The Memoirs of Jahāngīr (Jahāngīrnāma) 20.3
The Tūzuk-i-Jahāngīrī (Rogers, Beveridge) 20.3
- Language
- English
20.3.1
In Ahmadabad I had two male mārkhūr goats. As I had not a female in my establishment to pair with them, it occurred to me that if I could pair them with Barbary goats, which they bring from Arabia, especially from the port of the city of Darkhar, young of their form and qualities might be obtained. In short, I paired them with seven Barbary ewes, and after six months had elapsed each of the latter had a young one at Fathpur: there were four females and three males, very pleasing in appearance, of good shape and good colour. In their colour, those (kids) which resembled the male (taka, not haka, as in the printed copy) were dun-coloured with black stripes on their backs. Red, indeed, appears to me a more pleasing colour than any other, and it is the mark of a better breed. Of their liveliness and laughable ways and their manner of gamboling and leaping, what can be written? Some of their ways are such that the mind derived uncontrolled pleasure from looking at them. It is notorious that painters cannot draw properly the motions of a kid. Granting that they may chance to draw the movements of an ordinary kid after a fashion, they certainly would have to acknowledge themselves at a loss how to draw the motions of these kids. When one month, or even twenty days old, they would leap up upon high places and throw themselves on to the ground in a way that if any other but a kid were to do so, not one limb would be left whole.
20.3.2
As it pleased me, I ordered them always to be kept near me, and I gave each of them an appropriate name. I am much delighted with them, and pay great attention to bringing together markhur males and well-bred she-goats. I desire to have many young ones from them, and that they may become well known among men. After their young shall have paired, most probably more delicate ones will be obtained. One of their peculiarities is that ordinary kids immediately they are born, and until they begin to suck, make a great bleating, whilst these, on the contrary, make no sound, and stand quite contented and without wailing. Perhaps their flesh would be very pleasant to the taste. Before this, an order had been given that Muqarrab K., having been appointed to Bihar, should hasten off there. He came to Court in order to pay his respects before he repaired to his destination, and accordingly, on Thursday, the 2nd Khurdad, an elephant with trappings, two horses, and a jewelled khafwa were conferred on him, and he took leave. Rs. 50,000 were given him as an advance of pay. On the same day Sardar Khan received a dress of honour, an elephant, and a horse, and obtained the Sarkar of Monghyr, which is in the province of Bihar and Bengal, and took leave. Mir Sharif, the Vakil of Qutbu-l-mulk, who was at Court, took leave. My fortunate son, Shah-Jahan, sent with him the brother of Afzal K., his Diwan.
20.3.3
As Qutbu-l-mulk had shown attachment and desire to please, and repeatedly importuned me for a portrait, I presented him, at his request, with my likeness, a jewelled khapwa, and a phul katara. 24,000 darb, a jewelled dagger, a horse, and a dress of honour were also given to the aforesaid Mir Sharif. Fazil K., director of buildings, was advanced to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 500 horse, and Hakim Ragho Nath to that of 600 personal and 60 horse. As at this time the anniversary of the late king (Akbar) occurred, Rs. 5,000 were handed over to some of my chief servants to divide among poor and deserving people. Hasan ‘Ali K., jagirdar of the Sarkar of Monghyr, was honoured with the mansab of 2,500 personal and horse, and sent to the assistance of Ibrahim K. Fath-jang, governor of the province of Bengal, and he was presented with a sword. As Mirza Sharafu-d-din Husain Kashghari sacrificed his life on duty in Bangash, I promoted his son Ibrahim Husain to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 500 horse. At this time Ibrahim K. constructed two boats, which in the language of the country they call Kosha, one of gold and the other of silver, and sent them to me by way of offering. Undoubtedly, of their own kind they are the finest. One of these I gave to my son Shah-Jahan. On Thursday, the 9th, Sa‘adat K. was granted the mansab of 1,000 personal and 60 horse. On this day ‘Azudu-d-daula and Shaja‘at K. ‘Arab took leave for their jagirs. On this Thursday I presented Asaf K.
20.3.4
with a jewelled khapwa and a phul katara. As my fortunate son Sultan Parwiz proposed to come to Court, he asked for a special nadiri dress of honour, a chira, and a fota, so that he might wear them and be distinguished on the day of meeting me and of having the good fortune to pay his respects. According to his request, I sent by the hand of his Vakil, Sharif, a sumptuous dress of honour with a chira and a special sash. On Thursday, the 23rd, Mirza Wali, son of the aunt of this suppliant, came by order from the Deccan, and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. His father, Khwaja Hasan Khaidar (the freckled ?), was one of the Naqshbandi Khwajas. My uncle, Mirza Muhammad Hakim, gave his sister in marriage to the Khwaja. I heard much praise of the Khwaja from people : he had both good family and got on well with every one, and for a long time the management of the affairs of my uncle Mirza Muhammad Hakim had been in his hands, and he was on very good terms with him. Before the Mirza’s death he had himself delivered over the deposit of his life. Two sons survived him — viz., Mirza Badi‘u-z-zaman and Mirza Wali. M. Badi‘u-z-zaman, after the death of the Mirza, ran away, and went to Ma-wara’a-n-nahr (Transoxania), and in that exile became a traveller on the road of non-existence. The Begam and Mirza Wali came to the glorious Court, and H.M. (Akbar) behaved very kindly to the Begam.
20.3.5
The Mirza also is a steady and sedate young man, not devoid of reasonableness and understanding. He is very skilled in the science of music. At this time it occurred to me to marry the daughter of the deceased Prince Daniyal to the Mirza, and my reason for sending for the Mirza to Court was this. This girl (Bulaqi Begam) is the offspring of the daughter of Qilij Muhammad K. It is hoped that the grace of striving to please and to serve, which is the means of good fortune and prosperity, may be his (M. Wali’s) lot and fortune. On this day Sarbuland Ray, who had been sent on duty to the Deccan, was promoted to the mansab of 2,500 personal and 1,500 horse. At this time it was reported to me that a Shayyad (a loud talker, a cheat) of the name of Shaikh Ahmad had spread the net of hypocrisy and deceit in Sirhind, and caught in it many of the apparent worshippers without spirituality, and had sent into every city and country one of his disciples, whom he called his deputy (kalifa), and whom he considered more skilled than others in the adorning of shops (of deceit) and selling of religious knowledge, and in deceiving men. He had also written a number of idle tales to his disciples and his believers, and had made them into a book which he called Maktubat (letters). In that album (Jung) of absurdities many unprofitable things had been written that drag (people) into infidelity and impiety.
20.3.6
Amongst these he had written in a letter as follows : “In the course of my travels I had come to the dwelling of the Two Lights (the Sun and Moon), and saw a very lofty and very splendid building. From there I passed to the abode of Discrimination (Faruq), and from there I passed to the abode of Truth (Siddiq), and to each I wrote a suitable explanation (or perhaps, of each I wrote a suitable description). From there I reached the abode of Love, and I beheld a brilliant dwelling. It had divers colours and lights and reflected glories. That is to say (God forgive us ! — an exclamation of Jahangir’s), I passed from the abode of the Vicegerents (khulafa) and attained to the highest rank.” There were other presumptuous expressions which it would be too long to write, and would be contrary to good manners. I according gave an order that they should bring him to the Court that is based on justice. According to order he came to pay his respects. To all that I asked him he could give no reasonable answer, and appeared to me to be extremely proud and self-satisfied, with all his ignorance. I considered the best thing for him would be that he should remain some time in the prison of correction until the heat of his temperament and confusion of his brain were somewhat quenched, and the excitement of the people also should subside. He was accordingly handed over to Anira’i Singh-dalan to be imprisoned in Gwalior fort.