THE PEACOCK THRONE

H. C. FANSHAWE

HE Palace of Delhi, which is situated, like that at

THE

Agra, close to the edge of the Jumna, is a nearly rectangular parallelogram, with the angles slightly canted off, and measures 1,600 feet east and west, by 3,200 feet north and south, exclusive of the gateways. It is surrounded on all sides by a very noble wall of red sandstone, relieved at intervals by towers surmounted by kiosks. The principal entrance faces the Chandni Chauk, a noble wide street, nearly a mile long, planted with two rows of trees, and with a stream of water running down its centre. Entering within its deeply-recessed portal, you find yourself beneath the vaulted hall, the sides of which are in two storeys, and with an octagonal break in the centre. This hall, which is 375 feet in length over all, has very much the effect of the nave of a gigantic Gothic cathedral, and forms the noblest entrance known to belong to any existing palace. At its inner end this hall opened into a courtyard, 540 feet by 360 feet, from the centre of which a noble bazar extended right and left, like the hall two storeys in height but not vaulted. One of these led to the Delhi Gate, the other, which I believe was never quite finished, to the garden. In front, at the entrance, was the Naubat (or Nakkar)

Khana, or music-hall, beneath which the visitors entered the second or great court of the palace, measuring 540 feet north and south, by 420 feet east and west. In the centre of this stood the Diwan-i-'Am, or great audience hall of the palace, very similar in design to that at Agra, but more magnificent. Its dimensions are 180 feet by 160 feet over all. In its centre is a highly ornamental niche, in which, on a platform of marble richly inlaid with precious stones, and directly facing the entrance, once stood the celebrated peacock throne, the most gorgeous example of its class that perhaps even the East could ever boast of.

Presumably it was placed there on special occasions only, and was at other times kept in the Jewel House, situated on the north side of this court. On the back walls of the recess were panels of pietra-dura work, the most elaborate ever executed in India, with representations of birds and foliage, restored since 1857 in lac.

Of the splendour of court displays in the great Hall of Audience, we may judge from the following account by Bernier, written in July, 1663, five years after the deposition of the Emperor Shah Jehan.

"The King appeared seated upon his throne at the end of the great Hall in the most magnificent attire. His vest was of white and delicately-flowered satin, with a silk and gold embroidery of the finest texture. His turban of gold cloth had an aigrette, whose base was composed of diamonds of an extraordinary size and value, besides an

oriental topaz, which may be pronounced unparallelled, exhibiting a lustre like the sun. A necklace of immense pearls suspended from his neck reached to the stomach." (Bernier then describes the Peacock Throne.)

"At the foot of the throne were assembled all the omrahs in splendid apparel, upon a platform surrounded by a silver railing and covered by a spacious canopy of brocade, with deep fringes of gold. The pillars of the hall were hung with brocades of a gold ground, and flowered satin canopies were raised over the whole expanse of the extensive apartment fastened with red silken cords, from which were suspended large tassels of silk and gold. The floor was covered entirely with carpets of the richest silk, of immense length and breadth. A tent was pitched outside, larger than the hall to which it joined by the top. It could cover half the court, and was completely enclosed by a great balustrade covered with plates of silver. Its supporters were pillars overlaid with silver, three of which were as thick and as high as the masts of a barque, the others smaller. The outside of this magnificent tent was red, and the inside lined with elegant Masulipatam chintzes, figured expressly for that purpose with flowers so natural and colours so vivid that the tent seemed to be encompassed into fine parterres. As to the arcade galleries round the court, every omrah had received orders to decorate one of them at his own expense, and there appeared a spirit of emulation who should best acquit himself to the monarch's satisfaction. Consequently, all the arcades and galleries