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 take 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 the 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 borrow a broom
and bucket from someone?”
“Surely.” Aitbar Khan called one of the
girls, who reluctantly shared her bucket and broom, giving Mehr a judgmental 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, one 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 filled her heart. 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.
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 apologise....”
“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 person.” 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.
