1834.] by Munshi Mohun Lai. 15 



ordered to assist in the building of Takht Safar. He also published a 

 poem aud applied it on every gate, that the passengers should read it. 



[All who have been trespassing in the pleasures of wine and beauty, by Mirza's 

 command must add a stone to the takht -safar.'] 



To the N. E. of the city stand the two very grand ruins separated by 



the stream Anjir. 



Sultan Hosain Mirza leaves his name by building a stately col- 

 lege, which is all levelled to the ground. Two arches and four minars 

 have still a grand appearance, and are separated into two equal parts by 

 the above stream. The arch and the two minars which are situate on 

 the right bank of the water are in the vicinity of the grave of Sultan 

 Hosain, who is remembered with great respect and honor. He reigned 

 in 1500, A. D. The head master of the college was the famous poet 

 named Jami, whose works are very interesting indeed. 



On the left bank of the stream rests the body of Goher Shad, the 

 daughter of Amir Timur, and the sister of Shah Rukh. The grave 

 is shaded by a very high gilt dome. There were formerly nine tombs, 

 all made of black marble, ornamented by inscriptions in the Arabic cha- 

 racter. The letters are all rubbed out and not legible. 



She built a fine edifice called Musallah, and is said to have been 

 the most incomparable lady in the world. She never married, but 

 devoted herself to the perusal of the Koran ; she was anxious to encour- 

 age the people to learn. The place is decorated by four high mi- 

 nars and two lofty arches, which make a beautiful square of 75 paces. 



On the top of the arch were a few defaced Arabic inscriptions, which I 

 could not read. The minars seem half finished, and bent towards Meshid, 

 to salute Em am Reza. I ascended a minar of two stories high by 

 difficult paces, and had a very striking view of the city. Every story 

 contains 20 steps. 



Having passed the square, we entered a lofty dome, which encouraged 

 us to climb five stairs, and to come into the gilt and painted room where 

 Goher Sha'd prayed. 



All these ruins are decorated with azure and gold colour: (the blue 

 colour is made of lapis-lazuli, which is found in considerable quantities 

 in the mines of Badakhshdn.J 



It is alleged, one day Goher Sha'd, accompanied by 200 beautiful 

 ladies, came into the college, and ordered all the students to go out ; she 

 passed all day in the place, and had the pleasure of seeing every 

 room. 



