Note 100 — The Twelfth New Year’s Feast after my auspicious accession.

On Tuesday, the 26th, I went to see the Jāmiʿ mosque, and gave with my own hand in alms to the fakirs who were present there about 500 rupees. This mosque was one of the memorials of Sult̤ān Aḥmad, the founder of the city of Ahmadabad. It has three gates,100 and on each side a bazar. Opposite the gate that looks towards the east is the mausoleum of the said Sult̤ān Aḥmad. In that dome Sult̤ān Aḥmad, his son Muḥammad, and his grandson Qut̤bu-d-dīn are laid to rest. The length of the court of the mosque, excluding maqṣūra (the holy of holies), is 103101 cubits, and its breadth 89 cubits. Round this they have made an aywān (portico), in breadth 4¾ cubits. The flooring of the court is of trimmed bricks, and the pillars of the portico of red stone. The maqsura contains 354102 pillars, above which there is a dome. The length of the maqsura is 75 cubits, and its breadth 37 cubits. The flooring of the maqsura, the mihrāb (arch towards which the face is turned in prayer), and the pulpit are made of marble. On both sides of the main arch (pīsh-t̤āq) are two polished minarets of cut stone, containing three āshyāna (stories) beautifully shaped and decorated. On the right-hand side of the pulpit near the recess of the maqsura they have made a separate seat for the king. The space between the pillars has been covered in with a stone platform, and round this up to the roof of the maqsura they have put stone cages103 (in which women sit so as not to be seen). The object of this was that when the king came to the Friday service or the ʿĪd he went up there with his intimates and courtiers, and performed his devotions. This in the dialect of the country they call the Mulūk-k͟hāna (King’s chamber). This practice and caution were on account of the crowding of the people. Truly this mosque is a very noble building.104