[186] So in text, but ought to be the 17th. [↑]
[187] Mau was a Himalayan fort. Blochmann, 345. The text has Mau u s͟hahrī, and so have the MSS. The Iqbāl-nāma has Maud u Mahrī, p. 124, and so has the Maʾās̤ir U., II. 178. Evidently from what follows there were two places, unless one was the fort and the other the city. See also Tūzuk, 304, l. 10, which has pargana Maud Mahrī. In the Āyīn, Jarrett, II. 319, we have Mau and Nabah, and the next name in the list is Mahror. Gladwin has Mowd, and possibly we should translate “Mowd, a city on which he relied.” [↑]
[188] The Iqbāl-nāma, 125, says Rs. 20,000 which would be 40,000 darbs. [↑]
[189] Jagat Singh afterwards became a rebel, joining S͟hāh-Jahān, as also did Rāja Bikramājīt, or Sundar. He rebelled also in S͟hāh-Jahān’s reign, but was pardoned, and did good service in Kabul and Badakhshan. He died in Peshawar in 1055 (1645). See Maʾās̤ir U., II. 238, and Pādis͟hāh-nāma, II. 481. [↑]
[190] It is ḥaṣr in text, but surely this is a mistake for ḥafr, and the meaning is that a new pit or well should be made in the middle of the garden. It appears to be ḥafr in MSS. The Nūr-manzil garden is the same as the Bāg͟h Dahra, and was near Agra. Blochmann, 499. [↑]
The Fourteenth New Year’s Feast from the Auspicious Accession
On the morning of Thursday, the 4th of the month of Rabīʿu-l-āk͟hir, Hijrī 1028 (March 10, 1619), the world-enlightening sun entered his house of honour in Aries, and the fourteenth year of the reign of this suppliant commenced in all prosperity and happiness. On Thursday, the 1st of the New Year, my prosperous son, S͟hāh-Jahān, who is the star of the forehead of accomplished desires, and the brilliancy of the brow of prosperity, prepared a grand entertainment, and presented me as offerings with a selection of the precious things of the age, and rareties and curiosities of every country. One of these is a ruby, weighing 22 surk͟hs, of good colour, and water, and shape. The jewellers have valued it at Rs. 40,000. Another is a Qut̤bī[1] (?) ruby, in weight 3 tānks, and very delicate, valued at Rs. 40,000. Further, six pearls, one of them 1 tānk and 8 surk͟hs in weight. The Vakils of my son had bought it in Gujarat for Rs. 25,000, and the five others for Rs. 33,000. Also one diamond, the price of which was Rs. 18,000. Also a jewelled parda (sash), a sword-hilt made in his own goldsmith’s shop; most of the jewels he had himself set and cut. He had brought great dexterity to bear on the design. Its value was fixed as Rs. 50,000. The designs[2] were his own; no one else had up to this day thought of them. Undoubtedly it was a fine piece of workmanship. There was also a pair of drums made of gold for playing the mursal (overture?) with a whole orchestra—viz., kuwarga, naqqāra, karanā, surnā, etc.—whatever was required for the naqqāra-khāna (music-hall) of great princes, and all made of silver. At the auspicious hour at which I had seated myself on the throne of success these were all sounded. The whole of them came to a value of Rs. 65,000. Another was a seat for riding an elephant, called by moderns a howdah (hauda), made of gold, worth Rs. 30,000. Beside this there were two large elephants and five elephant-trappings of the offerings of Qut̤bu-l-mulk, ruler of Golconda. The first elephant was named Dād-i-Ilāhī (the gift of God). As it entered the private elephant-house on New Year’s Day, I gave it the name of Nūr-i-Naurūz (the Light of New Year’s Day). In truth he is a grand elephant, and lacks nothing of size, beauty, and dignity. As he looked well to my eye, I mounted him and rode him into the courtyard of the palace. His value was fixed at Rs. 80,000, and the value of six[3] others at Rs. 20,000. Its golden trappings, consisting of golden chains, etc., my son had had made for the elephant Nūr-i-Naurūz, were worth Rs. 30,000. The second elephant, with silver housings, was also presented, with Rs. 10,000 more in various choice jewels. The kurkarāqs[4] of my son had also prepared and sent delicate cloths from Gujarat. If all details were to be written, it would take too long. Briefly, the whole of his offerings was of the value of Rs. 450,000. It is hoped that he will eat the fruit of long life and prosperity.
On Friday, the 2nd, S͟hajāʿat K. ʿArab, and Nūru-d-dīn Qulī, the kotwal, laid their offerings before me. On Saturday, the 3rd, Dārāb K., son of the K͟hān-k͟hānān, and on Sunday, the 4th, K͟hān Jahān, prayed to be allowed to entertain me. Out of the latter’s offerings I accepted one pearl, bought for Rs. 20,000, with other rareties, altogether of the value of Rs. 130,000, and presented him with the rest. On Monday, the 5th, Rāja Kis͟han Dās and Ḥakīm K., on Tuesday, the 6th, Sardār K., and on Wednesday, the 7th, Muṣt̤afā K. and Amānat K., presented their offerings. From each of these I took a trifle in order to dignify them. On Thursday, the 8th, Iʿtimādu-d-daula, Madār-ul-mulk (the pivot of the country), having prepared a royal entertainment, begged to be allowed to receive me. In accepting this request his standing was raised. In fact, in decorating the assembly and the largeness of his offering, he had exceeded himself, and made many decorations, and illuminated all sides of the lake as far as the eye could reach, and decorated the streets both near and far with all kinds of lights and coloured lanterns. Among the offerings of that Madār-us-saltana there was a throne of gold and silver, much ornamented and decorated, the supports of which were in the form of tigers. It had been completed with great assiduity in the space of three years, and was made at the cost of Rs. 450,000. This throne had been made by a skilful European of the name of Hunarmand (skilful), who had no rival in the arts of a goldsmith and a jeweller, and in all sorts of skill (hunarmandī). He had made it very well, and I gave him this name. In addition to the offerings he had brought for me, he offered the value of Rs. 100,000 in jewelled ornaments and cloths to the Begams and other ladies of the Palace. Without exaggeration, from the beginning of the reign of the late king (may the light of Allah be his testimony!) until now, which is the fourteenth year of the rule of this suppliant, not one of the great Amirs has presented such offerings. In fact, what comparison is there between him and others?
On this day Ikrām K., s. Islām K. was honoured with the mansab, original and increased, of 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse, and Anīrāʾī Singh-dalan with that of 2,000 personal and 1,600 horse, original and increased. On Friday, the 9th, Iʿtibār K. presented his offering, and on the same day K͟hān Daurān, having been presented with a horse and an elephant, took leave to go to the government of Patna.[5] His mansab, according to a previous rule, was fixed at 6,000 personal and 5,000 horse. On Saturday, the 10th, Fāẓil K., on Sunday, the 11th, Mīr Mīrān, on Monday, the 12th, Iʿtiqād K. on Tuesday, the 13th, Tātār K. and Anīrāʾī Singh-dalan, and on Wednesday, the 14th, Mīrzā Rāja Bhāo Singh, presented their offerings. Selecting from them what was delicate and new, I gave the remainder to them. On Thursday, the 15th, Āṣaf K͟hān prepared a grand assembly and a royal entertainment in his own house, which is a very fine and pleasant place, and begged to be allowed to receive me. At his request, giving him the dignity of acceptance, I went there with the ladies. That pillar of the kingdom looked on this as a bounty from the secret Giver, and in the increase of his offering and preparation of the entertainment displayed great magnificence. Of jewels of great price and delicate gold brocades and all sorts of gifts, that which was approved was selected, and I presented him with the remainder. Among the offerings was a ruby weighing 12½ tānks, which was bought for Rs. 125,000. The value of the offerings that were accepted was Rs. 167,000. On this day K͟hwāja Jahān was raised to the mansab of 5,000 personal and 2,500 horse.