Private life of the Mughals of India, 1526-1803 A.D

207 Pages·2005·4.86 MB·English

by  dynastie. Moghols

Copyright © R. Nath 2005

First Published 2005
Fifth Impression 2010
Published by
Rupa Publications India Pvt. Ltd.
7/16, Ansari Road, Daryaganj New Delhi 110 002

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
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recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Cover & Book Design by Kapil Gupta

Printed in India by Nutech Photolithographers B-240, Okhla Industrial Area,
Phase-I, New Delhi 110 020, India
CONTENTS

Preface

1. The Mughal Harem
(a) Architectural disposition
(b) Underground complex
(c) Institutional organisation

2. The Ladies of the Mughal Harem
(a) Ladies of Babur and Humayun
(b) Akbar's Harem
(c) Jehangir's Harem
(d) Nur Jehan Begum
(e) Anarkali
(f) The Lady of the Taj

3. Rajput Wives of the Mughals

4. Administration of the Mughal Harem

5. Circumcision among the Muslims
(a) The rite of Circumcision
(b) Discontinuity of circumcision by the Mughals

6. Mughal Kitchen, Dining Etiquette & Cuisine
(a) Management of the Kitchen
(b) System of Service
(c) Mughal Cuisine

7. Mughal Perfumes & Incenses

8. Mughal Addictions and Intoxicants
(a) Wine and Opium
(b) Tobacco and Huqah
(c) Pan (Betel-leaf)

9. Medicines and Aphrodisiacal Drugs
(a) Preliminary Medicines
(b) Aphrodisiacal Drugs: Dravana
(c) Stambhana Drugs
(d) Vajikarana Drugs
(e) Auparishtaka Means

10. Mughal Amusements and Pastimes
(a) Functions and Ceremonies
(b) Mina Bazar
(c) Amusements (Indoor Games)
(d) Cultural, Artistic and Playful Engagements

11. Illumination (Lighting) of the Mughal Palace

12. Imperial Paraphernalia
(a) Floor Coverings etc.
(b) Farrash-Khanah
(c) Wardrobe (Kurkyaraq or Karkaraq-Khanah)
(d) Shawls and Stuffs
(e) Precious Stones and Jewellery

13. Daily Routine of the Mughal Emperors

Detail of Colour Plates

Index

PREFACE
Titled as it is, the book deals with the little known, but much scandalised, private
life of the Mughals who ruled from 1526, practically to 1803 when the British
captured Delhi and Agra, their nerve-centres, from them. This included the
period of the reign of three great Mughals, viz. Akbar (1556-1605), Jehangir
(1605-27) and Shah Jehan (1628-58), of little more than a century. They
possessed not only fabulous wealth, but also the vision to found a culture-state,
in the real sense of the term. Planting it in the soil as naturally as a banyan tree,
they institutionalised their life, as much as their government. The former, almost
completely shrouded in mystery, offers one of the most interesting aspects of
medieval Indian history and culture.

Unfortunately, the official record of their day to day living which was
scrupulously maintained has been lost to us.

It has been generally believed that the contemporary Persian chroniclers,
living under the court patronage as they did, have blacked out this aspect of their
history. Consequently, the modern historians who have ventured to write on this
subject, i.e. Mughal harem life, have almost entirely depended and drew on
accounts of foreign travellers. These European travellers visited the Mughal
empire contemporarily and some of them were received by the Great Mughals.
But they had limitations of language, culture and accessibility to correct
information. They viewed the things from the point of view of European
civilisation and were easily tempted to misinterpret, exaggerate and scandalise.
Their narratives on Mughal life have, thus, come up to be a strange mixture of a
tiny fact with a mountain of fiction. Our historians who, unfortunately relied on
their travelogues, have also erred in a large measure and have tremendously
contributed to the misunderstanding and misrepresentation of the Mughal
lifestyle. It has been unduly romanticised.

Truly, the Persian chroniclers were either prevented from knowing what
happened within the four walls of the Mughal harem owing to strict protocol and
purdah, or even when they had access to this knowledge, they did not have the
courage to write on this sensitive subject. The Mughal life, consequently,
remained a closely guarded secret.
However, the human nature being what it is, these contemporary intellectuals'
sense of wonder led them to leave clever references to their private life in a word
or two, casually, in historical narratives, and one has just to read between the
lines. A lifetime's rapport with these sources is needed to unravel these mysteries
and, towards the end of it, one is simply amazed to see that there is probably
nothing which was not known and which has not been recorded.

Thus, for example, when the historian Badaoni stated, on the eve of Akbar's
marriage with the princess of Jaisalmer, that she 'obtained eternal glory by
entering the female apartments', he artfully recorded that the Mughals did not
practice divorce, or separation even by death, and they married for 'eternity',
which is how the institution of Sohagpura (The House of Eternal Matrimony)
came into being. One has just to live up with them to be able to write an
authentic history on this abstract subject.

Thus does it cover such aspects of their living as food and drinks; clothes and
ornaments; perfumes and incenses; addictions and intoxicants; amusements and
pastimes; floor-coverings, furniture and lighting; and, of course, their sex life to
which a few chapters have been devoted. How the Mughal king managed to keep
a lew hundred young and beautiful women attached to his bed is as enlightening
a study as it is interesting.

Though based on research, it is written without its jargon, in a simple,
readable form, for the general reader.
R. NATH
Jaipur