Note 20 — Feast of the Second New Year.

On Tuesday the 4th of the month, having travelled four kos and three-quarters, I encamped at Tīla.20 Thence I came down to the village of Bhakra. In the Ghakhar tongue bhakra21 is a jungle. The jungle was composed of clusters of flowers, white and scentless. I came the whole way from Tīla to Bhakra in the middle of the river-bed,22 which had running water in it, with oleander flowers of the colour of peach-blossom. In Hindustan this plant is always in full bloom (purbār). There was much of it on the banks of this river. The horsemen and men on foot who were with me were told to put bunches of the flower on their heads, and whoever did not do so had his turban taken off; a wonderful flower-bed was produced.