Chapter XVI: Part 16

On Tuesday, the 14th, marching 6 kos, I halted at Silgarh (Sabalgarh ?). On Wednesday, the 15th, crossing the Mahi River, a halt was made near Ramgarh. A march of 6 kos was made on Thursday, the 16th, and a halt was made and a feast of cups held at a waterfall near the camp. Distinguishing Sar-buland Khan with a standard and giving him an elephant, I dismissed him to do duty in the Deccan. His mansab, original and increase, was fixed at 1,500 personal and 1,200 horse. Raja Bhim Narayan, Zamindar of Gadeha, who had been promoted to the mansab of 1,000 horse, obtained leave to go to his jagir. Having raised Raja Bharjiv, Zamindar of Baglana, to the mansab of 4,000, I gave him leave to go to his native country, and an order was given that when he arrived there he should send to Court his eldest son, who was his successor, that he might do duty in my presence. I honoured Haji Baluch, who was the chief of the huntsmen and was an active and old servant, with the title of Baluch Khan. On Friday, the 17th, marching 5 kos, I alighted at the village of Dhavala. On Saturday, the 18th, which was the feast of Qurban, after the Qurban rites had been performed, marching 3 1/4 kos, I halted on the bank of the tank of the village of Nagor. [650] On Sunday, the 19th, marching about 5 kos, the royal standards were erected on the bank of the tank of the village of Samriya. On Monday, the 20th, marching 4 1/4 kos, we alighted at the chief place of the Dohad [651] parganah. This parganah is on the boundary between Malwa and Gujarat. Until I passed Badnor the whole country was a jungle, with an abundance of trees and stony land. On Tuesday, the 21st, I halted. On Kam-shamba (Wednesday), the 22nd, marching 5 1/4 kos, I halted at the village of Ranyad (Renav ?). On Thursday, the 23rd, I halted and held a feast of cups on the bank of the village tank. On Friday, the 24th, marching 2 1/2 kos, the royal standards were hoisted at the village of Jalot. At this halt some jugglers from the Carnatic came and showed their tricks. One of them placed one end of an iron chain, 5 1/2 gaz in length and weighing 1 seer and 2 dams, [652] in his throat and slowly swallowed it with the aid of water. It was for a while in his stomach; after this he brought it up. On Saturday, the 25th, there was a halt. On Sunday, the 26th, marching 5 kos, I alighted at the village of Nimdah. On Monday, the 27th, also marching 5 kos, I pitched on the bank of a tank. On Tuesday, the 28th, marching 3 3/4 kos, the royal standards alighted near the township of Sahra [653] on the edge of a tank. The flower of the lotus, which in the Hindi language they call kumudini, is of three colours--white, blue, and red. I had already seen the blue and white, but had never seen the red. In this tank red flowers were seen blooming. Without doubt it is an exquisite and delightful flower, as they have said--

"From redness and moistness it will melt away." [654]

The flower of the kanwal [655] is larger than the kumudini. Its flower is red. I have seen in Kashmir many kanwal with a hundred leaves (petals). It is certain that it opens during the day and becomes a bud at night. The kumudini, on the contrary, is a bud during the day and opens at night. The black bee, which the people of India call bhaunra, always sits on these flowers, and goes inside them to drink the juice that is in both of them. It often happens that the kanwal flower closes and the bee remains in it the whole night. In the same manner it remains in the kumudini flower. When the flower opens it comes out and flies away. As the black bee is a constant attendant on these flowers, the poets of India look on it as a lover of the flower, like the nightingale, and have put into verse sublime descriptions of it. Of these poets the chief was Tan Sen Kalawant, who was without a rival in my father's service (in fact, there has been no singer like him in any time or age). In one of his compositions he has likened the face of a young man to the sun and the opening of his eyes to the expanding of the kanwal and the exit of the bee. In another place he has compared the side-glance of the beloved one to the motion of the kanwal when the bee alights on it.

At this place figs arrived from Ahmadabad. Although the figs of Burhanpur are sweet and well-grown, these figs are sweeter and with fewer seeds, and one may call them 5 per cent. better. On Kam-shamba, the 29th, and Mubarak-shamba, the 30th, we halted. At this stage Sar-faraz Khan came from Ahmadabad and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. Out of his offerings a rosary of pearls, bought for 11,000 rupees, two elephants, two horses, two bullocks and a riding cart, and some pieces of Gujarati cloth, were accepted, and the remainder presented to him. Sar-faraz Khan is a grandson of Musahib Beg, by which name he was called by Akbar after his grandfather, who was one of the Amirs of Humayun. In the beginning of my reign I increased his mansab and appointed him to the Subah of Gujarat. As he had an hereditary connection with the Court as a Khana-zada (one born in the house), he proved himself efficient in the Subah of Gujarat. Considering him worthy of patronage, I gave him the title of Sar-faraz Khan and raised him in the world, and his mansab has risen to 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse. On Friday, the 1st of Day, I marched 3 3/4 kos and halted on the bank of the tank of Jhasod. [656] At this stage Ray Man, captain of the Khidmatiya, [657] caught a rohu fish and brought it. As I am particularly partial to the flesh of fish, especially that of the rohu, which is the best kind of fish in Hindustan, and I had never, notwithstanding much enquiry, had one for eleven months from the time of crossing the pass of Ghati Chand [658] until the present time, and now obtained it, I was greatly delighted. I presented a horse to Ray Man. Although the parganah of Dohad is reckoned as within the boundary of Gujarat, yet, in fact, it was from this stage that all things appeared different. The open plains and soil are of a different kind; the people are different and the language of another description. The jungle that appeared on the road, has fruit-bearing trees, such as the mango and khirni and tamarind, and the method of guarding the cultivated fields is with hedges of zaqqum. The cultivators separate their fields with cactus, and leave a narrow road between them for coming and going. Since all this country has a sandy soil, when any movement takes place, so much dust rises that the faces of people are seen with difficulty, so that one should call Ahmadabad 'Gardabad' [659] (abode of dust). On Saturday, the 2nd, having marched 3 3/4 kos, I encamped on the bank of the Mahi. On Sunday, the 3rd, again after a march of 3 3/4 kos, I halted at the village of Bardala. At this stage a number of mansabdars who had been appointed to serve in Gujarat had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. Marching 5 kos on Monday, the 4th, the royal standards halted at Chitrasima, and the next day, Tuesday, after a march of 5 kos, in parganah Monda. [660] On this day three blue bulls were killed; one was larger than the others and weighed 13 maunds and 10 seers. On Wednesday, the 6th, I marched 6 kos and halted in parganah Naryad. [661] In passing through the town I scattered 1,500 rupees. On Thursday, the 7th, marching 6 1/2 kos, I halted in the parganah of Pitlad. [662] In the country of Gujarat there is no larger parganah than this; it has a revenue of 700,000 rupees, equal to 23,000 current tumans of Iraq. The population of the town (qasba), too, is dense. Whilst I passed through it I scattered 1,000 rupees. All my mind is bent upon this, that under any pretext the people of God may be benefited. As the chief way of riding among the people of this country is in carts, I also wished to travel in a cart. I sat for 2 kos in a cart, but was much troubled with the dust, and after this till the end of the stage rode on horseback. On the road Muqarrab Khan came from Ahmadabad, and had the good fortune to wait on me, and presented an offering of a pearl he had bought for 30,000 rupees. On Friday, the 8th, marching 6 1/2 kos, the place of the descent of prosperity was on the shore of the salt sea.

Cambay [663] is one of the old ports. According to the brahmins, several thousand years have passed since its foundation. In the beginning its name was Trimbawati, and Raja Tryambak Kunwar had the government of the country. It would take too long to write in detail the circumstances of the aforesaid Raja as the brahmins relate it. In brief, when the turn to the government came round to Raja Abhay Kumar, [664] who was one of his grandsons, by the decree of heaven a great calamity happened to this city. So much dust and earth were poured on it that all the houses and buildings were hidden, and the means of livelihood of many people was destroyed. Before the arrival of this calamity, an idol (but), which the Raja worshipped, came in a dream and announced this event. The Raja with his family embarked in a ship, and carried away the idol with them with a pillar it had behind it for a support. By chance the ship also was wrecked by a storm of misfortune. As there was left still a term of life for the Raja, that pillar bore the boat of his existence in safety to the shore, and he proposed to rebuild the city. He put up the pillar as a mark of repopulation and the coming together of the people. As in the Hindi language they call a pillar istambh and khambh, they called the city Istambhnagari and Khambawati, and sometimes also Trimbawati, in connection with the Raja's name; Khambawati has by degrees and much use become Khambayat (Cambay). This port is one of the largest ports [665] in Hindustan and is near a firth, which is one of the firths of the Sea of Oman. It has been estimated to be 7 kos in width, and nearly 40 kos in length. Ships cannot come inside the firth, but must cast anchor in the port of Goga, which is a dependency [666] of Cambay and situated near the sea. Thence, putting their cargoes into ghurabs [667] (commonly called 'grabs') they bring them to the port of Cambay. In the same way, at the time of loading a ship they carry the cargo in ghurabs and put it in the ships. Before the arrival of the victorious host some ghurabs from European ports had come to Cambay to buy and sell, and were about to return. On Sunday, the 10th, they decorated them and showed them to me. Taking leave they went about their business. On Monday, the 11th, I myself went on board a ghurab for about a kos on the face of the water. On Tuesday, the 12th, I went out with cheetahs (yuz), and captured two [668] antelope. On Wednesday, the 13th, I went to see the tank of Tarangsar (Narangsar?), [669] and passed through the streets and bazaar on the way, scattering nearly 5,000 rupees. In the time of H.M. Akbar (may Allah's lights be his testimony), Kalyan Ray, the superintendent of the port, by His Majesty's order built a wall of brick and cement round the city, and many merchants came from various quarters and settled there, and built fine houses and employed themselves in gaining their livelihood under easy circumstances. Although its market is small, it is clean and full of people. In the time of the Sultans of Gujarat the customs of this port came to a large sum. Now in my reign it is ordered that they should not take more than one in forty. In other ports, calling it a tithe, they take one in ten or one in eight, and give all kinds of trouble to merchants and travellers. In Jeddah, which is the port of Mecca, they take one in four or even more. One may imagine from this what the customs of the ports of Gujarat must have come to in the time of the former rulers. God be praised that this suppliant at the throne of God obtained the grace to remit the whole of the customs dues of his dominions, which came to a countless sum, and the very name of customs (tamgha) has passed away from my empire. At this time an order was given that tankas [670] of gold and silver should be coined twice the weight of ordinary muhrs and rupees. The legend on the gold coin was on one side the words "Jahangir-shahi, 1027" (1618), and on the reverse "Struck in Cambay in the 12th year of the reign." The legend for silver coins was on one side "Sikka, Jahangir-shahi, 1027"; round it this hemistich, "King Jahangir of the conquering ray struck this"; and on the reverse, "Coined at Cambay in the 12th year of the reign," with this second hemistich round it--

"When after the conquest of the Deccan he came to Gujarat from
Mandu."

In no reign except mine have tankas been coined except of copper [671]; the gold and silver tankas are my invention. I ordered it to be called the Jahangiri coinage. On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the 14th the offering of Amanat Khan, the superintendent (mutasaddi) of Cambay, was laid before me in the women's apartments. His mansab was fixed, original and increase, at 1,500 personal and 400 horse. Nuru-d-din Quli was honoured with the mansab, original and increase, of 3,000 personal and 600 horse. On Friday, the 15th, mounted on the elephant Nur-bakht, I made it run after a horse. It ran exceedingly well, and when it was stopped stood well. This is the third time that I myself have ridden it. On Saturday, the 16th, Ram Das, son of Jay Singh [672], was promoted to the mansab, original and increase, of 1,500 personal and 700 horse. On Sunday, the 17th, an elephant each was given to Darab Khan. Amanat Khan, and Sayyid Bayazid Barha. In these few days during which I was encamped on the shore of the salt sea, merchants, traders, indigent people, and other inhabitants of the port of Cambay having been summoned before me, I gave each according to his condition a dress of honour or a horse or travelling money or assistance in living. On this day, Sayyid Muhammad, Sahib Sajjada (Lord of the prayer carpet) of Shah `Alam (a mosque near Ahmadabad), the sons of Shaikh Muhammad Ghaus, Shaikh Haidar, grandson of Miyan Wajihu-d-din, and other Shaikhs living at Ahmadabad came to meet me and pay their respects. As my desire was to see the sea and the flow and ebb of the water, I halted for ten days, and on Tuesday, the 19th (Day, about 30th December, 1618), the royal standards started for Ahmadabad. The best description of fish procurable in this place, the name of which is `arbiyat, [673] was caught and frequently brought for me by the fishermen. Without doubt these fish, are, as compared with other fish of this country, more delicious and better, but they are not of the flavour of the rohu. One might say as nine to ten or even eight to ten. Of the food which is peculiar to the people of Gujarat there is the khichri of bajra (a mixture of split peas and millet boiled together); this they also call laziza. It is a kind of split grain, which does not grow in any other country but Hindustan, and which in comparison with many other regions of India is more abundant in Gujarat; it is cheaper than most vegetables. As I had never eaten it, I ordered them to make some and bring it to me. It is not devoid of good flavour, and it suited me well. I ordered that on the days of abstinence, when I partake of dishes not made with flesh, they should frequently bring me this khichri On the said Tuesday having marched 6 1/4 kos, I halted at the village of Kosala. On Wednesday, the 20th, I passed through the parganah of Babra [674] and halted on the bank of the river. This was a march of 6 kos. On Mubarak-shamba, the 21st, I halted and held a feast of cups. In this river I caught many fish, and divided them among the servants who were present at the feast. On Friday, the 22nd, having moved on 4 kos, I pitched at the village of Baricha. On this road, walls came in sight from 2 1/2 to 3 gaz in length, and on enquiry it appeared that people had made them from the desire of spiritual reward. When a porter is tired on the road he places his burden on the wall and gains his breath a little, and lifting it up again with ease and without assistance from anyone proceeds towards his destination. This is one of the peculiar ideas of the people of Gujarat. The building of these walls pleased me greatly, and I ordered that in all large towns [675] they should make walls of this kind at the imperial expense. On Saturday, the 23rd marching 4 3/4 kos, the camp was pitched at the Kankriya tank. Qutbu-d-din Muhammad, grandson of Sultan Ahmad, the founder of the city of Ahmadabad, made this tank, and placed round it steps of stone and cement. In the middle of the tank he constructed a little garden and some buildings. Between the bank of the tank and these buildings he had made a causeway, which was the way for entering and leaving, Since this occurred a long time ago, most of the buildings had become dilapidated, and there was no place left fit to sit in. At the time when the host of prosperity was about to proceed towards Ahmadabad, Safi Khan, bakhshi of Gujarat, repaired at the expense of government what was broken down and in ruins, and clearing out the little garden erected a new building in it. Certainly it is a place exceedingly enjoyable and pleasant. Its style pleased me. On the side where the causeway is, Nizamu-d-din Ahmad, [676] who was for a while bakhshi of Gujarat in my father's time, had made a garden on the bank of the tank. At this time a representation was made to me that `Abdu-llah Khan, in consequence of a dispute that he had with `Abid, son of Nizamu-d-din Ahmad, cut down the trees of this garden. I also heard that during his government he, at a wine party, signed to a slave, and cut off the head of an unfortunate man who was not wanting in fun and jesting, merely because in a state of drunkenness he had uttered some improper expressions by way of a joke. On hearing these two reports, my sense of justice was shocked, and I ordered the Diwans to change one thousand of his two-horsed and three-horsed cavalry into one-horsed, and to deduct from his jagir the difference (of pay), which came to 7,000,000 dams.

As at this stage the tomb of Shah `Alam was by the roadside, I recited the fatiha in passing by it. About 100,000 rupees had been spent in building this mausoleum. Shah `Alam was the son of Qutb `Alam, and their family goes back to Makhdum-i-Jahaniyan [677] (a saint). The people of this country, high and low, have a wonderful belief in him, and they say that Shah `Alam used to raise the dead. After he had raised several dead men, his father became aware of this and sent him a prohibition, saying it was presumption in him to meddle with the workshop of God, and was contrary to true obedience. It happened that Shah `Alam had an attendant (female) who had no children, but at Shah `Alam's prayer God Almighty bestowed a son on her. When he reached his 27th [678] year he died, and that slave came weeping and wailing into his presence, saying, "My son has died, and he was my only son; since God Almighty gave him to me by your favour, I am hopeful that through your prayer he may become alive." Shah `Alam fell into thought for a time and went into his cell, and the attendant went to his son, who greatly loved her, and besought him to ask the Shah to make his son alive. The son, who was of tender years, went into his cell, and used much entreaty. Shah `Alam said, "If you are content to give up your life for him, perhaps my petition may be accepted." He represented "I am perfectly contented with what may be your wish and the desire of God." Shah `Alam took his son's hands, and lifting him up from the ground turned his face towards heaven and said, "O God, take this kid in place of that one." Instantaneously the boy surrendered his soul to God, and Shah `Alam laid him down on his own bed and covered his face with a sheet, and coming out of the house said to that attendant, "Go home, and get news of thy son; perhaps he may have been in a trance and not have died." When she arrived at her house she saw her son alive. In short, in the country of Gujarat they say many things of this sort of Shah `Alam. I myself asked Sayyid Muhammad, who is lord of his prayer carpet (in charge of the mausoleum), and who is not wanting in excellence and reasonableness, what was the real state of the case. He said, "I have also heard the same from my father and grandfather, and it has come down in succession, and wisdom is from Allah." Although this affair is beyond the laws of understanding, yet, as it has attained great notoriety among men, it has been recorded as a strange occurrence. His departure from this perishable mansion to the eternal world took place in 880 (1475), in the time of the reign of Sultan Mahmud Bigara, and the buildings of this mausoleum are the memorial of Taj Khan Tariyani, [679] who was one of the Amirs of Sultan Muzaffar, the son of Mahmud.

As an hour on Monday had been chosen for my entry into the city, on Sunday, the 24th, I halted. At this place some melons came from Kariz, which is a town dependent on Herat, and it is certain that in Khurasan there are no melons better than those of Kariz. Although this is at a distance of 1,400 kos, and kafilahs (caravans) take five months to come, they arrived very ripe and fresh. They brought so many that they sufficed for all the servants. Together with these there came oranges (kaunla) from Bengal, and though that place is 1,000 kos distant most of them arrived quite fresh. As this is a very delicate and pleasant fruit, runners bring by post as much as is necessary for private consumption, and pass it from hand to hand. My tongue fails me in giving thanks to Allah for this.

"Thankfulness for Thy favours is one of Thy favours."

On this day Amanat Khan presented two elephants' tusks; they were very large, one of them being 3 cubits 8 tassu (finger-breadths) in length and 16 tassu in circumference; it weighed 3 maunds and 2 seers, or 24 1/2 Iraq maunds. On Monday, the 25th, after six gharis, I turned towards the city in pleasure and prosperity at the propitious hour, and mounted the elephant Surat-gaj, a favourite elephant of mine, which is perfect in appearance and disposition. Although he was fractious (mast), I had confidence in my own riding and his pleasant paces (?). [680] Crowds of people, men and women, had assembled, and were waiting in the streets and bazars and at the gates and the walls. The city of Ahmadabad did not seem to me so worthy of praise as I had heard. Although they had made the main road of the bazar wide and spacious, they had not suited the shops to this breadth. Its buildings are all of wood and the pillars of the shops slender and mean (zabun). The streets of the bazar were full of dust, and there was dust from the Kankriya tank up to the citadel, which in the dialect of the country they call Bhadar. I hastened along scattering money. The meaning of Bhadar is 'blessed' (bhadra). The houses of the Sultans of Gujarat, which were inside the Bhadar, have fallen into ruin within the last fifty or sixty years, and no trace of them is left. However, our servants who have been sent to the government of this country have erected buildings. When I was proceeding from Mandu to Ahmadabad, Muqarrab Khan had done up the old buildings and prepared other places for sitting that were necessary, such as a jharokha, a public audience hall, etc. As to-day was the auspicious day for the weighing of my son Shah Jahan, I weighed him in the usual manner against gold and other things, and the 27th year from his blessed birth began in pleasure and enjoyment. I hope that the Giver of gifts will bestow him on this suppliant at His throne and let him enjoy life and prosperity. On the same day I gave the province of Gujarat in jagir to that son. From the fort of Mandu to the fort of Cambay, by the road we came, it is 124 kos, which were traversed in twenty-eight marches and thirty halts. I remained at Cambay for ten days; from that place to the city of Ahmadabad is 21 kos; which we traversed in five marches with two halts. Altogether, from Mandu to Cambay and from Cambay to Ahmadabad by the road we came is 145 kos, which we accomplished in two months and fifteen days; this was in thirty-three marches and forty-two halts.

On Tuesday, the 26th, I went to see the Jami` mosque, and gave with my own hand in alms to the fakirs who were present there about 500 rupees. This mosque was one of the memorials of Sultan Ahmad, the founder of the city of Ahmadabad. It has three gates, [681] and on each side a bazar. Opposite the gate that looks towards the east is the mausoleum of the said Sultan Ahmad. In that dome Sultan Ahmad, his son Muhammad, and his grandson Qutbu-d-din are laid to rest. The length of the court of the mosque, excluding maqsura (the holy of holies), is 103 [682] cubits, and its breadth 89 cubits. Round this they have made an aywan (portico), in breadth 4 3/4 cubits. The flooring of the court is of trimmed bricks, and the pillars of the portico of red stone. The maqsura contains 354 [683] pillars, above which there is a dome. The length of the maqsura is 75 cubits, and its breadth 37 cubits. The flooring of the maqsura, the mihrab (arch towards which the face is turned in prayer), and the pulpit are made of marble. On both sides of the main arch (pish-taq) are two polished minarets of cut stone, containing three ashyana (stories) beautifully shaped and decorated. On the right-hand side of the pulpit near the recess of the maqsura they have made a separate seat for the king. The space between the pillars has been covered in with a stone platform, and round this up to the roof of the maqsura they have put stone cages [684] (in which women sit so as not to be seen). The object of this was that when the king came to the Friday service or the `Id he went up there with his intimates and courtiers, and performed his devotions. This in the dialect of the country they call the Muluk-khana (King's chamber). This practice and caution were on account of the crowding of the people. Truly this mosque is a very noble building. [685]

On Wednesday, [686] the 27th, I went to the monastery of Shaikh Wajihu-d-din, which was near the palace, and the fatiha was read at the head of his shrine, which is in the court of the monastery. Sadiq Khan, who was one of the chief Amirs of my father, built this monastery. The Shaikh was a successor of Shaikh Muhammad Ghaus, [687] but a successor against whom the teacher disputed. Wajihu-d-din's loyalty to him is a clear proof [688] of the greatness of Shaikh Muhammad Ghaus. Shaikh Wajihu-d-din was adorned with visible excellencies and spiritual perfection. He died thirty years ago in this city (Ahmadabad), and after him Shaikh `Abdu-llah, according to his father's will, took his place. He was a very ascetic dervish. When he died his son Shaikh Asadu-llah sat in his place, and also quickly went to the eternal world. After him his brother Shaikh Haidar became lord of the prayer carpet, and is now alive, and is employed at the grave of his father and grandfather in the service of dervishes and in looking after their welfare. The traces of piety are evident on the forehead of his life. As it was the anniversary festival of Shaikh Wajihu-d-din, 1,500 rupees were given to Shaikh Haidar for the expenses of the anniversary, and I bestowed 1,500 rupees more on the band of fakirs who were present in the monastery, with my own hand in charity, and made a present of 500 rupees to the grandson (?) of Shaikh Wajihu-d-din. In the same way I gave something for expenses, and land to each of his relatives and adherents according to his merit. I ordered Shaikh Haidar to bring before me the body of dervishes and deserving people who were associated with him, in order that they might ask for money for expenses and for land. On Thursday, the 28th, I went to look round the Rustam-Khan-bari, and scattered 1,500 rupees on the road. They call a garden a bari in the language of India. This is a garden that my brother Shah Murad made in the name of his son Rustam. I made a Thursday entertainment in this garden, and gave cups to some of my private servants. At the end of the day I went to the little garden of the hawali (mansion) of Shaikh Sikandar, which is situated in the neighbourhood of this garden, and which has exceedingly good figs. As picking the fruit with one's own hand gives it quite a different relish, and I had never before plucked figs with my own hand, their excellence in this respect was approved. Shaikh Sikandar [689] is by origin a Gujarati, and is not wanting in reasonableness, and has complete information about the Sultans of Gujarat. It is now eight or nine years since he has been employed among the servants (of the State). As my son Shah Jahan had appointed to the government of Ahmadabad Rustam Khan, who is one of his chief officers, at his request I, in accordance with the association of his name, presented him with (the garden) Rustam-bari. On this day Raja Kalyan, zamindar of the province of Idar, had the good fortune to kiss my threshold, and presented an elephant and nine horses as an offering; I gave him back the elephant. He is one of the most considerable zamindars on the frontier of Gujarat, and his country is close to the hill-country of the Rana. The Sultans of Gujarat constantly sent armies against the Raja of that place. Although some of them have professed obedience and presented offerings, for the most part none of them have come to see anyone personally. After the late king Akbar conquered Gujarat, the victorious army was sent to attack him. As he understood that his deliverance lay in obedience and submission, he agreed to serve and be loyal, and hastened to enjoy the good fortune of kissing the threshold. From that date he has been enrolled among the servants (of the State). He comes to see whoever is appointed to the government of Ahmadabad, and when work and service are necessary appears with a body of his men. On Saturday, the 1st of the month of Bahman, in the 12th year of my reign, Chandar Sen, who is one of the chief zamindars of this country, had the good fortune to kiss the threshold, and presented an offering of nine horses. On Sunday, the 2nd, I gave elephants to Raja Kalyan, zamindar of Idar, to Sayyid Mustafa, and Mir Fazil. On Monday I went out hawking, and scattered nearly 500 rupees on the road. On this day pears came from Badakhshan. On Mubarak-shamba, the 6th, I went to see the "garden of victory" at the village of Sair-khaiz (Sarkhej), and scattered 1,500 rupees on the way. As the tomb of Shaikh Ahmad Khattu [690] is on the road, I first went there and the fatiha was read. Khattu is the name of a town in the Sarkar of Nagor, and was the birthplace of the Shaikh. [691] The Shaikh lived in the time of Sultan Ahmad, who founded the city of Ahmadabad, and the latter had a great respect for him. The people of this country have a strange belief in him, and consider him one of the great saints. Every Friday night a great crowd of people, high and low, go to visit his shrine. Sultan Muhammad, son of the aforesaid Sultan Ahmad, built lofty buildings in the shape of mausoleums, mosques, and monasteries at the head of his tomb, and near his mausoleum on the south side made a large tank, and surrounded it with stone and lime (masonry). This building was completed in the time of Qutbu-d-din, son of the aforesaid Muhammad. The shrines of several of the Sultans of Gujarat are on the bank of the tank by the feet of the Shaikh. In that dome there have been laid at rest Sultan Mahmud Bigara, Sultan Muzaffar, his son, and Mahmud, the martyr, grandson of Sultan Muzaffar, and who was the last of the Sultans of Gujarat. Bigara, in the language of the people of Gujarat, signifies 'turned-up moustache,' and Sultan Mahmud had a large turned-up moustache; on this account they call him Bigara. Near his (Shaikh Khattu's) tomb is the dome of his ladies. [692] Without doubt the mausoleum of the Shaikh is a very grand building and a beautiful place. It is estimated that 500,000 rupees were spent on it. God only knows what is true.

After performing this visitation I went to Fath-bagh (garden of victory). This garden is situated on the ground on which the Commander-in-Chief, Khankhanan Ataliq fought with and defeated Nabu (Nannu? Nanhu?), who gave himself the title of Muzaffar Khan. On this account he called it Bagh-i-fath; the people of Gujarat call it Fath-bari. The details of this are that when, by means of the good fortune of the late king Akbar, the country of Gujarat was conquered, and Nabu fell into his hands, I`timad Khan represented that he was the son of a carter. As no son was left by Sultan Mahmud, and moreover there was no one of the descendants of the Sultans of Gujarat whom he could raise to the throne, he (I`timad) had accepted the most available course, and had made out that this was the son of Mahmud. He gave him the name of Sultan Muzaffar, and raised him to the sovereignty. Men from necessity consented to this. As His Majesty considered the word of I`timad Khan of weight, he ignored Nabu, and for some time he did duty among the servants, and the king paid no attention to his case. In consequence of this he ran away from Fathpur, and coming to Gujarat lived for some years under the protection of the zamindars. When Shihabu-d-din Ahmad Khan was turned out from the government of Gujarat and I`timad Khan installed in his place, a body of the servants of Shihabu-d-din Khan, who were attached to Gujarat, separated from him, and remained at Ahmadabad in the hope of service with I`timad. After I`timad entered the city they had recourse to him, but had no good luck with him. They had not the face to go to Shihabu-d-din, and had no prospects in Ahmadabad. As they were without hope they thought their remedy lay in betaking themselves to Nabu, and in making him an excuse for disturbance. With this intent 600 or 700 horsemen from among them went to Nabu and carried him off along with Lona Kathi, under whose protection he was living, and proceeded to Ahmadabad. When he arrived near the city many wretched men on the look out for an occasion joined him, and nearly 1,000 horsemen, Mughals and Gujaratis, collected together. When I`timad Khan became aware of this he left his son Shir Khan in the city, and hastened off in search of Shihab Khan, who was proceeding towards the Court, in order that with his help he might quiet the disturbance. Many of the men had separated themselves from him, and he read on the faces of those who were left the signs of unfaithfulness, but Shihabu-d-din, in company with I`timad Khan, turned his rein. It happened that before their arrival Nabu had entered the fort of Ahmadabad. Those who were loyal drew up their troops near the city, and the rebels came out of the fort and hastened to the battlefield. When the army of the rebels showed itself, those of the servants of Shihab Khan who were left took the wrong road and joined the enemy. Shihab Khan was defeated and hastened towards Patan (Patan?), which was in the possession of the royal servants. His retinue and camp were plundered, and Nabu, bestowing mansabs and titles on the rebels, went against Qutbu-d-din Muhammad Khan, who was in Baroda. The servants of the latter, like the servants of Shihab Khan, took the road of faithlessness and chose separation, as is related in detail in the Akbar-nama. In the end, after giving his word to Qutbu-d-din Muhammad, he sent him to martyrdom, and his goods and property, which were equal to the treasure of his courtesy and grandeur, were plundered. Nearly 45,000 horsemen collected round Nabu.

When this state of affairs was represented to H.M. Akbar he sent against him Mirza Khan, son of Bairam Khan, with a force of brave warriors. On the day when Mirza Khan arrived near the city, he drew up the ranks of good fortune. He had about 8,000 or 9,000 horse, and Nabu met him with 30,000, and drew up his host tainted with ruin. After prolonged fighting and slaughter the breeze of victory blew on the flag of the loyal, and Nabu, being defeated, fled in wretched plight. My father, in reward for this victory, gave Mirza Khan a mansab of 5,000 with the title of Khankhanan and the government of the country of Gujarat. The garden that Khankhanan made on the field of battle is situated on the bank of the River Sabarmati. He founded lofty buildings along that eminence on the river, and made a strong wall of stone and cement round the garden. The garden contains 120 jarib of land, and is a charming resort. It may have cost 200,000 rupees. It pleased me greatly. One may say that in the whole of Gujarat there is no garden like this. Arranging a Thursday feast, I bestowed cups on my private servants, and remained there for the night. At the end of the day, on Friday, I entered the city, scattering about 1,000 rupees on the road. At this time the gardener represented that a servant of Muqarrab Khan had cut down some champa trees above the bench alongside the river. On hearing this I became angry, and went myself to enquire into the matter and to exact satisfaction. When it was established that this improper act had been committed by him, I ordered both his thumbs to be cut off as a warning to others. It was evident that Muqarrab Khan knew nothing of this affair, or otherwise he would have punished him there and then. On Tuesday, the 11th, the Kotwal of the city caught a thief and brought him. He had committed several thefts before, and each time they had cut off one of his members; once his right hand, the second time the thumb of his left hand, the third time his left ear, and fourth time they hamstringed him, and the last time his nose; with all this he did not give up his business, and yesterday entered the house of a grass-seller in order to steal. By chance the owner of the house was on the look out and seized him. The thief wounded the grass-seller several times with a knife and killed him. In the uproar and confusion his relatives attacked the thief and caught him. I ordered them to hand over the thief to the relatives of the deceased, that they might retaliate on him.

"The lines of the face show the thought of your head (?)."

On Wednesday, the 12th, 3,000 rupees were handed over to `Azamat Khan and Mu`taqad Khan, that they might go the next day to the tomb of Shaikh Ahmad Khattu, and divide it among the fakirs and indigent people who had taken up their abode there. On Thursday, the 13th, I went to the lodging of my son Shah Jahan, and held a Mubarak-shamba entertainment there, and distributed cups among my private servants. I gave my son the elephant Sundar Mathan, [693] which was superior to all my private elephants in speed and beauty and pleasant paces, and competed with horses, and was the first among the elephants, and one much liked by King Akbar. My son Shah Jahan had a great liking for him, and frequently asked him of me, and seeing no way out of it I gave it to him with its gold belongings of chains, etc., together with a female elephant. A present of 100,000 of darbs was given to the wakils of `Adil Khan. At this time it was represented [694] to me that Mukarram Khan, son of Mu`azzam Khan, who was the governor of Orissa, had conquered the country of Khurda, and that the Raja of that place had fled and gone into the Rajmahendra. As he was a khana-zad (houseborn one) and worthy of patronage, I ordered his mansab, original and increase, to be 3,000 personal and 2,000 horse, and honoured him with drums, a horse, and a dress of honour. Between the province of Orissa and Golconda there were two zamindars, one the Raja of Khurda and the second the Raja of Rajmahendra. The province of Khurda has come into the possession of the servants of the Court. After this it is the turn of the country of Rajmahendra. My hope in the grace of Allah is that the feet of my energy may advance farther. At this time a petition from Qutbu-l-mulk reached my son Shah Jahan to the effect that as the boundary of his territory had approached that of the King, and he owed service to this Court, he hoped an order would be issued to Mukarram Khan not to stretch out his hand, and to acquire possession of his country. It was a proof of Mukarram's valour and energy that such a one as Qutbu-l-mulk should be apprehensive about his (Mukarram) becoming his neighbour.

On this day Ikram Khan, son of Islam Khan, was appointed faujdar of Fathpur and its neighbourhood, and presented with a dress of honour and an elephant; Chandar Sen, the zamindar of Haloz (Halwad?), [695] was given a dress of honour, a horse, and an elephant. An elephant was also given to Lachin Qaqshal. At the same time Muzaffar, [696] son of Mirza Baqi Tarkhan, had the honour of kissing the threshold. His mother was the daughter of Barha (Bhara), the zamindar of Kachh. When Mirza Baqi died and the government of Thatta went to Mirza Jani, Muzaffar was apprehensive of Mirza Jani, and he took refuge with the aforesaid zamindar. He had remained from his childhood until now in that country. Now that the fortunate retinue had reached Ahmadabad, he came and did homage. Though he had been reared among men of the wilds, and was unfamiliar with civilized ways and ceremonies, yet as his family had had the relations of service with our exalted dynasty from the times of Timur [697]--may God make his proof clear!--I considered it right to patronize him. For the present I gave him 2,000 rupees for expenses, and a dress of honour. A suitable rank will be given to him, and perhaps he will show himself efficient as a soldier.

On Thursday, the 20th, I went to the "Garden of Victory," and contemplated the red roses. One plot had bloomed well. There are not many red roses (gul-i-surkh) in this country, so it was pleasant to see so many here. The anemone [698] bed, too, was not bad, and the figs had ripened. I gathered some figs with my own hands, and weighed the largest one. It came to 7 1/2 tolas. On this day there arrived 1,500 melons from Kariz. The Khan `Alam had sent them as a present. I gave a thousand of them to the servants in attendance, and five hundred to the women of the harem. I spent four days in this garden in enjoyment, and on Monday eve, the 24th, I came to the city. Some of the melons were given to the Shaikhs of Ahmadabad, and they were astonished to see how inferior were the Gujarat melons. They marvelled at the goodness of the Deity.

On Thursday, the 27th, I held a wine-feast in the Nagina [699] garden, which is inside the palace grounds, and which one of the Gujarat Sultans had planted. I made my servants happy with flowing bowls. A pergola (takhta) of grapes had ripened in this garden, and I bade those who had been drinking to gather the bunches with their own hands and partake of them.

On Monday, the 1st of Isfandarmuz, I left Ahmadabad and marched towards Malwa. I scattered money on the road till we reached the bank of the Kankriya tank, where I halted for three days. On Thursday, the 4th, the presents of Muqarrab Khan were laid before me. There was nothing rare among them, nor anything that I took a fancy to, and so I felt ashamed. I gave them to my children to take into the harem. I accepted jewellery and decorated vessels and cloths to the value of a lakh, and gave him back the rest. Also about one hundred Kachhi horses were taken, but there was none of great excellence.

On Friday, the 5th, I marched 6 kos, and encamped on the bank of the Ahmadabad River. As my son Shah Jahan was leaving Rustam Khan, one of his chief servants, in charge of the government of Gujarat, I, at my son's request, gave him a standard, drums, a dress of honour, and a decorated dagger. Up till now it had not been the custom in this dynasty to give to the prince's servants standards or drums. For instance, H.M. Akbar with all his affection and graciousness to me, did not decide upon giving to my officers a title or a standard. But my consideration for this son is so unbounded that I would do anything to please him, and, in fact, he is an excellent son, and one adorned with every grace, and in his early youth has accomplished to my satisfaction, everything that he has set his hand to.

On this day Muqarrab Khan took leave to go to his home.

As the shrine of Qutb `Alam, the father of Shah `Alam Bukhari, was in the village of Batoh, [700] and on my way, I went there and gave 500 rupees to the guardians. On Saturday, the 6th, I entered a boat on the Mahmudabad River and went a-fishing. On the bank is the tomb of Sayyid Mubarak Bukhari. He was one of the leading officers of Gujarat, and his son Sayyid Miran erected this monument to him. It is a very lofty cupola, and there is a very strong wall of stone and lime round it. It must have cost more than two lakhs of rupees. None of the tombs of the Gujarat Sultans that I saw came up to one-tenth of it. Yet they were sovereigns, and Sayyid Miran was only a servant. Genius and the help of God have produced this result. A thousand blessings on a son who has made such a tomb for his father: [701]

"That there may remain a memorial of him upon earth."

On Sunday I halted and fished, and caught 400 fish. One of them had no scales, and is called the sang-mahi, 'the stone-fish.' Its belly was very large and swollen, so I ordered them to cut it open in my presence. Inside was a fish with scales which it had recently swallowed and which had as yet undergone no change. I told them to weigh both fish. The stone-fish came to 6 1/2 seers and the other to nearly 2.

On Monday, the 8th, I marched 4 1/4 kos, and encamped in the village of Moda (Mahaondat). The inhabitants praised the rainy season of Gujarat. It happened that on the previous night and on this day before breakfast some rain fell, and the dust was laid. As this is a sandy country, it is certain that there would not be any dust in the rainy season, nor would there be any mud. The fields would be green and cheerful. At any rate, a specimen of the rainy season has been seen by me. On Tuesday I marched 5 1/2 kos, and halted at the village of Jarsima (Jarisama). [702]

At this stage news came that Man Singh Sewra had surrendered his soul to the lords of hell. The account of this in brief is that the Sewras [703] are a tribe of infidel Hindus who always go with their head and feet bare. One set of them root out their hair, their beards, and moustaches, while another set shave them. They do not wear sewn garments, and their central principle is that no living creature should be injured. The Banyans regard them as their pirs and teachers, and even worship them. There are two sects of Sewras, one called Pata (Tapa) and the other Kanthal (Kartal). Man Singh was the head of the latter, and Bal Chand the head of the Patas. [704] Both of them used to attend upon H.M. Akbar. When he died and Khusrau fled and I pursued him, Ray Singh Bhurtiya, zamindar of Bikanir, who had been made an Amir by Akbar's kindness, asked Man Singh what would be the duration of my reign and the chances of my success. That black-tongued fellow, who pretended to be skilled in astrology and the extraction of judgments, said to him that my reign would, at most, last for two years. The doting old idiot (Ray Singh) relied upon this, and went off without leave to his home. Afterwards, when the glorious God chose out this suppliant and I returned victorious to the capital, he came, ashamed and downcast, to Court. What happened to him in the end has been told in its proper place. [705] In fine, Man Singh, in the course of three or four months, was struck with leprosy (juzam), and his limbs fell off him till he was in such a state that death was by many degrees preferable to life. He was living at Bikanir, and now I remembered him and sent for him. On the road he, out of excessive fear, took poison, and surrendered his soul to the lords of hell. So long as the intentions of this suppliant at God's courts are just and right, it is sure that whoever devises evil against me will receive retribution according to his merits.

The sect of the Sewras exists in most of the cities of India, but is especially numerous in Gujarat. As the Banyans are the chief traders there, consequently the Sewras also are plentiful. Besides making idol-temples for them, they have built houses for them to dwell in and to worship in. In fact, these houses are the headquarters of sedition. The Banyans send their wives and daughters to the Sewras, who have no shame or modesty. All kinds of strife and audacity are perpetrated by them. I therefore ordered that the Sewras should be expelled, and I circulated farmans to the effect that wherever there were Sewras in my empire they should be turned out.