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Delhi in Moghal Times


"the inhabitants are poor and beggarly, by reason of the king's long absence."

In 1618 Jahangir passed through Delhi on his way to Cashmere; he mentions seeing a species of bird with a peculiar tail Twenty thousand of these were captured by some Cashmerians, who made a sort of murmuring sound, which had an irresistible attraction for the birds,and they walked into the nets. Perhaps they were pintailed sand-grouse.

In 1623 Prince Khurram, afterwards Shah Jahan, rebelled against his father, and attempted to take Agra, but, being twice foiled, advanced on Delhi, and halted at Faridabad. Jahangir was then residing at Delhi, and was at first greatly alarmed, but plucked up courage as reinforcements joined him, and moved out to battle. The two armies met opposite Tughlukabad, and an indecisive engagement followed; but the prince's troops could not be kept together, so he had to flee. The last years of Jahangir's life were spent in the Punjab, at Cabul, and in Cashmere, where he was taken ill; he died before he could reach Lahore, to which place his body was taken. He was buried at Shahdara, on the north bank of the river Ravi, opposite Lahore.

Prince Khurram was at this time in the Deccan, and Jahangir had nominated another son225