MALLIKA-E-HIND

Subtopics/ Contents:
1) Preface
2) Introduction- Women in Mughal Period
3) The Women in the Harem
4) Rituals associated with Women (Social Customs)
5) Political Position of Women
6) Economic Power
7) Fashion, Cultural Influences, Literary-
Architectural Works
8) Case Studies
A. Nur Jahan
B. Jodha Bai
C. The Princesses- Roshanara & Jahanara
9) Conclusion
10)Bibliography
 Introduction

During the period of Mughal in India, there was no improvement in womens status as being in ancient period.
From the beginning of Brahmanism in ancient India, women have been leading their life under the control and
shelter of men. In the present paper I have made an attempt to study the status and position of common
women and Royal women in the Mughal time separately. From the study of this paper we can find some
differences in the status between these common women and Royal women. Apart from the differences between
these classes, one common resemblance is there that is they both were in traditional bondage and protection
of men.

Women, the most vital and important structure of the human society, have always been at the centre of
attention and focus of different social and political reformists, philosophers, thinkers, philanthropists, social
scientists, planners and do - gooders.
Whether it is the rustic rural, peasant woman, toiling her way in the blazing sun, to the mother crooning a
lullaby to her child, to the proud, suave, savvy business women, thus establishing herself to be indispensable,
the woman has carved an indelible and permanent niche in our society.
There might be a great chasm of difference in the lifestyles of these women but they are all bound by the
common thread of an unconquerable spirit, abundance of love and enough strength to make the world go
round.
Whether it is rocking the cradle or ruling the world, women have done it all and that too, with great fortitude
and aplomb. So it is only right that we salute all the women, who have fought every battle the hard way and
yet emerged like a diamond to become more luminous and shining. It is proper to sing a well- deserved hymn
of praise for all the unsung heroines of our world in an effort to cherish the spirit of Indian womanhood.
Indian women, in general, have shown a gradually degraded situation from time to time, sometimes due to
favorable and sometimes due to unfavorable attack and counter attacks of socio-political forces.

Earlier Works : From the Persian Primary, secondary, literary sources Accounts of foreign travelers, paintings,
monuments etc, it is apparent that the Mughal Dynasty played an important role in India from 1526 to 1707. It
is also obvious that it made a valuable contribution to the life and culture of the people of medieval North
India.
From the primary, secondary and other foreign sources and also from miniatures and paintings, monuments
etc. it is clear that the Mughals, not only the heroes (the Emperors) but also the heroines (Queens) played a
very important role to complement their male counterparts.
 Social Customs

POSITION OF WOMEN
Women in ancient India wielded considerable influence in society and played a significant role in the
development of social, cultural and philosophical values and trends; and held a respectable position in the
society. The position of women in the Indian society changed considerably with the coming of Mughals. The
upper classes lived a life of adventure and insecurity which stimulated the attainment of many arts and
sciences. Under Mughals a healthier tradition came to prevail among the Indian aristocracy. The ladies of the
royal harem of the Emperor Humayun used to mix freely with their male friends and visitors. They sometimes
went out in male garments, played polo, and applied themselves to music. They were also well versed in the use
of pellet bow and other practical arts.

THE SYSTEM OF PURDAH

In the ancient period, the existence of purdah though not very common, cannot be completely denied. The
practice of strict veiling of women was the common practice among the Muhammadans in their native lands.
The system of purdah was prevalent under the Mughals, as under the Delhi Sultans. Both Bami and Afif have
made references to this practice. Although Raziah discarded veil and female attire and appeared in public on
horse and elephant, it does not explain the absence of veil with ladies.
Generally women, especially of the aristocratic class, remained behind the purdah and if it was absolutely
essential to come out of the purdah. They did so putting a mask or a veil over their face. Purdah was not
necessary in the harem as it was a secluded place, inhabited by women only. But while going outside, ladies
were obliged to observe Purdah.
Any male outsiders including Khanazads and Salatin and other na-mahram relatives with whom marriage was
permissible, in the harem was discouraged by observance of Purdah. In Akbar’s time, if a woman was found
running about the dance and bazaars of the town and while doing did not veil herself, she was to go to the
other side and become prostitutes. The system was absent among the people of lower classes such as artisans,
peasants and manual labourers, for the nature of their work prevented from remaining indoors behind the veil
or Purdah. Purdah became one of the potent factors responsible for their subordination to men in the society.

EDUCATION
During the Mughal period, girls received their education at home or in the house of some teacher living in
close proximity. There were special arrangements for the education of the ladies of the royal household, and
some of the princesses were distinguished scholars. Vocational education was imparted through a system
of apprenticeship either in the house of ustāds (teachers) or in kārkhānahs (manufacturing centres).

GIRLS AND CHILD MARRIAGE

The position of women in Indian society, with some exceptions, was not enviable. The girl was considered to be
a necessary burden to the family. A birth of a female child was not a very welcome event which led to the
practice of female infanticide. If she was permitted to live, she was given away to a husband in a dissoluble tie.
Early marriage becomes almost a universal feature of the contemporary Indian social life. The accounts of the
foreign travelers, the Persian chronicles and contemporary literary works abound the numerous instances of
child marriage.
Abul Fazl also refers to early marriages. In the country of India men were active to form this union at a tender
age, and this introduces the leaven of evil. According to Mukundarama, a father who gets his daughter
married in the ninth year was considered to be lucky. This custom of early marriage left no room for the bride
and the bridegroom to have time to think of a mate of their own choice.
Emperor Akbar disliked the practice of early marriages prevalent in the society. Abul Fazl writes: "He abhors
marriages which take place between men and women before the age of puberty. They bring forth no fruit and
his Majesty thinks them even hurtful, for afterwards, when such a couple ripens into manhood, they dislike
having connection and their home is desolate". Akbar had issued regulations regarding marriages. Girls before
the age of fourteen and boys before sixteen were not to marry. He tried to check such practices as far as
possible by charging the duty to the Kotwals in the cities. He made the consent of the bride and bridegroom,
and marriage contracts. The idea of old women (whose manses had ceased) wishing for a husband or a woman
marring a man older than her by twelve years was highly disliked by him. Abul Fazl also writes: "If a Hindu
woman fell in love with a Musalman and entered the Muslim religion she should be taken by force from her
husband and restored to her family".

DOWRY AND DIVORCE:

The chief reason for considering the birth of girls an unwelcomed event was the custom of dowry. It was
impossible to marry the girls to suitable bridegrooms without handsome dowry given to the bride grooms
parents. On account of this practice many poor and lower middle class families were ruined. The system of
dowry also affected the Muslim society and this practice became prevalent among the high class Muslims.
Abul Fazl writes, "Akbar disapproved of high dowries, although he (Akbar) believed that fixing up of high
dowries was preventive aghast rash divorces". He also informs us that, "dowry was not mentioned in the case
of Brahmans, and divorce was not customary the Muslim law and customs allowed divorce conditionally, but
among the Hindus it was not allowed. The right to divorce gave the Muslim woman a better position than her
Hindu counterpart, and a divorced woman was allowed to remarry.

MARRIAGE
In Mughal Indian polygamy was prevalent both among the Hindus and the Muslim, especially belonging to the
richer sections of the society. The prestige of a man increased if he had a number of wives in his harem but the
status of woman was affected adversely. She had to struggle with the co-wives for securing her husband’s
favours in polygamous marriage. In respect of marriage, Muslim law permits a man to have four wives at a
time subject to certain conditions. If his first wife is suitable, and he desires to take another, he must give the
first a third part of his assets. In spite of the decision of the Ulema in Ibadat Khana, that a man might marry
any number of wives by mutah but only four by nikah Akbar issued definite orders that a man of should not
possess more than one wife unless the first proved to be barren; he considered it highly injurious to a man’s
health and disturbs the peace of the home. Although Akbar was in favour of monogamy, he himself violated
his dictum by marrying as many as 300 wives without divorcing any one. In the Mughal Empire all the Mughal
emperors had many wives. But all the wives did not enjoy equal respect and facilities. Usually the chief wife
enjoyed the favour of emperor and great luxuries. Usually in a polygamous Muslim household the first wife,
that is the wife by the first marriage, was the most honoured one {Haram-i Muhtaram) and she had a control
over the management of the household affairs and took charge of other wives of her husband, though the
younger ones were sure to become the cynosure of the eyes of their master. The Muslim community of
Hindustan suffered more from the evils of polygamy. It was a luxury of the rich and a liability thoughtlessly
incurred even by men of poorer means.

ECONOMIC POWER
The royal ladies of the Mughal harem had a lavish lifestyle. The important harem ladies owned a lot of wealth
and money which they spent as they wished. As Manucci says, "these queens and princesses have pay or
pensions according to their birth or the rank they hold. In addition, they often received from the king special
presents m cash. under the pretext that it is to buy betel, or perfumes, or shoes.

A part from their regular allowances some important ladies of the Mughal household owned vast jagirs
bestowed upon them by the emperor.

Soon after his accession, Humayun paid a visit to his mother, sister and other ladies of his seraglio and lie
gave those jagirs and confirmed their mansabs. Gulbadan Begum informs us that after Babur's victory against
Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat, he told Khwaja Kilan Beg to take valuable presents and curiosities of Hind to his
"elder relations, sisters and each person ofthe harem".*'

Jahangir mentions in his memoirs that he "increased the allowances of all the veiled ladies of my father's
harem from twenty per cent to hundred per cent, according to their condition and relationship" "\ after his
coming to the throne in 1605 A.D. The maximum numbers of jagirs, during his reign were owned by Nur Jahan
Begam.

Shah Jahan too bestowed a lot of jagirs on his ladies and Manucci says that during his reign all the ladies of
rank had their own nazirs who looked after their jagirs on his ladies and Manucci says that during his reign all
the ladies of rank had their own nazirs who looked after their jagirs, properties and incomes.'"The largest
numbers of jagirs were given by Shah Jahan to his eldest daughter prince Jahan Ara.''*^

It is quite evident that the royal Mughal ladies had a lot of wealth in their hands. The more important place
she occupied in the emperor's life, the wealthier she was. As a result they earned lakhs and lakhs of rupees
apart from the gold, silvers, gems, jewelry and other costly articles they owned. On Shah Jahan's accession ten
lakh rupees were fixed as the annual allowance of Mumtaz Mahal, Jahan Ara Begum's annual allowance was
fixed at six lakh rupees.'"*^ Manucci estimated Jahan Ara Begum's income to thirty lakh rupees annually apart
from the precious stones and jewels owned by her.*'*^ Totally it amounted to nearly three million rupees.*^''
Shah Jahan continued to give Nur Jahan Begum an annual maintenance allowance of two lakh rupees when he
came to the throne.'^'

Humayun's mother Maham Begum on the occasion of Humayun's accession to the throne in 1530 A.D.
arranged for a grand feast and gave special robes of honour to about seven thousand persons.'^^ Nur Jahan
Begum was well known for arranging grand feast and bestowing costly gifts on others. When Prince Khurram
(Shah Jahan) came back from his successful Rajputana campaign, he was presented a rich dress of honour a
jeweled sword, a horse and saddle and an elephant by Nur Jahan Begum.'^^

The royal life in the Mughal harem and cultural heritage bears testimony to the economic affluence and
prosperity of the Mughal age which was one of the most glorious periods of Indian history. The Mughal
Empire witnessed developments in all spheres of economy which included agriculture, intemal and external
trade, commerce and industries, banking and currency. The Mughal ladies took a lot of interest in this

field and participated actively in the economic scenario of the Mughal Age. Though too many royal ladies of
the Mughal harem did not actively participate in the economic field, yet there were distinguished ladies of that
time, like Jahangir's mother Mariyam-uz-Zamani, Nur Jahan Begum, and Shah Jahan's daughter princess
Jahan Ara, who are known to have taken an active participation in the trade and commerce of that time.'^"^

Akbar's wife and Jahangir's mother Mariyam uz Zamani, was greatly interested in trade and commerce of her
time and was the first royal Mughal lady who participated directly in it. She had her own ships and carried on
brisk trade from the Surat port to various ports on the Red Sea. One of her ships was the famous Rahimi of
Surat. "^ Sir Thomas Roe also mentioned Mariyam uz Zamani's ships in his account.

Nur Jahan Begum carried on sea trade with foreign lands with a lot of enthusiastic vigour. She owned a
number of ships. Her chief agent in her activities concerning foreign trade was her brother Asaf Khan.'^* Her
ships too operated between Surat and the Arabian coasts. Nur Jahan was a very intelligent woman. She
realized that the rivalry and tensions that existed between the Mughals and the Portuguese would prevent her
ships from taking her goods to foreign lands. So she tried to fa\ our the English so she could send her goods
out on English ships.'^^

Nur Jahan Begum also took an active interest in internal trade. Through the river Jamuna in Agra, a number of
articles manufactured in Agra were sent to other parts of the country and similarly many articles of trade and
commerce entered Agra through this route Pelsaert, while describing the city of Agra in his accounts, wrote
that Nur Jahan Begum had offices there which "collect duties on all these goods before they can be shipped
across the river and also on innumerable kinds of grain, butter and other provisions which are produced in the
Eastern provinces, and imported thence".'^°

During the reign of Shah Jahan, his eldest daughter Jahan Ara Begum was the only royal Mughal lady who
took an active interest and participated wholeheartedly in the prosperous trade and commerce of that time.
Jahan Ara Begum invested her wealth in conducting brisk foreign trade and also got back in return huge
profits. She owned a large number of ships and established friendly commercial relations with the Dutch and
the English. Their co-operation helped her to carry on extensive trade and make huge profits.'^' Manucci
estimates her income to thirty lakhs of rupees a year apart from the precious stones and jewels owned by
her.'^^ The most famous and largest of Jahan Ara Begum's ships was called Sahebi. This ship Sahebi was used
by the princes for profits as well as to assist Haj pilgrims/" Another ship by the name of Gunjawar,which
originally belonged to Shah Jahan was given by him to Princess Jahan Ara in December 1629 A.D., along with
the instruments, valuables, drugs and material. It also operated from Surat.

A flourishing and prosperous atmosphere of trade and commerce prevailed during the Mughal Era, so it was
not unusual or rare that along with the Mughal emperors the royal Mughal women with their close kith and
kin and also the nobles took a keen interest in this enterprise, and actively took part in the economic scenario
during the Mughal period. Though not too many royal women of the

Mughal harem evinced a great interest in the economic field, yet there were several distinguished women of
that Era like Jahangir’s mother Maryam-uz-Zamani, Nur Jahan Begum and Shahjahan’s daughter Jahan Ara,
who were known to be actively involved in commerce and trade of that time. There were several women who
contributed indirectly to commerce and trade.

The Mughal emperors’ wives were enterprising and built market places where there were lots of selling and
buying; they built caravan sarais for the merchants and travellers, and also owned ships which carried on a
flourishing sea-trade

POLITICAL INFLUENCE
The company of women for Mughal men was a normal part of almost all their activities. Women took part
actively at court functions, in wars and some of the prominent ladies participated in business dealings with
domestic and foreign petitioners behind the veil. The chronicles contain a wealth of documentations on
women in the imperial household who were often as powerful as their husbands acting as patrons of
architecture, art and science, playing a role in government, having the right to issue edicts, intervenes in the
political matters. The safety and protection of the Zananah however did not stop Mughal women from direct
and indirect involvement in public affairs. Mughal women showed great dignity in the exercise of power. Akbar
had appointed his sister Bakhtunnisa as governor of Kabul. She successfully administrated the area for three
years.

Next to the emperor, the position of primacy was enjoyed by the royal family, which included mother, consort,
queens and princess. The ladies enjoyed considerable prestige.
Mughal women worked behind the scenes in marriage negotiations, guided emperors and princes in directions
that would be most beneficial as political alliances and welcoming new wives into the complex culture of the
women’s apartments. The coming of non-Muslim women in Mughal harem was of great importance as they
influenced Mughal politics immensely.

These ladies corresponded by letters and by couriers with the noble wives of rulers of other countries and
kingdoms and strengthen the contacts that were beneficial to the empire. The ladies actively corresponded to
the nobles and other officials. In the list of the ladies who actively corresponded in Mughal period were
Hamida Bano Begum, Nurjahan, Mumtaz Mahal and Jaahan Ara .

Women at court had an important role in the appointments and promotion of relatives and friends to
positions of political and financial responsibilities. The most noted example of this involvement in the shaping
of court hierarchy was Nurjahan whose family benefited tremendously from her potion as Jahangir’s wife.

The most important way women shaped Mughal politics was by actual involvement in political affairs at
court. They were acting as mediators and peacemaker. During this period in Mughal India, women played a
central part in the affairs of peace making. They intervened in the politics to seek pardon for their dear ones
The most famous example of such intercession by women in the role of peacemakers occurred at the end of
Akbar’s reign when the intense efforts of Gulbadan Begum, Maryam Makani and Salima Sultana Begum
proved successful in bringing about a reconciliation between Akbar and Salim

Women played an extremely important role in the court rituals, and occasionally their intervention
determined the decisions of the imperial court. Akbar pardoned Niyabat Khan when the Queen undertook to
provide a security on his behalf.^'Jahangir also pardoned Mirza Koka as a result of pressure from the Imperial
women to do so.
Some women, indeed, adroitly exploited their talents to assume full control over
the emperor, thereby exercising indirect sovereignty'. Nur Jahan is an important instance
commanding total control over the person of the emperor, and by virtue of that control
exercising the powers of the sovereign
Although Mughal men allowed their women to participate in political matters but they did not share the
privilege of Khutba with any lady even a person like Jahangir who was fully influenced by Nurjahan and she
was equally possessed the power but even her name was not allowed to be read in the Friday Khutba. The royal
ladies had many other privileges only without Khutba such as: Minting the coins, Royal seal, Official
correspondence and Titles

It is a great achievement of the women that they became successful to leave their marks in the field of politics
irrespective the restrictions of purdah and harem in Medieval India. They did not only participate in the
political affairs but on many occasions seems to be dominant on their male sovereigns. These ladies advised
them in the critical matters. They had the coins of their name; they got the right to sit besides the king and to
issue the farmans on his behalf. This aspect is a great example of liberal attitude towards women in the
confined structure of Mughal harem.

THE RAJPUT QUEEN…JODHA BAI

Mariam uz-Zamani, though she is often popularly called Jodhabai, the Rajput princess who was Akbar’s wife
and Jahangir’s mother. While conventional depictions are somewhat limited—she is beautiful and regal in a
tedious, overblown sense—in actual fact, the dowager was a formidable woman. Described by a contemporary
as “a great adventurer", she towered over phenomenal business enterprises even while sequestered in the
Mughal harem. She is widely regarded in modern Indian historiography as exemplifying Akbar's and the
Mughal's tolerance of religious differences and their inclusive policies within an expanding multi-ethnic and
multi-denominational empire

Although she may have enjoyed a certain status in Akbar's imperial household after giving birth to the heir,
Mariam-uz-Zamani gained prestige only during Jahangir's reign (as the emperor's mother), after he had
succeeded Akbar as Mughal emperor in 1605 At court, as scholar Ellison B. Findly notes, she was one of four
seniormost figures and the only woman to hold a military rank of 12,000 cavalry, entitling her to the right to
issue firmans of her own. She was also the proprietor of the Rahimi, believed to be the largest Indian vessel
trading in the Red Sea, displacing 1,500 tonnes, its mast some 44 yards high. She was known to receive a jewel
from every nobleman "according to his estate" each year on the occasion of New Year's festival.In addition to
goods worth millions, the dowager empress regularly conveyed Muslim pilgrims to Mecca on her ship—this,
when she wasn’t actually funding the construction of mosques, even while she remained herself a practising
Hindu. However, it is noteworthy that the Rajput wives (including Mariam-uz-Zamani) did not play any
political role in the Mughal court

'Mariam-uz-Zamani' was in fact a title bestowed on her by Akbar on the occasion of their
son Jahangir's birth. This was the name by which she was referred to in contemporary Mughal chronicles,
including Jahangir's autobiography, the Tuzk-e-Jahangiri. Later historical accounts give several suggestions
for her birth name. In an 18th-century genealogy of her clan (the Kachwahas) for example, she is referred to as
'Harkhan Champavati'. Other names provided by various sources include Harkha Bai, [4] Jiya Rani, Maanmati,
Harika, and Shahi-Bai. However, the name by which she is most popularly known in modern-times is 'Jodha
Bai'. It was quite common for women of noble birth to commission architecture in the Mughal Empire, so
Mariam-uz-Zamani built gardens, wells, mosques and other developments around the countryside

The largest of all the palaces, Jodha Bai's Palace housed Akbar’s queens. Here architectural elements of
Gujarat, Mandu and Gwalior are blended with traditional Islamic designs. Its blue-tiled roof is the only splash
of colour in Fatehpur Sikri. Mariam-uz-Zamani Palace, also known as Jodha Bai's Palace, is one of the largest
palaces in the entire Fatehpur Sikri complex. The eastern side of the structure is marked by a splendid
gateway, accompanied by several guard rooms with triangular ceilings. An interesting feature of this
magnificent structure built under the reign of Akbar is the presence of Hindu motifs. Some of the motifs which
you will come across during your visit to Fatehpur Sikri are parrots, elephants, srivatsa mark, ghant mala and
swans. Most of these will be found in the interiors. The building's super structure deserves a special mention in
itself, as it comprises of chhaparkhats with eight pillars, chhatris and semicircular dome
 The Mughal Princesses

SHAHZADI JAHANARA BEGUM

Jahanara Begum defied all stereotypes of being a Mughal princess. Her life neither revolved around the men of
the family nor did she spend her days in the harem as a woman was expected to. She was the eldest daughter of
Emperor Shah Jahan and the older sister of Prince Dara Shikoh and Emperor Aurangzeb. She became the First
Lady (Padshah Begum) of the Mughal Empire at the tender age of 17 after her mother’s death.

Jahanara was her father’s preferred child and he bestowed upon her titles such as ‘Begum Sahib’. She was
allowed to live in her own palace, outside the confines of Agra Fort. French traveller François Bernier
wrote: “Shah Jahan reposed unbounded confidence in his favourite child; she watched over his safety, and so
cautiously observant, that no dish was permitted to appear upon the royal table which had not been prepared
under her superintendence”.

Italian traveller Niccolao Manucci, who visited India during that period, wrote: “Jahanara was loved by all, and
lived in a state of magnificence.”

People often referred to Jahanara Begum as Faqirah (ascetic) due to her devotion to Sufism. She suggested
that she and her brother Dara Shikoh were the only descendants of Timur to truly embrace Sufism. She
commissioned translations and commentaries on many works of classic literature.

In 1644, two days after Jahanara’s thirtieth birthday, her garments caught fire and she was seriously burnt.
None of the court physicians could heal her and this greatly distressed the emperor. She was cured by the
mendicant named Hanum.

The same year, she went on a pilgrimage to Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti’s shrine in Ajmer. Within a year of the
accident, she had completely recovered. In gratitude, Jahanara built the shrine’s marble pavilion known as
Begumi Salam and wrote Mu’nis al- Arwā – Moinuddin Chisti’s biography that is acclaimed for its literary
craftsmanship.
Although Jahanara had openly sided with Dara Shikoh during the succession wars, she reconciled with
Aurangzeb once he became the emperor. Aurangzeb crowned her as the First Lady and increased her
allowance from Rs. 10,00,000 to Rs. 17,00,000. She was given a grand mansion in Delhi where Aurangzeb
would spend hours conversing with her.

Jahanara’s position in the court as a power broker was secure enough to occasionally argue with Aurangzeb
and have certain privileges that other imperial women did not possess.

Upon Mumtaz Mahal’s death, half her property worth ten million was given to Jahanara. The royal seal was
entrusted to her and her annual stipend was raised from ₹6,00,000 to ₹10,00,000. Which Aurangzeb then
increased to ₹17,00,000 under his reign.
Jahanara contributed significantly to the capital city of Shahjahanabad. She sponsored the construction of the
Jama Masjid in 1648. Her most well known architectural endeavour is probably Chandni Chowk – the principal
bazaar of Shahjahanabad. A tree-lined esplanade also used to be situated there.

She also designed a caravanserai for Persian and Uzbek merchants in that area, decorated with canals and
gardens. The Town Hall in Delhi stands where her Sarai used to be. This Sarai came to be known as
‘Begumabad’ or ‘Begum ka Baag’. It was her most ambitious project. It was an enclosed space of 50 acres
designed solely for the women and children of the royal family.

Jahanara continued the tradition of her family and maintained trade relationships with the English and the
Dutch. When ‘Sahibi’ (a ship she constructed herself) was to set sail for its first journey, she ordered that the
ship make its voyage to Mecca and Medina and, “… that every year fifty koni [one koni was 4 muns or 151
pounds] of rice should be sent by the ship for distribution among the destitute and needy of Mecca.”

She was also incredibly well known for her charitable donations. She organised almsgiving on important days
and was engaged with famine relief trusts and supported pilgrimages to Mecca. Jahanara made important
financial contributions in support of learning and the arts. She supported the publication of a series of works
on Islamic mysticism.

Jahanara built her tomb in her lifetime. It is made of white marble inside the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah
Complex in New Delhi and is known for its remarkable simplicity. She was conferred with the posthumous title
‘Sahibat-uz-Zamani‘ (Lady of the Age). The inscription on her tomb is in Persian but the translation is as
follows:

“Allah is the Living, the Sustaining.

Let no one cover my grave except with greenery,
For this very grass suffices as a tomb cover for the poor.
The mortal simplistic Princess Jahanara,
Disciple of the Khwaja Moin-ud-Din Chishti,
Daughter of Shah Jahan the Conqueror
May Allah illuminate his proof.”

SHAHZADI ROSHANARA BEGUM

Roshanara Begum-the daughter of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Begum had commissioned the famous Roshanara
Garden.
Eventually, however, Roshanara and Aurangzeb fell out with each other. Roshanara, who was obliged to
remain single. In addition, she ruled Aurangzeb’s harem with an iron hand and earned the hatred of her
brother’s many wives. She also had a love of gold and land, and accumulated wealth on a large scale, often by
corrupt methods. This resulted in numerous complaints against her, none of which were brought to justice due
to her position at Court. In addition, she blatantly misused the sweeping powers Aurangazeb had granted her
just before leaving for his long military campaign in the Deccan, to further her own financial ends. Her
enemies soon brought these acts of financial and moral turpitude to Aurangazeb’s notice. Himself a very strict
Muslim, Aurangzeb frowned on Roshanara’s libertine lifestyle and her greedy nature. On his return to Delhi,
he stripped Roshanara of her powers banished her from his court, and ordered her to remain in seclusion and
live a pious life in her garden palace outside of Delhi.

Late 1671, when Roshanara was discovered with yet another secret lover in her garden. The incident enraged
Aurangzeb and sealed Roshanara end and she was poisoned with her lover. It remains unclear as to who
poisoned her; whether it was her own or the desire her lover to take poison. Others suspect Aurangzeb to have
ordered her poisoning. However, the latter view is deemed unlikely by historians due to Aurangzeb’s apparent
partiality towards her in a number of cases. She died at the age of 54. Aurangzeb had her interred in the
Roshanara Bagh, a garden that she had designed and commissioned herself. Roshanara was a brilliant woman,
a talented poetess, the mastermind behind Aurangazeb’s accession to the Mughal throne, and by the time of
her death in 1671, one of the most notorious women in the Mughal kingdom. She was the favourite sister of
Aurangzeb, who grabbed the throne some years later and imprisoned his father. To help Aurangzeb, she even
spied on Dara Shikoh her other brother on a regular basis.

Aurangzeb’s sister, Roshanara Begum-the one who energetically sided with him Roshanara’s rise to power
began when she successfully foiled a plot by her father and Dara Shikoh to kill Aurangzeb. According to
history, Shah Jahan sent a letter of invitation to Aurangzeb to visit Delhi, in order to peacefully resolve the
family crisis. In truth, however Shah Jahan planned to capture, imprison and kill Aurangazeb in prison as he
viewed his third son as a serious threat to the throne. When Roshanara got wind of her father’s plots she sent
a messenger to Aurangzeb, outlining their father’s true intentions, and warning Aurangazeb to stay away
from Delhi.
Aurangazeb was extremely grateful to Roshanara for her timely warning. When the war of succession was
resolved in favour of Aurangzeb, she quickly became a powerful figure at court. Fearing that Dara Shikoh
would kill her for her role in the war of succession if he ever returned to power, Roshanara insisted that
Aurangazeb order Dara’s execution. Legend has it that Dara was bound in chains, paraded around Chandni
Chowk and beheaded Roshanara then had his bloody head wrapped in a golden turban, packaged neatly and
sent to her father as a gift from Aurangzeb and her. Shah Jahan, who opened the package just as he was sitting
down to dinner, was so distressed by the sight of his favorite son’s head that he fell unconscious to the floor.
He remained in a stupor for many days after the incident.
Roshanara relationship with her older sister, Jahanara, was troubled and tinged by jealousy as the latter was
undisputedly their father’s favorite daughter. Roshanara scored major victory against her sister when
Aurangazeb, who had been displeased with Jahanara for supporting their father and brother during the war of
succession, removed he (Jahanara) from her position as head of the Imperial harem, installing Roshanara in
her stead.

Roshanara is best known for the Roshanara Bagh, a pleasure garden located north-west of the walled city. The
original Bagh was made much smaller by carving a part of it into the Roshanara Club in the late nineteenth
century by the British. The Bagh was designed and commissioned by Roshanara for her residence in the 1650s,
the same time when Shah Jahan was building Shahjahanabad, and after her death in 1671, this also became the
location of her burial. Only two buildings now survive – a central pavilion or baradari and an entrance gate.
Roshanara’s grave lies in the centre of this pavilion. The original char Bagh layout of the garden, in the middle
of which the current pavilion must have stood, was obliterated when it was converted into an English garden.
The Bagh is entered from what remains of the original gateway. The gateway is finished in lime plaster, but
one can see tantalizing remains of some beautiful glazed tile decorations in parts, especially in the upper
portions. A channel runs from the gate to the pavilion some distance away; which must have originally
contained fountains within. At the end of the water channel stands the main pavilion in the middle of a square
pool from which the building can be accessed from two sides. Roshanara’s younger sister of Jahanara, and
elder to Dara Shikoh, Murad and Aurabgzebdied at the age of 54 and Aurangzeb had her interred in the
Roshanara Bagh. The grave housed in the centre of an enclosure created by four marble screens with jali
(screen with ornamental patterns) work, but is an open grave now, only covered with earth, the marble
cenotaph probably having been stolen sometime in history.
Fashion and Ornaments

So far as, dress was concerned, Hindu women generally wore two types of dresses. One type consisted of a long
chadar of thin and Fine variety made up of muslin, ( it resembled a sari) a choli (blouse) with short sleeves and
a dark coloured Angiya (bodice) for grown up girls and also for married ones. Another type of dress consisted
of Lahanga (Langa, in Kannada long loose skirt), a choli and Angiya with a Rupatia (something, like a long
scarf) The latter dress was very popular in Doab. Muslim women wore loose drawers, a skirt and long scarf . In
addition to these, they wore a veil. Normally, never wore blue coloured garments, because blue mourning.
Women preferred bright colours and printed types. Apart term the dresses described above not much change
took place in the dresses of the women during that period.

As far as ornaments were concerned Indian women had a great fancy for them. They were the most important
items of their embellishments. Ornaments represented the married status of a woman. A widow, for example,
cast off her ornaments. There were many types of ornaments which the women wore from head to toe. Some of
them are as follows : Shishful (for the forehead), Jhumar for the head, earrings, necklace, bangales, armlets,
bracelets, rings, waistbelt ( patti in Kannada) and Payal (ornaments of the toes ). the Nose-ring was a fine
ornament which was introduced during this period. This was imitated from the Muslims . There might have
been some small changes in the designs of the ornaments used by Hindu and Muslim women, but basically
they were more or less the same.

Apart from ornaments, women spent a good amount of time for their make up. Sandal-paste, musk and
various types of scented oils were used by them. In Gujrata and also in the South women massaged themselves
with various types of pastes. Dressing of the hair was given a good amount of importance. The other articles
used for embellishments are, collyrium for eyes, some type of black powder for eye-brows, musk for breast,
henna for hands and feet, and betal leaves were chewed for making the lips red. The articles of make-up were
more or less the same from the earlier times.

Regarding the dress and make-up materials of lower class of women are concerned, much information is not
available. Mostly, they followed what the higher class of people did . But this much is definite, with the arrival
of the Muslims, the sense of security and safety of women was greatly threatened. The system of Purdah
became more rigid, child-marriages became common. Jauhar (equalent of sati, in the case of Muslim women )
and sati was quite common . Sometimes even the Muslims Practiced Jauhar