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INSCRIPTIONS FROM DELHI DISTRICT.
149
85. On an arch over the pulpit of the Jami' Masjid in the centre of the town, is an inscription. It is inside the arch on the east side, so that no one can see it without entering the arch and crouching. The stone is a red sandstone; it measures 3' 1' by 2 21' and consists of five lines:--
من السرير السلطنة در عهد دولت سلطان السلاطفى ظل الله في العالم
پادساه عاری حلدالله ملکه ر سلطانه راعلی امره رسانه حصرت مقول والخلايه حصرت محمد همان
گریده درگاه امیر باد کار طعاء سردی الله تعالی بکه یکم سلطانی سرده الد الداری
كناند الله تعالی محاب رمسحاب بافت مسجد جامع صده مهم راس برس
وتسعمایه کرداند بمنه وفصله و كمال كزمة ساردم هفتم ماه رحت سلة سبع رتلس
ان
“In the time of the reign of the king of the kings, the shadow of God in both worlds, the adorned of the throne of kingdom
“And Khalifat, his Majesty Muḥammad Humayun Pádisháh--Ghazt-may God perpetuate his kingdom and his reign and exalt his condition and dignity!--his highness the admitted
"To the palace of Baga Begum Sulțân, the worthy of the faith, the chosen of the court Amir Yadgar Taghai, by the grace of God Almighty
"Found grace to build the mosque of the town of Mahim-may God Almighty make him accepted and favoured
“Through His kindness and His wisdom and His perfect liberality !-On the 7th Rajab 937 [24th February 1531).'
Respecting Yadgar Taghai the Akbarnáma furnishes the following information: One of his girls (according to II, 243 a grand-daughter) gave birth to Prince Alamân, son of Humayun, anno 934 (I, 113)”; and she most probably is the Baga Begum Sultan of our inscription. She made a pilgrimage to Makka and Madina in 972 (II, 244), whence she returned in 975 (II, 329). This journey may probably have been why she was styled HAit Bêgum. Afterwards she lived at Dihli, and was in 981 welcomed with great honours by Akbar, who loved her much because she had cured him as a child of six years of vehement tooth-ache by a potent drug (III, 77). Akbar visitod her, anno 989, at Dihli (III, 373). She died in the same year (III, 375). The Haji Bêgum, who with other Bégums made the pilgrimage in 983, was probably not Prince Alamân's mother, who then was too old for such a toilsome journey. Blochmann mentions Haji Begum in his Áin-translation, but he is in error about her descent. In the Akbarnáma, II, 243 the words dukhtar-t-Taghát are to be understood a daughter of (Yadgar) Taghål.'
Over the mihráb in the western wall of the mosque a sandstone (8 5' by 104") is fixed which contains in two lines Qorán, Sura lxii, 1-8. Round the inside of an arch over the mihráb runs the Kalima and Qorán, Süra, iii, 16-17 (to al islámu).
The Jami' mosque was repaired according to inscription No. 39 in A.H. 1078, by Aurangzeb's order. .
36. On a rectangular sandstone-size 21 by 13 inches--originally belonging to the old mosque of the butchers, now fixed over the central outer arch of the new masjid at
* See the facsimile reproduction No. is on the accompanying plate.
The words maqbul add&rin Baga Begum Sulfan sas[4] yida addin ara perhaps uncertain.
# Babar mentions in his Memoire the chronogram for the birth of the prince invented by Shaikh Abu-! Wahid. p. 359. According to the Memoirs, Aleman's mother was a daughter of Yadgir Tag håi. For Bå bar's not agreeing with the nume of Alamku see p. 451 (Pavet de Courteille, tome II, p. 363).
