A History of Agriculture in India v2.c81.s3: Fragrant Flowers of India
A History of Agriculture in India v2.c81.s3
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Fragrant Flowers of India
v2.c81.s3.1
In his preference for fragrant flowers, Jahangir was truly Indian in taste. The following passage from the *Tuzk* shows he was familiar with nearly all the important fragrant plants of India. "From the excellences of its sweet-scented flowers one may prefer the fragrances of India to those of the flowers of the whole world. It has many such that nothing in the whole world can be compared to them. The first is the champa (Michelia champaca), which is a flower of exceedingly sweet fragrance; it has the shape of the saffron-flower, but is yellow inclining to white. The tree is very symmetrical and large, full of branches and leaves, and is shady. When in flower one tree will perfume a garden. Surpassing this is the keora flower (Pandanus odoratissimus). Its shape and appearance are singular, and its scent is so strong and penetrating that it does not yield to the odour of musk. Another is the rae bel, which in scent resembles white jasmine. Its flowers are double and treble (?). Another is the mulsari (Mimusops elengi). This tree, too, is very graceful and symmetrical, and is shady. The scent of its flowers is very pleasant. Another is the ketaki (Pandanus), which is of the nature of the keora but the latter is thorny, whereas the ketaki has no thorns. Moreover, the ketaki is yellowish, whereas the keora is white. From these two flowers and also from the chambeli (Jasminum officinale forma grandiflorum), which is the white jessamine of wilayat (Persia or Afghanistan), they extract sweet-scented oils.'
v2.c81.s3.2
FIG. 51. A kos-minar near Ludhiana, 1980. Such minars were constructed at a distance of a kos (about 3.2 kilometres, or 2 miles) along the Grand Trunk Road from Lahore to Delhi by Jahangir. In the niches oil lamps were lighted at night to guide the travellers.
v2.c81.s3.3
FIG. 52. The Shalimar Garden, Srinagar, was laid out by Jahangir in 1619. The Ladies Section of this garden is shown in this photograph.