Page:The Slave Girl of Agra.djvu/59

 and the looms and spindles of Bengal sent out vast quantities of goods to the bazaars of Northern India and to the markets of Europe.

No part of Bengal produced finer and more valuable silk fabrics than the district of Malda, in which Birnagar was situated. Weavers in the countryside reared the silkworm, wove fabrics in their humble huts, and brought them to the merchants, who had grouped themselves in a narrow lane at Birnagar, which was known as Cheli-pati or the silk market. Nobo Kumar and his party walked through the narrow lane, flanked by houses two or three storeys high, and the silk merchants accosted the manager of Birnagar in all humility, and strewed the red powder on his turban. They also brought some rose water in a chased silver vessel placed on a silver tray, and some betel leaves prepared with spices. Nobo Kumar took a betel leaf, touched the fragrant water, and slipped a gold coin on the tray as he walked away.

The braziers of the brass-market, smiths and carpenters, goldsmiths and jewellers, all the different guilds, which lived in the busy little town of Birnagar, accosted the representative of the ruling house as he visited their shops one after another. Mohammedan traders too, who had settled down in Birnagar, stood in front of their little mosque, accosted Nobo Kumar as he passed, and offered a silk scarf on a silver plate on this Hindu festal day. Nobo Kumar graciously accepted the gift, and slipped a gold piece into the hands of the chief Mulla. Hindus and Mohammedans lived in peace in every town in India; the Great Akbar sought to unite them, and Raja Man Singh