Classic Poem

Great was the splendour and beauty of Delhi;
On all sides magnificent its buildings;
Splendid the Bazaars within the City;
Every luxury was there procurable:
From great canals were streams to every house;
Its market covered not less than near an acre.
Of the Monarch's Audience Hall what shall I say?
For his sleeping-room was such that my mind was quite astounded.
When Shahjehan held open audience of his subjects,
In his Durbar were the Seventy-two peoples represented.
Had it but the breezes of Irak and Khorassan,
Jealous, indeed, would Paradise have been of Delhi's rivalry.
That glory which Shahjehan gave to Delhi,
When had any other Sovereign bestowed on it such glory?
The foundations of Delhi, from whose hands they were,
Time after time, too, who exercised Sovereignty in it,
Each one will I now by name relate to you,
According to what his nature and his character was.
The Chohans first laid Delhi's foundations:
Three hundred years did they reign over it;
The first Mahommedan King of Delhi was Mauzuddeen,
Whose stay in Delhi was but for one year,
When Delhi he took from Pathora,
Great the trouble that this labour cost him;
When Pathora's head he severed from his body,
Five hundred and eighty were the years of the Hijra.
Then after him came Kootubuddeen, his slave,
Whom in Hind he had left as his Viceroy.
After him came Shamsuddeen, who was his son,
Famed was he for justice amongst his people.
After him came Feroze Shah, son of Shamsuddeen,
Whose equal in liberality was not found in Hindustan.
After him came Razi, daughter of Shamsuddeen,
And happy with her were soldiers and subjects all alike.
After her came Mauzuddeen, son of Shamsuddeen;
Great was ever the fear his enemies had of him.
After him came Nasruddeen, son of Shamsuddeen,
Who was famed for his humanity and kindness.
Then was Alauddeen, the grandson of Feroze Shah;
Great his character for justice and devoutness.
Again the Sultan Jelalooddeen ascended the throne,
Who by descent was of the country of the Ghilzais.
After him was Kootubuddeen, son of Alauddeen;
Devoted to folly and luxury was he.
After him came Tughlak Shah, greatest of all;
Nurtured had he been by the Ghiljie rulers.
After him came Sultan Mohammed Shah, son of Tughlak Shah,
In whose times the peoples dwelt in ease.
Then Sultan Mohammed Shah, son of Feroze Shah.
Who seized the Kingdom from his brother.
Then the Sultan Ghayasuddeen, son of Feroze Shah,
Who ascended the throne in the lifetime of his father.
After him came Secunder Shah, son of Mohammed Shah,
Who remained on the throne but a month and a half.
Then his brother Nasruddeen ascended the throne,
Great need had he of hardy warriors.
After him upon Hind burst Timur Shah,
To Khizr Khan he gave the Sovereignty.
After him was Sultan Mubarik Shah, son of Khizr Khan,
Whose sanctity was apparent from his brow.
After him Sultan Mohammed Shah, who was his nephew;
During his reign Pathans were held in honour.
Then the Sultan Alauddeen, who was his son;
All whose time was spent amongst his women.
Then Bheilole Lodi became the King of Delhi,
Who remained on the throne for twenty-nine years.
After him Secunder, Bheilole Lodi's son,
Whose practice was in accordance with the faith.
After him came his son Ibrahim,
Who fought with Baber at Panipat.
After him was Baber King of Delhi,
Who was indebted to the Pathans for his place.
After him Humaun, Baber's son,
Whose armies and wealth were without bounds.
After him Shah Alam, son of Hassan Soor;
Defeated at his hands was Humaun.
After him Islam Shah, son of Shah Allum,
Whose daring was even greater than that of his fathers.
After him came Adil Shah, who was his cousin;
Disgraced were the Pathans during his reign.
After him came Akbar, son of Humaun,
Whom victory accompanied wherever he went.
After him Jehangir, son of Akbar,
During whose reign Hind was like Paradise.
Now the King is Shahjehan, son of Jehangir,
Who had been formerly in Balkh and Badakshan.
I Khush-hal have narrated this, yet I am no Poet.
Employed in it I tried what I could do:
Had I art of Poetry and verses,
Many are the praises of my Emperor I should have sung.
When through Hind I wandered, then to myself I said,
“It is long I have been thinking of this history in my mind.”
If of this story the date you ask of me,
Hear by all account it is the year of Kurshat.
This poem I began at midday prayer,
And by evening prayer it had been completed.