Annals of Mewar by James Tod

Author:James Tod [Tod, James]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Rupa Publisher
Published: 2011-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

The Fortress of Ajmir

[Photo by Donald Macbeth, London]

“The Rána, with due attention to etiquette, as other vassals of the empire, paid his respects to my son, and presented him with a celebrated ruby, and various arms inlaid with gold, seven elephants of great price, which had remained after those previously captured, and nine horses. My son received him with princely generosity and courtesy, and the Rána, taking him by the knee, requested to be forgiven. My son raised him, and gave him every assurance of countenance and protection, and presented him with suitable khilats, an elephant, horses, and a sword. Though he had not one hundred persons in his train worthy to be dignified with khilats, yet 120 khilats, 50 horses, and 12 jewelled aigrettes were bestowed upon them. The custom, however, of these princes being that the heir and the father never visit together, he observed this usage, and Kurran, his declared successor, did not accompany the Rána. Sultan Khuram, the same day, gave Amra Singh his leave, and forthwith the son arrived; whereupon Sultan Khuram repaired with him to me.

“In my interview with Sultan Khuram on his arrival at Ajmír, he represented that if it was my pleasure, he would present the prince Kurran to me, whom I accordingly desired him to bring. He arrived and paid his respects, and his rank was commanded to be, at the request of my son, immediately on my right hand. As Kurran, owing to the rude life he had led in his natives hills, was extremely shy, and unused to the pageantry and experience of a court, in order to reconcile him and give him confidence, I daily gave him some testimony of my regard and protection, and on the second day of his service, I gave him a jewelled dagger, and on the third a choice steed of Irak with rich caparison; and on the same day I took him with me to the queen’s court, when the queen, Nur Jahan, presented him with a splendid khilat, elephant and horse caparisoned, sword, etc. I gave him three royal hawks, and three falcons trained to the hand, a coat of mail, chain and plate armour, and two rings of value; and on the last day of the month, carpets, state cushions, perfumes, vessels of gold, and a pair of the bullocks of Gujarát.

“In the tenth year of my reign, I gave prince Kurran leave to depart; when I bestowed upon him an elephant, a horse, a pearl necklace valued at 50,000 rupees (£6250). From the day of his repairing to my court to that of his departure, the value of the gifts I presented to him exceeded 10 lakhs of rupees (£125,000), exclusive of 110 horses, 5 elephants, and the gifts of my son Khuram. I sent Mubarak Khan along with him who carried for me various confidential messages to the Rána. In the same year of my reign, Jaggat Singh, son of Kurran, aged twelve years, arrived at my court, and paid his respects, and presented the arzis (petitions) of his father and grandfather.

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