The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
(Continued from the last part)
Afterwards, Bardakanta Sengupta, along with his companion Mr. S--, departed from Agra towards Bharatpur on the Rajputana and Malwa State Railway. Upon reaching Bharatpur, the author rented a room and a cot at a large sarai (inn). An employee of the Maharaja of Bharatpur came to collect their personal details, including names, addresses, whether they carried any weapons, or if they had anything to sell. Afterward, they had dinner with 5-paisa luchis. As they traveled further west, the price of luchis continued to decrease. In the morning, they took a one-horse carriage to see the Bharatpur Fort. Numerous peacocks and peahens were perched on the large trees along the roadside. The fort was surrounded by a ditch or moat, followed by a mud wall, then a moat, and finally a thick stone wall. Countless turtles could be seen in the moat. Crossing the bridge over the moat led them to the massive fort gate. The British had repeatedly failed to capture the fort, and it was known to be impregnable. However, seeing the dilapidated state of the fort inside, the author was disheartened. They also saw the Maharaja’s palace, which was in relatively better condition.
Next, they traveled by train to Jaipur, where they saw the mountainous terrain of Rajputana. Jaipur was a walled city with a fort. The gatekeepers checked them before letting them in. On both sides of the cobbled streets, beautiful houses were uniformly constructed and painted. A Bengali gentleman greeted them warmly. The author visited Jaipur’s English College, Sanskrit College, Art School, and monuments. The next day, they saw the Raj Bhavan (Palace) with its durbar hall, Hawa Mahal, Yagashala, and Chandramahal. Like in Kashi, there was an astrology temple here. Maharaja Sawai Man Singh had spent a large sum to bring Italian artisans to construct an extraordinary theater. The following day, they visited Jaipur’s market, the Residency, and the Ram Nivas Garden, which was established by Maharaja Ramsingh Bahadur. The Ram Nivas Garden was even more beautiful than Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Near the garden, there was a statue of the former Governor General Lord Mayor. On one side of it was a section with a collection of various animals. They also visited the museum, which, although not as large as Kolkata’s, housed many items. Later, they visited the temples of Madan Mohanji, Govindji, Gopinathji, Ramchandraji, and Gokulnathji. Among the independent kingdoms in India, there was hardly any city as beautiful as Jaipur. Maharaja Ramsingh had enriched Jaipur by introducing water taps and gas lights.
The author and his companion then traveled by train to Ajmer. On the way, they noticed that Ajmer was even more mountainous. They stayed at the house of a native Bengali gentleman. Ajmer was a fortified city, and the moat on the eastern side still remained. There were five gates: Delhi, Agra, Madar, Ushri, and Tripoli. At the northern edge of the city, there was a lake called Ana Sagar, which was excavated by Maharaja Ana. On its banks, the Diwan-i-Khas (Council Hall) of Emperor Shah Jahan lay in ruins. At the southwest edge of Ajmer stood Taragarh, a fort atop a high mountain, also known as Ajay Fort, built by the Chauhan ruler Ajay Pal. This area, being considered healthy, had been turned into a resting place for sick European soldiers. On the upper part of Taragarh, there was a tomb built by Akbar's nobleman, Jabbar Khan, for Miran Hussain. The view from the top was very picturesque.
From Ajmer, they visited the remarkable architectural site of Adhai Din Ka Jhopra, a house with intricate carvings, though the roof was almost gone. Despite that, it was considered an important example of Indian architecture. It was either built by a rich man in two and a half days or constructed from his earnings during that time. They also visited the tomb of Khwaja Sahib (Moinuddin Chishti). Upon entering the dargah (tomb complex), they saw two large drums in the Naubatkhana (music hall). Emperor Akbar had presented them to honor Khwaja Sahib. Afterward, they visited the stone mosque built by Shah Jahan. There were graves of Khwaja Sahib and his wife, daughter Hafiz Zaman, Chimni Begum, and one of Shah Jahan's unmarried daughters. Some people say there is a Shiva statue hidden in a secluded part of the dargah. Afterward, the companion of the author was taken home by his family, and the author was left alone. In Ajmer, the author visited a defunct lead mine. The mine’s entrance was locked because, some time ago, a visitor who ventured inside was killed by a tiger that had been living there in hiding. Armed with a lantern, the author and two companions went inside. It was very dark, and the echo of their voices resonated. There were many water streams inside. In the darkness, hearing the echoes, the author’s fear of tigers led him to turn back without going any deeper.
One day, the author went to see Old Ajmer, whose ancient name was Indrakot. The fort in the valley west of Taragarh was in ruins, with only a broken temple remaining. Occasionally, the author went hunting in the mountains of Ajmer. Emperor Jahangir had built a beautiful garden in Ajmer named Daulatabad, where he used to stay. It remains a charming location to this day. Then, the author traveled 14 miles from Ajmer to watch the horse races at Nasibabad.
Next, the author traveled by train to Delhi and stayed at a Bengali’s house, where it was the time for Durga Puja. The puja was being held at the only Bengali-established Kali Mandir. There, the Bengalis gathered, and the author witnessed a performance of a baiji's song.
In Delhi, the author visited various places: Purana Qila (Old Fort), Sher Manzil, Lal Bangla, Arabi Sarai, Nizamuddin’s tomb, Neel Bhuj, Makbara Khān Khanna, Chausat Khamba, the well near Nizamuddin’s tomb, the tomb of Khusro, Mirza Jahangir's tomb, the tomb of Jahanara Begum, and Mohammad Sahar’s tomb. Some additional information from the writings of Bholanath Chandra that was not included in the original text is as follows:
- Lal Bangla: Located near Purana Qila, this site has two tombs made of red stone. The larger one was built by Emperor Humayun for one of his wives. The other one belongs to Queen Lal Kaur, wife of Emperor Shah Alam. The name "Lal Bangla" is derived from her name. However, according to Wikipedia, there is some debate about who these tombs actually belong to.
- Arabi Sarai: Near Purana Qila, it is believed to have been built by Haji Begum, Humayun's wife, for Arab Mullahs or possibly as a residence for them. There are two beautiful gates.
- Neel Bhuj: Located near Arabi Sarai, this is a tomb built by a Pathan emperor for a Syed’s tomb. It was once painted blue, but now only traces remain.
- 64 Khamba: This white stone building, which had 64 pillars, is the tomb of Mirza Aziz Baqultugh Khan, son of Ataga Khan, a distinguished member of Akbar’s court. It features white stone latticework.
The author also visited other parts of Old Delhi, such as the Iron Pillar, Lal Kot, Kila-Rai Pithra, Bhoot Khana, Qutub-ul-Ilm Mosque, Qutubuddin’s grave, Qutub Minar, Altamash's tomb, Alai Darwaza, Yogmaya Temple, Metcalfe Hall, Mohammadabad, Tughlaqabad, Jehanpanna, Roushan Chirag, and other historical sites related to the Sultanate and Mughal periods.
In modern Delhi, the author visited various places, including the Red Fort (Lal Qila), Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid, Delhi Museum, Queens’ Garden, Shalimar Bagh, Kumari Masjid, Rasnara Begum’s tomb, and Salimgarh Fort.
Additionally, the author mentions Kashmir Darwaza and Laddlo Castle, associated with the memories of the Sepoy Rebellion. At Delhi Museum, the author saw statues of Jaymal and Putteh, along with other items that were once in the Diwan-i-Khas of the Red Fort. These were later moved to the Delhi Institute, and nearby, there was a broken elephant statue representing Jaymal’s mount.
Like Bholanath Chandra, Bardakanta Sengupta also discusses the Sepoy Rebellion in detail in this book, but since it is not related to the travelogue, it is not included here.
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