History of Aurangzib (Volume 2); Based on Original Sources

History of Aurangzib

by Jadunath Sarkar

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1920. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... and musicians. Forty-eight minutes were passed here. The poets taxed their brains to compose verses the numerical value of whose letters when added together would express the date of the accession. The most successful of these chronograms were highly rewarded and handed down to posterity. As the Roman proprcetors on assuming office declared the laws they intended to follow, so the Mughal Emperors at their accession often made changes in the established usage. Aurangzib, for instance, restored the lunar His new ordi- Hi. Jn aU bUc transac. nances. J J r tions, abolished the celebration of the Persian New Year's Day (nauroz), --an innovation borrowed by Akbar from the heretical Shiahs of Iran, --appointed Censors of Public Morals to put down wine-drinking and other vices condemned by Islam as sins, and lastly he abolished many cesses and the transit-duties and police-fees on grain. The next day and for weeks afterwards, the festivities continued. Presents (peshkash) suited to the high occasion were received from the nobles, officers, courtiers, and feudatory princes, while they received in return titles, robes of honour, promotions of rank, and gifts in cash and kind, --such as elephants, horses, jewelled swords daggers and pen-cases, necklaces of pearls, jewelled aigrettes waist-bands and other ornaments. At night both banks of the Jumna river were illuminated. "The surface of the river looked like a flower-garden" of light. The nobles fitted out boats with planks on which lamps were arranged in tiers, and as they plied up and down the stream the bands seated on the decks discoursed sweet music. Myriads of people lined the banks to feast their eyes on the spectacle. But the grandest display of fire-works was made by the Imperial Artillery Department (24th June), --ev...

Genres: History

172 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Sir Jadunath Sarkar was a prominent Indian Bengali aristocrat and historian.