The mansab of Muruwwat K͟hān was fixed, original and increase, at 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, on condition that he should destroy Harbhān,[36] Zamindar of Chandra-koṭa, from whom travellers endured great annoyance. On the 13th Rāja Sūraj Mal, together with Taqī, the bakhshi who was in attendance on Bābā K͟hurram, came and waited on me. He represented all his requirements. His engagement to perform the work was approved, and at the request of my son he was honoured with a standard and drums. To Taqī, who had been appointed with him, a jewelled khapwa (dagger) was given, and it was arranged that he should finish his own affairs and start off quickly. The mansab of K͟hwāja ʿAlī Beg Mīrzā, who had been appointed to the defence and administration of Ahmadnagar, was fixed at 5,000 personal and horse. An elephant apiece was given to Nūru-d-dīn Qulī, K͟hwājagī T̤āhir, Sayyid K͟hān Muḥammad, Murtaẓā K͟hān, and Walī Beg. On the 17th the mansab of Ḥākim Beg was fixed, original and increase, at 1,000 personal and 200 horse. On the same day, after presenting Rāja Sūraj Mal with a dress of honour, an elephant, and a jewelled khapwa, and Taqī with a dress of honour, I gave them leave to proceed on duty to Kangra. When those who had been sent by my son of lofty fortune, S͟hāh K͟hurram, with the ambassadors of ʿĀdil K͟hān and his offerings, arrived at Burhanpur, and my son’s mind was completely satisfied with regard to the affairs of the Deccan, he prayed for the Subahdarship of Berar, Khandesh, and Ahmadnagar for the Commander-in-Chief, the Khankhanan, and sent his son S͟hāh-nawāz K͟hān, who is really Khankhanan junior, with 12,000 cavalry to hold possession of the conquered provinces. Every place and estate were put as jagirs into the hands of reliable men, and fitting arrangements were made for the government of the province. He left, out of the troops that were with him, 30,000 horse and 7,000 musketeer infantry, and took with him the remainder, amounting to 25,000 horse and 2,000 gunners, and set off to wait on me. On Thursday (Mubārak-s͟hamba), the 20th[37] of the month of Mihr (Divine month), in the twelfth year from my accession, corresponding with the 11th S͟hawwāl, 1026 Hijra (12th October, 1617), after three watches and one ghari had passed, he entered the fort of Mandu auspiciously and joyfully, and had the honour of waiting on me. The duration of our separation was 11[38] months and 11 days. After he had performed the dues of salutation and kissing the ground, I called him up into the jharokha, and with exceeding kindness and uncontrolled delight rose from my place and held him in the embrace of affection. In proportion as he strove to be humble and polite, I increased my favours and kindness to him and made him sit near me. He presented 1,000 ashrafis and 1,000 rupees as nazar and the same amount by way of alms. As the time did not allow of his presenting all his offerings, he now brought before me the elephant Sarnāk (?) (snake-head?), that was the chief of the elephants of ʿĀdil K͟hān’s offering, with a casket of precious stones. After this the bakhshis were ordered to arrange according to their mansabs the Amirs who had come with my son to pay their respects. The first who had the honour of audience was K͟hān Jahān. Sending for him above, I selected him for the honour of kissing my feet. He presented 1,000 muhrs and 1,000 rupees as nazr, and a casket filled with jewels and jewelled things as an offering (pīs͟h-kas͟h). What was accepted of his offering was worth 45,000 rupees. After this ʿAbdu-llah K͟hān kissed the threshold, and presented 100 muhrs as nazr. Then Mahābat K͟hān had the honour of kissing the ground, and presented an offering of 100 muhrs and 1,000 rupees, with a parcel (gaṭhṛī)[39] of precious stones and jewelled vessels, the value of which was 124,000 rupees. Of these one ruby weighed 11 miskals; an European brought it last year to sell at Ajmir, and priced it at 200,000 rupees, but the jewellers valued it at 80,000 rupees. Consequently the bargain did not come off, and it was returned to him and he took it away. When he came to Burhanpur, Mahābat K͟hān bought it from him for 100,000 rupees. After this Rāja Bhāo Singh waited on me, presenting 1,000 rupees as nazr and some jewels and jewelled things as a pīs͟h-kas͟h. In the same manner Dārāb K͟hān, son of the Khankhanan, Sardār K͟hān, brother of ʿAbdu-llah K͟hān, S͟hajāʿat K͟hān the Arab, Dayānat K͟hān, S͟hāh-bāz K͟hān, Muʿtamad K͟hān bakhshi, Ūdā Rām,[40] who was one of the chief Amirs of Niz̤āmu-l-mulk, and who came on the promise of my son S͟hāh K͟hurram and joined the ranks of the loyal, waited on me in the order of their mansabs. After this the Wakils of ʿĀdil K͟hān had the honour of kissing the ground, and presented a letter from him. Before this, as a reward for the conquest of the Rānā, a mansab of 20,000 personal and 10,000 horse was conferred on my son of lofty fortune. When he had hastened to the capture of the Deccan he had obtained the title of Shah, and now, in reward for this distinguished service, I gave him a mansab of 30,000 personal and 20,000 horse and bestowed on him the title of S͟hāh Jahān. An order was given that henceforth they should place a chair in the paradise-resembling assemblies near my throne for my son to sit upon. This was a special favour for my son, as it had never been the custom heretofore. A special dress of honour with a gold-embroidered chārqab, with collar, the end of the sleeves and the skirt decorated with pearls, worth 50,000 rupees, a jewelled sword with a jewelled pardala (belt), and a jewelled dagger were bestowed upon him. In his honour I myself came down from the jharokha and poured over his head a small tray of jewels and a tray of gold (coins).[41] Having called Sarnāk elephant to me, I saw without doubt that what had been heard in its praise and of its beauty was real. It stood all the tests in size, form, and beauty. Few elephants are to be seen of such beauty. As it appeared acceptable to me, I myself mounted (i.e. drove it) and took it into my private palace, and scattered a quantity of gold coins on its head, and ordered them to tie it up inside the royal palace. With regard to this I gave it the name of Nūr-bak͟ht[42] (light of fortune). On Friday, the 24th, Rāja Bharjīv, Zamindar of Baglāṇa, came and waited on me. His name is Partāp; every Raja there has been of that place they call Bharjīv. He has about 1,500 horse in his pay (mawājib-k͟hwār), and in time of need he can bring into the field 3,000 horse. The province of Baglāṇa lies between Gujarat, Khandesh, and the Deccan. It has two strong forts, Sāler and Māler (Muler), and as Māler is in the midst of a populous country he lives there himself. The country of Baglāṇa has pleasant springs and running waters. The mangoes of that region are very sweet and large, and are gathered for nine months from the beginning of immaturity[43] until the end. It has many grapes, but not of the best kinds. The aforesaid Raja does not drop the thread of caution and prudence in dealing with the rulers of Gujarat, the Deccan, and Khandesh. He has never gone himself to see any of them, and if any of them has wished to stretch out his hand to possess his kingdom, he has remained undisturbed through the support of the others. After the provinces of Gujarat, the Deccan, and Khandesh came into the possession of the late king (Akbar), Bharjīv came to Burhanpur and had the honour of kissing his feet, and after being enrolled among his servants was raised to the mansab of 3,000. At this time, when S͟hāh Jahān went to Burhanpur, he brought eleven elephants as an offering. He came to Court in attendance on my son, and in accordance with his friendship and service was dignified with royal favours, and had presented to him a jewelled sword, an elephant, a horse, and dress of honour. After some days I conferred on him three rings of jacinth (yāqūt), diamond, and ruby. On Mubārak-s͟hamba (Thursday), the 27th, Nūr-Jahān Begam prepared a feast of victory for my son S͟hāh Jahān, and conferred on him dresses of honour of great price, with a nādirī with embroidered flowers, adorned with rare pearls, a sarpīch (turban ornament) decorated with rare gems, a turban with a fringe of pearls, a waistbelt studded with pearls, a sword with jewelled pardala (belt), a phūl kaṭāra (dagger), a sada (?) of pearls, with two horses, one of which had a jewelled saddle, and a special elephant with two females. In the same way she gave his children and his ladies dresses of honour, tūquz (nine pieces) of cloth with all sorts of gold ornaments, and to his chief servants as presents a horse, a dress of honour, and a jewelled dagger. The cost of this entertainment was about 300,000 rupees. Presenting on the same day a horse and dress of honour to ʿAbdu-llah K͟hān and Sardār K͟hān, his brother, I gave them leave to go to the Sarkar of Kalpi, which had been given them in jagir, and also dismissed S͟hajāʿat K͟hān to his jagir, which was in the Subah of Gujarat, with a dress of honour and an elephant. I dismissed Sayyid Ḥājī, who was a jagirdar of Behar, with a gift of a horse.
It was frequently reported to me that K͟hān Daurān had become old and weak, so as to be unfit for active duty, and the Subahs of Kabul and Bangash is a land of disturbance, and to subdue the Afghans required riding and active movement. Inasmuch as caution is the condition of rule, I appointed Mahābat K͟hān, Subahdar of Kabul and Bangash, giving him a dress of honour, and promoted K͟hān Daurān to the governorship of the province of Thatta. Ibrāhīm K͟hān Fatḥ-jang had sent as an offering from Behar forty-nine elephants; these were submitted to me. On this day they brought some sōna-kela (golden plantains, bananas) for me. I had never eaten such plantains before. In size they are one finger, and are very sweet and of good flavour; they have no resemblance to plantains of other descriptions, but are somewhat indigestible, so that from the two that I ate I experienced heaviness, whilst others say they can eat as many as seven or eight. Though plantains are really unfit to eat, yet of all the kinds this is the one fit to eat. This year, up to the 23rd of the month of Mihr, Muqarrab K͟hān sent Gujarat mangoes by post (ḍāk-chaukī).
On this date I heard that Muḥammad Riẓā, ambassador of my brother S͟hāh ʿAbbās, gave up the deposit of his life at Agra through the disease of ishāl (diarrhœa). I made the merchant Muḥammad Qāsim, who had come from my brother, his executor, and ordered that according to the will he should convey his goods and chattels to the Shah, so that he might grant them in his own presence to the heirs of the deceased. Elephants and dresses of honour were conferred on Sayyid Kabīr and Bak͟htar K͟hān, Wakils of ʿĀdil K͟hān. On Mubārak-s͟hamba, the 13th Ābān, Jahāngīr Qulī Beg, Turkmān, who is dignified with the title of Jān-sipār K͟hān, came from the Deccan and waited on me. His father was included among the Amirs of Iran. He had come from Persia in the time of the late king Akbar, and having a mansab conferred on him was sent to the Deccan. He was brought up in that Subah. Although he had been appointed to a duty, yet as my son S͟hāh Jahān came at this time to pay his respects and represented his sincerity and devotion, I ordered that he should come post to Court and have the good fortune to wait upon me and then return. On this day I promoted Ūdā Rām[44] to the rank of 3,000 personal and 1,500 horse. He is a brahmin by caste, and was much relied on by ʿAmbar. At the time when S͟hāh-nawāz K͟hān went against ʿAmbar, Ādam K͟hān Ḥabs͟hī, Jādū Rāy, Bābū Rāy Kāyath, Ūdā Rām, and some other Sardārs of Niz̤āmu-l-mulk left him and came to S͟hāh-nawāz K͟hān. After ʿAmbar’s defeat they, by the persuasions of ʿĀdil K͟hān and the deceit of ʿAmbar, left the right road again and gave up their loyalty and service. ʿAmbar took an oath on the Koran to Ādam K͟hān and put him off his guard, and, capturing him deceitfully, imprisoned him in the fort of Daulatabad, and at last killed him. Bābū Rāy Kāyath and Ūdā Rām came away and went to the borders of ʿĀdil K͟hān’s dominions, but he would not admit them into his territory. About that time Bābū Rāy Kāyath lost his life (lit. played away the coin of existence) by the deceit of his intimates, and ʿAmbar sent a force against Ūdā Rām. He fought well and defeated ʿAmbar’s army. But afterwards, as he could not remain in that country, he threw himself on to the borders of the royal dominions, and, having got a promise, came with his family and dependants and entered the service of my son S͟hāh Jahān. That son distinguished him with favours and kindnesses of all sorts, and made him hopeful by giving him a mansab of 3,000 personal and 1,000 horse, and brought him to Court. As he was a useful servant, I increased this by 500 horse. I also increased the mansab of S͟hāh-bāz K͟hān, who had one of 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, by 500 more horse, and gave him the faujdārship of the Sarkar of Sārangpūr and a part of the Subah of Malwa. A special horse and elephant were given to K͟hān Jahān. On Mubārak-s͟hamba (Thursday), the 10th of the month, my son S͟hāh Jahān produced his own offerings—jewels and jewelled things and fine cloths and other rare things. These were all laid out in the courtyard of the jharokha, and arranged together with the horses and elephants adorned with gold and silver trappings. In order to please him I came down from the jharokha and looked through them in detail. Among all these there was a fine ruby they had bought for my son at the port of Goa for 200,000 rupees; its weight was 19½ tanks, or 17 miskals, and 5½ surkhs. There was no ruby in my establishment over 12 tanks, and the jewellers agreed to this valuation. Another was a sapphire, among the offerings of ʿĀdil K͟hān; it weighed 6 tanks and 7 surkhs and was valued at 100,000 rupees. I never before saw a sapphire of such a size and good colour. Another was the Chamkoṛa diamond, also of ʿĀdil K͟hān’s; its weight was 1 tank and 6 surkhs, which they valued at 40,000 rupees. The name of Chamkoṛa is derived from this, that there is in the Deccan a plant called sāg-i-chamkoṛa.[45] At the time when Murtaẓā Niz̤āmu-l-mulk conquered Berar he had gone one day with his ladies round to look at the garden, when one of the women found the diamond in a chamkora vegetable, and took it to Niz̤āmu-l-mulk. From that day it became known as the Chamkora diamond, and came into the possession of the present Ibrāhīm ʿĀdil K͟hān during the interregnum (fatarāt) of Ahmadnagar. Another was an emerald, also among ʿĀdil K͟hān’s offerings. Although it is from a new mine, it is of such a beautiful colour and delicacy as I have never before seen. Again, there were two pearls, one of the weight of 64 surkhs, or 2 miskals and 11 surkhs, and it was valued at 25,000 rupees. The other weighed 16 surkhs, and was of exceeding roundness and fineness. It was valued at 12,000 rupees. Another was a diamond from the offerings of Qut̤bu-l-mull, in weight 1 tank, and valued at 30,000 rupees. There were 150 elephants, out of which three had gold trappings, chains, etc., and nine had silver trappings. Though twenty[46] elephants were put into my private stud, five were very large and celebrated. The first, Nūr-bak͟ht, which my son presented on the day of meeting, was worth 125,000 rupees. The second, Mahīpati,[47] from the offerings of ʿĀdil K͟hān, was valued at 100,000 rupees; I gave it the name of Durjansāl. Another, also from his offerings, was Bak͟ht-buland, and valued at 100,000 rupees; I called it Girān-bār. Another was Qaddūs K͟hān, and the fifth was Imām Riẓā. They were from the offerings of Qut̤bu-l-mulk. Each of the two was valued at 100,000 rupees. Again, there were 100 Arab and Iraq horses, most of which were good horses. Of these, three had jewelled saddles. If the private offerings of my son and those of the rulers of the Deccan were to be written down in detail, it would be too long a business. What I accepted of his presents was worth 2,000,000 rupees. In addition to this he gave his (step-)mother,[48] Nūr-Jahān Begam, offerings worth 200,000 rupees, and 60,000 rupees to his other mothers and the Begams. Altogether my son’s offerings came to 2,260,000 rupees, or 75,000 tumans of the currency of Iran or 6,780,000 current Tūrān-khānīs. Such offerings had never been made during this dynasty. I showed him much attention and favour; in fact, he is a son who is worth grace and kindness. I am very pleased and satisfied with him. May God Almighty allow him to enjoy long life and prosperity!
As I had never in my life had any elephant-hunting, and had a great desire to see the province of Gujarat and to look on the salt sea, and my huntsmen had often gone and seen wild elephants and fixed on hunting-places, it occurred to me to travel through Ahmadabad and look on the sea, and having hunted elephants on my return, when it was hot and the season for hunting them to go back to Agra. With this intention I despatched to Agra Ḥaẓrat Maryamu-z-zamān (his mother) and the other Begams and people of the harem with the baggage and extra establishments, and betook myself to a tour in the Subah of Gujarat to hunt, with such as were indispensable with me. On the eve of Friday in the month of Ābān (precise date not given, but apparently the 10th), I marched auspiciously and happily from Mandu, and pitched on the bank of the tank of Nālchhā. In the morning I went out to hunt and killed a blue bull with my gun. On the eve of Saturday, Mahābat K͟hān was presented with a special horse and an elephant, and obtained leave to go to his Subah of Kabul and Bangash. At his request I conferred on Ras͟hīd K͟hān a robe of honour, a horse, an elephant, and a jewelled dagger, and appointed him to assist him. I promoted Ibrāhīm Ḥusain to the post of bakhshi in the Deccan, and Mīrak Ḥusain to that of news-writer in the same Subah. Rāja Kalyān,[49] son of Rāja Toḍar Mal, had come from the Subah of Orissa; on account of some faults which had been attributed to him he had for some days been forbidden the honour of paying his respects. After enquiry his innocence appeared clear, and having given him a dress of honour and a horse, I appointed him to do duty together with Mahābat K͟hān in Bangash. On Monday I gave the Wakils of ʿĀdil K͟hān jewelled turban fringes after the fashion of the Deccan, one of the value of 5,000 rupees and the other worth 4,000 rupees. As Afẓal K͟hān and Rāy Rāyān had performed the duties of Wakils to my son S͟hāh Jahān in a becoming manner, I raised them both in mansab and honoured Rāy Rāyān with the title of Bikramājīt, which among Hindus is the highest title. In truth he is a servant worthy of patronage. On Saturday, the 12th, I went to hunt and shot two female nilgaw. As the hunting-ground was a long way from this halting-place, I on Monday marched 4½ kos[50] and pitched at the village of Kaid Ḥasan. On Tuesday, the 15th, I killed three blue bulls, the larger one of which weighed 12 maunds. On this day Mīrzā Rustam escaped a great danger.[51] It seems that he had taken aim at a mark and fired his gun. Then he reloaded, and as his bullet was very flexible, he rested the gun on his chest and put the bullet between his teeth in order that he might contract it and put it right. By chance the match reached the pan, and his chest at the place where the gun was resting was burnt to the extent of the palm of the hand, and the grains of powder got into his skin and flesh and a wound was made, and he suffered much pain.[52]
On Sunday (?), the 16th,[53] four nilgaw were killed, three females and one būkra[54] nilgaw. On Mubārak-s͟hamba (Thursday) I went to look round a hill valley in which there was a waterfall near the camp. At this season it had but little water, but as for two or three days they had dammed the watercourse and, about the time of my reaching the place, let it loose, it flowed over very well. Its height might be 20 gaz. It separates at the top of the hill and flows down. In this way it is a great boon (g͟hanīmat) on the road. Having enjoyed the usual cups on the edge of the stream and the shade of the hill, I came back to the camp at night. On this day the Zamindar of Jaitpur, whose offences I had forgiven at the request of my son S͟hāh Jahān, had the good fortune of kissing the threshold. On Friday, the 18th, a large blue bull and a bukra, and on Saturday, the 19th, two females, were killed. As my huntsmen represented that there was much game in the parganah of Ḥāṣilpūr, I left my large camp at this halting-place, and on Sunday, the 20th, and with some of my close attendants, hastened to Ḥāṣilpūr, a distance of 3 kos. Mīr Ḥusāmu-d-dīn, son of Mīr Jamālu-d-dīn Ḥusain Injū, who has the title of ʿAẓudu-d-daulah, was promoted to the mansab, original and increase, of 1,000 personal and 400 horse. I presented Yādgār Ḥusain Qūs͟h-begi and Yādgār Qūrchī, who had been appointed to do duty in Bangash, with an elephant each. On this day some Ḥusainī grapes without seeds arrived from Kabul; they were very fresh. The tongue of this suppliant at the throne of God fails in gratitude for the favours by which, notwithstanding a distance of three months, grapes from Kabul arrive quite fresh in the Deccan. On Monday, the 21st, three small blue bulls, on Tuesday, the 22nd, one blue bull and three cows, and on Kam-s͟hamba (Wednesday), the 23rd, one cow, were killed. On Mubārak-s͟hamba, the 24th, a feast of cups was held on the bank of the tank of Ḥāṣilpūr. Cups were presented to my son S͟hāh Jahān and some of the great Amirs and private servants. On Yūsuf K͟hān, son of Ḥusain K͟hān (Tukriyah), who was of the houseborn ones worthy of patronage, was bestowed the mansab of 3,000 personal and 1,500 horse, original and increase, and he was dismissed to the faujdārship of Gonḍwāna, dignifying him with a gift of a dress of honour and an elephant. Rāy Bihārī Dās, the diwan of the Subah of the Deccan, had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. On Friday Jān-sipār K͟hān was exalted with a standard, presented with a horse and a dress of honour, and despatched to the Deccan. This day I made a remarkable shot with a gun. By chance there was inside the palace a khirnī tree (Mimusops Kauki). A qurīs͟ha[55] (?) came and sat on a high branch, and I saw its breast in the midst of it. I fired at it and struck it in the middle of its breast; from where I stood to the top of the branch was 22 gaz. On Saturday, the 26th, marching about 2 kos, I pitched at the village of Kamālpūr. On this day I shot a blue bull.[56] Rustam K͟hān, who was one of the principal attendants of my son S͟hāh Jahān, and who had been appointed from Burhanpur with a body of the royal servants against the zamindars of Gonḍwāna, having taken a tribute of 110 elephants and 120,000 rupees, came this day to wait upon me. Zāhid, son of S͟hajāʿat K͟hān, was given the mansab of 1,000 personal and 400 horse, original and increase. On Sunday, the 27th, I hunted with hawks and falcons. On Monday I killed a large blue bull and a bukra; the bull weighed 12½ maunds. On Tuesday, the 29th, a blue bull was killed. Bahlūl Miyāna and Allah-yār came from service in Gonḍwāna, and had the good fortune to wait upon me. Bahlūl K͟hān is the son of Ḥasan Miyāna, and Miyāna is an Afghan tribe. In the commencement of his career Hasan was a servant of Ṣādiq K͟hān, but a servant who recognized the king (worthy of a king’s service), and was at last included among the royal servants and died on service in the Deccan. After his death his sons were granted mansabs. He had eight sons, and two of them became famous as swordsmen. The elder brother in his youth gave up the deposit of his life. Bahlūl by degrees was promoted to the mansab of 1,000. At this time my son S͟hāh Jahān arrived at Burhanpur, and, finding him worthy of patronage, made him hopeful with a mansab of 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. As he had not yet waited on me and was very desirous to kiss the threshold, I summoned him to Court. He is in truth a good K͟hāna-zāda (household-born one), inasmuch as his heart is adorned with the perfection of bravery and his exterior is not wanting in good appearance. The mansab my son S͟hāh Jahān had bespoken for him was granted at his request, and he was honoured with the title of Sar-buland K͟hān. Allah-yār Koka was also a brave youth and a servant worthy of patronage. Finding him fit and suitable for service in my presence, I sent for him to Court. On Kam-s͟hamba (Wednesday), the 1st of the month of Āẕar, I went out to hunt and shot a blue bull. On this day the Kashmir[57] reports were laid before me. One was that in the house of a certain silk-seller two girls were born with teeth, and with their backs as far as the waist joined together, but the heads, arms, and legs were separate; they lived a short time and died. On Mubārak-s͟hamba, the 2nd, on the bank of a tank where my tents were, a feast of cups was held. Presenting Las͟hkar K͟hān with a dress of honour and an elephant, I promoted him to the duty of diwan of the Subah of the Deccan, and gave him the mansab of 2,500 personal and 1,500 horse, original and increase. To each of the Wakils of ʿĀdil K͟hān two[58] kaukab-i-t̤āliʿ (horoscope star) muhrs, the weight of each of which was 500 ordinary muhrs, were given. I gave a horse and robe of honour to Sar-buland K͟hān. As fitting service and approved activity were manifest in Allah-yār Koka, I honoured him with the title of Himmat K͟hān and gave him a dress of honour. On Friday, the 3rd, I marched 4¼ kos and halted the royal standards in the parganah of Dik͟htān.[59] On Saturday also I marched 4¼ kos and halted at the township of Dhār.
Dhār is one of the old cities, and Rāja Bhoj, who was one of the great Rajas of Hindustan, lived in it. From his time 1,000[60] years have passed, and in the time of the Sultans of Malwa it was for a long time the capital. At the time when Sult̤ān Muḥammad Tug͟hluq was proceeding to the conquest of the Deccan, he built a fort of cut stone on the top of a ridge. Outside it is very showy and handsome, but inside the fort is devoid of buildings. I ordered them to measure its length, breadth, and height. The length inside the fort was 12 t̤anāb, 7 gaz; the breadth, 17 tanab, 13 gaz, and the breadth of the fort wall 19½ gaz. Its height up to the battlements appeared to be 17½ gaz. The length of the outer circuit (?) of the fort was 55 tanabs. ʿAmīd S͟hāh G͟horī, who was called Dilāwar K͟hān, and who in the time of Sult̤ān Muḥammad, son of Sult̤ān Fīrūz, king of Delhi, had complete authority over the province of Malwa, built the Jāmiʿ mosque in the inhabitable part outside the fort, and opposite the gate of the mosque fixed a quadrangular iron column. When Sult̤ān Bahādur of Gujarat took the province of Malwa into his own possession, he wished to transfer this column to Gujarat. The artificers did not take proper precautions when they lowered it, and it fell and broke into two pieces, one of them of 7½ gaz and the other of 4¼ gaz. The column was 1¼ gaz round. As it was lying there useless, I ordered them to take the larger piece to Agra and put[61] it up in the courtyard of the mausoleum of H.M. Akbar, and to burn a lamp on the top of it at night. The aforesaid mosque has two gates. In front of the arch of one gate some sentences in prose have been carved on a stone tablet; their purport is that Amīd S͟hāh G͟horī founded this mosque in the year 870,[62] and on the arch of the other gate a qaṣīda has been written, and these few couplets are from it—
“The lord of the age the star of the sphere of glory,
Centre of the people of the earth, sun of the zenith of perfection,
Asylum and support of religious law, ʿAmīd S͟hāh Dāʾūd,[63]
In whose excellent qualities G͟hor glories,