1835, Feb.—The residence of the Wuzeer close upon the Jumna, and without the walls of the Tāj, is a house now in ruins, with a large garden containing the tombs of the Wuzeer of Shāhjahān and of his family.

An Eastern writer says, “He rendered the field flourishing and fruitful: he passed through life with reputation and lustre; and when he sank into the grave, a cloud of sorrow obscured the face of the empire.”

THE JĀMMA MASJID,

Or great mosque, was built by Jahānārā, the favourite daughter of Shāhjahān and Arzamund Banoo. The princess Jahānārā (the Ornament of the World) was an unmarried lady, and devoted to religion. She is described as fourteen years of age when her father mounted the throne; sensible, lively, generous, elegant in person, and accomplished in mind. Her influence over her father was unbounded.

The Masjid is a fine mass of building of red carved granite; the court and fountains handsome. The three domes, with their peculiar adornments, are beautifully formed; they are inlaid with red granite and white marble. This immense masjid is very handsome: over the doors are Arabic characters in black and white marble, and the outside is ornamented with the same. Within it is ornamented with chūnā and white marble. The workmanship cost five lākh, and the time it took in building was five years. The stones and marbles were sent from different Dependents as presents to the princess. The masjid was much shaken forty years ago by an earthquake, which also did injury to the Tāj.

The Jāts from the Deccan, who were in Agra about ten years, despoiled this masjid: they were expelled by the Vukeel of the Delhi Padshah. There are three domes on the roof, and four burj at the corners. In the court of this mosque the sixtieth regiment of Native Infantry saw some fighting some thirty-three years since, and the old place certainly shows marks of hot work; however, they succeeded in taking it. From the top of this masjid you have a good view of the city of Agra, with Akbar’s tomb at Secundra in the distance. This princess also made the garden called “Bagh Zaarrai” on the opposite bank of the Jumna.

About one mile east of the city (of Delhi) is the tomb of the celebrated Jahānārā Begam, eldest daughter of the emperor Shāhjahān, no less famous for her wit, gallantry, and beauty, than for her filial attachment in undergoing a voluntary confinement of ten years with her father in the castle of Agra. The tomb is of fine white marble, with a hollow space at the top, which was formerly filled with earth and flowers. At the head of the grave is a tablet of white marble, with an inscription in black characters; the slab is decorated at its corners with cornelians of different colours.

In English thus:

On the margin,

From the Delhi Gate of the Fort of Agra, which is grand and solid, but sadly disfigured by fanciful patterns in whitewash, you come to the Tripolia, so called from its three gates, I imagine, but it may be three any thing else. A low arcade of stone runs all round the area, and forms the Fort Bazār. It is built of red granite.

The Mahookma Masjid beyond the wall is remarkable for its five domes; it was built by Jahāngeer, and is now used as a Company’s Godown (magazine of stores).

The Madrissa, a Muhammadan College, erected two years ago by the Government, is a handsome building.

THE MAUSOLEUM OF ETMAD-OD-DOULAH.

This tomb is situated on the opposite side of the Jumna: to arrive at it, you cross a bridge of boats. It is situated in a walled garden, to which there are four gateways of red granite ornamented with black and white marble. The building stands on a quadrangular terrace of white marble, on each side of which is a marble fountain. The tomb is of white marble inlaid with precious stones, and fretwork of the same material, both internally and externally. The roof is ornamented with four turrets and a sort of dome in the centre.

Chaja Aiass, a native of Tartary, of ancient family, was raised to the rank of absolute Wuzeer by Jahāngeer, under the title of Etmad-od-Doulah, after his marriage with his daughter, the beautiful Mher-ul-Nissa, the widow of Sher Afgan. The centre room in the tomb contains the sarcophagus of the Wuzeer and that of his wife, of yellow marble, carved. The walls of the room are of white marble, inlaid, the pavement of the same. The ceiling is a mass of the most curious, the most elaborate workmanship in gold and silver, and coloured flowers, raised in compartments. What labour must have been bestowed on such a ceiling! The effect is rich, curious, and fairy-like. In one of the four apartments at the side is the tomb of his son, in another that of his daughter. The pavement is very handsome, of coloured and white marbles and precious stones, lapis lazuli, bloodstone, agate, &c. The place is quickly going to decay, no care whatever being taken of it further than to prevent any persons carrying off the marbles. The name of Etmad-od-Doulah is revered to this day in India, both on account of his own merits, and his being celebrated as the parent of the “Sun of Women.”

THE CHEEN KE PADSHĀDĀNEE, KE MASJID,

Or the mosque of the Princess of China, is on the same side of the river as the tomb of the Wuzeer, situated to the left of the Bridge of Boats. It is built directly upon the river. The effect of the reflection of the brilliant porcelain enamel with which it is inlaid must have been most beautiful in the clear stream below. The building consisted of the tomb itself, on each side of which was a masjid, and beyond each masjid was a burj, as the natives call them, a pavilion or turret. These five buildings were all of the same brilliant enamel, like finely coloured porcelain—flowers in compartments, and Arabic inscriptions over the arched doorways. The interior was of the same work, mixed with much gold. As bits fall from the ceiling the natives melt them and sell the gold. Within the tomb are some sarcophagi which have been completely destroyed by the gardeners, who live within the tomb and tie their bullocks to the graves! When the sun shines on the outside of the building the remains of the porcelain dazzle the sight. The river flows by and washes the walls. A native boy offered to bring me some of his toys, bits of enamel which had fallen from the roof; but the father interposed, and rather angrily prevented his showing them; of course, on account of the value of the gold mixed up with the enamel. This place, they tell me, belongs to the Government, by whose order they say the ceilings have been sold to merchants in Agra, by which means the two mosques and the two burj have been quite destroyed. To whom this monument and mosque belonged I could not discover. “When he died and when the worms ate him I know not[128].”

The Rām Bagh, adjoining this tomb, is a fine native garden, laid out, by the Empress Noor-jahān, in stone walks, terraces, temples, pavilions, and a building in the centre, on the side of the river.

Invalids come here to reside for the benefit of their health; I sat down under the shade of the fine trees, and spent some of the hottest hours of mid-day, reading the history of the mighty dead, and pondering over the fallen greatness of former days. It was cool and pleasant, and the scene a gay one: the garden was filled with gaily-dressed Hindoos, who came to visit the place during the fair that is annually held near the spot; the fruit sells for about one thousand rupees a year.

The Syud Bagh, a garden next to it, although in ruins, is a much finer one than the Rām Bagh: the pavilions on the river-side are remarkably beautiful, of richly-carved red granite; it was laid out by—non mi ricordo.

19th.—My husband having arrived dāk, with great delight I accompanied him to visit the Fort, and displayed for his benefit all my recently-acquired knowledge.

SECUNDRA.

As the burial-place of Akbar Shāh, this is the most interesting spot near Agra; and I accepted an invitation to spend the day there with much pleasure. The tomb is on the Delhi road, about seven miles from Agra; we drove there in the early morning. It is situated in a fine piece of park-like ground, encompassed by a high wall, filled with noble trees and fountains,—a quadrangle of forty acres. To this enclosure there are four gateways; the principal gateway is of red granite, richly carved, inlaid with ornaments in white marble, with inscriptions in the Persian character in black marble. The form of the gateway is reckoned very fine, and likely to be durable. It is very lofty, and the roof is ornamented by four shattered white marble minarets, one at each angle, which are all broken off about the centre; this appears like the effect of time or storm, but I have some idea that they were left in this unfinished state, for some particular reason.

Having passed the gateway, you proceed to the mausoleum, a magnificent pile of red granite, erected by Jahāngeer in memory of his father; the design of the building is most remarkable, and consists of a series of terraces, rising one above the other, until finished by one of white marble; all the arches of which are filled with lattice-work of different patterns. The terraces are ornamented with numberless small turrets, of the most beautiful shape; their domes of white marble, with the exception of eight, which are covered with enamelled porcelain. The sketch annexed was taken by Luteef, a native artist at Agra; it merely gives the outline of the building.

THE SONAHLĀ MAHAL.

On entering the building, the first apartment into which you are conducted is the sonahlā mahal, or Chamber of Gold. The sides and ceiling of this vaulted room are in compartments, ornamented with flowers raised in gold, in silver, and enamel; Arabic characters, in gold, are raised upon a blue ground; and the ornaments are of different coloured stones, and enamelled tiles, richly gilt. This chamber is thirty-four feet and a half square; the conjectured height thirty feet. From this a low, vaulted, narrow passage leads to the vault containing the sarcophagus, in which is deposited the remains of the mighty Akbar, covered with a plain marble slab, over which a lamp is kept continually burning. The tomb is seen as represented by Luteef, of Agra, in his sketch of the golden chamber, but not quite so distinctly. The length of the passage is thirty-five paces; the square vault thirty-seven feet and a half. The building is of red granite, until you reach the upper or marble terrace, which is four stories high; in the inside of which is a beautiful court-yard, with an arcade running round it. The pavement is of white and coloured marble, inlaid; at each angle is a white marble turret, and the whole is surrounded by a screen of the most exquisitely carved fretwork in white marble. This terrace is entirely open to the winds and the sun, having no roof. The cenotaph in the centre is of white marble, beautifully carved in flowers; and inscribed in Persian characters are the “Now Nubbey Nām,” the ninety-nine names or attributes of the Deity, from the Kur’ān. “Verily there are ninety-nine names of God; whoever remembers them shall enter into Paradise.” At the head of the monument is inscribed “Allāhu Akbar!” carved in the Persian character; the whole is covered by a wretched chhappar or awning, which the old Muhammadan, who was in attendance, informed me was to protect the “words of God” from the rain; had he not told me this, I should have thought it was intended to protect the tomb from the weather.

A chiraghdānee (the place of a lamp), of white marble, finely carved, stands at the head of the grave. It is a tomb worthy of him who reposes beneath it. The unfortunate Emperors of Delhi! shadows of royalty! well may they look at the tomb of Akbar, and exclaim, “My dead are better than your living[129].”

The lower verandah of this building is immense; you may judge of its capacity, when I mention, it was once used as a barrack, and held a whole regiment of dragoons! Ten of the arches contain tombs; in one of them are two monuments of carved white marble; on the larger of the two is this inscription in Persian,—“This is the grave of Arām Banū.” The tomb of the infant daughter, Asalut Banū, is at the side, which is of plain, undecorated marble; on the top of it is a hollow space, which used to be filled with milk. The followers of the prophet make a difference in the architecture of a tomb for a man or woman: on the slab of a man’s tomb a portion is raised and finished with stone, on which there is often an inscription; the tomb of a woman is hollowed out at the top some few inches in depth, to receive earth, in which flowers are planted; and, for the water to run off, there is a small hole at the end. The first archway on the left contains the grave of Shuker Nisa Begam, another of the daughters of the Emperor; the pavement is inlaid, and the tomb of carved white marble. The second archway contains the tomb of Sultan Banū, in the same style as the former; the screens in front of the arches are of exquisite open-work in white marble.

The daughters of the Emperor were destined to remain single, there being no prince worthy of alliance with the family of Akbar. Jahāngeer married the Jodh Baee, the daughter of Rao Sing of Bikaner; she was the mother of Shāhjahān; her tomb is at Secundra. The natives call the garden Bihishtabād, or the Paradise. The Government keep this noble tomb in repair.

Our tents having been pitched under one of the fine trees in the garden, we partook of a most luxurious tiffin; and the wine, which was iced to perfection, proved very acceptable after the fatigues of the day.

In the cool of the evening we visited the tomb of Miriam Zumanee, one of the wives of Akbar: it is a large building of carved red granite, half a mile from the Emperor’s monument. The sarcophagus is below; the cenotaph, of plain white marble, above in the open air; and the structure is ornamented with turrets of red granite. The whole is rapidly falling to decay.

Driving to Secundra, I observed two of the Kos Minār, which were erected by Akbar, at a distance of every two miles on the road from Agra to Delhi; one of them was in a very perfect state of preservation. As they will be mentioned hereafter, I will close this account of a pleasant day in the East.