotton) and silk after the ancient manner.
13.2.9
On this day by chance fell the anniversary of the death of the late king. The commemoration of such an anniversary is one of the standing rules and customs in Hindustan. Every year on the day of the death of their fathers and those who are dear to them, each according to his circumstances and ability prepares food and all kinds of perfumes, and the learned men, the respectable and other men assemble, and these assemblies sometimes last a week. On this day I sent Baba Khurram to the venerated tomb to arrange the assemblage, and 10,000 rupees were given to ten trustworthy servants to divide among fakirs and those who were in want.
13.3.1
On the 15th of the month of Amurdad the offering of Islam Khan was laid before me. He had sent 28 elephants, 40 horses of that part of the country which are known as tawjhan, 50 eunuchs, 500 pargala nafis sitdrkdni. It had been made a rule that the events of the Subahs should be reported according to the boundaries of each, and news-writers from the Court had been appointed for this duty. This being the rule that my revered father had laid down, I also observe it, and much gain and great advantage are to be brought about by it, and information is acquired about the world and its inhabitants. If the advantages of this were to be written down it would become a long affair. At this time the news-writer of Lahore reported that at the end of the month of Tir ten men had gone from the city to Amanabad, which lies at a distance of 12 kos. As the air was very hot, they took shelter under a tree. Soon afterwards wind and a dust-storm (chakrl) sprang up, and when it blew on that band of men they trembled, and nine of them died under the tree, and only one remained alive; he was ill for a long time, and recovered with great difficulty. In that neighbourhood such bad air was created that numerous birds who had their nests in that tree all fell down and died, and that the wild beasts (beasts of the plain, perhaps cattle) came and threw themselves on to the cultivated fields, and, rolling about on the grass, gave up their lives. In short, many animals perished.
13.3.2
On Thursday, the 13th Amurdad, having said my prayers (lit. counted my rosary), I embarked on board a boat for the purpose of hunting in the village of Samonagar, which is one of my fixed hunting-places. On the 3rd Shahriwar, Khan 'Alam, whom I had sent for from the Deccan in order to despatch him to Iraq in company with the ambassador of the ruler of Iran, came and waited on me at this place. He offered 100 muhrs. As Samonagar was in Mahabat Khan's jagir, he had prepared a delightful halting-place there on the bank of the river, and it pleased me greatly. He presented offerings of an elephant and an emerald ring. The former was put into my private stud. Up to the 6th Shahriwar I was employed in hunting. In these few days 47 head of antelope, male and female, and other animals were killed. At this time Dilawar Khan sent as an offering a ruby, which was accepted. I sent a special sword for Islam Khan. I increased the mansab of Hasan 'Ali Turkuman, which was 1,000 personal and 700 horse, by 500 personal and 100 horse. At the end of Thursday, the 20th of the same month, in the house of Maryam-zamani, my solar weighing took place. I weighed myself according to the usual custom against metals and other things. I had this year attained to the age of 44 solar years. On the same day Yadgar 'Ali, ambassador of the ruler of Iran, and Khan 'Alam, who had been nominated to accompany him from this side, received their leave to go.
13.3.3
On Yadgar 'Ali there were bestowed a horse with a jewelled saddle, a jewelled sword, a vest without sleeves with gold embroidery, an aigrette with feathers and a jigha (turban ornament), and 30,000 rupees in cash, altogether 40,000 rupees, and on Khan 'Alam a jewelled khapwa or phul katara (a sort of dagger) with a pendant of royal pearls. On the 22nd of the same month I visited the venerated mausoleum of my revered father at Bihishtabad, riding on an elephant. On the way 5,000 rupees in small coin were scattered round, and I gave other 5,000 rupees to Khwaja Jahan to divide among the dervishes. Having said my evening prayers, I went back to the city in a boat. As the house of I'timadu-d-daulah was on the bank of the river Jumna, I alighted there until the end of the next day. Having accepted what pleased me of his offerings, I went towards the palace; I'tiqad Khan's house was also on the bank of the river Jumna; at his request I disembarked there with the ladies, and walked round the houses he had lately built there. This delightful place pleased me greatly. He had produced suitable offerings of cloth stuffs and jewels and other things; these were all laid before me and most of them were approved. When it was near evening I entered the auspicious palace.
13.3.4
As the astrologers had fixed an hour in this night for starting for Ajmir, when seven gharis of the night of Monday, the 2nd Sha'ban, corresponding with the 24th Shahriwar, had passed, I started in happiness and prosperity with intent to go there from the capital of Agra. In this undertaking two things were agreeable to me, one a pilgrimage to the splendid mausoleum of Khwaja Mu'inu-d-din Chishti, from the blessing of whose illustrious soul great advantages had been derived by this dignified family, and whose venerable shrine I had not visited after my accession to the throne. The second was the defeat and beating back of the rebel Rana Amar Singh, who is one of the most considerable of the Zamindars and Rajas of Hindustan, and whose headship and leadership and those of his ancestors all the Rajas and Rays of this province agree to. The administration has for long been in the hands of this family, and they have long borne rule towards the East, that is the Purab. They became in that time well known under the title of Rajas. After this they fell on the Deccan and took possession of many of the countries of that region. In the place of Raja they have taken the title of Rawal. After this they came into the hill country of Mewat, and by degrees got into their possession the fort of Chitor. From that date until this day, which is in the eighth year after my accession, 1,471 years have passed. There are twenty-six others of this caste who have ruled for 1,010 years.
13.3.5
They have the title of Rawal, and from the Rawal who was first known as Rawal down to Rana Amar Singh, the present Rana, there are twenty-six individuals who have ruled for the space of 461 years. During this long time they have never bent their necks in obedience to any of the kings of the country of Hindustan, and have for most of the time been rebellious and troublesome, so much so that in the reign of the late king Babar, Rana Sanga collected together all the Rajas, Rays, and Zamindars of this province, and fought a battle in the neighbourhood of Biyana with 180,000 horse and several lakhs of foot-soldiers. By the aid of Almighty God and the assistance of fortune the victorious army of Islam prevailed against the infidel forces, and a great defeat happened to them. The details of this battle have been given in the Memoirs of King Babar. My revered father (may his bright tomb be the abode of unending Grace) exerted himself greatly to put down these rebels, and several times sent armies against them. In the twelfth year after his accession he set himself to capture the fort of Chitor, which is one of the strongest forts of the inhabited world, and to overthrow the kingdom of the Rana, and after four months and ten days of siege took it by force from the men of Amar Singh's father, after much fighting, and returned after destroying the fort.
13.3.6
Every time the victorious forces pressed him hard in order to capture him or make him a fugitive, but it so happened that this was not effected. In the end of his reign, on the same day and hour that he proceeded to the conquest of the Deccan, he sent me with a large army and reliable Sardars against the Rana. By chance these two affairs, for reasons which it would take too long to recount, did not succeed. At last I came to the throne, and as this matter was only half done, the first army I sent to the borders was this one. Making my son Parwiz its leader, the leading nobles who were at the capital were appointed to this duty. I sent abundant treasure and artillery with him. As every matter depends on its own season, at this juncture the unhappy affair of Khusrau occurred, and I had to pursue him to the Panjab. The province and the capital of Agra remained void. I had necessarily to write that Parwiz should return with some of the Amirs and take charge of Agra and the neighbourhood. In short, this time again the matter of the Rana did not go off as it should. When by the favour of Allah my mind was at rest from Khusrau's disturbance, and Agra became again the alighting place of the royal standards, a victorious army was appointed under the leadership of Mahabat Khan, 'Abdu-llah Khan, and other leaders, and from that date up to the time when the royal standards started for Ajmir his country was trodden under foot by the victorious forces.
13.3.7
As finally the affair did not assume an approved form, it occurred to me that, as I had nothing to do at Agra, and I was convinced that until I myself went there the affair would not be set to rights, I left the fort of Agra and alighted at the Dahrah garden. On the next day the festival of the Dasahra took place. According to the usual custom they decorated the elephants and horses, and I had them before me. As the mothers and sisters of Khusrau repeatedly represented to me that he was very repentant of his deeds, the feelings (lit. sweat) of fatherly affection having come into movement, I sent for him and determined that he should come every day to pay his respects to me. I remained for eight days in that garden. On the 28th news arrived that Raja Ram Das, who was doing service in Bangash and the neighbourhood of Kabul with Qilij Khan, had died. On the 1st of the month of Mihr I marched from the garden, and dismissed Khwaja Jahan to look after the capital of Agra and guard the treasure and the palace, and gave him an elephant and a special robe (fargul). On the 2nd Mihr news arrived that Raja Baso had died in the thanah of Shahabad, which is on the border of the territory of Amar. On the 10th of the same month I halted at Rup Bas, which has now been named Amanabad. Formerly this district had been given as jagir to Rup Khawass. Afterwards, bestowing it on Amanu-llah, son of Mahabat Khan, I ordered it to be called by his name. Eleven days were passed at this halting-place.
13.3.8
As it is a fixed hunting-place, I every day mounted to go hunting, and in these few days 158 antelopes, male and female, and other animals were killed. On the 25th of the month I marched from Amanabad. On the 31st, corresponding with the 8th Ramazan, Khwaja Abu-l-hasan, whom I had sent for from Burhanpur, came and waited on me, and presented as offerings 50 muhrs, 15 jewelled vessels, and an elephant, which I placed in my private stud. On the 2nd Aban, corresponding with the 10th Ramazan, news came of the death of Qilij Khan. He was one of the ancient servants of the State, and obtained the mercy of God in the 80th year of his age. He was employed at Peshawar in the duty of keeping in order the Afghans full of darkness. His rank was 6,000 personal and 5,000 horse. Murtaza Khan Dakhani was unrivalled in the art of patta-bazi, which in the language of the Dakhanis they call yaganagi, and the Moguls shamshir-bazi, 'sword-play' (fencing). For some time I studied it with him. At this time I exalted him with the title of Warzish Khan (Exercise-Khan). I had established a custom that deserving people and dervishes should be brought before me every night, so that I might bestow on them, after personal enquiry into their condition, land, or gold, or clothes.
13.3.9
Amongst these was a man who represented to me that the name Jahangir, according to the science of abjad (numerals reckoned by letters), corresponded to the great name "Allah Akbar." Considering this a good omen, I gave him who discovered (this coincidence) land, a horse, cash, and clothing. On Monday, the 5th Shawwal, corresponding to the 26th Aban, the hour for entering Ajmir was fixed. On the morning of the said day I went towards it. When the fort and the buildings of the shrine of the revered Khwaja appeared in sight, I traversed on foot the remainder of the road, about a kos. I placed trustworthy men on both sides of the road, who went along giving money to fakirs and the necessitous. When four gharis of day had passed, I entered the city and its inhabited portion, and in the fifth ghari had the honour of visiting the venerated mausoleum. After visiting it I proceeded to the auspicious palace, and the next day ordered all those present in this honoured resting-place, both small and great, belonging to the city, and travellers, to be brought before me, that they might be made happy with numerous gifts according to their real circumstances. On the 7th Azar I went to see and shoot on the tank of Pushkar, which is one of the established praying-places of the Hindus, with regard to the perfection of which they give (excellent) accounts that are incredible to any intelligence, and which is situated at a distance of three kos from Ajmir.
13.3.10
For two or three days I shot water-fowl on that tank, and returned to Ajmir. Old and new temples which, in the language of the infidels, they call Deohara are to be seen around this tank. Among them Rana Shankar, who is the uncle of the rebel Amar, and in my kingdom is among the high nobles, had built a Deohara of great magnificence, on which 100,000 rupees had been spent. I went to see that temple. I found a form cut out of black stone, which from the neck above was in the shape of a pig's head, and the rest of the body was like that of a man. The worthless religion of the Hindus is this, that once on a time for some particular object the Supreme Ruler thought it necessary to show himself in this shape; on this account they hold it dear and worship it. I ordered them to break that hideous form and throw it into the tank. After looking at this building there appeared a white dome on the top of a hill, to which men were coming from all quarters. When I asked about this they said that a Jogi lived there, and when the simpletons come to see him he places in their hands a handful of flour, which they put into their mouths and imitate the cry of an animal which these fools have at some time injured, in order that by this act their sins may be blotted out. I ordered them to break down that place and turn the Jogi out of it, as well as to destroy the form of an idol there was in the dome. Another belief they have is that there is no bottom to this tank.
13.3.11
After enquiry it appeared that it is nowhere deeper than 12 cubits. I also measured it round and it was about 1½ kos.
13.4.1
On the 16th Azar news came that the watchmen had marked down a tigress. I immediately went there and killed it with a gun and returned. After a few days a nilgaw (blue bull) was killed, of which I ordered them to take off the skin in my presence and cook it as food for the poor. Over 200 people assembled and ate it, and I gave money with my own hand to each of them. In the same month news came that the Franks of Goa had, contrary to treaty, plundered four cargo vessels that frequented the port of Surat in the neighbourhood of that port; and, making prisoners a large number of Musulmans, had taken possession of the goods and chattels that were in those ships. This being very disagreeable to my mind, I despatched Muqarrab Khan, who is in charge of the port, on the 18th Azar, giving him a horse and elephant and a dress of honour, to obtain compensation for this affair. On account of the great activity and good services of Yusuf Khan and Bahaduru-l-mulk in the Subah of the Deccan, I sent standards for them. It has been written that my chief object, after my visit to the Khwaja, was to put a stop to the affair of the rebel Rana. On this account I determined to remain myself at Ajmir and send on Baba Khurram, my fortunate son. This idea was a very good one, and on this account, on the 6th of Day, at the hour fixed upon, I despatched him in happiness and triumph.
13.4.2
I presented him with a qaba (outer coat) of gold brocade with jewelled flowers and pearls round the flowers, a brocaded turban with strings of pearls, a gold woven sash with chains of pearls, one of my private elephants called Fath Gaj, with trappings, a special horse, a jewelled sword, and a jewelled khapwa, with a phūl katāra. In addition to the men first appointed to this duty under the leadership of Khan A'zam, I sent 12,000 more horse with my son, and honoured their leaders, each according to his condition, with special horses and elephants and robes of honour, and dismissed them. Fida'i Khan was nominated to the paymastership of this army. At the same time Safdar Khan was despatched to the government of Kashmir in place of Hashim Khan. He received a horse and robe of honour. On Wednesday, the 11th, Khwaja Abu-l-hasan was made general paymaster (bakhshi-kul), and received a dress of honour. I had ordered them to make a large caldron at Agra for the revered mausoleum of the Khwaja. On this day it was brought, and I ordered them to cook food for the poor in that pot, and collect together the poor of Ajmir to feed them whilst I was there. Five thousand people assembled, and all ate of this food to their fill. After the food I gave money to each of the dervishes with my own hand. At this time Islam Khan, governor of Bengal, was promoted to the mansab of 6,000 personal and horse, and a flag was given to Mukarram Khan, son of Mu'azzam Khan.
13.4.3
On the 1st of Isfandarmuz, corresponding with the 10th Muharram, 1023 (20th February, 1614), I left Ajmir to hunt nilgaw, and returned on the 9th. I halted at the fountain of Hafiz Jamal, two kos from the city, and passed the night of Friday there. At the end of the day I entered the city. In these twenty days ten nilgaw had been killed. As the good service of Khwaja Jahan and the smallness of his force for the defence and government of Agra and that neighbourhood were brought to my notice, I increased his mansab by 500 personal and 100 horse. On the same day Abu-l-fath Dakhani came from his jagir and waited on me. On the 3rd of the same month news came of the death of Islam Khan; he had died on Thursday, the 5th Rajab, in the year 1022 (21st August, 1613). In one day, without any previous illness, this inevitable event occurred. He was one of those born and brought up in the house (house-born). The naturally good disposition and knowledge of affairs that showed themselves in him were seen in no one else. He ruled Bengal with entire authority, and brought within the civil jurisdiction of the province countries that had never previously come under the sway of any of the jagirdars or into the possession of any of the Chiefs of the State. If death had not overtaken him he would have done perfect service.
13.4.4
The Khan A'zam had himself prayed that the illustrious prince should be appointed to the campaign against the Rana, yet, notwithstanding all kinds of encouragement and gratification on the part of my son (Shah Jahan), he would not apply himself to the task, but proceeded to act in his own unworthy manner. When this was heard by me, I sent Ibrahim Husain, who was one of my most trusty attendants, to him, and sent affectionate messages to him to say that when he was at Burhanpur he had daily begged this duty of me, as he considered it equivalent to the happiness of both worlds, and had said in meetings and assemblies that if he should be killed in this enterprise he would be a martyr, and if he prevailed, a ghazi. I had given him whatever support and assistance of artillery he had asked for. After this he had written that without the movement of the royal standards to those regions the completion of the affair was not free of difficulty. By his counsel I had come to Ajmir, and this neighbourhood had been thus honoured and dignified. Now that he had himself prayed for the prince, and everything had been carried out according to his counsel, why did he withdraw his foot from the field of battle and enter the place of disagreement? To Baba Khurram, from whom up till now I had never parted, and whom I sent in pure reliance on his (Khan A'zam's) knowledge of affairs, he should show loyalty and approved good-will, and never be neglectful day or night of his duty to my son.
13.4.5
If, contrariwise, he should draw back his foot from what he had agreed to, he must know that there would be mischief. Ibrahim Husain went, and impressed these words on his mind in the same detailed way. It was of no avail, as he would not go back from his folly and determination. When Baba Khurram saw that his being in the affair was a cause of disturbance, he kept him under observation and represented that his being there was in no way fitting, and he was acting thus and spoiling matters simply on account of the connection he had with Khusrau. I then ordered Mahabat Khan to go and bring him from Udaipur, and told Muhammad Taqi, the diwan of buildings, to go to Mandesur and bring his children and dependants to Ajmir.
13.4.6
On the 11th of the month news came that Dalip, son of Ray Singh, who was of a seditious and rebellious disposition, had been heavily defeated by his younger brother, Rao Suraj Singh, who had been sent against him, and that he was making disturbance in one of the districts of the Sarkar of Hissar. About this time Hashim of Khost, the faujdar, and the jagirdars of that neighbourhood seized him, and sent him as a prisoner to Court. As he had misbehaved repeatedly, he was capitally punished, and this was a warning to many of the seditious. In reward for this service an increase of 500 personal and 200 horse was made to the mansab of Rao Suraj Singh. On the 14th of the month a representation came from my son Baba Khurram that the elephant 'Alam-guman, of which the Rana was very fond, together with seventeen other elephants, had fallen into the hands of the warriors of the victorious army, and that his master would also soon be captured.