The Memoirs of Jahāngīr (Jahāngīrnāma) 3.8
The Tūzuk-i-Jahāngīrī (Rogers, Beveridge) 3.8
- Language
- English
3.8.1
In the fight at Chitor, the king with his own hand killed Jitmal, the leader of the men in the fort. He had no rival in shooting with a gun, and with the one with which he killed Jitmal, and which was called Sangram, he killed some 3,000 or 4,000 birds and beasts. I may be reckoned a true pupil of his. Of all sports I am most disposed to that with the gun, and in one day have shot eighteen deer. Of the austerities practised by my revered father, one was the not eating the flesh of animals. During three months of the year he ate meat, and for the remaining nine contented himself with Sufi food, and was no way pleased with the slaughter of animals. On many days and in many months this was forbidden to the people. The days and months on which he did not eat flesh are detailed in the Akbarnama. On the day I made I'timadu-l-mulk diwan, I put Mu'izzu-l-mulk in charge of the diwani-i-buyutat (care of buildings). The latter is a Sayyid of Bakharz, and under my revered father was accountant of the kurkaraq department.
3.8.2
On one of my accession days, a hundred of the Akbari and Jahangiri servants were promoted to higher rank and jagirs. At the commencement of the Ramazan 'Id, as it was the first after my accession, I came down to the 'Idgah from my auspicious throne. There was a great crowd, and having performed the dues of thanksgiving and praise I returned to the palace, where according to the verse "From the table of kings favours come to beggars," I commanded a sum of money to be spent in alms and charity. Some lakhs of dams of this were entrusted to Dust Muhammad (afterwards Khwaja Jahan), who divided them amongst faqirs and those who were in want, and a lakh of dams each was given to Jamalu-d-din Husain Anju (the lexicographer), Mirza Sadr Jahan, and Mir Muhammad Riza Sabzawari to dispose of in charity in different quarters of the city. I sent 5,000 rupees to the dervishes of Shaikh Muhammad Husain Jami, and gave directions that each day one of the officers of the watch should give 50,000 dams to faqirs. I sent a jewelled sword to the Khankhanan, and promoted Jamalu-d-din Anju to the rank of 3,000. The office of Sadr was entrusted to Miran Sadr Jahan, and I ordered Haji Koka, who was one of my father's foster-sisters, to bring before me in the palace such women as were worthy to be presented with land and money. I promoted Zahid Khan, son of Muhammad Sadiq Khan, from the rank of 1,500 to that of 2,000.
3.8.3
It had been the custom that when the gift of an elephant or horse was made to anyone, the naqibs and the Masters of the Horse (Mir Akhuran) took from him a sum of money as jilawana (bridle-money). I gave orders that this money should be paid by the government, so that people might be freed from the importunities and demands of that set of men. At this time Salbahan arrived from Burhanpur and produced before me the horses and elephants of my deceased brother Daniyal. Of the elephants, one male named Mast Alast appeared to me the best, and I gave him the name of Nur Gaj. A wonderful thing showed itself in this elephant; on the sides of his ears small lumps had grown about the size of melons, and from them came fluid such as drops from an elephant in the rutting season; moreover, the top of his forehead was more prominent than in other elephants. It was a splendid and imposing animal. I gave to my son Khurram (Shah-Jahan) a rosary of jewels, with the hope that he might obtain fulfilment of all his desires, both in visible and in spiritual things.
3.8.4
As I had remitted in my dominions customs duties amounting to krors, I abolished also all the transit dues (sair-jihat) in Kabul, which is one of the noted towns on the road to Hindustan. These brought in 1 kror and 23 lakhs of dams. From the provinces of Kabul and Qandahar large sums used to be derived every year from customs (zakat), which were in fact the chief revenue of those places. I remitted these ancient dues, a proceeding that greatly benefited the people of Iran and Turan. Asaf Khan's jagir in the subah of Bihar had been given to Baz Bahadur; I therefore ordered that a jagir in the Panjab should be given to him. As it was represented to me that a large sum was in arrears in his jagir, and now that the order for exchange had been given its collection would be difficult, I directed that a lakh of rupees should be given to him from the Treasury and the arrears recovered from Baz Bahadur for the royal revenues.
3.8.5
I promoted Sharif Amuli to the rank of 2,500, original and increase. He is a pure-hearted, lively-spirited man. Though he has no tincture of current sciences, lofty words and exalted knowledge often manifest themselves in him. In the dress of a faqir he made many journeys, and he has friendship with many saints and recites the maxims of those who profess mysticism. This is his conversation, not his practice (qāli-ū ast na hālī). In the time of my revered father he relinquished the garments of poverty and asceticism, and attained to amirship and chiefship. His utterance is exceedingly powerful, and his conversation is remarkably eloquent and pure, although he is without Arabic. His compositions also are not devoid of verve. A garden in Agra had been left by Shāh Qulī Khān Maḥram, and as he had no heirs I handed it over to Ruqayya Sulṭān Begam, the daughter of Hindāl Mīrzā, who had been the honoured wife of my father. My father had given my son Khurram into her charge, and she loved him a thousand times more than if he had been her own.