Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c7.s3.t1.1

c7.s3.t1.1

To begin with military sports, polo, fencing, wrestling, horse-racing, dog-racing, arrow-shooting, and a variety of other games were popular all over the country. In the Deccan and among the Rajputs, offended honour never failed to challenge the offender to a duel. In the dominions of the Sultan, however, there existed an organized system of administration which that it is wrong to imagine that the gifts of God are confined to soul, wisdom and intelligence alone. They also extend to the use of weapons of wood and iron (*vide* A.H., 55). The author expalins in another connection that every person should learn fearlessness, pride, tenacity of purpose, keenness, aggressiveness in attack, industry, perseverance, patience, loyalty, and watchfulness from various wild and domestic animals. The various forms of amusements and sports were designed to cultivate all these virtues of an ideal soldier. Every gentleman, so the author emphasizes, should know swordsmanship, wrestling, polo, stick-fencing, the handling of the pellet-bow and even the Hindu *chakra* (disc). (*ibid.*, 153-4). Compare also the indulgence of young Akbar in all kinds of amusements, as for instance camel-riding, horse-racing, hound-racing, polo, and pigeon-flying, and Abu'l Fazl's comments thereon. A.N., II, 317-8.