Later Mughals v2.c13.s22.12

v2.c13.s22.12

The Barha Sayyids have remained almost to our own day more or less Indian in their practices. Thus it is no surprise to learn from a contemporary historian that Abdullah Khan observed the *Basant* or spring festival, and the Holi powder-throwing usual among Hindus. In another direction he displayed superstition. Anand Ram Mukhlis noticed that every time he gave public audience, two men called *majamra-gardan*, or censer-swingers, stood at the head of his carpet swinging silver censers full of smoking rue-seed. This was done to avert the Evil Eye. We have also seen in the course of our narrative that he was more of a soldier than an administrator; and that he was a voluptuary who in time of peace was indolent and negligent of business. He left his affairs too much in the hands of his Hindu man-of-business, Ratan Chand.*