Chapter I: Part 1

THE
TUZUK-I-JAHANGIRI

Or
Memoirs of Jahangir

Volume II

Translated by
Alexander Rogers
I.C.S. (Retired)

Edited by
Henry Beveridge
I.C.S. (Retired)

PREFACE

After an interval of about five years, the second volume of Mr. Alexander Rogers' translation of Jahangir's Memoirs has been published by the Royal Asiatic Society. It is a smaller work than the first volume, for it only extends over six years of the reign, as against the twelve years of its predecessor. Even then it does not include the whole of the reign, for that lasted twenty-two years. The two volumes, however, contain all that Jahangir wrote or supervised. It will be found, I think, that the present volume is fully as interesting as its predecessor. The accounts of the Zodiacal coinage (pp. 6 and 7), and of the comet, or new star (p. 48), the notice of the Plague in Agra (pp. 65-67), and the elaborate description of Kashmir, under the chronicle of the 15th year, are valuable, and a word should be said for the pretty story of the King and the Gardener's daughter (p. 50), and for the allusions to painters and pictures.

If Babur, who was the founder of the Moghul Empire in India, was the Cæsar of the East, and if the many-sided Akbar was an epitome of all the great Emperors, including Augustus, Trajan, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Julian, and Justinian. Jahangir was certainly of the type of the Emperor Claudius, and so bore a close resemblance to our James I. All three were weak men, and under the influence of their favourites, and all three were literary, and at least two of them were fond of dabbling in theology. All three were in their wrong places as rulers. Had James I. (and VI. of Scotland) been, as he half wished, the Keeper of the Bodleian, and Jahangir been head of a Natural History Museum, they would have been better and happier men. Jahangir's best points were his love of nature and powers of observation, and his desire to do justice. Unfortunately, the last of these merits was vitiated by a propensity for excessive and recondite punishments. Like his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, he was addicted to drugs and alcohol, and he shortened his life in this way. He made no addition to the imperial territories, but, on the contrary, diminished them by losing Qandahar to the Persians. But possibly his peaceful temper, or his laziness, was an advantage, for it saved much bloodshed. His greatest fault as a king was his subservience to his wife, Nur-Jahan, and the consequent quarrel with his son, Shah Jahan, who was the ablest and best of his male children. The last years of his reign were especially melancholy, for he suffered from asthma and other diseases; and he had to endure the ignominy of being for a while a captive to one of his own servants--Mahabat Khan. He died on the borders of Kashmir, when on his way to Lahore, in October, 1627, in the fifty-ninth year of his age, and was buried at Shahdara, near Lahore, where his widow, Nur-Jahan, and her brother are also interred. At the time of his death his son Shah Jahan was at Junair in the Deccan, and there the news was conveyed in a wonderfully short time by a Hindu courier. Jahangir was succeeded by Shah Jahan, who lost no time in getting rid of his relatives, for, like the Turk, he bore no kinsman near the throne. Indeed, he is strongly suspected of having killed his elder brother, Khusrau, several years before.

I am indebted to Mr. Ellis, of the India Office, for revising the proofs.

NOTE.

In the Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, p. 416, mention is made of a history of Hindustan during the reign of Jahangir, in two volumes, with paintings (Ouseley MSS.). I have recently ascertained that the MS. is only a modern copy of the Iqbal-nama.

H. Beveridge.

CONTENTS

Page

The Thirteenth New Year's Feast 1
The Fourteenth New Year's Feast from the Auspicious Accession 78
The Fifteenth New Year's Feast after the Auspicious Accession 130
The Sixteenth New Year's Feast after the Auspicious Accession 199
The Seventeenth New Year's Feast after the Auspicious Accession 230
The Eighteenth New Year's Feast after the Auspicious Accession 253
The Nineteenth New Year's Feast after the Auspicious Accession 294
Index 301

THE THIRTEENTH NEW YEAR'S FEAST

On the eve of Wednesday, the 23rd Rabi`u-l-awwal, 1027 (March 10, 1618), after the lapse of fourteen and a half gharis, the entrance of the Sun--that is, H.M. the Great Light--the Benefactor of the Universe, into the constellation of the Ram, took place. Twelve years had now passed from the august Accession of this suppliant at the throne of God, in prosperity, and the New Year began in joy and thanksgiving. On Thursday, 2 Farwardin, Divine month, the festival of my Lunar weighment took place, and the fifty-first [1] year of the age of this suppliant at God's throne began with rejoicings. I trust that my life will be spent in the doing of God's Will, and that not a breath of it will pass without remembering Him. After the weighment had been finished, a fresh feast of joy was arranged, and my domestic servants celebrated the day with brimming cups.

On this day Asaf K. (Nur-Jahan's brother), who held the rank of 5,000 with 3,000 horse, was favoured by the grant of 4,000 two-horsed and three-horsed troopers, and Sabit K. was raised to the office of Examiner of Petitions. I bestowed the post of the Artillery on Mu`tamid K. A Kachh (Cutch) horse had been brought as an offering by the son of Dilawar K. No horse so good as this had come into my establishment till I encamped in Gujarat, and as M. Rustam showed a great liking for it, I presented it to him. On the Jam were conferred four rings--viz., diamond, ruby, emerald, and sapphire--and two hawks. I also gave four rings--viz., ruby, cat's-eye, emerald, and sapphire--to Raja Lachmi Narayan (of Kuch Bihar). Muruwwat K. had sent three elephants from Bengal, and two of them were included in my private stud. On the eve of Friday I ordered lamps to be placed round the tank, and this had a very good appearance. On Sunday Haji Rafiq came from `Iraq, and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold, and laid before me a letter which my brother Shah `Abbas had sent with him. The aforesaid person is a slave of Mir Muhammad Amin K., the caravan leader, and the Mir had brought him up from his childhood. In truth, he is an excellent servant. He frequently visited `Iraq, and became intimate with my brother Shah `Abbas. This time he had brought tipchaq [2] horses and fine cloth-stuffs, such that of the horses some were put into the private stables. As he is a skilful slave, and a servant worthy of favour, I honoured him with the title of Maliku-t-tujjar (King of Merchants). On Monday I gave Raja Lachmi Narayan a special sword, a jewelled rosary, and four pearls for ear-rings. On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday) I increased by 500 horse the mansab of 5,000 personal and 1,000 horse held by Mirza Rustam; I`tiqad K. was promoted to a mansab of 4,000 and 1,000 horse; Sarfaraz K. was promoted to a mansab of 2,500 and 1,400 horse; Mu`tamid K. to the rank of 1,000 with 350 horse. On Anira'i Singh-dalan and Fida'i K., horses worth 100 muhars were conferred. As the guarding and administration of the Punjab had been entrusted to I`timadu-d-daula, I, at his request, promoted to the government (hukumat) of the said Subah, Mir Qasim, the Bakhshi of the Ahadis, who is related to him, and bestowed on him a mansab of 1,000 personal with 400 horse and the title of Qasim K. Before this I had given Raja Lachmi Narayan an `Iraq horse. On this day I conferred on him an elephant and a Turki horse, and gave him leave to go to Bengal. The Jam was dismissed to his native country with a present of a jewelled waist-sword, a jewelled rosary, two horses, one from `Iraq and the other a Turki, and a dress of honour. Salih, brother's son of the deceased Asaf Khan, [3] was promoted to a mansab of 1,000 with 300 horse, and allowed to go to Bengal, and a horse was conferred on him. On this date Mir Jumla [4] came from Persia, and had the good fortune to pay his respects. The aforesaid is one of the respectable Sayyids of Isfahan and his family have always been held in honour in Persia, and now his brother's son, Mir Riza, is in the service of my brother, Shah `Abbas, and has the rank of Sadr, and the Shah has married him to his own daughter. Mir Jumla had left Persia fourteen years before this, and gone to Golconda to Muhammad Quli Qutbu-l-mulk. His name is Muhammad Amin. Qutbu-l-mulk gave him the title of Mir Jumla. For ten years he had been his Mudar `Alaihi (Centre of Affairs) and his Sahib Saman (factotum). After Qutbu-l-mulk died, and the rule came to his brother's son, the latter did not treat the Mir properly, and so he took leave and hastened to his native country. The Shah, on account of his connection with Mir Riza, and the respect which he had for men [5] of merit, showed much consideration for and kindness to him. He (the Mir) also presented fitting offerings, and passed three or four years in Persia, and amassed properties (estates?). [6] As he several times represented that he wished to enter the service of this Court, I sent a farman and invited him. Immediately the farman arrived he severed his connections there, and set the face of loyalty towards this Court. This day he attained the honour of kissing the carpet, and produced as offering twelve horses, nine tuquz [7] of silk cloths, and two rings. As he had come with devotion and sincerity, I conferred favours and kindness on him, and presented him with 20,000 darbs (Rs. 10,000) for his expenses and a dress of honour. On the same day I gave the post of Bakhshi of the Ahadis to `Inayat K. in place of Qasim K. I honoured Khwaja `Aqil, who is one of the old servants, with the title of `Aqil K., and presented him with a horse. On Friday, Dilawar K., coming from the Deccan, had the good fortune to kiss the threshold, and presented an offering of 100 muhars and Rs. 1,000. Baqir K., Faujdar of Multan, was promoted to a mansab of 800 personal and 300 horse. Tijarat K. and Bahu'i, [8] Zamindar of Multan, were honoured with the gift of elephants. On Saturday, the 11th, marching from Dohad with the intention of hunting elephants, I pitched at the village of Kara Bara (Garbara ?). On Sunday, the 12th, the village of Sajara (Sajwara ?) became the place of alighting. It is 8 koss from this place to Dohad, and 1 1/2 koss to the hunting-ground. On the morning of Monday, the 13th, I went to hunt elephants with a body of my private servants. As the grazing-place of the elephants is in a hilly country, with elevations and depressions, a passage is obtained with difficulty by one on foot. Before this, a large body of horse and foot had surrounded the jungle after the manner of a qamurgha, and outside the jungle, on a tree, they had prepared a wooden platform for me. On all sides of this they had arranged seats on other trees for the Amirs. They had got ready 200 male elephants with strong nooses, and many female elephants. On each elephant there were seated two elephant-drivers of the tribe of Jarga, [9] whose special employment is the hunting of elephants, and it had been arranged that they should bring the wild elephants from the jungle into my presence, that I might witness the hunt. It happened that at the time when the men from all sides entered the jungle, in consequence of the thickness of the forest and the heights and hollows, the chain was broken, and the order of the qamurgha did not remain perfect. The wild elephants in bewilderment turned in every direction, but twelve male and female came to this side (where J. was). As the fear was that they might escape, they drove in the tame elephants and tied them (the wild elephants) up wherever they found them. Although many elephants were not caught, at least two excellent ones were captured, very handsome in shape, of good breed, and perfect marks. As there is a hill in the jungle in which the elephants were, called Rakas (Rakshas) Pahar, [10] or demon hill, I called these two elephants Ravan Sar and Pavan Sar, these being the names of two demons. On Tuesday, the 14th, and Kam-shamba (Wednesday), the 15th, I halted.

On the eve of Thursday, the 16th, I marched, and halted at the stage of Kara Bara. Hakim Beg, [11] who is one of the household of the Court, was honoured with the title of Hakim K., and a sum of Rs. 3,000 was given to Sangram, a Zamindar of the hill country of the Panjab. As the heat was very great, and marching by day was to be avoided, I marched by night. On Saturday, the 18th, a halt was made in the parganah of Dohad. On Sunday, the 19th, the sun that bestows favour on the world attained the highest point in the constellation of Aries. On this day a great entertainment was held, and I sat on the throne. I promoted Shah-nawaz K., who held a mansab of 5,000, with the favour of 2,000 horse, of two and three horses. Khwaja Abu-l-Hasan, the Chief Bakhshi, was given a mansab, original and increased, of 4,000 with 2,000 horse. As Ahmad Beg K., of Kabul, who had obtained the governorship of Kashmir, had promised that he would conquer in the space of two years Tibet and Kishtwar, and the promised time had elapsed, and he had not fulfilled this service, I removed him, and promoted Dilawar K. Kakar to the Government of Kashmir. I gave him a dress of honour and an elephant, and sent him off. He also made a promise in writing that in the course of two years he would conquer Tibet and Kishtwar. Badi'u-z-Zaman, s. Shahrukh M. came from the jagir he held in Sultanpur, and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. Having at this time honoured Qasim K. with a jewelled dagger and an elephant, I dismissed him to the Government of the Punjab.

On the night of Tuesday, the 21st, I marched from the stage mentioned, and turned the reins of the army of prosperity towards Ahmadabad. As in consequence of the great heat and the corruption of the air I would have had to undergo much hardship, and would have had to traverse a long distance before reaching Agra, it occurred to me not to proceed at this hot season to the capital. As I heard much praise of the rainy season in Gujarat, and there was no report about the evil reputation of Ahmadabad (see infra for account of epidemic there), I finally conceived the idea of remaining there. Inasmuch as the protection and guardianship of God (to Him be praise) was in all places and at all times extended to this suppliant, just at this crisis news arrived that signs of the plague (waba) had shown themselves again at Agra, and many people were dying, my intention of not going to Agra, which had thrown its rays on my mind through Divine inspiration, was confirmed. The entertainment of Thursday, the 23rd, was held at the station of Jalod. [12]

Previously to this, the rule of coinage was that on one face of the metal they stamped my name, and on the reverse the name of the place, and the month and year of the reign. At this time it entered my mind that in place of the month they should substitute the figure of the constellation which belonged to that month; for instance, in the month of Farwardin the figure of a ram, and in Urdibihisht the figure of a bull. Similarly, in each month that a coin was struck, the figure of the constellation was to be on one face, as if the sun were emerging from it. This usage is my own, and has never been practised until now. [13]

On this day I`tiqad K. was promoted to the dignity of a standard, and a standard was also conferred on Muruwwat K., who was attached to Bengal. On the night of Monday, [14] the 27th, the camp was pitched in the village of Badrwala, in the parganah of Sahra. [15] At this stage was heard the voice of the koel (koyal). The koel is a bird of the crow tribe, but smaller. The crow's eyes are black, and those of the koel red. The female has white spots, but the male is all black. The male has a very pleasant voice, quite unlike that of the female. It is in reality the nightingale of India. Just as the nightingale is agitated and noisy in the spring, so is the cry of the koel at the approach of the rainy season, which is the spring of Hindustan. Its cry is exceedingly pleasant and penetrating, and the bird begins its exhilaration (masti) when the mangoes ripen. It frequently sits on the mango-trees, and is delighted with the colour and scent of the mango. A strange thing about the koel is that it does not bring up its young from the egg, but, finding the nest of the crow unguarded at the time of laying, it breaks the crow's eggs with its beak, throws them out, and lays its own in the place of them, and flies off. The crow, thinking the eggs its own, hatches the young and brings them up. I have myself seen this strange affair at Allahabad.

On the night of Kamshamba (Wednesday), the 29th, the camp was on the bank of the Mahi, and the entertainment of Mubarakshamba was held there. Two springs appeared on the bank of the Mahi, that had very clear water, so much so that if a poppy-seed fell into them the whole of it was visible. All that day I passed with the ladies. As it was a pleasant place to walk about in, I ordered them to build a raised seat round each of the springs. On Friday I fished in the Mahi, and large fish with scales fell into the net. I first told my son, Shah-Jahan, to try his sword on them. After this I ordered the Amirs to strike them with the swords they had in their belts. My son's sword cut better than all of theirs. These fish were divided among the servants who were present. On the eve of Saturday, the 1st of Urdibihisht, marching from the above-mentioned stage, I ordered [16] the mace-bearers (yasawulan) and tawachiyan to collect the widows and poor people from the villages on the road and near it, and bring them before me, so that I might bestow charity on them with my own hand, which would be an occupation, and the helpless ones might also find grace. What better occupation could there be than this? On Monday, the 3rd, Shaja`at K. `Arab, and Himmat K., and other servants who belonged to the Deccan and Gujarat, had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. The holy men and the possessors of blessing (faqirs, etc.) who lived at Ahmadabad paid their respects to me. On Tuesday, the 4th, the bank of the river at Mahmudabad became the alighting place. Rustam K., whom my son, Shah-Jahan, had left in the Government of Gujarat, was honoured by paying his respects. The entertainment of Thursday, the 6th, was held on the bank of the Kankriya tank. Nahir K., according to order, came from the Deccan and raised the head of honour with the good fortune of prostrating himself before me.

A diamond ring was presented to my son, Shah-Jahan, as part of the offering of Qutbu-l-mulk. It was of the value of 1,000 muhars, and on it there appeared three letters of equal size and of good form, such that they made the word Lillahi (for God). This diamond had been sent, as it was reckoned one of the marvels of the world. In fact, veins and scratches are flaws in precious stones, but it was generally thought that the marks on this one were fabricated. Moreover, the diamond did not come from any celebrated mine. As my son, Shah-Jahan, wished that it should be sent to my brother, Shah `Abbas, as a souvenir of the conquest of the Deccan it was sent to the Shah along with other gifts. [17]

On this day I presented Brikha Ray bad-farush (panegyrist) with Rs. 1,000. He is a Gujarati by origin, and is fully versed in the chronicles and circumstances of that country. His name was Bunta--that is, a sapling (nihal). It seemed to me that it was anomalous to call an old man Bunta, especially now that he had become verdant (sar-sabz) and fruit-bearing through the irrigation (sahab, literally, cloud, or mirage) of our kindness. I therefore ordered that henceforth he should be called Brikha Ray. Brikha means "tree" in Hindi. On Friday, the 7th of the aforesaid month, corresponding with the 1st Jumada-l-awwal, at a chosen propitious hour, I entered the city of Ahmadabad with all enjoyment. At the time of mounting, my son of prosperous fortune, Shah-Jahan, had brought 20,000 charan, or Rs. 5,000, for the nisar (scattering), and I scattered them as I hastened to the palace. When I alighted there he laid before me by way of an offering a jewelled turra (aigrette) of the value of Rs. 25,000, and those of his officers whom he had left in this Subah also presented offerings. They altogether amounted to nearly Rs. 40,000. As it was represented to me that Khwaja Beg Mirza Safawi had reached the neighbourhood of the forgiveness of God--i.e., had died--at Ahmadnagar, I promoted to a mansab of 2,000 personal and horse, original and increased, Khanjar K., whom he had adopted as his son, and, indeed, held dearer than a son of his loins, and who was in truth, an intelligent, ambitious youth, and a servant worthy of patronage, and entrusted him with the charge of the fort of Ahmadnagar.

In these days, in consequence of the great heat and the corruption of the air, sickness had broken out among the people, and of those in the city and the camp there were few who for two or three days had not been ill. Inflammatory fever or pains in the limbs attacked them, and in the course of two or three days they became exceedingly ill--so much so that even after recovery they remained for a long time weak and languid. They mostly at last recovered, so that but few were in danger of their lives. I heard from old men who resided in this country that thirty years before this the same kind of fever prevailed, and passed away happily. Anyhow, there appeared some deterioration in the climate of Gujarat, and I much regretted having come here. I trust that the great and glorious God, in His mercy and grace, will lift up this burden, which is a source of uneasiness to my mind, from off the people. On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the 13th, Badi`u-z-zaman, s. Mirza Shahrukh, was promoted to the mansab of 1,500 personal and horse, and presented with a standard, and appointed faujdar of Sarkar Patan. Sayyid Nizam, faujdar of Sarkar Lucknow, was raised to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 700 horse. The mansab of `Ali Quli Darman, who was attached to the province of Qandahar, at the request of Bahadur K., the governor thereof, was ordered to be 1,000 personal and 700 horse. Sayyid Hizbar K. Barha was dignified with the mansab of 1,000 personal and 400 horse. I promoted Zabardast K. to the rank of 800 personal and 350 horse. On this day Qasim Khwaja of Dihbid [18] had sent from Ma-wara'a-n-nahr (Transoxiana) by the hand of one of his tribesmen by way of supplication five tuyghun (white) falcons. One died on the road, and four arrived at Ujjain in safety. I ordered them to hand over the sum of Rs. 5,000 to someone among them, that he might purchase and take with him whatever things would be agreeable to the Khwaja, and gave a reward of Rs. 1,000 to himself. At this time Khan `Alam, who had been sent as ambassador to the ruler of Persia, sent an ashyani falcon (bird from the nest), which in the Persian language they call ukna. [19] Outwardly one cannot distinguish between these and baz dami [20] falcons by any particular mark, but after they have been flown the difference is clear. On Thursday, the 20th, Mir Abu-s-Salih, a relation (? son-in-law) of the deceased Mirza Yusuf K., came from the Deccan by order, and enjoyed the good fortune of kissing the threshold. He presented as an offering 100 muhars [21] and a jewelled plume (kalgi). Mirza Yusuf K. [22] was one of the Rizawi Sayyids of Mashhad, and his family was always held in great honour in Khurasan, and just now my brother Shah `Abbas has given his daughter in marriage to the younger brother of the aforesaid Abu-s-Salih. His father, Mirza Atagh, [23] was the head of the attendants of the mausoleum of Riza, the 8th Imam. Mirza Yusuf Khan, by means of the patronage of H.M. (Akbar), had risen to nobility, and attained to the mansab of 5,000. Without doubt he was a good Mir, and held his many servants in good order. A number of relations gathered round him. He died [24] in the Deccan. Although he left many sons, who obtained favours in consideration of former services, special attention was paid to the development of his eldest son. In a short time I advanced him to the rank of nobility. Certainly there is a great difference between him and his father.

On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the 27th, I presented Hakim Masihu-z-zaman with 20,000 darbs (8 anna pieces), and to Hakim Ruhu-llah 100 muhars and Rs. 1,000. As he had thoroughly diagnosed my constitution, he perceived that the climate of Gujarat was very inimical to it. He said: "As soon as you moderate your habit of taking wine and opium, all these troubles of yours will disappear." Indeed, when I in one day diminished (the quantity I took of) both of them, there was a great gain on that first day. On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the 3rd Khurdad, Qizilbash K. was promoted to the mansab, original and increased, of 1,500 personal and 1,200 horse. A report was received from Gajpat K., superintendent of the elephant stables, and Baluch K., chief huntsman (Qarawul Beg), that up to this time sixty-nine elephants, male and female, had been caught. Whatever took place after this would be reported. I ordered them to beware not to take old or small elephants; but with this exception they should catch all they saw, male or female. On Monday, the 14th, [25] the sum of Rs. 2,000 was presented for Shah `Alam's anniversary, to Sayyid Muhammad, his representative. A special Kachh horse, one of the good horses of the Jam which had been presented to me, was given to Raja Bir Singh Deo. I made a present of Rs. 1,000 to Baluch K., the chief huntsman, who is engaged in capturing elephants. On Tuesday, 15th, I found I had a severe headache, which at last ended in fever. At night I did not drink my usual number of cups, and after midnight crop-sickness [26] was added to my fever, and till morning I rolled about on my couch. On Wednesday, the 16th, at the end of the day, the fever diminished, and, after asking the advice of my doctors, I took my usual number of cups on the third night. Although they urged me to take some broth of pulse and rice, I could not make up my mind to do so. Since I arrived at the age of discretion, I never remember having taken bughan [27] broth, and hope that I may not want it in future. When they brought food for me this day, I had no inclination for it. In short, for three days and two nights I remained fasting. Though I had fever for a day and a night, and my weakness was such that it appeared as if I had been confined to bed for a long time, I had no appetite left, and had no inclination towards food.

I [28] am amazed to think what pleasure or goodness the founder of this city could have seen in a spot so devoid of the favour (of God) as to build a city on it. After him, others, too, have passed their lives in precious trouble in this dustbin. Its air is poisonous, and its soil has little water, and is of sand and dust, as has already [29] been described. Its water is very bad and unpalatable, and the river, which is by the side of the city, is always dry except in the rainy season. Its wells are mostly salt and bitter, and the tanks in the neighbourhood of the city have become like buttermilk from washermen's soap. The upper classes who have some property have made reservoirs in their houses, which they fill with rainwater in the rainy season, and they drink that water until the next year. The evils of water to which the air never penetrates, and which has no way for the vapour to come out by, are evident. Outside the city, in place of green grass and flowers, all is an open plain full of thorn-brakes (zaqqum), and as for the breeze that blows off the thorns, its excellence is known:

"[30]O thou, compendium of goodness, by which of thy names shall
I call thee?
I had already called Ahmadabad Gardabad (the abode of dust)."

Now, I do not know whether to call it Samumistan (the place of the samum or simoom) or Bimaristan (abode of sickness), or Zaqqum-zar (the thorn-bed), or Jahannamabad (the house of Hell), for it contains all these varieties. If the rainy season had not prevented me, I would not have delayed one day in this abode of trouble, but, like Solomon, would have seated myself on the throne of the wind, and hastened out, and released the people of God from this pain and trouble. As the men of this city are exceedingly weak-hearted and wretched, in order to guard against any of the men from the camp entering their houses with a view to oppress them, or interfering with the affairs of the poor and miserable: and lest the Qazi and Mir `Adl (judge) should, from fear of the face of men (ru-didagi), temporize and not stop such oppression, I, from the date on which I entered the city, notwithstanding the heat of the air, every day, after completing the midday prayer, went and sat in the Jharoka. It was towards the river, and had no impediment in the shape of gate, or wall, or watch-men (yasawul), or chobdars (mace-bearers). For the sake of administering justice, I sat there for two or three sidereal hours and listened to the cries for redress, and ordered punishments on the oppressors according to their faults and crimes. Even in the time of weakness I have gone every day to the jharoka, though in great pain and sorrow, according to my fixed custom, and have looked on ease of body as something unlawful [31] (haram) for me.

"For the care of the people of God
At night I make not mine eyes acquainted with sleep;
For the ease of the bodies of all
I approve of pain for my own body."

By the grace of Allah, it has become my habit not to surrender the nychthemeron, for more than two or three sidereal hours of the coin of Time, to the plundering of sleep. In this there are two advantages--one, the knowledge of the kingdom; the other, wakefulness of heart in calling God to mind. God forbid that this life of a few days should pass in carelessness. As a heavy sleep is in front, I must reckon as a gain this time of my wakefulness, which I shall not see again in sleep, and must not be careless of recollecting God for a single wink. "Be wakeful, for a wondrous [32] sleep is ahead." On the same day that I contracted fever, my son Shah-Jahan, who is close to my heart, also contracted it. His attack lasted a long time, and for ten days he could not come to pay his respects. He came on Thursday, the 24th, and waited on me, and appeared very weak and powerless, so much so that if anyone had not explained the matter, one might have supposed he had been ill for a month or more. I am grateful that at last all ended well. On Thursday, the 31st, Mir Jumla, who had come from Iran--a summary of what had happened to him has been already written--was honoured with the mansab of 1,500 personal and 200 horse. On this day, in consequence of the weakness I suffered from, I bestowed as alms on deserving people an elephant, a horse, and varieties of quadrupeds, with a quantity of gold and silver and other valuable things. Most of my servants also brought alms according to their means. I told them that if their object was to parade their loyalty, their proceeding was not acceptable, and if they were acting from genuine piety there was no need for bringing their alms into the Presence; they could secretly and personally distribute them to the poor and needy. On Mubarak-shamba (Thursday), the 7th Tir, Divine month, Sadiq K. Bakhshi was promoted to the mansab of 2,000 personal and horse, original and increased; Iradat K., the Mir Saman, to that of 2,000 and 1,000 horse, Mir Abu Salih Rizawi to the mansab of 2,000 and 1,000 horse, with the title of Rizawi Khan, and, being honoured with a standard and an elephant, he took leave for the Deccan.

At this time it was represented to me that the Commander-in-Chief, the Ataliq Khan-khanan, as a sequel to the celebrated line, "For every rose one must bear the pain of a hundred thorns," had written an ode, and that Mirza Rustam Safawi and Mirza Murad, his son, had also tried their skill. An impromptu opening couplet came into my mind:

"A cup of wine should be poured [33] on the cheek of the rosebud.
There are many clouds, much wine should be poured."

Of those who were present at the entertainment who had the poetic temperament each composed an ode, and presented it. It became known that the hemistich was from Maulana `Abdu-r-Rahman Jami. I looked at the whole of his ode (or odes). Except this hemistich, which like a proverb has become famous over the world, he has not written anything epigrammatic. All is very simple and smooth. [34] On this day arrived the news of the death of Ahmad Beg K., governor of Kashmir. His sons, who were of the house-born ones of the Court, and on whose foreheads the signs of intelligence and zeal were manifest, obtained suitable mansabs, and were sent to do duty in the Suba of Bangash and Kabul. His mansab was that of 2,500; his eldest son obtained that of 3,000 (?), [35] and three other sons that of 900 each. On Thursday, the 14th, Khwaja Baqi K., who was adorned with the high qualities of dignity, honour, generosity, and valour, under whose rule was one of the thanas of the country of Berar, was promoted to the mansab of 1,500 and 1,000 horse, original and increased, and the title of Baqi K. Ray Kahnur (Kunwar?), who was formerly Diwan of Gujarat, was chosen for the diwanship of Malwa.

At this time the pairing of the saras, which I had never seen before, and is reported never to have been seen by man, was witnessed by me. The saras is a creature of the crane genus, but somewhat larger. [36] On the top of the head it has no feathers, and the skin is drawn over the bones of the head. From the back of the eye to six finger-breadths of the neck it is red. They mostly live in pairs on the plains, but are occasionally seen in flocks. People bring a pair in from the fields, and keep them in their houses, and they become familiar with men. In fact, there was a pair of saras in my establishment to which I had given the names of Laila and Majnun. One day a eunuch informed me that (the) two had paired in his presence. I ordered that if they showed an inclination to pair again they should inform me. At dawn he came and told me that they were about to pair again. I immediately hastened to look on. The female having straightened its legs bent down a little: the male then lifted up one of its feet from the ground and placed it on her back, and afterwards the second foot, and, immediately seating himself on her back, paired with her. He then came down, and, stretching out his neck, put his beak to the ground, and walked once round the female. It is possible they may have an egg and produce a young one. Many strange tales of the affection of the saras for its mate have been heard. The following case has been recorded because it is very strange. Qiyam K., who is one of the khanazads (houseborn ones) of this Court, and is well acquainted with the arts of hunting and scouting, informed me that one day he had gone out to hunt, and found a saras sitting. When he approached, it got up and went off. From its manner of walking he perceived signs of weakness and pain. He went to the place where it had been sitting, and saw some bones and a handful of feathers on which it had been sitting. He threw a net round it, and drew himself into a corner, and it tried to go and sit in the same place. Its foot was caught in the net, and he went forward and seized it. It appeared extremely light, and when he looked minutely he saw there were no feathers on its breast and belly: its flesh and skin had separated, and there were maggots. Moreover, there was no sign of flesh left on any of its members: a handful of feathers and bone came into his hand. It was clear that its mate had died, and that it had sate there from the day it lost its companion.

"My burning heart hath melted my body with separation's pang;
A soul-consuming sigh burnt me, as 'twere a lamp.
The day of my joy became black like the night of grief,
Separation from thee hath made my day like this."

Himmat K., who is one of my best servants, and whose word is worthy of reliance, told me that in the Dohad [37] pargana he had seen a pair of saras on the bank of a tank. One of his gunners shot one of them, and in the same place cut off its head and stripped [38] it of its feathers (?). By chance we halted two or three days at that place, and its mate continually walked round it, and uttered cries and lamentation. "My heart," he said, "ached at its distress, but there was no remedy for it save regret." By chance, twenty-five days afterwards, he passed by the same spot, and asked the inhabitants what had become of that saras. They said it died on the same day, and there were still remains of feathers and bones on the spot. He went there himself, and saw it was as they said. There are many tales of this kind among the people, which it would take too long to tell.

On Saturday, the 16th, there came the news of the death of Rawat Shankar, who was one of those on duty in Bihar. Man Singh, his eldest son, was raised to the mansab of 2,000 personal and 600 horse: his other sons and connections were also raised in mansab, and were directed to obey him. On Thursday, the 21st, the elephant Bavan, [39] the pick of my catch, which had been left in the pargana of Dohad to be tamed, was brought to Court. I ordered him to be kept near the jharoka on the river side, that he might be constantly under my eye. In the elephant-stables of H.M. Akbar the largest elephant I saw was Durjan Sal. It was long the premier elephant. Its height was 4 yards (dara` [40]), and 3 1/2 quarters of the Ilahi gaz, which is 8 yards and 3 fingers of the ordinary gaz. At present, among the elephants of my establishment, the largest athlete is `Alam-Gajraj, which H.M. Akbar himself had caught. It is the chief of my special elephants. Its height is 4 1/8 yards, or 7 yards and 7 fingers [41] of the ordinary yard. The ordinary gaz has been fixed at 24 fingers' breadth of an average-sized man, and the Ilahi gaz is 40 fingers' breadth.

On this day Muzaffar K., who had been promoted to the Subadarship of Thatta (Sind), had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. He presented 100 muhars and Rs. 100 as nazr, and the equivalent of Rs. 100,000 in jewels and jewelled things. At this time news came that God Almighty had bestowed on my son Parwiz a son [42] by the daughter of Shah Murad, deceased. It is to be hoped that his coming will be of good omen to this State.

On Sunday, the 24th, Ray Bihari [43] had the good fortune to kiss the threshold: there is not a greater Zamindar than this in the country of Gujarat. His country is close to the sea. Bihari and the Jam are from one stem. They were united ten generations ago. As far as territory and forces go, the standing of Bihari is greater than that of the Jam. They say that he never came to see any of the Sultans of Gujarat. Sultan Mahmud had sent an army against him, but in the fight the army of Mahmud was defeated. At the time when Khan A`zam went to conquer the fort of Junagarh in the country of Surat, Nannu, who was called Sultan Muzaffar, and gave himself out as heir to the kingdom, was passing his days in a state of misery under the protection of the zamindars. After this the Jam was defeated in battle with the victorious (Royal) army, and Nannu took refuge with Ray Bihari. Khan A`zam demanded Nannu from Ray Bihari, and as he could not oppose the Royal army, he gave him up, and by this piece of loyalty was saved from the blows of the victorious army. At the time [44] when Ahmadabad was adorned by the presence of the retinue of fortune for a short time, he did not come to wait on me. His country was somewhat distant, and time did not admit of the appointing of a force (against him). When it happened that I returned there, my son Shah-Jahan appointed Raja Bikramajit with an army (for this purpose), and he, seeing his own safety in coming in hastened to receive the honour of kissing the threshold, giving 200 muhars and Rs. 2,000 as nazr, and 100 horses. However, there was not one of his horses that I approved of. His age appeared to me to be more than eighty [45] years, and he himself said he was ninety. In his senses and powers there was no appearance of decay. Among his men there was an old man with white beard, moustaches, and eyebrows. He said that Ray Bihari remembered him when he (the old man) was a child (infant), and that he had grown up from childhood in his service.

On this day Abu-l-Hasan, [46] the painter, who has been honoured with the title of Nadiru-z-zaman, drew the picture of my accession as the frontispiece to the Jahangir-nama, and brought it to me. As it was worthy of all praise, he received endless favours. His work was perfect, and his picture is one of the chefs d'oeuvre of the age. At the present time he has no rival or equal. If at this day the masters `Abdu-l-Hayy and Bihzad were alive, they would have done him justice. His father, Aqa Riza'i, of Herat, [47] at the time when I was Prince, joined my service. He (Abu-l-Hasan) was a khanazad of my Court. There is, however, no comparison between his work and that of his father (i.e., he is far better than his father). One cannot put them into the same category. My connection was based on my having reared him. From his earliest years up to the present time I have always looked after him, till his art has arrived at this rank. Truly he has become Nadira-i-zaman ("the wonder of the age"). Also, Ustad Mansur [48] has become such a master in painting that he has the title of Nadiru-l-`Asr, and in the art of drawing is unique in his generation. In the time of my father's reign and my own these two have had no third. As regards myself, my liking for painting and my practice in judging it have arrived at such a point that when any work is brought before me, either of deceased artists or of those of the present day, without the names being told me, I say on the spur of the moment that it is the work of such and such a man. And if there be a picture containing many portraits, and each face be the work of a different master, I can discover which face is the work of each of them. If any other person has put in the eye and eyebrow of a face, I can perceive whose work the original face is, and who has painted the eye and eyebrows.

On the eve of Sunday, the 31st of the month of Tir, heavy rain fell, and it went on raining with great violence till Tuesday, the 1st of Amurdad. [49] For sixteen days there were constantly clouds and (? or) rain. As this is a sandy country, and the buildings in it are weak, many houses fell, and many lives were lost. I heard from the inhabitants of the city that they remembered no rain like that of this year. Although the channel of the Sabarmati [50] appears full of water, it is in most places fordable, and elephants can always cross it. If for a day there has been no rain, horses and men can ford it. The fountain head of this river is in the hill-country of the Rana. It comes out from the ravine of Kokra(?), [51] and, having traversed 1 1/2 koss, passes below Mirpur, [52] and in this place they call it the Wakal (?). After passing 3 koss beyond Mirpur, they call it the Sabarmati.

On Thursday, the 10th, Ray Bihari was exalted with the favour of a male and a female elephant, a jewelled dagger, and four rings, of red ruby and yellow ruby (topaz), sapphire, and emerald. Before this, the Ataliq Jan-sipar (life-jeoparding), Khan-khanan (`Abdu-r-Rahim), Commander-in-Chief, by order, had sent a force under the leadership of his son Amru-llah [53] towards Gondwana, in order to seize the diamond mine of Barakar [54] (?) that was in the possession of Panju, a Zamindar of Khandesh. On this day a report came from him that the aforesaid Zamindar, knowing that opposition to the victorious army was beyond his power, had made an offering of the mine, and a royal superintendent had been appointed to manage it. The diamonds of that place are superior in kind and beauty to all other kinds of diamonds, and much esteemed by jewellers. They are of good shape, and larger, and superior. Of the second rank is the mine of Kokhra, [55] which is on the borders of Bihar; but the diamonds of that place are not obtained from the mine, but from a river which in the rainy season comes down in flood from the hills. Before that they dam it up, and when the flood has passed over the dam and there is little water, a number of men who are skilled in this art go into the river bed and bring out the diamonds. It is now three years since this country came into the possession of the State. The Zamindar of the place is in confinement. The climate of that land is excessively poisonous, and strangers cannot live there. The third place is in the province of the Karnatik (Carnatic), near the frontier of Qutbu-l-mulk. At a distance of 50 koss [56] there are four mines. Many very fine [57] diamonds are obtained there.

On Thursday, the 10th, Nahir K. was promoted to the mansab of 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse, and he was presented with an elephant. Maktub K., superintendent of the Kutub-khana (library), was given the mansab of 1,500 personal. As I had ordered that on the Shab-i-Barat they should place lamps round the Kankriya tank, at the end of the day on Monday, the 14th Sha`ban, I went out to look at them. The buildings all round the tank they had arranged with lanterns of different colours and all kinds of artifices that are practicable with lamps, and fireworks. Although at this season there were continually clouds and rain, by God's favour from the beginning of the night the air had become clear, and not a trace of cloud remained, and the lights shone just as one could wish. My domestic servants were regaled with the cups of joy. I ordered them to light lamps in the same manner on the eve of Friday, and a strange thing was that at the close of the day of Thursday, the 17th, it continually rained (muttasil baridagi), but at the time of lighting the lamps the rain ceased, and the show was well seen. On this day I`timadu-d-daula presented an offering of a qutbi (?) sapphire exceedingly delicate, and an elephant without tusks with silver housings. As it was handsome-looking and of good shape, it was put among my private elephants. On the bank of the Kankriya tank a sanyasi, one of the most austere sects of Hindus, had made a hut after the dervish manner, and lived as a hermit. As I was always inclined to associate with dervishes, I hastened without ceremony to interview him, and for a while enjoyed his society. He was not wanting in information and reasonableness, and was well informed according to the rules of his own faith in the doctrines of Sufism. He had conformed to the ways of people of religious poverty and mortification, and given up all desires and ambitions. One might say that a better than he of his class was never seen.

On Monday, the 21st (Amurdad), the saras, the pairing of which has been related in the preceding pages, collected together some straw and rubbish in the little garden, and laid first of all one egg. On the third day (afterwards) it laid a second egg. This pair of saras were caught when they were a month old, [58] and had been in my establishment for five years. After five and a half years they paired, and continued doing so for a month; on the 21st of the month of Amurdad, which the Hindus call Sawan (Sravan) the hen laid the eggs. The female used to sit on the eggs the whole night alone, and the male stood near her on guard. It was so alert that it was impossible for any living thing to pass near her. Once a large weasel made its appearance, and he ran at it with the greatest impetuosity, and did not stop until the weasel got into a hole. When the sun illuminated the world with his rays, the male went to the female and pecked her back with his beak. The female then rose, and the male sate in her place. She returned, and in the same manner made him rise, and seated herself. In short, the female sits the whole night, and takes care of the eggs, and by day the male and female sit by turns. When they rise and sit down they take great precautions that no harm shall come to the eggs.

During this season, as there was still some of the hunting time left, Gajpat K., the darogha, and Baluch K., the head huntsman, had been left to hunt elephants, to catch as many as they possibly could. In the same manner the huntsmen of my son, Shah-Jahan, had also been employed. On this day they came and waited on me. Altogether 185 elephants had been caught, male and female: of these, 73 were males and 112 females. Out of these, 47 males and 75 females, or 122, the imperial huntsmen and faujdars had secured, while the huntsmen and elephant-drivers of my son, Shah-Jahan, had taken 26 males and 37 females, or 63 altogether.