The Events of Mushtāqī 2: Khán Jahán Lodi.
Wáki'át-i Mushtákí (extracts) 2
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Khán Jahán Lodi.
2.1
In giving an account of the nobles of Sultán Sikandar's time, I shall not speak of those whom I have not seen, but only of those with whom I was personally acquainted. I commence with those who were in his service while at Agra. Masnad 'Alí Husain Khán, who was called Khán Jahán Lodi, had made it a rule that whatever fixed salary he gave to his soldiers, he never deducted anything from it; but when, after the lapse of ninety years, the sovereignty departed from the Afgháns, their allowances were stopped. It was also his rule, that every one of his attendants should be present whenever he was in his camp; but when he was in his palace, if any person went to him there, he would ask him why he came. If the man replied, he came to salute him, he would say, "You have come of your own accord, there is no necessity for your attendance, except when I am in the camp. Now, though I am at home, you still come to me. It appears that you have no love for your own family. What must they think of you?" After saying this, he would immediately dismiss him, not even allowing him to sit down.
2.2
If any person died, his allowances were transferred to his son. If he had no son, they were given to his sister's or brother's son, or son-in-law, or any of his relations who survived him. If there was no such relation, his wife was ordered to bring her brother or nephew, and the allowance was given to him. If she also had none, she was advised to adopt a son from her other relations; and if she had no relation, then any well-born child. If she had any fit slave, she was allowed to adopt him, but she was enjoined to send him to school, and teach him the arts of archery and riding. In short, in no manner was any fixed allowance ever stopped. If any learned or religious man had an interview with him, he was favoured with the grant of a village, a piece of land, or some pension. He always took care of his neighbours, and repaired the mosques which had fallen into disrepair. One morning, Bandagi Mian Ladan Danishmand went to the Khan Jahan, and when he asked him what brought him there so early, he answered that he wished to eat khichri, but that he thought he could not have it prepared in time; he had therefore thought of some rich man in whose house he could find it ready. He remembered the Khan, and immediately came to him. The Khan said that he never ate khichri, but other things were being made ready; if he liked khichri, it should be prepared for him.
2.3
The Mian answered, "The same difficulty exists here: while you are getting it ready, the time for eating it will have passed." The Khan said, "While it is getting ready I will send for some sweetmeats for you from the bázár." The Mian said, "Very good, but tell the man to bring the money to me. I will direct him what he should bring." When the money was brought, the Mian said to the man, "Give it to me, and you go and prepare the khichri." In short, when it was ready, and the Mian had finished it, he said he had eaten too freely, and it would be very troublesome for him to stand the motion of a litter. The Khan asked, "Why do you go in a litter, have you no horse?" He replied that a horse which goes uneasily is worse than a litter, and that his horse had very unpleasant paces. The Khan said, "I will give you one of my own horses which goes very easily." The Mian exclaimed, "Why should I not ride if there be such a horse at my disposal!" The Khan ordered his men to bring a certain horse, and it was brought just as it stood in the stable, with only its clothing on it. He ordered it to be made over to the Mian, who said, "In consequence of my belly being so full, I complained of the litter; but now a greater difficulty has arisen, for I never can ride a horse with a naked back." The Khan smiled, and sent for a saddle, which was brought and put on the horse. The Mian then asked whether he was to keep the animal at his house, or send it back.
2.4
"Keep it at your house," replied the Khan. The Mian said there was nobody to take care of it. On this he was told that a servant should be employed on monthly wages for the purpose. The Mian again asked what it ate, and was told that it always ate pulse, coarse sugar, and clarified butter. The Mian said, "Where are such things to be got in this poor man's house?" So these were were also ordered to be given to him. Again he said, "When this saddle becomes old, another will be required, and new clothing will also be needed when the old is worn out." He was told to take away those articles also. He then said, "It would be very troublesome to send the horse-keeper every day for its food; it would be a great favour if you were to grant me a village, the income of which will do for all these expenses at once, viz., the wages of the groom and the horse's food, and its saddle, and its clothing, and its green fodder." This request of his was also complied with, and a village was granted him in the district of Badaun. On his taking leave, he said he had taken his dinner and received a horse and a village, but the litter-carriers who had brought him there had got nothing. On this some money was given to them, and then at last the Mian took his departure. Such was the generosity of Khan Jahan Lodi!
2.5
When he died, his son, whose name was Ahmad Khan, neither got the title of Khan Jahan nor his father's rank. Mian Zainu-d din and Mian Zabaru-d din were two officers of the deceased Khan Jahan, and his army and parganas were given over to their charge. A royal farman was also sent at the same time to the address of Zainu-d din, informing him that these privileges were granted by His Majesty of his own free motion, and not in consequence of Zainu-d din's connexion with Khan Jahan Lodi. From that time Zainu-d din took the muster of the army, and had charge of the parganas. The jagir of the archers was maintained, to be enjoyed by them. To Ahmad Khan, son of Khan Jahan, a tract was granted from the district of Kaithal, in the name of his mother, besides an annual allowance of one lac of tankas for the purchase of horses, one lac of tankas for his clothing, and another lac for betel-leaves and other miscellaneous expenses.