Next morning, which was March 16th, 1527 (Jumada II. 13th, 933H.), his Majesty arrayed battle against Rana Sanga on the skirts of the hill of Sikri, where now Fathpur has been built and peopled.  By the Divine grace he was victorious and became an avenger of the cause of God./1/

A year later my lady, who was Maham Begam, came from Kabul to Hindustan.  I, this insignificant one, came with her in advance of my sisters, and paid my duty to my royal father.  When my lady reached Kul(-jalali—i.e. Alighar), his Majesty had sent two litters with three horsemen.  She went on post-haste from Kul to Agra.  His Majesty had intended to go as far as Kul-jalali to meet her.  At evening-prayer time some one came and said to him:  "I have just passed her Highness on the road, four miles out."  My royal father did not wait for a horse to be saddled but set out on foot.  He met her near the house of Maham's nanacha [intimate friend].  She wished to alight, but he would not wait, and fell into her train and walked to his own house.

At the time of her meeting his Majesty, she desired me to come on by daylight and pay my respects to him.

[Missing from manuscript] ...nine troopers, with two sets of nine horses and the two extra litters which the Emperor had sent, and one litter which had been brought from Kabul, and about a hundred of my lady's Mughal servants, mounted on fine horses, all elegance and beauty.

My royal father's Khalifa [chief minister] with his wife Sultanam came as far as Naugram/2/ to meet (us).  My mamas [senior female relatives] had made me alight at the Little Garden, and having spread a small carpet, seated me on it.  They instructed me to rise when Khalifa came in, and to embrace him.  When he came, I rose and embraced him.  Then his wife Sultanam came in too.  I, not knowing, wished to get up, but Khalifa raised objections, and said:  "She is your old serving-woman.  There is no need to rise for her.  Your father has exalted this old servant by giving such an order about him.  So be it!  What power have slaves?"

From Khalifa I accepted 6,000 shahrukhis and five horses, and Sultanam gave me 3,000 and three horses.  Then she said:  "A hasty meal is ready.  If you will eat you will honour your servants."  I consented.  There was a raised platform in a pleasant spot, and a pavilion of red cloth with lining of Gujarati brocade, and six canopies of cloth and brocade, each of a (differing) colour, and a square enclosure of cloth with painted poles.

I sat in Khalifa's quarters.  The meal drew out to almost fifty roast sheep,/3/ and bread and sherbet and much fruit.  Having at length eaten my breakfast, I got into my litter and went and paid my duty to my royal father.

I fell at his feet; he asked me many questions, and took me for a time in his arms, and then this insignificant person felt such happiness that greater could not be imagined.

When we had been in Agra three months, the Emperor went to Dholpur.  Her Highness Maham Begam and this lowly person also went.  A tank had been made there, ten by ten, out of one piece (of rock).  From Dholpur his Majesty went on to Sikri.  He ordered a great platform made in the middle of the tank, and when it was ready, he used to go and sit on it, or to row about.  This platform still exists.

They also made a chaukandi in the Sikri garden, and my royal father put up in it a tur-khana,/4/ where he used to sit and write his book./5/ [[100-103]]

N O T E S

/1/Ghazi.  Babur now assumed this title, because he had vanquished non-Muhammadans.
/2/ Some four miles from Agra and on the east of the Jamna.  The royal palace was not yet built on the western bank.
/3/ The "fifty" sheep will not reduce by any reading I can suggest.  Perhaps the flock is a product of childish weariness recalled half a century later.  Possibly one should read panj ahar, five foods, i.e., courses, dishes.  Gul-badan is now between five and six.  Her doubt as to the reception due to Sultanam rings true, and Khalifa's words suggest a little play-acting to please the small traveller; he treated her like a grown-up, and she tried to act one.
/4/ Perhaps a space enclosed by a low railing.  Possibly and suitably, a mosquito-room
/5/ The Tuzuk-i-babari.