Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c7.s3.t2.3

c7.s3.t2.3

such items of entertainments as vocal and instrumental music, dainty wines, dried fruit and indoor games such as chess, *chaupar*, etc. It was usual to decorate the rooms where the guests assembled with rich carpets. Aloe-wood and incense were constantly burning there. Rose-water was frequently sprinkled over the party for its refreshing and cooling effect. Fruits were neatly served in silver and golden fruit-trays. But the most entertaining item was the wine which was served by very handsome cup-bearers together with some spices and seasoned dishes (like *kababs*) for relish. So that, as a result, ‘the covers of the goblets of wine’ (to borrow the figurative language of Amir Khusrau) ‘looked holier than a prayer carpet’.¹