History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c26.s1.9

c26.s1.9

Except in the preface, which is written in a highly florid language, the historian adheres to a simple, clear and lucid style. His narrative, far from exhibiting the highly ornamental style then in fashion, seems to be a painful translation from the spoken Hindustani into Persian. Ziyāuddīn uses Hindi words like *badla*, *bhatti*, *chākar*, *charai*, *chautra*, *chouki*, *chappar*, *dholak*, *mandi*, *morha*, *mathāha* (earthen jugs), *pondā* (sugar cane), *palak* (eye lids) etc., frequently in the course of his narrative. At places his language is so broken as to make out little sense. Moreover, he is prone to making contradictory statements. Being a chronicler of contemporary events he saw the various aspects of a certain thing and mentions them all unsynthetically. At some some places he extols 'Alāuddīn, at others dubs him a Pharaoh, and on a study of his *Tarīkh* it is difficult to say whether 'Alāuddīn was a benefactor or a tyrant. Anyway, the historian possessed a facile pen and writes in a clear and unostentatious way.