Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c6.s2.t1.14

c6.s2.t1.14

The accounts of Amir Khusrau, Mahuan, Varthema and Barbosa all bear witness to the excellence of Bengal manufactures. Amir Khusrau is warm in the praise of stuffs which Bughra Khan, the governor of Bengal, presented to his son Sultan Mu‘izz-ud‘din Kaiqubad.⁴ Mahuan, on his visit to Bengal, enumerates five or six varieties of fine muslins, gold embroidered caps and silk handkerchiefs.⁵ The accounts of Varthema and Barbosa are in substantial agreement, only the former finds more abundance of cotton cloth in Bengal than anywhere else in the world. He mentions a variety of fine cloth named *Bairam*, *Namone*, *Lizati*, *Caintar*, *Douzar*, *Sinabaff*, the nature of which is not clear. Barbosa observes that a kind of sash named *Sirband*, made in Bengal, was much esteemed by Europeans for the head-dress of ladies, and by Persians and Arab merchants for use as turbans. Arab merchants were similarly fond of using Bengal *Sinabaffs* for shirts.¹ Among articles of internal consumption, *dhotis* and *saris*, both of silk and cotton, were manufactured in large quantities.²