Later Mughals v2.c16.s9.8

v2.c16.s9.8

By the Emperor's express order Nizam-ul-mulk advanced with drums beating.* At short intervals the cortége was met by eunuchs and pages sent from the palace with presents and enquiries and pressing messages to hasten onward and relieve His Majesty of his anxiety. Nizam-ul-mulk caused his elephant to kneel and descending made obeisance for the honour thus done him. Crowds thronged the road and impeded progress. Within the city the roofs of the shops and houses were covered with sightseers; while mendicants "thicker than flies at a sweetmeat-seller's shop" gathered round the Nawab's elephant paying no heed to the sticks and bamboos with which the attendants tried to drive them off. His elephant could do no more than creep along and it was not till after midday that they reached the Dihli gate of the fort. Here Nizam-ul-mulk entered his litter, old and plainly fitted with broadcloth, while the Wazir used one fringed with pearls and covered with cloth of gold. The Wazir allowed Nizam-ul-mulk to be one or two paces in advance of him. At the Drum house they alighted and hand in hand looking neither to right nor left entered the privy audience-hall. On coming before the Emperor he made his offering and was honoured in return with a robe from the Emperor's own wardrobe and a jacket called a charqab, worn only by members of the Chaghatai house descended from Timur. The highest title that a subject could bear, that of Asaf Jah, that is, equal in dignity to Asaf the minister of King Soloman, was also conferred upon him. The mansion built by Sadullah Khan, the finest in Dihli, had been prepared for his quarters, and at the close of the day trays of food were sent from the imperial kitchen by the hands of eunuchs, and this practice was continued daily. [Ashob 128a.]