Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c6.s2.t1.29

c6.s2.t1.29

¹ Of this there are several instances in Muslim chronicles. Early in the period, the son of Rai Pithora, governor of Ajmer sent to Qutb-ud-din among other gifts four ‘gold melons’ which were most exquisitely worked in gold and looked like real fruits. The General had them forwarded to Sultan Muhammad bin Sam in Ghur as a rare piece of art. (*Vide* T.F.M., 22-3: also *Tabaqat-i-Nasiri* MS. f. 91) Compare also a reference to ‘gold melons’ under Humayun in a later part. The other favourite piece of metal work was the imitation garden with precious metals and jewellery. Compare for instance a description of Amir Khusrau in K.K., 772, in connection with the celebrations which Sultan Mubarak Shah Khalji organized to mark the birth of his eldest son. He laid an imitation garden in which all the fruit trees were made of gold and their leaves of emerald. The cypresses were made from rubies. The grass effect was produced by scattering emeralds in abundance on the floor. A gold *huma* with a pearl in its beak was perching on a tree. On the whole, Amir Khusrau is of the opinion that the excellent results attained in the work of gold could with difficulty be imagined with