ADMISSION IN SHAHJAHAN’S OWN BADSHAHNAMA

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,