Page:History of Aurangzib (based on original sources) Vol 1.djvu/89

CHAP. IV.] essence, sugar candy, huge quantities of confects, dried fruits, prepared betel-leaves, and fire-works.

In the Private Hall of the Palace, the Prince's hands and feet were stained red with the henna, by ladies concealed behind a screen, and he was robed in the bride's presents, smeared with perfumes, and fed with the lucky sugar-candy. Then he held a reception of his male guests, which his uncle Yaminuddaula and other nobles attended, while the ladies looked on from behind lattice-screens. In the richly furnished hall the wedding gifts were displayed on trays, the scarfs, confects and betel-leaves were distributed, and the fire-works let off outside. All the time singing and dancing went on. The night's work was concluded with a supper to which the bride- groom sat down with all his guests.

Next night the marriage took place. The astrologers had selected four hours before dawn

as the luckiest time for the ceremony. A long while before that hour the grand wazir Yaminuddaula Asaf Khan and Prince Murad Bakhsh went to Aurangzib's mansion on the Jumna, and conducted him by the river-side road to the fort-palace, to make his bow to the Emperor, who gave him costly presents of all kinds,—robes, jewels,