تحفة النظار في غرايب الامصار وعجايب الاسفار 12.7.1

12.7.1

On the eve of the festival the sultan sends robes of honour to the maliks, the courtiers, the officers of state, the aʿizza (honoured ones), the secretaries, the chamberlains, the naqībs, the commanders, the slaves and the intelligence people, so that all of them receive them. On the morning of the festival all the elephants are adorned with silk, gold and jewels. Sixteen of them no one rides; they are reserved for the sultan's riding, and over them are raised sixteen parasols of silk set with jewels, the shaft of each parasol of pure gold, and on each elephant is a silk cushion set with jewels. The sultan rides one of them, and before him is raised the ghāshiya (saddle-cover), which is the covering of his saddle, set with the most precious jewels. Before him walk his slaves and mamlūks, each wearing a gold cap on his head and a gold belt at his waist, some of them setting it with jewels. Also walking before him