RAABTA

Summer 1606 A.D. Agra Rukaiya Begum had responded with action to Salima Sultana Begum’s letter to her in Lahore that her council was “needed” at court in Agra, and Salima Begum wished she could visit her sister urgently. Rukaiya Begum knew it was not wise for Salima Begum, being the eldest supervisor at the Agra Fort Harem, to leave all reigns of the council in the hands of Jagat Gosain and immediately wrote to the emperor about her arrival in Agra with Khurram, who “ needs to see how his father works .” She could not afford to have the compassionate and easily manipulated, kind-hearted Khurram to be left unsupervised with his grandmother in Lahore. Padshah Jahangir was overjoyed with the news of her arrival and personally ordered Jagat Gossain to look after her needs. Jagat Gosain, however, chose to allot Rukaiya her old bedroom in the fort. Upon their arrival at Agra, after a long journey, Rukaiya Begum’s small troop was received by Salima Sultana Begum at the main entrance of th...

Winter 1605A.D. Pari Mahal, Lahore Fort “The lady Asmat Begum, the wife of Treasurer Ghiyaz Begh, is here to see you, Sultana Begum.” Rukaiya looked up at the eunuch, Rashid, who announced this, still not used to not being called the “Padshah Begum”. This new title seemed alien to her. “Send her in.” She sat up in a graceful posture, waiting for the lady to arrive. Asmat Begum and her husband had been trusted aides to the Emperor, and she needed some people by her side. She did not overlook the fact that despite the entire Turkish Harem flocking around the new soon-to-be Padshah Begum, pleasing her with gifts, this lady had come to her threshold first. Asmat Begum bowed before her before sitting on the cushion laid down on the floor. “Here are some sweetmeats and perfumes for the Sultana Sahib”, Asmat had pointed to the silverware covered in blue velvet. “Why congratulate me, Asmat Begum?” Rukaiya forced a smile. “Shouldn’t you take this to Mariam Ur Zamani first?” “No, my ...

1605, Lahore Fort As footsteps approached the cold, dark room, the ladies in waiting rushed to prepare the evening hookah and light up the red stone mansion. Their Sultana never liked a room left dark after dusk. But the wave of her dismissive hand made them stop as a single lamp flickered in a corner, making the shadows dance in the faint light while she ordered them to leave her alone. They slowly moved away, leaving the elderly lady to her thoughts. Drawing the veil of the Sharara away from her head, she sat down in between two velvet cushions on the seat, looking over the evening sky that had turned a shade of red. Taking the tip of the hookah pipe in her hand, Rukaiya Sultana Begum sighed. The Zenana Mahal opposite her palace was decked in lamps and marigolds, as a mark of festivities, with Hindustani musicians playing something for the Rajput ladies to dance to. The aroma of a feast as well as perfumes filled the air, as guests kept arriving. The Queen Mother was overlooki...

1605, Lahore Fort “Move out of the way!” She heard her voice tremble as she ran frantically down the winding road. The child sat in the middle of the narrow mountain road, playing with his pebbles. “Move!” Her voice didn’t seem to reach him as the rhythmic sound of approaching hooves increased. She ran towards the child as he looked up at her worried face, clueless. In the nick of time, she had managed to save her little boy. She held him tightly in her arms in relief. “Shah Ammi!” The voice resonated from afar. “Ammi! Ammi.” The urgency of the voice made the mountains fade away into the darkness, then the unwinding roads plunged into it, and finally, the boy she held in her protective arms was no longer there. She tried to hold on to anything she found around her, the trees, the boy’s hand, the sound of hooves, and even the mountains before her eyes in vain as everything faded into darkness. She jerked awake as her son tapped on her shoulder. She opened her eyes at the sight of him,...