Page:Tara — a Mahratta tale.djvu/15

PROLOGUE. vii and advancing to destruction; and tlie gardens and terraces, with their fountains, are covered by brushwood and tangled creepers. It is a happy thing, however, that the liberahty of the Indian Govern- ment has arrested decay, wherever practicable, and that all the most beautiful buildings have been restored, while repairs continue to be made as needful.

The buildings so restored are —

The Mausoleum of Ibrahim Adil Shah, called the Ibrahim Roza j

The Mausoleum of Mahmood Adil Shah ;

The Mehturi Mahal;

The Jumima Mosque ;

The Assar Shureef ;

The Royal Well, with its cloisters ; and some others.

Of the above, the Assar Shureef is one of the ancient royal palaces, which contains some sacred relics ; and, being in the actual condi- tion in which it was left, is perhaps the most interesting of all.

By orders of Government also, drawings from actual measurement were made a few years ago by a clever civil engineer and architect, of all the principal buildings. These are now in the India Library in London ; and, to any one curious on the subject, will give a far better idea of the superb Saracenic architecture of the Adil Shahy dynasty, than any description. Mahomedan architecture in India is always beautiful ; but there is a combination of grandeur and grace about that of Beejapoor which is not approached elsewhere, and a beauty of ornament and execution nowhere exceeded. The Jumma Mosque, with its side aisles, was constructed for the accommodation of eight thousand persons at prayer ; and the superb dome of the Mausoleum of Sultan Mahmood Adil Shah, built of hewn stone, is the largest in its outward diameter in the world.

With these noble remains, the country around them, and its popu- lation of all classes, I have been familiar for many years past ; and such descriptions of scenery and character as may be found in these volumes, are the result of personal knowledge. The actors in my story are Hindus and Mahomedans ; but the same passions and affec- tions exist among them as among ourselves, and thus the motives and deeds of my characters may, at least, be intelligible. I can only hope they may prove of interest.

It was very strange, twenty-five years ago, to observe the remark- able interval of exactly one hundred years, between the attack of