Showing posts with the label Jahangir
1626, Rajouri. The entourage was forced to camp midway through their journey due to the sudden deterioration in the health of the Padshah Jahangir. The Padshah wanted a drink of wine, but he could not swallow it. As he choked and coughed, Nur Jahan held her nerves and wiped him clean and made him lie down to rest. His forehead was burning with fever, and he was losing consciousness. Nur Jahan immediately sent a messenger to Lahore to let Shahryar know that the emperor wouldn’t survive the break of dawn. However, she decided to keep the news a secret till they reached Lahore, where he wished to be buried. She sat through the night beside the man she loved, holding his hand firmly in hers as he slowly started losing his grip. At dawn, he had stopped breathing. She sat at his bedside, for some moments in silence, as Asaf Khan entered, hearing the news and put his hand firmly on her shoulder. All the chiefs were awake all night, praying for his painless passing outside the royal tent....
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1626, Bahat Four-year-old Arzani Begum was living away from her mother for the first time. While Nur Jahan and Jahangir spent a few months in Lahore, she had taken quite a liking to the much enigmatic empress. She stared in awe every time Nur Jahan held court or gave orders. Nur Jahan made sure she spent some time every day with the child. Perhaps in this way, she wanted to make up for all the time she hadn’t given to Ladli Begum. Jahangir too took a liking to the child. She was not as bright or brilliant as he had seen Jahanara or Dara, but in her own innocent way, she was special. Arzani Begum readily agreed when they offered her to go along on their trip to the mountains. The stories of the small red apples, cherries and rose gardens mesmerised her imagination. Arzani Begum was, however, not sure why her parents fought over it. “We can’t let her go with them.” Ladli Begum reasoned with her husband. “You know how the Padshah Begum has successfully displeased most people. They are in ...
1622, Lahore Shehzade Shahryar had walked into his chambers to see Ladli Begum talk in whispers to the baby Arzani Begum. She stopped to see his worried face and handed the baby to the wet nurse, and walked up to him. “Shehzaade Shah Jahan has taken over Dholpur.” He said as worry swept across her face. He was now in a desperate attempt to reduce the power of his other brothers. “Nur Jahan gifted the province to me, and it was flourishing.” Shehzade Shahryar clenched his jaw “He couldn’t take that!” “Will you go... fight him?” She asked, scared. She knew in her heart that Shahryar was no match for Shah Jahan, nor was their army to his army. “If your mother decides so. I am writing to her.” Shahryar spoke as Ladli Begum nodded. At dawn, when the messenger was about to leave, Ladli Begum’s handmaid gave him a second letter addressed to the empress without the royal seal. Ladli held Arzani close to her heart as she saw some men arrive to see her husband with more news from Dholpur. Nur Ja...
1621, Dakkan Jahangir sat in his chambers, in the darkness, sipping the last drop of wine from the cup. The fate of his brother Daniyal haunted him every time he saw Khusrau, overtaken by his opium addiction. He was slowly slipping away. Jahangir knew that. Somewhere, he cursed himself for Khusrau’s fate. In his fit of rage and insecurity for the throne, he had blinded his most competent son. There was no denying that he was a popular choice of heir, both for the late emperor and his people, unlike him. Jahangir firmly believed his own health deterioration was the cause of his misdeeds. Jahangir’s ill health had prompted Nur Jahan to plan yet another vacation for him to the mountains, hoping he would recover, but he refused to go. Something made him feel restless. Shehzade Shah Jahan was handed over the responsibility of taking over the expeditions of the south. However, his strange request to take care of Khusrau disturbed Jahangir. The brothers had never been close. He was aware of t...
It was late at night when Shehzaade Shahryar put down the book he had just finished and walked up to his window. The gentle breeze blowing from the Yamuna smelled like wet soil and Jasmine flowers. He looked across to the moon-lit Harem engulfed in darkness and frowned. One chamber was still illuminated like his; he knew it was Ladli Begum’s. He had a strong urge to check on Ladli Begum, but instead, decided to send her a message. What Shehzaade Shahryar didn’t expect was for her to come to his chambers, herself. As soon as he had heard footsteps at his threshold, he was hoping she had sent a reply to his simple “How are you? I just saw the light burning still and wondered.” Instead, her figure on his threshold prompted him to request his servants to light the remaining candles in his room and leave. As soon as they dispersed, Ladli Begum removed the veil over her face and sighed. She looked distraught. Shehzaade Shahryar offered her water and made her sit on the cushion beside his bed...
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Last updated: February 4, 2026.
