The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
(Continued from the last part)
Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb was averse to art, literature, music, and architecture. He even did not want to spend money on his own tomb. The only structure he built was the Moti Mosque in the Red Fort of Delhi.
Aurangzeb had an unmarried daughter named Jinat-un-Nisa, who constructed the Jinat Mosque or Kumari Mosque, located on the banks of the Yamuna near Daryaganj (also known today as the Ghata Mosque). Another notable site was the Roshanara Garden, created by Shah Jahan's daughter Roshanara. The palace of Shah Jahan's son Dara was also remarkable. Later, a college was established in that palace in Delhi.
Many of the nobles or elites in Delhi had beautiful palaces. The King of Jaipur, Jai Singh, built the Jantar Mantar in Delhi, a place for astronomical studies, similar to the Man Mandir in Benares and the Tara Kothi in Lucknow. Between Delhi and Agra, there is a large monument resembling the Taj Mahal, which is the tomb of Safdarjung (who was the Nawab of Awadh). This structure made of white marble and red and pink sandstone was built by his son, Nawab Sujauddaula of Awadh. Nearby is the tomb of a Mughal nobleman, Ghazi Uddin Khan. For many years, there was a madrasa named after Ghazi Uddin Khan near Ajmeri Gate.
Later, Nadir Shah invaded India. This looting and destruction lasted for 58 days in 1739, devastating centuries of creation. After that, Ahmad Shah Durrani invaded India eight times between 1748 and 1767. In 1788, the Afghan leader Ghulam Qadir deposed and blinded the then Emperor Shah Alam, occupying Delhi for two and a half months and looting it. As a result, Mughal architecture was not revived, and much of the old architecture was also significantly damaged.
The writer then visited the Delhi Institute (the current name of this building is unknown, and it is uncertain whether it still exists). Built in the European architectural style, the exterior is adorned with red sandstone dust to give it a stony appearance. The Delhi Institute grounds include a station library, a government college, and a museum. The library is located in the western corner of the first floor of the building. Before the Sepoy Mutiny, this library had nine thousand books.
The writers then went to the museum, which is located in an adjacent hall. On the way into the hall, two broken red sandstone statues caught their eye. The statues are from the waist to the head; one is headless, and the other has a broken nose. The writers had no difficulty recognizing these as the statues of Jayamal and Putta. Upon inquiry, the guide informed them that these statues were mounted on elephants. The attire of the statues, resembling Hindu clothing and Rajput turbans, also gave a clue about their identities. The statue with the head belongs to an adult man, leading the writers to conclude that it is Jayamal's, as Puttar was only sixteen during the siege of Chittorgarh. (A photo from the 1870s taken by Joseph David Beglar is available on Wikimedia. It shows the two statues in front of an unidentified house. When the writer saw them, one statue was missing its head. The photo from Wikimedia suggests that a head was later added to one of the statues, which is that of Putta. What happened to the two statues afterward remains unknown. The elephant statues were placed at the Delhi Gate by Lord Curzon later, and they remain there.)
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia , Photo taken by Joseph David Beglar.
Inside the museum's gallery are portraits of many notable figures from British India. Among them is a painting of a Hindu king famous for the Sepoy Mutiny. The gallery features a portrait of a black Maratha king adorned in magnificent attire (this is undoubtedly a picture of Nana Sahib). The museum has departments dedicated to agriculture, zoology, archaeology, anthropology, and more. There is a collection of coins from various periods, as well as numerous Arabic and Persian manuscripts. A few manuscripts feature gold lettering. To the east of the Delhi Institute is a government college. The writer now expresses his opinion that in terms of intelligence, public opinion formation, and the impact of social reform through public speeches and newspapers, Delhi lags significantly behind Kolkata. Even the Bengali professor from the college's mathematics department is set to be honored at the upcoming court.
Adjacent to the institute is the Queen’s Garden (the garden of the Queen of England). Although not very large, it reflects European taste and aesthetics. In the garden, they saw a long white marble bathing pool from the Mughal era, where ducklings were playing. Near the door here is Jayamal's elephant (which was later placed at Delhi Gate along with another). A canal built by Alimardan (a Mughal provincial governor) flows through the garden. From this canal, the people of Delhi obtain drinking water and water for the gardens.
The writers visited Delhi at a fortunate time, as Diwali was approaching. The city was adorned with vibrant markets, red, blue, and green lanterns, lamps, glass lanterns, and candles. People dressed in new clothes danced, sang, and celebrated joyfully. Various sweets, including Delhi’s famous laddus, were being sold. The writer saw temples, mosques, and even forts made of sweets in the sweet shops. Various dolls and toys were also on sale. Muslims were wholeheartedly enjoying the Hindu festival. The local Hindus performed Lakshmi Puja that day, similar to celebrations in Bengal. Women went to the Ganges at Nigambodh Ghat. They saw brightly adorned courtesans in the balcony of their houses in Chandni Chowk.
Then came the then Viceroy's court event in Agra, which was to be held at Agra Fort. The writer went to see it. This event was organized in imitation of the Mughal court. The court room was adorned with expensive canopies, curtains, glittering decorations, and soft Persian carpets. The writer compared the viceroy’s court to the ancient Hindu kings' Rajasuya Yajna. Here, native kings, nawabs, provincial British administrators, military and civil high officials, journalists, and intellectuals were invited. The kings of Jaipur, Scindia, Bharatpur, and the Begum of Bhopal were present. Thousands of people, elephants, horses, camels, buffaloes, and carriages gathered in the circular grounds. Numerous temporary food stalls were set up. A room that used to rent for twenty rupees a month now costs three hundred rupees. The rent for a room for a single day amounts to five rupees. It has also become difficult to obtain a carriage.
The arrival of Viceroy Lord John Lawrence was a sight to behold. The windows, balconies, and roofs of the houses on both sides of the street were filled with spectators. The police were managing the crowd, while the army was busy fulfilling its duties. The Governor-General arrived in Delhi by train. Crossing the boat bridge, he came to Agra on horseback. Lady Lawrence traveled to Agra by boat. The viceroy was saluted in military fashion from the walls of Agra Fort. Accompanied by a commander-in-chief on one side and a maharaja on the other, he entered the court area.
For seven days, a fair related to the court was held. Various dignitaries were knighted by the viceroy. He interacted with various kings. One evening, the Taj was beautifully illuminated. The night Taj, adorned with thousands of colorful lanterns and fountains, created a stunning, enchanting atmosphere. More than five thousand distinguished guests, dressed in bright, elegant attire, were present. The banks of the Yamuna were illuminated. For two or three miles along the river, the light reflected on the water made it seem as if the stars had cast their shadows on the sea. On November 20, 1866, the Viceroy’s court was held in Agra.
With this historical court visit concludes the travels of the writer Bholanuath Chunder and the two-volume book "The Travels of a Hindoo to Various Parts of Bengal and Upper India."
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