The principal mosque exceeds in size
and artistic construction even the Jumna Mosque in Agra. The
entrance porch in the fore-court is said to be the loftiest in the
world. The interior arch measures 72 feet, and the entire height
amounts to 140 feet. The fore-court of the mosque is also one of
the largest existing; its length is 436 feet, its breadth 408; it is
surrounded by fine arabesques and small cells. This court is
considered almost as sacred as the mosque itself, in consequence of
the Sultan Akbar, "the just," having been accustomed to pay his
devotions there. After his death, this spot was indicated by a kind
of altar, which is of white marble, and of wonderful workmanship.
The mosque itself is built in the style of the Jumna Mosque, and
has, like that, four enormous domes. The interior is filled with
sarcophagi, in which lie the remains either of relations or
favourite ministers of the Sultan Akbar. An adjoining court also
contains a great number of sepulchral monuments.
The Sultan Akbar passed several hours every day in the Hall of
Justice, and gave audience there to the meanest, as well as the most
important of his subjects. A single column, standing in the centre
of the hall, was the divan of the emperor. This column, the capital
of which is marvellously executed, becomes broader towards the top,
and is surrounded by a beautifully worked stone gallery, a foot
high. Four broad stone passages or bridges lead into the adjoining
apartments of the palace.
The sultan's palace is less remarkable for size than for its
sculptures, columns, ornaments, etc. Every part is over-richly
furnished with them.
I found less to admire in the famous Elephant gate. It is, indeed,
loftily arched, but not so high as the entrance gate in the fore-
court of the mosque; the two elephants, which were very beautifully
executed in stone, are so much dilapidated, that it is scarcely
possible to tell what they are intended to represent.
The so-called Elephant's Tower is in a better state of preservation.
In some descriptions of this, it is stated that it is constructed
only of elephants' tusks, and even of the tusks of those elephants
only which were taken from enemies during Akbar's time, or had been
captured by him in hunting. This is, however, not the case; the
tower, which is sixty feet high, is built of stone, and the tusks
are fastened on from top to bottom, so that they project out from
it. The Sultan Akbar is said to have frequently sat upon the top of
this tower, occupying himself by shooting birds.
All the buildings, even the enormous wall, are of red sandstone, and
not, as many affirm, of red marble.
Many hundreds of small green birds have formed their nests in the
holes and crevices of the buildings.
On the 19th of January I left the famous town of Agra, in the
company of Mr. Law, in order to visit the still more celebrated city
of Delhi, which is 122 miles from Agra. There is an excellent post-
road all the way.
The country between Agra and Delhi continues tolerably unchanged;
there is no elevation to be seen. Far and wide, cultivated land
alternates with heaths and sandy moors, and the miserable villages
or small towns which lie on the road, excite no desire to delay the
journey even for a moment.
A long and handsome chain bridge crosses the Jumna near the town of
Gassanger.
On the 20th of January, at 4 in the afternoon, we reached Delhi.
Here I met with Dr. Sprenger, a very kind and amiable countryman.
Dr. Sprenger, a Tyrolese, has won for himself, by his remarkable
abilities and knowledge, a considerable reputation, not only among
the English, but throughout the whole learned world. He holds the
position of Director of the College in this place, and but a short
time since was requested by the English government to go to Lucknau,
for the purpose of examining the library of the Indian King of
Lucknau, to make known the valuable works, and put the whole in
order. He is a perfect master of the Sanscrit, the ancient and
modern Persian, the Turkish, Arabic, and Hindostanee languages, and
translates the most difficult of them into English and German. He
has already made the most valuable and interesting contributions to
literature, and will still continue to do so, as he is an extremely
active man, and scarcely thirty-four years of age.
Although he was on the eve of his departure for Lucknau, he was,
nevertheless, kind enough to become my Mentor.
We commenced with the great imperial town of Delhi; the town to
which formerly the eyes not only of all India, but almost of all
Asia, were directed. It was in its time to India what Athens was to
Greece, and Rome to Europe. It also shares their fate - of all its
greatness only the name remains.
The present Delhi is now called New Delhi, although it is already
two hundred years old; it is a continuation of the old towns, of
which there are said to have been seven, each of which were called
Delhi. As often as the palaces, fortifications, mosques, etc.,
became dilapidated, they were left to fall into ruins, and new ones
were built near the old ones. In this way, ruins upon ruins
accumulated, which are said to have occupied a space more than six
miles in breadth, and eighteen in length. If a great part of them
were not already covered with a thin layer of earth, these ruins
would certainly be the most extensive in the world.
