And the durbar demonstrated the wisdom of those who planned it.  The expense was quite large.  The total disbursements by the government were about $880,000, and it is probable that an equal amount was expended by the princes and other people who participated.  That has been the subject of severe criticism also, because the people were only slowly recovering from the effect of an awful famine.  But there is another point of view.  Every farthing of those funds was spent in India and represented wages paid to workmen employed in making the preparations and carrying them into effect.  No money went out of the country.  It all came out of the pockets of the rich and was paid into the hands of the poor.  What the government and the native princes and nobles expended in their splendid displays was paid to working people who needed it, and by throwing this large amount into circulation the entire country was benefited.

The extravagance of the Viceroy and Lady Curzon in their own personal arrangements has also been criticised, and people complain that they might have done great good with the immense sums expended in dress and entertainment and display, but it is easy to construe these criticisms into compliments, for everyone testifies that both the viceroy and his beautiful American wife performed their parts to perfection, and that no one could have appeared with greater dignity and grace.  Every detail of the affair was appropriate and every item upon the programme was carried out precisely as intended and desired.  Lord and Lady Curzon have the personal presence, the manners and all the other qualities required for such occasions.

Dr. Francois Bernier, the French physician who visited the Mogul court in 1658, and gives us a graphic description of the durbar and Emperor Aurangzeb, who reigned at that time, writes:  “The king appeared upon his throne splendidly appareled.  His vest was of white satin, flowered and raised with a very fine embroidery of gold and silk.  His turban was of cloth of gold, having a fowl wrought upon it like a heron, whose foot was covered with diamonds of an ordinary bigness and price, with a great oriental topaz which may be said to be matchless, shining like a little sun.  A collar of long pearls hung about his neck down to his stomach, after the manner that some heathens wear their beads.  His throne was supported by six pillars of massive gold set with rubies, emeralds and diamonds.  Beneath the throne there appeared the great nobles, in splendid apparel, standing upon a raised ground covered with a canopy of purple with great golden fringes, and inclosed by a silver balustrade.  The pillars of the hall were hung with tapestries of purple having the ground of gold, and for the roof of the hall there was nothing but canopies of flowered satin fastened with red silken cords that had big tufts of silk mixed with the threads of gold hanging on them.  Below there was nothing to be seen but silken tapestries, very rich and of extraordinary length and breadth.”