History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c6.224

c6.224

The Sultan was particularly generous to the needy and the indigent. It was his wish that none of his subjects should live in want and penury and beg from door to door. He wished that every Hindu and Muhammadan should have some occupation to follow and offered encouragement to the thrifty, and industrious, though unhappily in case of the Hindus the bulk of the fruits of their toil were largely appropriated by the state. A system of poor-relief was devised which Dihli had never seen before. It was his wont to summon to his court once a week officials, dependants and children and offered relief to such as were in distress. When the news of any victory or the birth of a son to the Sultan was announced, or when the purificatory ceremony of any of his sons was performed, he used to invite chiefs, nobles, learned men, scholars, teachers and pupils and lawyers and bestowed gifts upon them suitable to their rank and dignity. He was not unmindful of the claims of holy men and religious institutions and extended his patronage to them. Poets and literary men were patronised and Amir Khusrau, the poet laureate of the empire, was held in high esteem at the court and was granted a pension of one thousand tankahs per mensem.