History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c17.s1.9

c17.s1.9

The prices of silk cloths were very high indeed. Delhi *Khazz* was sold for 16 *tankahs*, almost a whole month's pay of a soldier; *Silāhti*, an ordinary cotton cloth, which is known to this day and which was cheap in the time of Akbar,²³ was sold at 6 *tankahs*. The fact that 'Alāuddīn controlled the price of cloth and gave advance to merchants to import goods into Delhi, shows that cloth was still dearer before the Sultan issued the regulations. Barani relates that a regulation was introduced whereby people were stopped from buying silk stuffs at cheap rates in Delhi and selling them at prices four or five times higher outside Delhi. This clearly means that outside the metropolis the price of cloth was still higher. The following cloths and their controlled prices have been given by Barani:—