ADMISSION IN SHAHJAHAN’S OWN BADSHAHNAMA

[yogesh saxena]

ADMISSION IN SHAHJAHAN’S OWN BADSHAHNAMA

A CLEAR, unequivocal and disarming admission that the Taj Mahal is a
Hindu palace commandeered for use as a Muslim tomb is contained in
Shahjahan’s own court chronicle written by a paid courtier named Mulla
Hamid Lahori.

In Elliot and Dowson we are told, “Badshahnama of Abdul Hamid Lahori
is a history of the first twenty years of the reign of Shahjahan….
Abdul Hamid himself says in his preface, that the Emperor desired to
find an author who could write the memories of his reign in the style
of Abdul Fazl’s I Akbarnama. He was recommended to the Emperor for the
work, and was called from Patna, where he was living in retirement, to
undertake the composition.” From this passage it is clear that Mulla
Abdul Hamid Lahori wrote the Badshahnama (in Persian) as an official
chronicle at Emperor Shahjahan’s own command. The Persian text in its
original from is published by the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Reproduced elsewhere in this book are pages 403 and 403 of Vol. 1 of
this Badshahnama.

There are 22 lines on page 402 and 19 on 403. We have numbered them
serially so that those who cannot read the

1. P. 3 The History of India as Told by its Own Historians. Vol. VII,
The Posthumous Paper of the late Sir H. M. Elliot, K. C. B. edited by
Professor John Dowson, M. R. A. S., published by Kitab Mahal (Private)
Ltd. 56-A Zero Road, Allahabad.

2. Persian text of Mulla Abdul Hamid’s Badshahnama, in two volumes,
published by the Asiatic Society of Bengal in the Bibliotheca Indian
series. I obtained the Photostat from the copy in the National
Archives, Government of India, in December 1965. Copies of that
publication are available in all-important institutional libraries
throughout the world, dealing with Indian Mediaeval history.


Persian script may follow the line-by-line transcript in the Roman
script and later the line-by-line rendering in English.

A TRANSCRIPT OF THE PERSIAN PASSAGE IN ROMAN CHARACTERS (PAGE 402)

1. Har do ra az ham huda mee sakht wa hamin zorhae’ beja beemar shudah

2. Pas az chande dar zindagi e pidar sipare shud, saabiqa chun Fateh
Khan

3. Pisare Ambar ba wa seelae Yaminuddoulah Asif Khan arzah dasht
mehtawe bar

4. Dowlat khwahi wa hawa jooee firistadah maarooz dashta bood keh ein

5. Khidmatguzar ikhlas shiaar benizammra keh az kotah bini wa shaqawat

6. Guzeenee bad sagaali wa mukhalifate awliya-e-dowlat-e-abad meeaad
mee namood

7. Muqavyad sakhteh ummidwari-I marahmi-I badshahi ast, wa dar jawabe
aan farman

8. Qazah jiriyan (sic) izze sudoor yafteh bawad keh agar guftar-e-oo
farooghe rastee darad

9. Jahan ra az aalaaishe wajoode besawaad-e-oo pak gardaanad chun
Fateh Khan

10. Baad az waroode hukme jahan-mutah burhane-be-nizam bad farjam ra
khufah namoodeh

11. Shoarat daad keh ba ajalle tabeeyee dar guzasht, wa Hussein nam
pisare Darsalae

12. Oora janashin-e-aan badaayeengurdaa need. Wa arzh dashtee mebnee
az

13. Haqiqat-e-ein waqueh ba dast-e-Muhammad Ibrahim keh az nowkarane
moatamade oo

14. Bood, ba dargahe salateen panah firistad misalelazimul imtisal
sabir shud keh

15. Lqbale ra ke ba daroone hisare Dowlatabaad burdeh az quillat-e-
azzooqah (supplies) zaayai khwahand

16. Shud aan ra ba nafais jawahar wa murasseh alat-e-be-nizam hamrahe-
pisare

17. Kalane Khood ba rasme peshkash usaal numayad ta multimassate oo,
izze qubul yadab

18. Wa ba nanshoore nawazish kahpoh murassah wa da yake Iraqui ba Zin-
tila’

19. Deeagare Turkee rah waar ba zin-e-mutalaa’ mashoobe Shukrullah
Arab wa Fateh Khan

20. Ba Dow latabaad farishtadand. Oodajiram ba benam-e-chihal hazar
roopiah sarfaraz gardeedeh

21. Rooze-juma’ hafdahum Jamadil awal naashe muqaddase musafire
aqleeme

22. Tareeqae hazarat mehd alia Mumtazuzzamaneera keh ba tareeqae a
amaanat mudafoon

(PAGE 403):

23. Bood masahoobe Badshehzadae namadaar Muhammad Shah Shuja Bahadur a
Wazir Khan.

24. Wa Sati (sic) Unnisa Khanum keh ba mijaz shanasi wa kaardaanee ba
darise aolaee pesh

25. Dastee we waqaalat elaan Maalike Jahan malikae Jahaaniyaan raseeh
bood, rawane-e

26. Darul khalafae Akbarabad namoodand wahukm shud keh har roz dar rah
aash e bisiyar

27. Wa darahim wa dananeere be shumar ba fuqra wa nayazmadaan
bibihand, wa zamine dar

28. Nihayat rifaat wa nizaahat keh junoobrooe aan misr jaana astwa

29. Peah az ein Manzil-e Rajah Mansigh bood wadaree waqt ba Rajah
Jaisingh

30. Nabirae talluq dasht bara-e-madfan e ann bashist muwaattan bar
guzeedand

31. Agarcheh Raja Jaisingh husule ein dawlatra foze azeem danishtanmab

32. Az rooe ahatiyaat keh dar jameeye shewan khususan umoore diniyeh
naguzir ast

33. Dar awaz aan aali manzil-e az khalisa e sharfah badoo marahmat
farmoodand

34. Baad az raisdane naash be aan shahar-e karamat bahar panz dahun
Jamadi Ussanieh

35. Sale aayandane paikare nooranee-e ba aan aamaanee jowhar ba khake
pak sipurdeh aamad

36. Wa mutasaddiyan-e darul khilafah ba hukme muallae ajaalatul waqt
turbat-e-falak martabate

37. Aan jahan iffatra az nazar poshidand. wa Imaarate-e-aalee shaan wa
gumbaze

38. Rafi bunyan keh ta rastakheez dar balandee yadgare himmate gardoon
rifaat

39. Hazrate Sahib Qarah-e-saani bashed wa dar ustuwaree namoodare
istigamat

40. Azayam banee tarah afganddand wa muhandisane doorbeen wa meamaran-
e-saanat

41. Aafreen chihal lakh roopiahi akharajate ein imaarat bar aawurd
anmoodand


HEREUNDER IS THE LINE-BY-LINEENGLISH RENDERING (PAGE 402)

1. Both were separated from one another and with those unjust
atrocities fell ill

2. After some time during his father’s time (he) passed away. Prior to
this since Fatehkhan

3. Son of Ambar through Yaminuddaulah Asafkhan had submitted a
petition

4. Declaring his allegiance and loyalty and praying that this

5. Loyal servant full of sincerity requests that because the
shortsightedness and cruelty

6. Ill will and opposition of the royal official came into play.

7. And putting me under rigorous imprisonment – and I hope to receive
Royal mercy and in validity of that death-inflicting

8. Royal order…. has had the honour of being issued and if that
statement has any truth in it

9. Then this world should be relieved of the existence of such a
person since Fatehkhan

10. After reciving the royal order – obeyed by the world – be advanced
arguments and excuses for his bad administration

11. And publicised it to appear as a natural death Hussain named son
of Darsaleh was…

12. Made successor illegally and a petition far from the

13. Reality of this event (was) sent through Mohammad Ibrahim – one of
his trusted employees

14. And the court of the Protector of Kings – issued an order which
had to be strictly complied with

15. That the confessor be taken inside Daulatabad fort and starves to
death

16. And he with all the splendour and glory and fanfare accompanied by
his son

17. Eldest (son) as per tradition be given a send off, so that his
requests were accepted

18. And equipped with the gracious charter (order) and with two horses
– one Iraqui with golden saddle

19. The other – Turkish with an ornamental golden saddle through
Shukurullah Arab and Fatehkhan

20. Were sent to Daulatabad – and Udajahan was honoured with a reward
of 40,000 rupees –

21. Friday – 15th jamadi-ul-awwal the sacred dead body of the
traveller to the kingdom of heaven, Her

22. Holiness, hazrat Mumtazul Zamani – who was buried temporarily, was
sent –


(PAGE 403)

23. Accompanied by prince Mohammad Shah Shuja Bahadur, Wazir Khan –

24. And Satium Nisa Khanam – who knew the temperament of the
(deceased) so intimately

25. And was well versed in the job and represented the views of the
queen of queens etc.

26. Was brought to the capital Akbarabad (Agra) and an order was
issued that very day

27. During the journey countless coins be distributed among the fakirs
and needy, The site

28. Covered with a majestic magnificent lush garden, to the south of
the great city and

29. Amidst which (garden) the building known as the palace (Manzil) of
Raja Mansingh, at present owned by Raja Jaisingh,

30. Grandson (of Mansingh), was selected for the burial of the Queen
whose abode is in heaven

31. Although Raja Jaisingh valued it greatly as his ancestral heritage
and property, yet he would have been agreeable to part with it gratis
for the Emperor Shahjahan

32. (Still) out of sheer scrupulousness so essential in matter of
bereavement and religious (thinking it improper to take his palace
gratis)

33. in exchange of that (aali Manzil) grand palace, he (Jaisingh) was
granted a piece of government land

34. After the arrival of the dead body in that great city (Agra) on
15th Jamadul Saniya

35. Next year that illustrious body of the heavenly Queen was laid to
rest

36. The officials of the capital, according to the royal order of the
day, under the sky-high lofty mausoleum

37. Hid (the body of) that pious lady from the eyes of the world, and
this Palace (Imarat-e-Aalishan) so majestic and (capped) with a dome

38. So lofty that in its stature (it) is a memorial to the courage of
sky-dimensions

39. (of) Sahib Qarani SANI – (the king) and in strength so might

40. In his resolution so firm – the foundation was laid and
geometricians with far sight and archietects of talent

41. Incurred an expenditure of Rs. 40 lakhs on this building


“I reached (Akbarabad, i.e. Agra) on Thursday, 3rd of Moharam Mukram.
On arrival I called on Badshahzada Jahanbani (i.e. the elder Prince
Dara) in the garden of Jahanara. In that splendourous house surrounded
by springing verdure I enjoyed their company and inquired about
everybody’s well-being. I stayed in the garden of Mahabat Khan.

“Next day it being a Friday. I went to pay my homage to the sacred
grave which had been laid in Your Majesty’s presence. Those (i.e.
cenotaph, grave etc.) are in good shape, strong and solid but the dome
over the grave leaks at two or three places during the rainy – season
on the northern side. Similarly several royal rooms on the second
storey, and jamposh of the bigger dome have all asborbed water through
seepage and drip water during the current monsoon season at several
places. All these I have got temporarily repaired.

“But I wonder what will happen to the various domes, the mosque, the
community hall, etc. during subsequent rainy seasons. They all need
more elaborate repairs. I feel that the second storey roof needs to be
opened up and re-dome with mortar, brick and stone. Repairs to the
smaller and bigger domes would save these palatial building from
decadence. It is hoped that Your Majesty will look into the matter and
order necessary action.

“The Mehtab garden is innundated and looks desolate. Its scenic beauty
will reappear only when the floods recede.

That the rear portion of the building complex remains safe is a
mistery. The stream keeping away from the rear wall has prevented
damage.

“On Saturday too I visited the spot and then I called on the Prince
(Dara) who also paid me a return visit. Then taking leave of all I
resumed my journey (to take charge as governor of the Deccan) on
Sunday and today the 8th instant I am in the vicinity of Dholpur….”

Taj Mahal was erected over the mortal remains of the emperor Shah
Jahan’s most favorite wife Arjumand Banu Begam entitled Mumtazu-z-
Zamani or Mumtaz Mahal. She died at Burhanpur (Madhya Pradesh) on 17th
Zil Qudo 1040 AH (17th June 1631 AD). Her mortal remains were
transferred from Burhanpur on 17th Jumada I 1041 AH (11th December
1631 AD) which reached Agra on 15th Jumada II 1041 AH (8th January
1632 AD). The remains were buried in the mortuary chamber. Later,
mortal remains of Shah Jahan were also buried by the side of her
deceased wife in the year 1076 AH (1666 AD).

Ustad Ahmed Lahori was the main architect of the Taj Mahal.
Construction took place under the supervision of Makarmat Khan and Mir
Abdul Karim, the dome was built by Ismail Khan of Turkey, inscriptions
executed by Abdul-haq entitled Amanat Khan of Shiraz.

The Taj Mahal complex is about 800m in north-south axis and 300m in
east-west axis in dimensions. There are several inscriptions in Taj
Mahal, which are helpful in setting chronology of Taj Mahal.

The riverside wall of Taj Mahal is built of red sandstone and 300m in
length and 9.67m in height. Lower part of the wall is plain with
veneering of red sandstone slabs, whereas upper part of the wall is
adirned with arched panels. The panels are carved with beautiful
flowerpot and floral motifs in high relief. The frames of these arches
inlayed with marble and upper corner of the panels are embellished
with projecting marble lotus medallions. The wall is pierced with two
doorways at the eastern and western end towards river.

The plain slabs of the lower sidewall are engraved on the wall viz.
mason marks, mosan names and composition of both. Mosan names are in
profusion followed by mosan marks and composition of both
respectively.

Mosan marks have more than 16 different types which are arranged in
the order of frequency: swastik, star, hook like mark, triangle,
domaru shaped mark, flower, intersecting triangles, trident, three
conjoined fish, ball with s-shaped letter inside, four square, fish,
good, arrow, axe, geometrical flower etc.

The mason names are mostly written in nagari character but the number
of names in Persian is also not rare. Besides these names, an
inscription is written in Arabic/Persian with year at the right side
of the door towards western side.

The mason names are prefixed/suffixed/based/topped with variety of
marks like star, swastik, axe etc. some of the marks are in negative
from which may have been taken by impression of it in positive form.

Some of the mason names/composition of name with mark are as follows
(number of frequency is written in bracket): Magha (22), Gaga (21),
name/numerals in Arabic/Persian (20), Ranayad (19), Pahurath (16),
Sabal (14), Haridas (13), Hamhar (12), Bhagvan (11), Ramdas (10),
Nathu (9), Paraoram (8), Kasee (8), Mohananavath (7), Lapra )7), Hara
(7), Nagha (5), Satra (5), Kesenveska (5), Hanee (4), Ghanamahasa (4),
Ghanamal (4), Heera (4), Mahal (4), Mahan (4), Jahahalaval (3),
Bhagavan---(3), Namayavee (3), Nanaghan (3), Kalanu (3), Nahan (3),
Bhag-(3), Jamal (2), Manar (2), Penokomopalu (2), Pagag (2),
Nathanvath (2), Makalap (2), Hanu (2), Shamada (2), Nakhanltagari (2),
Pal (2), Kamaphal (2), Nathahalaval (2), Ramaree (2), Mapahal (2),
Kasama-(2) Panamadamah(2), Alam (2), Jaghavalahalu (2), Kalam (2),
Bhavar (2), Rovo (2), and Mahan (2).

These marks are visualized in horizontal, vertical, oblique and
inverted forms. The marks are engraved by the masons (stone-cutters)
who dressed stones but placed as per requirement by other laborers,
involved in construction work.

There is some commonness in mason marks of the other Mughal monuments
of Agra. It shows that these may belong to a common guild people under
which they were working for construction of various Mughal monuments.

These marks 671 in number are documented from east to west and
presented here in tabulated form mentioning mark number, actual mark,
its transliteration and remarks. Some important mason marks are
illustrated here with a scale. Each mark is plotted in the drawings
enclosed hereunder.

THE DETAILED DOCUMENTATION OF MASON MARKS ON RIVERSIDE WALL OF TAJ
MAHAL

There are the impressions of the mention mark indicating the remarks
of Transliteration.

Six pronged star Mark,
Name suffixed with a mark,
Mason name,
Swastik mark,
Name with a mark at the center base,
Mason name prefixed with axe mark,
Mason Mark like blade of battle-axe,
Mason name prefixed with trident like mark,
Mark,
Four square mark,
Three conjoined fish mark,
Name topped with mark,
Four pronged star mark,
Trident mark,
Mason name suffixed with a mark,
Illegible mason name suffixed with star mark
Five pronged star mark,
Mason name topped with star mark,
Mason name prefixed with star mark,
Mason name with a mark at the center base,
Some letters are illegible,
Composite Triangular mark,
Mason name, last four letters are illegible
Mason name prefixed with axe mark written with the help of impression
in positive,
Mason name prefixed with Swastik like mark,
Illegible two letters of Mason name,
Mason name and star mark,
Five pronged star mark with illegible mason name,
Mason name suffixed with Swastik like mark,
Mason name suffixed with star mark,
Digit in Persian? Suffixed with Mason name,
Illegible two letters,
Triangular marks,
Illegible mason name prefixed with five pronged star mark,
Drum like mark,
Ball like mark with shaped mark inside,
Good mark,
Mason name prefixed with trident mark. Written with the help of
impression of the name in positive form,
Cross like mark,
Mason name with wine-pot like mark at the bottom,
Numeral,
Mason name with trident like mark perpendicular to the name at the
end,
Mason name with mark at the center of the base,
Flower like mark with four petals,
Mason name with two arrow marks facing each other in between,
Partial Illeggible six lettered mason name with a star mark at the
starting of the base,
Damaru like mark,
Un-deciphered mason like,
Mason name with Ra letter at the top,
Three mason names at a place,
Mason name suffixed with inverted s-shaped mark,
Mason name in Persian with date and some legend,