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 to Agra with Khurram who “ needs to see how his father works .” She could not afford 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 the Turkish

  Winter 1605A.D. Pari Mahal, Lahore Fort “The lady Asmat Begum, the wife to 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 sweetmeat 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 qu

  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 into 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 over

  Introduction   I n the last historical series “Of Fate and Faith,” we embarked on the journey of the lives of Ajabdeh Punwar, Maharani to Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar, and Rukaiya Sultana Begum, the Padshah Begum of Shahenshah Akbar. Through their eyes, we met many more characters, like Salima Sultana Begum, Jaivanta Bai, and Harka Bai. Where the story stopped somewhere around 1582, after which Ajabdeh Punwar died on an unknown date (estimated seven years) before the death of Maharana Pratap in 1597. However, Jalaluddin Akbar lived till 1605, and this is where our story continues with Rukaiya Begum. She is alone, and struggles with her loss of title, importance and love, in the harem. Here on, the story shifts, completely into the Mughal Zenana and the lives of many we read about in history, through Rukaiya’s story. The purpose of writing a continuation to the previous story was not only the love for the style, era and the appreciation it received. It was also the need to finish