Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c7.s1.102

c7.s1.102

The occasion of death was generally used for the demonstration of grief by mourning friends and relations. We have already spoken of the deep-seated love of a mother in Hindustan. If the father or the head of a family died, the grief was perhaps even more violent and real, for in most cases, the whole of a big joint family depended on him for sustenance and support. Thus on occasions of funerals, the pent-up emotions of the whole family and particularly the grief of the women expressed itself in wild outbursts, and the wailing cries created quite an uproar. The ceremonies of mourning went on four days, even for months and in exceptional cases for a whole year. Men were not slow in demonstrating their grief, especially if the deceased was the head of the State.² The death of a Sultan was officially mourned for three days in the kingdom. His successor appeared in a mourning dress, usually blue in colour, and the royal parasol (*chatr*) was carried half-bent over the royal funeral.³ We have already said something about the charitable endowments for the spiritual benefit of deceased Sultans and the appointment of the reciters of Qur'an. We may add in this connection that the grave of the Sultan was no less an object of awe and reverence than his throne in his lifetime. It reflects curiously on the religious beliefs of the period but the fact remains that the State officially recognized certain animist practices. For instance the personal guards, the elephants and the stallions of the late Sultan were brought to pay homage to his tomb, exactly as was done in his lifetime. His shoes were placed near the grave and the visitors paid their homage to these shoes as the symbols of his late Majesty.¹