Storia do Mogor : or, Mogul India, 1653-1708 / by Niccolao Manucci, Venetian ; tr., with introduction and notes, by William Irvine.

Storia do Mogor, or, Mogul India, 1653-1708 / by Niccolao Manucci, Venetian ; tr., with introduction and notes, by William Irvine.

  • Manucci, Niccolò, 1639-approximately 1717.
Date:
1907-08
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Storia do Mogor, or, Mogul India, 1653-1708 / by Niccolao Manucci, Venetian ; tr., with introduction and notes, by William Irvine. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    477/512 (page 355)
    BARA BROUGHT TO DIRLI alongside the prince’s, while all his cavalry rode with arrows ready in their bows. Thus the afflicted prince rode through the main streets on the twenty-second of October, one thousand six hundred and fifty-seven (correctly, 1659), his feet bound but his hands free, with a dejected face, as if he already saw drawing near his last day of life. When within sight of the fortress a poor faqlr shouted to him : ‘ O Darà ! when you were master you always gave me alms ; to-day I know well thou hast naught to give me.’ The prince at once raised his hand to his shoulder, drew off the dark, dingy-coloured shawl that served him as a cloak and threw it to the faqlr. But Bahadur Khan, who was close by, ordered it to be taken away, saying that a prisoner had no right to bestow anything. Then the irateuttered a thousand abusive words against Jlwan Khan, who was present. In this way they arrived opposite the royal palace, where the prince was forced to halt for two hours, made a mark for the eyes of everybody, sitting on a little elephant badly equipped, subject to the heat of the midday sun, and ill-clad —a melancholy spectacle, creating compassion in all those who saw him. For in such brief space was this prince, so mighty, so rich, so famous, so powerful, reduced to the last stages of misery. There stood the poor prince awaiting the sentence to be passed upon him ; and Aurangzeb, to still further affront him, wanted to send an order for him to descend from his elephant and come into the presence on foot, just as he was, in chains. But Shaistah Khan counselled him that it was not wise to act thus, for many reasons. He was carried outside the city to a garden called Gecederabad (Khizràbàd), which lies on the bank of the Jamnah. It had been planted by Shàhjahàn for his repose when he went out to the chase.^ A lying order was given that after a few days [256] it was intended to forward him (Darà) to the fortress of Gwàliyàr. This was said solely in deference to the grief of the common people. Aurangzeb had recourse to a pretext to discover the wishes of those faithful to Prince Dàrà. This was by taking 1 Darà Sliukoh was imprisoned in Khawaspurah at K[iizràbàd (see Khafi Klian. ii. 86, and ' ‘Alamgirnamah,’ p. 431). 23—2