Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c5.s2.t1.67

c5.s2.t1.67

7. *Karkhanas.*—The supplies of these officials and of their respective departments were provided by the royal stores or *karkhanas*, a system which was also probably borrowed from Persia.⁴ Besides the supplies for these and other officials, the *karkhanas* maintained separate sections for the supply of royal standards (the *alamkhana*) and the care of the royal library (*kitabkhana*) and the gong and chronometer (*ghariyal-khana*), the jewel house (*jawahirkhana*) and the royal pastures. The *karkhanas* looked after the provisioning of the royal stables and the supervision of the royal buildings, for which they maintained a whole army of masons and architects. Finally they undertook to supply the menial attendance and the domestic service for the palaces and other royal buildings. The enumeration, however, is by no means complete. These *karkhanas* were under the charge of a distinguished noble who was assisted by other subordinate superintendents (*mutasarrifs*), who were themselves nobles of rank and were appointed directly by the Sultan. All of them were paid very high salaries, and the charge of a store was considered quite as remunerative as the governorship of a big town like Multan.⁵ 8. *Crown lands (or Milk).* —To maintain all these establishments, the resources of the Sultan were almost unlimited. Apart from the treasures of gold and silver, the Sultan was the biggest landholder in the kingdom; in fact, the only one whose property had an undisputed legal basis. He could choose the most fertile tracts of land and employ the resources of the whole State to enhance their productive capacity. A separate staff of officers was employed to administer his private lands. We shall revert to this subject in another place.¹