The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
(Continued from the last part)
The author Jadunath Sarbadhikari has now started his second and more detailed account of Delhi. At that time, the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, is seated on the throne in Delhi. However, during the East India Company's rule, his power was confined only to the fort in Delhi, and his title of emperor had become nominal. According to the author, the shape of the city of Indraprastha or Delhi is like an egg. The city has twelve public gates and five secret gates. The public gates are called darwaza, while the secret gates are called khirki. The main gates include Delhi, Ajmeri, Kashmiri, and Kolkata. These gates had armed gatekeepers and infantry soldiers. The secret gates include Bahadur Ali Khan Khirki, Nigambodh Khirki, Khazana Khirki, etc.
Delhi is spread over five krosh. In the city, there are various merchants selling goods, people from all countries, officials, and courtesans. There is a broad royal road from Lahore to Delhi. The Yamuna River flows through the city, with bridges at intervals for people to cross.
Rich people here frequently use diamonds, gems, rubies, emeralds, and fabrics adorned with gold and silver threads. Occasionally, there are places where small traders live on modest earnings. Shops on both sides of the main road are adorned with various goods. Many glass lamps are mounted on wooden pillars, making the city bright at night. In the central part of the city, at Jumma Masjid, scholars, clerks, and ascetics gather for worship in the afternoon. There is a marketplace near the mosque similar to a chowk where excellent goods are sold.
The new fort of Delhi (Red Fort) has three gates. Near Delhi's gates, there is a tank called Lal Dighi, filled with water from the Yamuna, which contains fish.
The people of the capital are cultured, well-dressed, well-behaved, eloquent, and pure in their religion. In the afternoon, everyone travels in horses, elephants, camels, flying machines (?), chariots, human-drawn carts, bullock carts, deer carts (?), chariots, bogies (?), palanquins, and sedan chairs, all decorated in fine clothing and ornaments. Even those who do not have these vehicles wear good clothes and adorn themselves with fragrant flower garlands or perfumes to stay cheerful. Dancers and courtesans travel with their respective patrons.
Delhi Gate is to the south, Lahore Gate to the west. Kolkata Gate was not there earlier; it was established by the Governor-General's order. Two krosh past Kashmiri Gate is a military encampment. At Delhi College, five languages are taught: English, Persian, Arabic, Urdu, and Devanagari. The author then lists the names of 33 markets in Delhi, and also mentions that there are more markets in the streets. Near Nigambodh Khirki, there are many Hindu temples.
The royal throne, or the former royal seat, was adorned with many precious stone carvings of vines and flowers, which were plundered (by Nadir Shah or the East India Company, as the author is uncertain). The Diwan-i-Aam (Public Audience Hall) was where the emperor used to sit. Twenty-two stops had twenty-two subas (administrative officers) stationed. In front, there is a flower garden, followed by the Mahatab Bagh, the Aram Ghar, and the Andheri Bagh (Dark Garden). The Andheri Bagh has many varieties of fruit and medicinal plants. There are fountains made from Yamuna water. Occasionally, there are lotus flowers in ponds. There is a room where a fountain was set up to flow water and simulate rainfall like in the monsoon season. The emperors had arrangements for boat rides. Next is the Moti Masjid or the emperor’s worship place, which was once richly adorned with valuable stones but now only has white marble. The room where the emperor conducted state affairs, Diwani Khas, is magnificently decorated, with an enormous room, but it has no wooden carvings, only stone arches with various colored stones and intricate designs. In the center of the room is a white marble throne placed on a one-hand-high pedestal, which is kept locked inside the room and is only displayed when the emperor sits on it. Around this throne, courtiers would sit on cushioned seats to conduct their duties. Near the north gate of the building is a crystal platform where the emperor would sit to view the Yamuna and enjoy the cool breeze.
The building is surrounded by the offices of the nobles and guards. Further inside is the imperial harem or the emperor's inner quarters. The emperor had twenty wives and 200 Begums. At the time, the emperor was over eighty years old and did not come out frequently. There is a mosque in the harem where women perform their worship. The Delhi emperor enjoyed kite flying and hunting. The emperor’s middle son, Mirza, was highly talented and skilled in music and arts. He was very handsome and had a great fondness for horses and dogs. He spent his time with music and travel. There is a harem known as Lal Parda (Red Curtain) where no man, eunuch, or even a five-year-old boy is allowed entry. There, the Begums buy diamonds and pearls from female merchants.
Near Kaudia Pool, there is a garden called Begambagh, which is a very beautiful and cool place. Punjabi merchants live in Punjabi Katra. They have been residing in Delhi for a long time and have become wealthy through trade. In every market, there are shops selling zari, palla, kalavart, and caps. High-quality kurtas, angiyas, lehengas, and dupattas are available.
At Nigambodh Ghat, there is a gathering of singers every Sunday. All the city’s singers attend this gathering. Near Kashmiri Gate, there is a sahib's house with a creature that looks like a camel with a long neck and horse-like face, with short hind legs and leopard-like spots on its body. It is only two years old but as long as a large camel. The creature the author saw was a giraffe, an Englishman kept a giraffe at his home in Delhi. At the Yamuna's Nigambodh Ghat, he saw the festival of Nrisimha Chaturdashi, where the story of Prahlad is recited. A model of Hiranyakashipu was made from paper, and in the evening, a demon was destroyed. The author witnessed the auction of Raja Hindu Rai’s estate. His hunting instruments were of excellent quality. A gun cost no less than 700 rupees, and a shield was sold for 2,000 rupees. Due to a lack of buyers, items made of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and pearls were not sold.
Two krosh away from Delhi Gate is Old Delhi, where the old fort of the emperor stands. Other kings have their own old forts here, and there are inns (sarais) where traders from Arabia used to stay. Next is the Bhool Bhulrhi Mosque, which had many valuable stones, but the English have removed them (this is the present Jamia Millia Islamia Central Mosque). Two krosh from this mosque, on a hill, is the temple of Kalka Devi at Bahapur. The deity is represented by a round stone covered in floral garments and ornaments. There is a dharmashala (rest house) at the temple where travelers can stay. A large fair is held here during Navaratri.
The author then mentions Prithviraj Chauhan but refers to him as Prithuraja. Prithviraj’s capital was surrounded on all sides by a fort. He was a devotee of Yogmaya Devi, whose idol was in the fort. The fort had a yajna (sacrificial site) where sages conducted a royal sacrifice. One pillar (near the Qutub Minar, the iron pillar) was placed in the yajna kund (sacred fire pit) by the sages, and it was said that the center of this pillar was placed on the head of the Nagraj (serpent king). As long as the pillar stood, the kingdom would last. The king, suspicious of this claim, tried to tilt the pillar, causing blood to flow from its base. The sages, distressed, said that the purpose of erecting the pillar would not succeed and that the pillar would always lean slightly to the south-west. The pillar has inscriptions in Devanagari script. During Muslim and English rule, they dug extensively to remove the pillar but to no avail. Cannonballs could not topple or break it. The pillar has inscriptions in Persian and shows marks of cannonballs. Not far from this pillar is a large six-story high structure called 'Lat' (Qutub Minar), which was built by the king for the princess to view the Yamuna and worship from a distance of nine krosh. The author says that a monument in Kolkata was modeled after this pillar. The king’s palace, made of stone and adorned with fine stones, contained these pillars. During the Muslim rule, temples and sacrificial sites were destroyed, and valuable stone doors were removed and taken to Delhi. Mosques were built on the sites of temples, and graves were placed in various locations. Thus, all Hindu religious sites were demolished. Metal and stone pillars could not be destroyed and have survived to this day.
The author then travels from Delhi or Indraprastha to Garh Mukteshwar (Garhmukteshwar, Uttar Pradesh), where the Mukteshwar Shiva established by the Pandavas is located. From there, thirty krosh away is Hastinapura (Hastinapur, Uttar Pradesh), the ancient kingdom of the Kurus, which has now turned into a dense jungle. There are hermits there. The houses of the Kurukul are no longer present, only signs at various places remain.
(To be continued)
In this episode, the period of the diary is from 16th Baishakh 1263 (29th April 1856) to 12th Jyeshth 1263 (26th May 1856).
Dear Reader : Your feedback matters! Please take a moment to leave a comment and share your thoughts on this post. I'd love to hear from you!
No comments:
Post a Comment