1896. ] W. Irvine— Later Mughals (1707-1803). 167 
Kunwar, who was looking out of the latticed window in the Saman 
Burj (or bastion) of the palace, sent for one of these men and asked 
him ‘What have you given for this grain?’ He replied ‘ Five or six 
rupees.’ She exclaimed, ‘Praise be to God! things are still so 
cheap! Please the Lord Most High, I will bring the rate to five or 
six sirs for that amount of money.’ From this may be judged what 
ideas prevailed in other State affairs. Another day Jahandar Shah 
and Lal Kunwar were on the roof of the palace, watching what was 
going on upon the river. A boat full of men crossed over. The 
favourite said ‘I have never seen a boat-load of men go down.’ A hint 
was enough. Boatmen were ordered out with a boat-load of passengers, 
and the favourite’s wish to see the wretched drowning people strug- 
gling in the water was at once gratified. ! 
During these months the fiddlers and drummers, who were Lal 
Kunwar’s brothers and relations, swaggered through the streets, .com- 
mitting every sort of outrage. al:Kunwar was dignified with the 
title of Imtiyaz Mahal, Chosen of the Palace, and immense treasures, the 
spoils from ‘Azimu-sh-shan’s and Jahan Shah’s camps, were made over 
to her. Her whole family was ennobled, father, brothers, and brothers- 
in-law. Her middle brother was the most oppressive of all to the 
people. All the brothers were granted the nawbat, or the right to play. 
music at stated intervals, and the use of kettle-drums when on the 
march. Their titles were Ni‘mat Khan, Namdar Khan, and Khanahzad 
Khan. Some of the finest confiscated mansions in the city were given 
to them, and as Kamwar Khan says, ‘ the owl dwelt in the eagle’s nest, 
and the crow took the place of the nightingale.’? 
To this period belongs the story of Ni‘mat Khan Kalawant’s?® 
‘appointment to the s#bah of Multan. The emperor signified his pleasure 
to the wazir, but there was an unaccountable delay in the issue of the 
usual patent. The nominee at length presented himself to Za-l-figar 
Khan and made enquiry. The~wazir replied, with all gravity, that it 
was a well-known rule of every public office to issue no patent without 
a fee incash. As he wished to be obliging, he would not ask for cash, 
but since he had need of them, would take instead one thousand 
guitars.* The stupid fellow, not seeing the ironical nature of this reply, 
1 Khishhal Cand, 390 6. As to the drowning, Kam Raj, Ibratnamah, 46 b, says 
that Zu-l-figar Khan forbade it. The same story is told of Fazl ‘Ali Khan, ‘ail of 
Ghazipur, Oldham, I, 93. 
2 Kamwar Khan, 119; Yahya Khan, 119 a. 
3 Kalawant—These are the male members of the professional singer class; the 
women sing and dance, the men play the accompaniments. 
4 Tanbur. a long-necked guitar, see figure on plate opposite p. 114 of @huncah-i- 
Rag, (Naval Kishor Press, Lakhnau, 1863). 
