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Winter 1607-08, Akbarabad Fort’s Harem

Aitbar Khan Khawaja Sara, in charge of the harem quarters for the ladies in waiting, looked up from the accounts book and skipped a heartbeat. There stood a very familiar face this harem could never forget, only older, perhaps wiser.

“Mehr!” He gasped in delight “How are you?” He rose up from his seat and his eyes fell on the bundles of clothes in her hand and the child.

“Is she yours?” He smiled “How wonderfully pretty, just like her mother!” Mehr Un Nissa forced a smile. Her habit of small talk wasn’t the best. His smile faded. “I’m sorry about your...”

“I am the new Lady in Waiting for the Sultana Begum.” She cut his words short and he stood a little taken aback. Surely he was aware that the Sultana Begum had asked for a room for her new lady, but never in his strangest of imagination could he think it was Mehr Un Nissa.

“Why yes! I have been told...” He took the bunch of keys that hung from a nail beside him, which prompted a servant boy to come forward. He dismissed the boy and picked up one of her bundles. “I will take her myself. Follow me.”

Mehr walked through the narrow red stoned corridors, beside the latrine cubicles, covering her nose with her veil, Ladli in her arm.

“There are the latrines you can use to wash your clothes, do daily chores and baths. Right here are the wash basins for the utensils. I hope you brought your own.” Aitbar walked ahead explaining as Mehr kept quick to his toes avoiding the glances that fell on her. Some of the ladies were amused at the fall from grace of the Emperor’s lover, and Chief’s daughter while others sympathised with her condition. Aitbar Khan opened the lock of a door and pushed the wooden knobs. It opened with a creaking sound and a sudden smell of dampness and dust filled the air.

“Sorry Love, this is the only available room now. I know it’s closer to the latrine so keep the door shut, there is a small ventilator... umm... do you need any help?”He looked at her sheepishly, a little unsure if Ghiyaz Begh’s daughter could stay there.

“No thank you.” Mehr smiled putting Ladli down on the dusty floor. “I can take it from here.”

“Are you sure? You probably had help all your life and...”

“I am. Things have changed. I have to.” Mehr looked around and tied up her dupatta firmly on her face. “Can I lend a broom and bucket from someone?”

“Surely.” Aitbar Khan called one of the girls who reluctantly shared her bucket and broom giving Mehr a judgemental look. Making Ladli sit on the stone slab that would be their bed with a toy to keep her occupied, Mehr Un Nissa started cleaning the room.

When Aitbar Khan stepped out into the Harem courtyard it was already divided into two sides, ones that spoke for the poor young widow and her fallen status and another that laughed at her audacity to dream of becoming a queen. He shook his head and made his way to the Rajput Zenana. Jodha Bai was on the balcony and sighed at the sight of him. He walked inside and bowed.

“You asked me to come here once the new lady in waiting arrived.” He now understood why.

“Yes, where is she set up?”Jodha Bai asked rather plainly focusing on a grape she picked up from her silver plate.

“In one of the ground floor quarters, besides the latrines.” He spoke reluctantly.

Jodha Begum seemed pleased. “Very well. Keep an eye on her.”

Aitbar Khan bowed, waiting to be dismissed. He knew if he wanted to be alive, the last thing he would do was to keep an eye on Rukaiya Begum’s ladies.

Mehr Un Nissa finished decorating her room and stood tired and satisfied. She had put all their clothes in the trunk in the corner, set up her utensils, jars and dress materials in another, made the bed on the stone slab, and even put a rug on the cold floor for Ladli to play on. Her toys lay scattered as Mehr tried hard to look at the courtyard through the small ventilator. She made Ladli wear her best clothes after cleaning herself up and made her way to see Rukaiya Begum.

Rukaiya Begum was sitting in her garden, hearing the bulbuls sing in the afternoon, as her ladies arranged for some juice and fruits when Mehr came and bowed.

“She is Ladli.” Mehr Un Nissa spoke. “My daughter.”

Rukaiya Begum smiled at the scared child. Memories of Aqiqa who was once a child like her filled her heart. She was duly married off when she reached a tender age, for she wasn’t a Timurid by birth. Rukaiya often wondered if Jahangir would perhaps change the rule his father made out of anger, at not marrying the Princesses outside the family. His own daughters were growing up.

She held out an apple for the child to take. “Tara.” She called out to one of the maids “Take her to the school room for the girls and get her child enrolled.” Mehr Un Nisa bowed as she asked “Is your room alright?” She nodded shortly as Rukaiya frowned “Where have you been given accommodation?”

“The ground floor of the east wing, beside the Latrines, Sultana Begum.” Mehr had bowed and left, as Rukaiya frowned.

“Aitbar Khan!” Rukaiya Begum sat up on her cushion as soon as he arrived, “How dare you put my lady in waiting for accommodation with the others on the ground floor?”

“Mercy Begum, there was no more room...”He fumbled.

“Then make sure there is.”Rukaiya Begum spoke intently, dismissing him off.

Mehr Un Nissa frowned to see a lock on the door of her allotted room as Aitbar walked up to her.

“You have been provided accommodation on the second floor, with a better view. Your things have been shifted. Sultana Begum told me to apologize....”

“What happened to the person already staying there?” Mehr asked with a little frown.

“We moved her in to share a room with an elderly.” Abdullah rubbed his hands together “She is one of Jodha Begum’s girls.” He sighed.

“Won’t you be facing her wrath then?” Mehr asked as Aitbar Khan smiled sheepishly. “Have to choose between the bad and worse. That’s what living here is.”

Mehr nodded as she made her way up to the new room, airier, larger and with a large window to look out to the courtyard, and curtains. She sighed.

No matter how much she tried, living in the Timurid Harem meant she had to play the game everyone else was playing. She was thankful that one of the strongest pointers was on her side. Why? She had to find out.

It is clear that Mehr Un Nissa was a lady in waiting for the dowager queen Rukaiya Sultana Begum and she played an active role in the marriage of Mehr with Jahangir. However what is not clear is whether Jahangir met or knew Mehr before her being Ali Quli’s widow or whether she was discovered by him later, as one of Rukaiya Begum’s handmaids. Mehr Un Nissa was also said to have been one of Rukaiya’s favourites in the harem due to her Persian blood. Aitbar Khan, Aqa Aqayan and a few others have been named by various sources as keepers of Jahangir’s harems at Lahore and Agra during his reign. For the sake of the story, it’s assumed that Aitbar Khan was in charge since he was there even during Akbar’s reign.

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Protisruti

প্রতিশ্রুতি বন্দিতা মা কে জড়িয়ে ধরে যেন প্রাণ ফিরে পায়। “ভাল আছিস?” জিগেস করে সুমতি। বন্দিতা হঠাৎ খেয়াল করে আগের মতো তার মুখ দেখেই তার মা আর তার মনের অবস্থা বুঝতে পারেন না। তার সাথে হঠাৎ মনে পরে কত অনায়াসে অনিরুদ্ধ বোঝে যে তার মন খারাপ। একবার জিজ্ঞেস করেছিল সে স্বামীকে, কি করে তিনি বোঝেন তার মন খারাপ। ছোট বন্দিতাকে তার মতন করে বুঝিয়েছিলেন তার স্বামী। আজ বন্দিতা বড় হয়েছে কিন্তু সেই প্রশ্ন সে আর করতে পারেনা। বন্দিতাকে খাটিয়ার উপর বসিয়ে এর মধ্যেই সুমতি যায় তার জন্য মুড়ি মুড়কি আনতে। বন্দিতার চোখ পরে পায়ের নূপুরের উপর। তিনি বলেছিলেন “তুমি খুশি হলে তোমার নূপুরের আওয়াজ অন্যরকম হয়, আর তোমার মন খারাপ হলে অন্যরকম।” বন্দিতা নূপুরটা বাজিয়ে দেখেছিল সেদিন। আজকে সে জানে পার্থক্য তার নূপুরের শব্দে নয়, অনিরুদ্ধের পর্যবেক্ষণ শক্তিতে। আবার কেন তার কথা ভাবছে সে? বাড়ি এসেছে মায়ের কাছে। আর ভাববে না সে, হয়তো দু তিন দিন পর ত্রিলোচনবাবু পাঠাবেন বিহারী কে বন্দিতাকে বাড়ি নিয়ে যেতে, ততদিন মায়ের কাছে একটু শান্তিতে থাকুক না সে। দুপুরে আম দুধ দিয়ে ভাত দেয় তাকে সুমতি। “তোর প্রিয় খাবার দেখ, মাম...

Answers

Aniruddha could not work all day. It started raining heavily outside, the curtains of the room swayed in the gusty wind, and things around the room toppled over. Koeli came to pick them up, to see if he wanted to eat anything but Aniruddha wanted to be left alone. Countless questions and fears raced through his mind. Bondita never went home like she did that day. Rather, once a year, even before Jamai Sasti, she checked the household chores a hundred times. If Batuk had a test, if someone was sick, she was reluctant to go. She just packed a bundle so quickly and left for her mother’s place. Had she distanced herself from Aniruddha? Was it his fault? Anirudha started thinking. Could she not take him as a husband because he pushed her away and hurt her? Aniruddha repented for his actions. If indeed Bondita denied their relationship knowing the truth behind it, could she be blamed? But was that why she was pretending to be asleep even though she was awake that night? What did she think ab...

Promises

Bondita hugged her mother as if to find herself again. "Are you okay?" Sumati smiled. Bondita suddenly noticed that her mother couldn't understand her state of mind just by looking at her face anymore. With that, she suddenly remembered how easily Aniruddha understood that she was upset. Once she asked her husband how he understood things without her saying it. Her husband explained to little Bondita in a way she would understand. Now that Bondita was grown up she could perhaps never ask him that question again. Meanwhile, Sumati hurried to get her some Muri Murki while she sat down on the bed. Bondita's eyes fell on her feet. He had said, "When you are happy, your anklet sounds different, and when you are sad, it is different." Bondita stirred her anklets unmindfully. Today she knew the difference was not in the sound of her Nupur but in Aniruddha's powers of observation. Why was she thinking about him? She came home to her mother. And she would not th...

Choices

The winter rains and gusty wind were unpleasant weather for Adhiraja Ishaan Dev. The Suryapalian capital was far more tropical weather of the plain lands than that of Neelambargarh, situated on a plateau rather close to the Heemdevi. It rained more in Neelambargarh, and the winters were cold. The wine did very little to comfort him as he kept the lamps of his chamber lit in an attempt to feel warmer. On the contrary, he observed how Priyambada complained that the winter isn't cold enough. It had been a quarter of the moon cycle since Maharani Priyambada met Kumari Advika of Mait. Although Ishaan Dev was eager to know what the ladies did talk about, he wasn’t sure whether to ask Priyambada. So he waited for her to tell him something, anything! But Priyambada seemed to act like the meeting never happened. She didn’t even disclose anything to Smriti as per Kumar Viraj. Ishaan Dev was perplexed. What was talked of in the meeting? Worse, did Advika mention him? She must have. The last t...

Going Home

Bondita's Mama came to Tulsipur to meet his daughter. He was a poor man and wore a short dhoti and a Batik shirt. It was wrong to come empty-handed to the daughter's house, so two pots of sweets accompanied him. Reluctantly, he had to go to Roy Chowdhury's house. They were the Zamindar of Tulsipur, the master of the father-in-law of Sampoorna, they needed to be respected. Apart from that, the fate of the sister and niece who he was reluctant to shelter and spent day and night rebuking them about had turned, the same sister now handed over some money to him by the end of the month, because of the kindness of Aniruddha Babu. He did not have the luxury of pushing Lakshmi away. Hence it was necessary to come to the landlord's house to meet his niece. In their house servants also dressed better than him; Look at the fate of the girl . Where he had arranged for her to stay in a corner of an old man's house, now Bondita was living a queen’s life. Zamindar Trilochan Roy Ch...

Uttor

উত্তর সারাদিন কাজে মন বসেনা অনিরুদ্ধর। বাইরে অঝোরে বৃষ্টি হতে থাকে, ঝোড়োও হওয়ায় ঘরের পর্দা দোলে , জিনিসপত্র এলোমেলো হয়ে যায়। কয়েলি আসে ছোট মালিকের জিনিস গুছিয়ে দিতে, তিনি কিছু খাবেন কিনা শুধোতে কিন্তু তাকে চলে যেতে বলে ঘরে খিল দেয় অনিরুদ্ধ। একা থাকতে চায়। তার মনে আনাগোনা করে অসংখ প্রশ্ন এবং আশংকা। যে ভাবে বন্দিতা স্বেচ্ছায় মায়ের কাছে গেল আজ, সেরকম সে কোনদিন যায়না । বরং বছরে একবার জামাই ষষ্টিতে যাওয়ার আগেও একশো বার বাড়ির কাজকম্ম দেখে শুনে যায়। বটুকের পরীক্ষা, কারুর শরীর খারাপ হলে তো কথাই নেই। সেই বন্দিতা আজ হঠাৎ বাড়ি যাবে বলে কি তাড়াতাড়ি পোটলা গুছিয়েছে। এতই কি দূরে চলে গেছে সে অনিরুদ্ধের থেকে? তা কি তার নিজের দোষে? ভাবতে থাকে অনিরুদ্ধ। সে দূরে সরিয়ে দিয়েছে বলে অভিমান না কি তাকে স্বামী রূপে গ্রহণ করতে পারেনা বন্দিতা? অনিরুদ্ধ পশ্চাতাপ করে। সত্যি যদি বন্দিতা সব জেনে তাদের সম্পর্ক অস্বীকার করে, তাকে কি দোষ দেওয়া চলে? তবে কি তাই সেদিন রাত্রে জেগে থাকা সত্যেও ঘুমের অভিনয় করছিল সে? কি ভেবেছে সে অনিরুদ্ধের ব্যাপারে? কেন চারিদিক বাছবিচার না করে এমন করল অনিরুদ্ধ? নিজের প্রতিজ্ঞ...

Adornment

The rainy night had given way to a rather pleasant summer morning in Suryapali. The temperature was no longer soaring and a gentle breeze blew through the plains of Suryapali. The sun peeped out through the floating clouds occasionally. Priyambada walked into her chambers after a luncheon to find trays laid with drapes and jewellery, waiting for her. “The Maharani sent this for some celebration in the evening,” Vrinda spoke, bowing at her mistress who nodded silently. Priyambada eyed the trays and exhaled. She wasn’t sure if anyone talked to Ishaan Dev about the rituals. She dismissed Vrinda and decided to read the scripture. As Priyambada sat down on the edge of the bed, scripture in hand, her thoughts travelled to the happenings of the night and she inhaled as her throat felt dry. Why did he stop? Did he feel that he had offended her? Priyambada wondered. She walked up to the attire laid down for the evening and picked up the drape wrapped into a bodice and wrap-around skirt. They w...

Ghore Fera

ঘরে ফেরা বন্দিতার মামা মেয়ের সাথে দেখা করতে আসেন তুলশিপুর। গরিবের ঘরের ছা পোষা চেহারা তার, পরনে খাটো ধুতি ও ছিটের জামা। মেয়ের শশুরবাড়িতে খালি হাতে আসা অন্যায় তাই দুটি মিষ্টির হাড়ি সাথে। অনিচ্ছা সত্তেও রায় চৌধুরী বাড়িতে যেতে হয় তাকে। তারা তুলশিপুরের জমিদার, সম্পূর্ণার শ্বশুরের মনিব, তাদের সম্মান করে চলা মঙ্গল। তা ছাড়া যে বোন ও বোনঝিকে আশ্রয় দেওয়া নিয়ে দিনরাত কথা শোনাতে বাঁধতো না তার, সেই বোন এখন মাস গেলে তার হাতে টাকা তুলে দেয়, অনিরুদ্ধ বাবুর দয়ায়। হাতে আসা লক্ষ্মী পায়ে ঠেলার বিলাসিতা করার মত মুরোদ নয় তার। অগত্যা বোনঝির সাথে দেখা করতে জমিদার বাড়ি আসা। এদের বাড়ির চাকররাও তার থেকে ভাল পোশাক পরে; ভাগ্য দেখো মেয়েটার। কোথায় কোন বুড়োর বাড়ির এক কোণে পরে থাকার ব্যবস্থা করেছিল সে, এখন বন্দিতা রাজরানী। জমিদার ত্রিলোচন রায় চৌধুরীর যাকে পছন্দ নয় তাকে তিনি সেটা বুঝিয়ে দিতে দ্বিধা বোধ করেন না। বন্দিতার মামা তার তেমন এক অপছন্দের পাত্র । বৌমার মুখে তিনি যা শুনেছেন তারপর বৌমার তাদের প্রতি টান দেখে আশ্চর্য হন ত্রিলোচন বাবু। কিন্তু কুটুম্ব তারা। হাতে কর...

Trust

Ishaan Dev woke up at the sound of the hourly bells and trumpets and found himself alone in bed. It took him some time to realise that he had perhaps overslept as he looked confused, half asleep first at the hourglass and then at the sun rays coming into the chambers through the swaying curtains. He sat up to suddenly remember the happenings of the night, as his eyes travelled to the blood stain on the sheet and he sat in contemplation for a good few minutes. He finally had his moment with Priyambada and it was nothing like he had imagined it to be. A part of him that yearned to touch her and taste her was satisfied enough to realise that his longing for her was not only physical. When bodies entwined in the union, and he had pushed himself in, as he had with a hundred other women before her, something in him felt a different sense of completeness and fulfilment that he realised was missing from his life. He had seen Priyambada react to the sensations that were completely new to her, m...

Gratefulness

Aniruddha did not return home that night, he informed on the telephone that he was stuck in urgent work so he would return home the next day after spending the night at the client's house. Bondita spent a sleepless night. What would she tell Barrister Babu? And why would he believe it? She was lost in her thoughts twisting and turning in bed all night. She was hurt. Was her husband so reluctant towards their relationship that he did not wish to return home because of her? Once he was busy with some work and was pacing in the study room. Bondita was a child. Her Jetha Shoshur Moshai had taught her to serve her husband. She used to see Bihari take a cup of tea to the study room every day. Despite Bihari's resistance, she picked up the cup of tea that day. "Don't do this, Ginnima ," Bihari was terrified. “Barrister Babu does not like to talk or be disturbed during his work. If he gets angry, I will lose my job.” Bondita ignored his words and entered the study room w...

RAABTA

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