A History of Agriculture in India v2.c58.s4: Revenue Collections and Gifts of Provincial Officers

v2.c58.s4.1

Revenue collected from the provinces was presented by the provincial officers in the form of ingots or vessels made of gold and silver. Ibn Battuta states, ‘When the provincial officers come to the court with gifts and sums of revenue collected from taxes in the provinces, they have vessels made of gold and silver, such as basins, ewers and so forth. They also have ingots of gold and silver made like bricks, which they call khisht (Persian, meaning ‘brick’). The farrashun (those who look after the furnishings), who are the Sultan’s slaves, take up their stand in a row, with the gift in their hands, each one of them holding one piece. Then the elephants are brought forward, if there should be any of them included in the gift, next the horses saddled and bridled, than the mules, then the camels carrying the money.’