The Army of the Indian Moghuls: Its Organization and Administration c20.32

c20.32

Scouts and Spies. The intelligence department was always in active operation, both in peace and war. Reports of all sorts, descending even to idle gossip and scandal, were always welcome. Dānishmand Khān, entry of 11th Ramaẓān 1120 H., tells us that there were in all four thousand spies (harkārah) in the imperial service scattered throughout the kingdom. There was a head spy (daroghah-i-harkārah, who was a man of influence and much feared; his establishment formed a branch of the postal department, managed by a high court official called the Daroghah-i-dāk, or superintendent of the Post. When in the field, these spies were sent out in all directions. Their name, harkārah (literally “for every work”), arose in the Dakhin but was adopted by the Moghuls (Dānishmand Khān, l. c.). In modern usage it has been transferred to the runners carrying the mail bags. Despatches and orders were either sent through the ordinary post, manned by foot runners, or by special messengers on camels. If the recipient was to be specially honoured or the matter was very important, one of the imperial mace-bearers carried the message or letter to its destination.