No surprises but still it looks like an interesting read:
Reviewed by Dr Tariq Rahman
The interest in the private life of people probably owes its existence to the curiosity about secrets which most human beings possess. However, the private lives of powerful people also provide us with insights into the workings and effects of power. This is the overall impact of the book under review.
The book comprises 11 chapters out of which the last four are about Mughal pastimes, the illumination of the palace, floor coverings, wardrobes, precious stores, etc., and the daily routine of the emperors. Chapter six is about the Mughal kitchen, while chapter seven is about perfumes and incenses. The remaining six chapters are about the harem, women and the works.
R. Nath covers much of what was covered by Dr Mubarak Ali in Shahi Mahal (2000). The description of the kitchen and its functioning is very similar indeed. As for the harem, much of what he says has already been mentioned by K.S. Lal in The Mughal Harem (1988). Similarly, some other material has been covered by historians of the Mughal period. Unfortunately, the author mentions none of his scholarly predecessors — a serious omission.
R. Nath gives concise and easily accessible information about the private lives of the Mughal emperors. He tells us that the Mughals kept their women in the harem which consisted of apartments in an enclosed courtyard. This establishment was supervised by very reliable officers who were often eunuchs. The entire establishment was connected with secret passages which allowed the king to appear in whatever part of the building he wished, thus, creating an aura of mystery around him. The harem had queens, concubines, serving maids as well as relatives (aunts, sisters, cousins, mothers) of the ruler. Even the officers and guards were women. Although the strength of the harem could go well above 5,000 women, not all were kept to provide pleasure to the king and princes. Many of them were for this explicit purpose and the king often had no scruples to add to his collection, women who were reputed for their beauty.
The ladies were constantly guarded and spied upon. As most were neglected by the king, they indulged in affairs with men and, presumably, with women as well. If discovered, the lovers were executed summarily.
The Mughals were quite eclectic and entered into matrimonial alliances with the Hindus in order to reconcile them to their rule. Nath provides evidence that some of them neglected the circumcision of boys which is a common Muslim practice. Another deviation from orthodoxy was that Hindu consorts of the Mughals “were allowed live in their own way and follow their own religious and cultural practices, without violating the general norms of the harem.” This tolerant policy must have contributed to the acceptability of Mughal rule in India.
Wine was very commonly used both by the royalty and the aristocracy. Jahangir drank a lot while others remained within their limits. Aurangzeb was the only one of the great Mughals’ who did not drink wine at all. While opium and other intoxicants were used from the very beginning, tobacco was introduced in North India towards the end of Akbar’s reign (1604-5). It had been brought by the Portuguese from America and entered India through Goa.
The main principle behind the private life of the ruler was to obtain as much gratification as possible. This, indeed, was the measure of his power. Thus, he had, at his disposal, the pleasures of the bed, table, mind, artistic sense, chase, the imposition of the will, etc. Thus he could, if he wished, use slave girls as pieces in a game of Pachisi, though, according to Nath, nobody actually did that. Nath, however, does not convince the reader about the veracity of this piece of information as he gives no evidence about the information he gives.
While denying the myth of using human beings in a game, Nath tells us confidently that Anarkali (Nadira Begum or Sharf-un-Nissa Begum) did have an affair with Prince Salim and Akbar “ordered her to be ‘built’ alive into a wall.” Moreover, Nath further attributes Jahangir’s rebellion against his father to this romance and another one with Mihr-un-Nissa (later Nur Jahan). In such cases, the author should have quoted the original Persian sources but he does not. This detracts from the scholarly value of the book.
Although the author says he did not follow the scholarly methodology in order to avoid jargon and to make the book simple and readable, one feels he could have done both by putting all references in notes. Also, he could have certainly referred to some scholars who have covered similar ground in a chapter which some readers might have skipped if they wished. Finally, a major shortcoming of this book is that it provides no analysis of the way power is exercised in the absence of restraining institutions. The most important insight seems to be the commodification and dehumanisation of women who are treated merely as playthings of the powerful. Such insights should have been brought out and built upon.
On the whole, the book cannot be called either original or scholarly. At best it can be credited with bringing together information scattered in many places.
Private Life of the Mughals of India (1526-1803 A.D.)
By R. Nath
Rupa & Co. Available with Paramount Books,
Jamalistan Shopping Centre, Plot # DC-1, Block 8 Kehkashan,
Clifton, Karachi.
Tel: 021-5833915
Email: [email protected]
ISBN 81-291-0465-2
231pp. Rs469
