Everything New

Mandu, 1611

Jahangir loved to visit Mandu and Orchha during his princely times. The forestland, rugged plateau tops with beautiful sunrises and sunsets, the lakes, everything about the place touched his heart. It wasn’t so frequent these days that he visited the places, with Pervez and sometimes Khurram stationed at Burhanpur to look into the matters of the area. But the moment Nur Mahal agreed to marry him, he had made up his mind to spend a good few days at Mandu, away from the politics of the harem, with his beloved, sharing his love for the place with her. They had always enjoyed participating in each other’s hobbies. She, in his hunting stories, has a fascination with animals and birds and he, in her poetry. Mehr Un Nisa was skilfully trained in hunting, as far as he had heard from Asaf Khan. The only people accompanying them were the royal cook, his own guards and Nur Mahal’s newly appointed personal eunuch, Hoshiyar Khan, alongside a few hunting elephants, dogs, horses, caravans and of course his favourite pet antelopes.

Nur Mahal caught a glimpse of the magnificent yet simple palaces from the procession as they almost reached the fort. It was decided that they would rest for a day before going on a hunt. Hoshiyar Khan had led her to a big airy chamber, decorated befitting of her first royal arrival. Nur Mahal smiled, impressed. Jahangir had hugged her and taken her to leave, promising to meet her again at lunch and spend the rest of the day with her. As soon as the curtains were drawn and doors shut in her chambers with the few appointed handmaids waiting for her instructions, she took off the heavy Turkish hat with studded gems from her head and looked relieved. The handmaids helped her undo the rest of the heavy jewellery she had set out from Agra. They needed to be worn at Agra, at any cost. It showed her status and symbolised her importance to the emperor. Here, nobody would care. The thought of Agra took her back to her last conversation with Ladli Begum and ached her heart.

“You are leaving with him?” Ladli had said in a trembling voice, “Good! Go away, leave already!” She had pushed her mother’s hands away from her as she ran to the further corner of her new chambers.

“I will be back soon. The Padshah ordered…” Nur Mahal had reasoned.

“Of course, he ordered! Like you would say no?” Ladli Begum frowned “You can abandon me for him!”Ladli was taken aback by the slap that resounded across her face. Her mother, for the first time, looked disappointed in her.

“After all that I have done for you, after all the sacrifices, all the hard work… this is how you repay me?” Nur Mahal had regretted the words the moment they came out of her mouth in the heat of the moment.

“They were right. They were all right. You are selfish. You are here for his status. This was never about me.” Ladli Begum had run away. Nur Mahal sat all night in worry, thinking where she might be when it was Arjumand who came to inform her at dawn that she had found Ladli in a corner of the garden. She was fine. Arjumand reassured her that she would take care of Ladli Begum while she was away, and Sultana Begum, too, reassured Nur Mahal of the same on her departure.

She realised that day that everyone else calling out to her as a beautiful, cunning woman luring the most powerful man in the country never hurt her as much as Ladli Begum’s words did. At that moment, she felt Ladli had unknowingly become quite distant from her. The only hope she had was that growing up, she would realise who her mother truly was.

“Begum," Hoshiyar Khan’s voice jerked her out of her thoughts. "The emperor said the lunch will be served in an hour. Would you like me to arrange a bath for you?”

“Yes, Hoshiyar.” She agreed, “That will be nice.”

Jahangir was greeted by her smiling familiar face and the aroma of good food, enough to bless his tired heart. She had changed out of the gaudy, extravagant attire and had chosen a self-designed pink sharara and a neckpiece. The red lips and black eyes complemented her radiant skin. Jahangir dismissed the serving girls and allowed the live musicians to play while they savoured the meal.

“What would you like to do first?” he asked her. Nur Mahal smiled.

“I heard we are hunting.” She said.

“That’s what I want to do. I want to ask what you want.” Nur Mahal looked up at her husband.

“I would like to spend the evening watching the sunset, sipping on wine and reciting poetry with you.”

“That sounds like you indeed. So be it.” He agreed, “We will leave for hunting tomorrow at dawn.”

“What can we hunt here?” She asked excitedly.

“What have you hunted already?” he asked instead.

“Oh, wild boars mostly.” She shrugged. “Heard there are tigers here.”

“Lots of them, I will show you when I hunt one.” Jahangir smiled. Nur Mahal shook her head. She looked up at her husband with sparkling eyes and said, “Not if I hunt it first.” Jahangir smiled, amused.

“A challenge? I like that!” he said with a nod, “I promise you, we will go hunting every day until either of us kills a tiger.”

“Sounds good to me.” She smiled. “Prepare to be defeated, Padshah!”

Jahangir held her hand in his and smiled. He had missed her. He felt like he was finally home. The evening set in as they sat on the roof to watch the sun go down in the distance. Freshly cut fruits were kept on the table while Jahangir held out a cup of wine and offered it to Nur Mahal. She took it with a smile and sipped on it.

“This is the best variety of wine.” He said, smelling it. “I am planning to get more wine made in the Harem itself; maybe have a garden for grapes?”

“That’s a good idea.” Nur Mahal agreed, “That way the ladies can add wine to their exports and enjoy some themselves.”

“Tell me what bothers you.” His question startled her.

“I… what can bother me?” She shrugged and forced a smile.

“Mehr!” Jahangir gave his new wife a warning glare, “You discredit how much I know you. You have been absent-minded since we left Akbarabad. And your smile isn’t reaching your eyes.”

Nur Mahal stared at her husband with an impressed smile, then sighed. Staring at the setting sun, leaving behind a hue in the distance, she said, “It’s Ladli. She isn’t taking all this very well.”

“Is it?” Jahangir frowned, "Well, she is young, and all this is new to her… she will come around.” He said, wrapping his hand around her. “Don’t worry, Mehr.”

“I hope so. I don’t want to lose her.” She spoke.

“You won’t,” Jahangir reassured. “I promise.”

Ladli sat watching the pigeons frolicking in one of the water baths when Shahryar came up from behind. He gave her a little push, startling her out of the thought.

“What do you think you are doing, Shehzaade?” She looked irked. Shahryar laughed. Her frown soon made him stop.

“What’s wrong?” He asked. Ladli had got up from where she sat by them and was about to say something when some of the lesser princesses spotted them and laughed.

“What are you doing today, girls?” One said with a hint of amusement.

“Oh, she must be trying her mother’s ways already. To rise from concubine to empress!” another said.

“Oh, shouldn’t she have tried someone better then?” Another wondered. “ Perhaps the blinded one was better than this!”

“Stop it!” Ladli looked at them, visibly flushed. Shahryar stood behind her with a soft warning, “Ignore them.”

“Yes, kid, hear him out. Ignore us. Or else your gold-digging mother isn’t here to save you!” Ladli had, within moments, walked up to the girls and given the last one a big push. Although twice her age and size, the girl was taken aback and fell back, hitting her head on the stone floor. Shahryar looked scared with his hand on his mouth, gasping, “Ladli, what did you do?” while the others ran to inform the authorities. Ladli Begum didn’t stop there. She stood above the girl and said as loudly as she could, “My mother is not a concubine. She never was. Do you hear me?” Shahryar tried to pull her away by her hand and failed. Finally, some eunuchs of Rukaiya Sultana Begum dragged her away. Shahryar did the best thing he could do. He ran. He couldn’t afford to get into trouble for Ladli.

When Arjumand reached Rukaiya Begum’s side of the palace, leaving Salima Begum’s lessons midway, she knew Ladli was in some kind of trouble. Her heart raced. She pushed through the crowd outside to arrive at Rukaiya Begum’s threshold and bow. Then she spotted the lesser princess, perhaps a cousin to Khurram, with a bandage on her head, sobbing while the others stood scornfully looking at Ladli Begum. Ladli, however, looked least guilty or scared. She stood head bowed with Shahryr beside her, looking pale.

“Ask him, Sultana Begum!” One of the girls spoke. “She suddenly pushed and…”

“What happened in the garden today…” Rukaiya Begum’s voice of authority made the children look up at her “Ladli Begum, tell me?” The last words made the princesses gasp. Arjumand stared at her cousin. Shahryar looked scared.

“Ask him, Sultana Begum,” Ladli said softly, “I have nothing to say.”

All eyes were on Shahryr except Rukaiya Begum’s, and he was precipitating in nervousness.

“I am asking you.” Rukaiya Begum spoke in a softer tone, “Why did you push her? What did she say or do?”

“They keep calling him names.” Ladli Begum pointed at a taken-aback Shahryar.

“What? This isn’t about me!” He said with a shrug. Ladli looked at him in disappointment.

“And?” Rukaiya Begum asked. One of the girls protested, “No, we just make fun…” Rukaiya Begum raised her hand and stopped the princess with a warning look.

“And they said my mother is a gold-digging concubine.” A gasp was heard in the corridor. Arjumand was quick to cover Ladli’s mouth and murmur some apology, perhaps to the princesses. Rukaiya Begum sat back on the cushion and sighed.

“Are you aware of punishments for insulting the queens?” She asked the girls who bowed their heads in shame. “This should not repeat.”

“This is a warning also for whatever you tell Shehzaade Shahryar. He shall inform me if it repeats.” She looked at Shahryar, who nodded quickly.

“Now, all of you disperse except Ladli Begum and Arjumand Banu.” Rukaiya Begum spoke. The others were quick to leave in a hurry.

Rukaiya Begum gestured at the cushion for Arjumand to sit on and pulled Ladli closer to her with her thin hands “It is not okay to pick fights, Ladli Begum.” Rukaiya looked at Ladli, who hung her head and looked away “Look at me, do you understand?” She looked up and nodded. “If they say anything, you come and meet me. Hitting them is not what princesses do.”

“I am not a princess.” Ladli Begum said in a whisper. Rukaiya Begum nodded, “You are as much a part of this harem as they are. And remember,” She said intendedly “Your behaviour reflects your parents’ upbringing. Don’t let them question you.” Ladli Begum agreed.

“Arjumand, you can take her to see Asmat Begum for a week, and she can come back here next week if she wants.” Rukaiya Begum spoke as Arjumand looked happy. “Do you want to come see Dadi Jaan Ladli?” Ladli nodded at her with a smile.

A Eunuch bowed to interrupt the conversation.

“It is a letter from Shehzaade Khurram.” He said.

“Read it aloud.” Rukaiya Begum suggested. Arjumand looked a little red.

“Shah Ammi, with great joy, I am sharing with you the news of the birth of my daughter, whom the Padshah has named Shahzaadi Perhez Banu. I will send the mother and daughter to your care, and I want you to take over her guardianship as well. Love and regards to you, missing you always, your Khurram Baba.”

“Mashaah Allah," Rukaiya Begum looked happy and rewarded the eunuch with a strand of pearls. “Inform Jodha Begum, and arrange for a feast.” She smiled. The Eunuch was a little taken aback as he assumed the Dowager Empress would not be very happy about the birth of a girl.

“Arjumand Banu, do tell your mother and grandmother that all of you are invited to the feast tonight. It is in honour of the birth of my great-granddaughter. May Allah grant her long life!”

Arjumand nodded and left, with Ladli in tow. Back home, her grandmother was busy arranging for a befitting gift on this occasion while her mother exclaimed in relief, “It’s a girl.” Arjuamnd frowned at her mother’s words. “So?”

“So, don’t you get it?” Diwanji Begum smiled, “They will get you married soon so that you can provide an heir.” She gushed. Ladli and Arjumand exchanged a glance. Back in Arjumand’s  chambers, Ladli wondered aloud, “Is being a girl that bad?”

“Maybe to the royals.” Arjumand wondered too, “But we are loved, right?”

“Maybe because we can potentially marry a Shehzaade like you are,” Ladli said in an intelligent tone.

Arjumand laughed. “Only if you showed this maturity while hitting that girl. Wait till Abbu finds out!” Ladli stuck out her tongue at Arjumand, and they shared a laugh.

“When I have a daughter," Ladli exclaimed, “I will love her so, so much. How about you?” She asked.

Arjumand’s thoughts wandered. If everyone expected an heir out of her, and she too gave birth to a girl child, will he be married again? A letter from Khurram prompted her to open it immediately. Ladli sat up. “How is Shehzaade Khurram? Did he ask about me? Tell him I hit someone!” She nagged.

Arjumand opened the letter and smiled. In between the long letter, there was a line that caught her attention first: “Daughters are so special, I realised it the first time I held her in my arms. I wanted to love her, protect her, and never let her be hurt; her fingers were so soft and tiny, and even her wails sounded so sweet. Am I sounding silly, or do you get it?”

“He is not like them.” She said. Ladli frowned.

“What?”

“Nothing. Come, let’s write to the Shehzaade about your first week of adventure in the palace.” Arjumand smiled as Ladli giggled.