A History of Agriculture in India v2.c58.s6: Manufactory—Karkhanas
A History of Agriculture in India v2.c58.s6
- Language
- English
Manufactory—Karkhanas
v2.c58.s6.1
For the manufacture of robes of honour and other textiles which were presented to the nobles and foreigners who came as visitors, the Sultan maintained a karkhana or manufactory. Shahabu-d-Din states, ‘The Sultan has a manufactory, in which 400 silk-weavers are employed, and where they make stuffs of all kinds for the dresses of persons attached to the Court, for robes of honour and presents, in addition to the stuffs which are brought every year from China, ‘Irak, and Alexandria. Every year the Sultan distributes 200,000 complete dresses, 100,000 in spring, and 100,000 in autumn. The spring dresses consist principally of the goods manufactured at Alexandria. Those of the autumn are almost exclusively of silk manufactured at Delhi or imported from China and 'Irak. Dresses are also distributed to the monasteries and hermitages.
v2.c58.s6.2
'The Sultan keeps in his service 500 manufacturers of golden tissues, who weave the gold brocades worn by the wives of the Sultan, and given away as presents to the amirs and their wives. Every year he gives away 10,000 Arab horses, of excellent breed, sometimes with saddle and bridle...'