Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c6.s3.t1.27

c6.s3.t1.27

¹ Compare the remarks of Tod regarding Rajput vassals. The court and the household economy of a great chieftain is a miniature representation of the sovereigns, the same officers, from the pradhan, or minister, to the cup-bearer (paniyari) as well as the same domestic arrangement. He must have his *shish-mahal*, his *bari-mahal*, and his *mandir* like his prince. He enters the *dari-sala* or carpet-hall, the minstrel preceding him rehearsing the praises of his family; and he takes his seat on his throne, while the assembled retainers marshalled in the right and left, simultaneously exclaim ‘Health to our chief!’ (*Vide* Tod I, 199-200.) For the establishments of the nobles see Chapter III. Compare B., 113 for the gift of all his horses and 10,000 Tankas to poets and minstrels by Kishli Khan, a noble of Balban; compare *ibid*., 197 (MS. 220) for Sultan Jalal-ud-din maintaining many poets even when he was a muster-master. He used to pay 1,200 Tankas a year to the father of Amir Khusrau. Compare K.R., II, 36 for a noble of Muhammad Tughluq named Mir Qabula (Mir Maqbul) spending three and a half million Tankas on his personal establishment. Compare B., 118 for a noble of Balban named Malik Ali who never gave horse to anyone without a purse of silver and always gave a gold or silver coin to a beggar. Compare *ibid*., 202 how Mlaik Quth-ud-din Alawi, a noble of Jalal-ud-din Khalji, spent 200,000 Tankas in days of scarcity on the marriage of his eldest son. He further distributed 100 horses with trappings and one thousand robes to celebrate the event. Similarly the nephew of Jalal-ud-din, Ahmad Chap once invited the royal musicians to sing at his house and gave them 100,000 Tankas, 100 horses, and 320 dresses (*vide ibid*., 203). Compare also the example of Fakhr-ud-din Kotwal, a noble of Balban, who used to maintain 12,000 Qur’an-reciters and provided 1,000 dowries for poor girls every year. He is reported never to have slept on the same bed twice or worn the same suit of clothes a second time. (*Vide* B., 117-8) Compare also the instance of Imad-ul-mulk, the muster-master of Balban, who entertained all his staff once a year when he gave them 20,000 Tankas collectively and a dress each. He further provided his staff every day with a mid-way meal when no less than 50 trayfuls of choicest dishes were served (*vide ibid*., B. 115-7).