“After every storm, there is sunshine, and after every day,
darkness.”
The Mughal Capital was being established at
Agra in much pomp and grandeur, at the site of the Badal Mahal that once
belonged to the Chauhans. Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar had walked the path of his
father’s dream successfully, removing every challenge that came his way.
After the battle at Panipat, he had given a strong message to the enemies
that he was here to rule. At Lahore, however, the world inside the zenana had
improved very little.
Rukaiya Sultana Begum made sure Salima and
her newborn daughter were sent gifts from the Mughal Zenana at Bairam Khan’s
outpost near Saurashtra. Rumours were abuzz that the Emperor was having
differences with his most trusted general. Ever since the marriage with the
Timurid princess, Bairam Khan had tried to establish every stance to the
other generals that it was he who was the power behind Jalal’s throne. As the
Padishah Begum, she had talked to the emperor’s mother. Hamida Banu was worried
too. For she realised that the more Jalal stayed away from them, the less influence his mother and Rukaiya had on him. Some of his orders and actions
shocked both of the ladies. He had apparently destroyed some temples. Gulbadan
Begum, too, wrote to him in vain. There was no communication from him. Maham Anga’s
mere presence in his life disturbed Rukaiya. She sat reading through the orders
that often arrived with Jalal’s seal in her name. Some of them looked so
unfamiliar that she grew worried. She wrote thrice requesting a visit to his
camp, but was advised against it for the turmoil in the west of Agra. In
disappointment, Rukaiya decided to wait till he visited instead.
Salima Begum came to stay in the Zenana
along with Bairam Khan’s other ladies,
Rahim and her newborn child. Bairam Khan had gone to Mankot for a
meeting with the Emperor. Everyone in the zenana silently prayed that the
rumours were untrue. Rukaiya did her bit by sending Salima Begum an invitation for
a meeting. She arrived, looking healthier than she used to, with the child in
her arms. With a smile, she offered her baby to the Padishah Begum for a
blessing. Rukaiya’s hands shook a little while the newborn wiggled in her
arms. Salima Begum was staring right at her face, making her feel uncomfortable
inside.
“She is beautiful, a bloom of the Timurid
tree after all.” Rukaiya Begum smiled. “Does the emperor know?”
“Yes, Padishah Begum.” Salima smiled proudly
at her baby, “He had sent Khan-e-Khana his best wishes.” The room fell silent
all of a sudden as the two ladies stared at each other, and they knew what they
were thinking.
“Do not worry, Salima Begum.” Rukaiya
reassured, hoping the same “Padshah Akbar will never do injustice to the Khan e
Khana. We are all indebted to him.” Salima nodded in silence.
Salima Begum had asked for another meeting
with the Empress before she left. Rukaiya Begum felt uneasy. How could she face
her cousin now? According to the newly arrived instructions from the emperor,
Bairam Khan and his ladies were all being sent for a Hajj pilgrimage, while the
Emperor chose someone more ‘Suitable’ for the position of Khan-e Khana. Munim
Khan was chosen by Maham Anga, while Bairam Khan was released from his duties at
Din Panah. The Emperor did not even meet him or his troops, as he was out
hunting. Rukaiya knew she needed to call on Jalal immediately before Maham Anga
made her son Adham Khan a prominent chief in the army. Salima had bowed to her
with unsure, teary eyes. Rukaiya knew she feared the future of her family.
Rukaiya Begum gently took her baby in her arms and kissed her cheeks before
giving her back to her mother.
“Have a safe journey, Salima Begum.” Salima
was taken aback by the sudden informal hug she received. At that moment, she
knew that Rukaiya was still the naive girl she used to be under the layers of
diplomacy she wore.
“Take care, Padishah Begum.” She smiled back
at the lady. As Salima walked away from the courtyard of her palace, Rukaiya
felt uneasy. She could not place her fears, but she was scared. She called on
Nasir and said, “Get some of my troops to accompany them. Salima and the other
ladies of Khan Baba’s Harem should have a safe transit.”
“Yes, Padishah Begum.” Nasir bowed to the
lady and left. Rukaiya sighed. He had promised her not to hurt his kin. She
prayed that he remembered. She called Nasir again and ordered him to leave for
Agra himself. Her Eunuch was a little taken aback at her instruction.
“I want you to meet the Shahenshah yourself
and read out my letter to him. I don’t trust anyone else, Nasir.” She spoke, as
he immediately understood.
Rukaiya saw him leave on horseback in an
hour with her letter. She felt a little guilty lying to Jalal about her being
unwell. But if he was still the Jalal she knew, he would leave everything and
come to see her. And that would give her a chance to remind him of his
promises. She prayed she was not very late. A few days later, a soldier came
running with urgency. Rukaiya Begum stopped the dancers in her courtyard and
frowned at the soldier who stood with his head bowed in front of her.
“What is it?” Her questions echoed through
the red stone walls. “Tell me.”
“Padishah Begum... it's... it's..” He held
out a piece of blood-soaked cloth. It did not take Rukaiya long to realise it
was Nasir’s. She sank back on her cushion as the soldier’s voice faded, “He was
coming back from Agra and some looters...” She stopped him with a hand gesture, “Was there any letter on his... umm... body?”
“No Padishah Begum.” The moment the soldier
spoke, she knew it was no mere looter. Looters did not take letters.
“You may leave.” She dispersed all her
attendants and sighed, looking out at the garden and fountain. She wondered if
Jalal got her letter.
In the evening, Hamida Banu came to visit, hearing that she had skipped her lunch.
“Is something bothering you?” She asked
with a gentle pat on her shoulder.
“Nasir...” She spoke, trying hard not to
tremble.
“I heard.” Hamida Banu sighed. “It is very
unfortunate.”
Rukaiya Begum stared at her aunt in
silence, knowing that even Hamida Banu did not believe it was looters. She had
heard rumours that Hamida Banu herself also played a role in removing Khan
Baba, although she did not believe it.
“I...” She stopped with a sigh, “Will we
lose everyone we have?” Her question made a worried Hamida Banu frown a little.
“When there is a throne in question, no one
is your own.” She smiled faintly, “And the sooner you understand that, is better.”
“What do I do now?” Rukaiya felt restless.
“Padishah Begum.” A maid bowed at her
threshold “The Emperor will be arriving in the morning.”
Rukaiya’s eyes twinkled at the news as
Hamida smiled, “There, you got your answer. Now have your food.” Hamida Banu
left her with a sense of relief.
Hamida Banu did not know why, but her son’s
eyes were worried and stressed. He had kissed his mother’s hands and told her
about how Bega Begum was now settled in Din Panah beside his father’s tomb
under construction. He then sought her leave and hurried towards the Pari
Mahal.
Rukaiya sat leaning on her cushions,
looking out of the balcony that overlooked his “Khwab Ghar” at a distance. She
had made sure his apartment was laid out with the best carpets and curtains upon
his arrival. As the guards announced his arrival at her chambers, she stared at
the threshold, anticipating.
Jalal arrived in his usual calm posture and
dispersed the attendants.
He then sat down on the cushion beside her and asked
in a very monotonous voice, “How are you?”
Rukaiya Begum stared at her husband for a
moment with a faint smile. As much as he tried to hide it, his eyes were
worried. It relieved Rukaiya.
“I was unwell...” She looked away “Now I am
fine.”
“You don’t seem fine.” His worried eyes met
her twinkling ones at his words as he held her hand in his “Is it because of
Nasir?”
“So you heard?” Jalal did not understand
the hint of coldness in her voice.
“Yes. We can hold a court probe for his
murder if you want.” He reassured, tightening his grip on her hand.
“It’s of no use.” She took her hands away
from his and looked out of the window.
“Why?” Jalal frowned at her words again
“You know who killed him?” His question made Rukaiya’s heart skip a beat.
“Looters.” She spoke plainly, “We all know
that!”
“Something else worrying you?” He held her
hand again “I am here to talk.”
“Why...” She stopped as a maid arrived with
refreshments and left, bowing.
“Why did you send Khan Baba away?” Her
words were more of an accusation.
“Rukaiya.” Jalal reasoned, “He was
misusing...”
“You promised me that you would never harm
our kin. He is Salima Begum’s husband. They have a child...” Before she knew
it, Rukaiya’s eyes swelled with tears, and Jalal looked more worried.
“Rukaiya!” His sudden scolding stopped her
“What were you thinking?” She stared at him as her cheeks flushed with the coming
tears.
“You think I will harm Khan Baba?” Jalal
spoke with remorse, “After everything he did for us? Am I that ungrateful? Don’t
you know me?” He stood up in a rage, “Is
that why you sent your own troops with Salima Begum? Because you don’t trust
me? Maham anga was right then!” He left her chambers without touching the food
as Rukaiya sat silently, staring at the threshold in tears.
For the next two days, the Emperor did not
step out of his chambers, not even to meet his mother. The Empress, on the other
hand, sat in her own chamber, as well, but took care of the Harem affairs. She
wrote a letter to Salima Begum asking about her health and baby, hoping to get
a reply soon.
The afternoon had a sudden downpour, and all
the ladies of the Padishah Begum’s apartment had gathered on the roof of the
Pari Mahal to enjoy the rain. A peacock, with its tail spread out like a
colourful Chinese fan, danced around its mate, teasing her, while the ladies
laughed. Their voices reached Jalal as he twisted and turned in his bed, and he
got up and walked up to the curtains of his balcony. He was about to tell a
soldier to order the ladies to tone down their voices when he saw Rukaiya Begum
on the roof, with her ladies, and some children, perhaps of the maids’, getting
wet in the rain. He smiled, watching her smile at a distance, from a small gap
between two heavy curtains. He missed this carefree Rukaiya. She wore his
favourite Sharara, and it irked him more because her smile tickled his senses.
He missed the sense of home she brought with her, and being so close yet so far
was a test of his patience indeed. But he was angry. Not because she questioned
him, but because she did not trust that he kept his promises to her. He had
come all the way from Agra for her; now it was her turn to do her bit to show
that she cared.
Rukaiya Begum stopped as her eyes fell on
the balcony of the Khwab Ghar. The curtains moved immediately as her eyes fell
on them, and a shadow walked away. She smiled victoriously. In a moment or two, a
white dove flew into Jalal’s Balcony with a piece of cloth tied to its leg. It
was the end of her dupatta. Jalal inhaled, trying not to smile and set the dove
free. The dove landed on the feet of the Padishah Begum, and she frowned at it.
The piece of cloth was still tied to its foot.
Rukaiya Begum’s arrival at the Khas Mahal
made the ladies in waiting gasp. It was not very often that emperors allowed
ladies into their own private chambers, and she had not even asked his
permission. The rumours spread across the zenana that something was surely
amiss. It will be a lie to say Jalal was not pleasantly surprised. He hoped
that his decision to leave in a day, as he told his mother, would push
Rukaiya to do something. Her walking into his chambers was proof of that.
“You know, Royal ladies don’t walk into the
Emperor’s...” He stopped as her hand reached his lips.
“The wife is here to see her husband, at
his chamber and...” She stopped removing her hand and looked away.
“And?” he frowned.
“Apologise.” She spoke softly. “It is not
that I don’t trust you. It’s... It’s...” She stopped as he hugged her tightly. Rukaiya smiled, hiding her face in his chest, in a state of peace after
a long time.
“I missed you,” Jalal said, touching her
nose with his.
“I missed you, too.” She smiled.
“I don’t like you being worried about me
all the time, Rukaiya Begum. You should know I am the Emperor now. I can handle
myself!” He smiled, kissing her forehead.
“Have you received my letters, Jalal?” She
frowned.
“Letters? Official Ones?” He narrowed his
eyes, thinking, “Maham Anga must have taken care of those.”
“Jalal, don’t get me wrong when I say
this...”
“Hmm?”
“Please don’t trust people around you way
too much with everything. There is a throne at stake, our future in
question...” Her worried voice was back, and Jalal smiled at her understandingly
before hugging her again.
Rukaiya Sultana Begum felt nauseous in the
morning. It continued for two days until she felt worse and informed her maid-in-waiting. She stirred in restlessness, prompting one of her maids to call for
the medicine man. He inspected the Padishah Begum’s health and spoke to Hamida
Banu Begum in private. In an hour, the Lahore palace was rejoicing with the good
news that the Timurid Dynasty was soon to have an heir. The ladies held a grand
feast in the garden while Rukaiya was forbidden to step out of her chambers.
The Emperor arrived at the zenana with much
promptness and grandeur and hugged his mother, who had congratulated him. Without
wasting any time, he walked towards the Pari Mahal, where Rukaiya sat savouring some tamarind her maid had brought. As he entered her chambers and the maids
bowed and left, Rukaiya smiled a smile Jalal had missed over the past two
years. Suddenly, his heart ached in guilt. He had lost his innocent Rukaiya in Harem politics. But he was helpless. There were not many he could trust
with the position of the Padshah Begum as much as he trusted his mother or her.
He wished and prayed that the child would make Rukaiya truly happy again. She
patted the place beside her on the bed, asking him to sit and placed her hand
over his when he touched her belly lovingly. A tear escaped her eyes, prompting
Jalal to frown and wipe it away and smile at her. Today, he did feel complete
in ways Rukaiya had never made him feel before. As much as he loved her, he knew
how important an heir was for the throne. And he never wanted to hurt her over
such a sensitive matter.
Rukaiya Begum sat in silence, watching him smile for a
moment, and asked
“So when are you leaving for Agra?”
“What if I say when you want?” He smiled at
her.
“I will say I never want you to leave me
alone.” Rukaiya placed her head on his shoulder, making him smile.
“Then I won’t leave you ever again.” His
words made her look up with hope.
“Really? You are lying!” She narrowed her
eyes, making him laugh.
“I am here at least till I see his face.”
He reassured.
“What if... It's a she?” Rukaiya feared her
own words.
“My father often spoke of his ill-fated
daughter, the Shehzaadi Aqiqa Begum, of whom I have only heard.” Jalal spoke
with a faint smile, “We will name her after her Phuphi.”
“Or Khala.” Rukaiya narrowed her eyes, and
they smiled together, entwining their hands in each other.
