13°

" External forms are symbolical of senti-
ments and tastes, and the adopted cult of ugliness
which has now become an obsession with those
who claim to be progressive is only the result of
senseless imitation. Imitative modernism, to my
mind, is sadly subversive judging from its ravages
in some directions.

" I have not forgotten, and can never
forget, the scenes in which Hyderabad displayed
periodically its pomp and grandeur as part of its
normal life—the Langar procession,* the Moula
Ali Urs, the Malakpet Races and the durbars of
the Nizam. Once a year, when the Nizam went
to the races at Malakpet, he drove in a magnificent
yellow state carriage drawn by four horses. The
^ postillions riding them were clad in gorgeous
yellow livery heavily embroidered in silver. The

* " The Langar took place on the 5th of Moharrum in commemoration
of an event which is said to haveriappened some centuries ago in
Qutb Shahi times. The origin is that on the fifteenth of the month of
Zilhaj 1003 H./IJI9.4 A.D. Prince Abdulla, whose father Sultan Quli
Qutb was then feigning, left Hyderabad for Golconda with a large body
of nobles and attendants. He was mounted on an elephant and shortly
after leaving the Purana Pul Gate the animal became mast and charged
amongst the nobles and attendants, compelling them to flee for their lives.
After this the elephant moved off towards the jungle still having the
unfortunate prince on his back. ' His mother Hayat Baksh Begum when
she heard what had occurred became much alarmed for her son's safety.
She ordered food to be placed in various places around Hyderabad for both
the elephant and her son. She vowed that if he returned safely, she would
make a chain of gold similar in thickness and weight to that used for
^fastening up* elephants. Her son returned safely on the same elephant
"after an absence of six. days and his mother in conformity with her vow
collected all the goldsmiths of the city together and set them at work to
make a gold chain. When it was finished, her son, carrying the chain and
followed by an immense procession of all the nobles and troops of the
State went to the shrine of a^Shia saint in the city to offer up thanks for
his preservation from the elephant. At the conclusion of the ceremony
the gold chain was broken into pieces and distributed among Fakirs and
other religious beggars. And from that date the procession became an
annual custom the Nizarns, although not Shias, following the custom of
their predecessors, the Qutb Shahis, in allowing it.
9*