A Little Tour in India

The main ones were the Pearl Mosque which is (in position) to Agra what the Parthenon was to Athens ; the palace of Shah Jahan which is the apotheosis of delicacy and flowerlike beauty ; and the palace of Akbar and Jehangir which is of a much severer style. [...] Their breasts were covered with enormous jewels THE DURBAR is 'chiefly pearls and emeralds : but the hugest of all were always in the front of the turban and some of these were of incredible size and sparkled brilliantly in the sun ; and often the lines of the turban were picked out in rubies and pearls and pendant emeralds hung down over their foreheads. [...] Then followed a proclamation and much saluting and trumpeting and band-playing and then a procession back again to the shamiana where the King made the dramatic announcement of the transfer of the capital and the restoration Of Bengal. [...] The whole picture at sunset the city lit up the moutains silhouetted the lake reflecting the gold and purple of the clouds was unbelievably beautiful ; and when the sun was set the city seemed toTHE RAJPUT CITIES AND AHMEDABAD 31 grow whiter and the trees greener and every moment gave it a new charm. [...] and was met on the platform—to my natural surprise-42 A LITTLE TOUR IN INDIA by the Prime Minister of the State ! There was no dale bungalow and so my telegram had been taken to the Administrator the only white man in the place and he having a proper sense of what is due to sahib-log had told the Prime Minister to meet me and see that I was cared for in the Maharajah's guest-house.