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Mughal Harem
The Mughal Harem was the harem of Mughal emperors of the Indian subcontinent. The term originated with the Near East, meaning a "forbidden place; sacrosanct, sanctum", and etymologically related to the Arabic ''ḥarīm'', "a sacred inviolable place; female members of the family" and '' ḥarām'', "forbidden; sacred". It has the same meaning as the Turkish word '' seraglio'' and the Persian word '' zenana''. It is also similar to the Sanskrit word anthapura, meaning ‘the inner apartment’ of the household. It came to mean the sphere of women in what was usually a polygynous household and their segregated quarters which were forbidden to men. The Harem, being a forbidden place, was constant topic of speculation and curiosity. It was a vibrant and large physical space where women were arranged in regard to their proximity to the Emperor. History The women Harem women were composed of consorts (wives and slave concubines), female relatives of the Mughals emperors and sla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abu'l-Fazl Ibn Mubarak
Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak (14 January 1551 – 22 August 1602), also known as Abul Fazl, Abu'l Fadl and Abu'l-Fadl 'Allami, was an Indian writer, historian, and politician who served as the grand vizier of the Mughal Empire from his appointment in 1579, until his death in 1602. His notable works include the '' Akbarnama'', '' Ain-i-Akbari,'' and a Persian translation of the Bible.Abu al Fazl Biography and Works persian.packhum.org. Abul Fazl was initially appointed into Akbar's court as a military commander serving in Deccan, where he was held in high regard. He was popularly known for his theory ''Padshahat'' which stated the established owner, the emperor, could not be overthrown, as he was an agent of God for the welfar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Mughal Harem
''The Mughal Harem'' is a book by historian K.S. Lal published in 1988 about the Mughal Harem. The book has been praised for its description of the harem's internal dynamics, but has also been criticized for focusing on the sexual role of the harem and as anti-Muslim propaganda. Contents Based on contemporary sources, Lal studies queens, princesses, dancing girls, and slaves who belonged to Mughal harem from 15th to 18th century. The political roles of Nur Jahan, Jahanara and Roshanara are described in detail. The ladies were kept beside lawfully wedded wives for the sole purpose of sexual enjoyment by the Mughal emperors. Moreover, no one was allowed to enter the harem except the emperor himself which primarily created the dearth of physical evidence. Women played a vital role in the Mughal dynasty due to the diverse religio-political society of India. Additionally, women were used to exchange as a gift by the Mughal emperors. Summary The book commences with an examinatio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anthapura
The ''antahpura'' (), also rendered ''anthapura'', was the women's quarters or the royal harem of an Indian palace. It was the suite of apartments that were generally situated in a secluded portion of the palace, reserved for the women of the royal household. It consisted of the king's queens and concubines and was headed by his first queen, who was accorded the highest status. Several palaces in India contain the ''antahpura'', such as the ones of Hampi and Mysore. Literature ''Arthashastra'' The ''Arthashastra'' describes the ''antahpura'' to be guarded by eunuchs and include a number of apartments, one within the other. It is stated to comprise a parapet, a ditch, and a main door. The passage of commodities from and to these apartments are stated to be restricted, only allowed within after careful examination. Hindu literature ''Antahpuras'' are featured in Hindu texts. The ''Ramayana'' describes the ''antahpura'' of the rakshasa king Ravana in Lanka, where he has S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seraglio
A seraglio, serail, seray or saray (from , via Turkish, Italian and French) is a castle, palace or government building which was considered to have particular administrative importance in various parts of the former Ottoman Empire. "The Seraglio" may refer specifically to the Topkapı Palace, the residence of the former Ottoman sultans in Istanbul (known as Constantinople in English at the time of Ottoman rule). The term can also refer to other traditional Turkish palaces (every imperial prince had his own) and other grand houses built around courtyards. Etymology The term ''seraglio'', from Italian, has been used in English since 1581. The Italian Treccani dictionary gives two derivations: # one via or (with the variants ''seraya'' or ''saraya''), which comes from or, per derivation, the enclosed court for the wives and concubines of the harem of a house or palace (see ); # the other — in the sense of enclosure — from Late/, derived from Classical Latin , , whic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gulbadan Begum
Gulbadan Begum ( 1523 – 7 February 1603) was a Mughal princess and the daughter of Emperor Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire. She is best known as the author of '' Humayun-Nama'', the account of the life of her half-brother and Babar's successor, Emperor Humayun, which she wrote on the request of her nephew and Humayun's son, Emperor Akbar. Gulbadan's recollection of Babur is brief, but she gives a refreshing account of Humayun's household and provides rare material regarding his confrontation with her half-brother, Kamran Mirza. She records the fratricidal conflict among her brothers with a sense of grief. Gulbadan Begum was about eight years old at the time of her father's death in 1530 and was brought up by her older half-brother, Humayun. She was married to a Chagatai noble, her cousin, Khizr Khwaja Khan, the son of Aiman Khwajah Sultan, son of Khan Ahmad Alaq of the Turpan Khanate in Moghulistan at the age of seventeen. She spent most of her life in Kab ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Surat
Surat (Gujarati Language, Gujarati: ) is a city in the western Indian States and territories of India, state of Gujarat. The word Surat directly translates to ''face'' in Urdu, Gujarati language, Gujarati and Hindi. Located on the banks of the river Tapti near its confluence with the Arabian Sea, it used to be a large seaport. It is now the commercial and economic centre of South Gujarat, and one of the largest urban areas of western India. It has well-established diamond and textile industry, and is a major supply centre for apparels and accessories. About 90% of the world's diamonds are cut and polished in Surat. It is the second largest city in Gujarat after Ahmedabad and the List of most populous cities in India, eighth largest city by population and List of million-plus urban agglomerations in India, ninth largest urban agglomeration in India. It is the administrative capital of the Surat district. The city is located south of the state capital, Gandhinagar; south of A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jahanara Begum
Jahanara Begum (23 March 1614 – 16 September 1681) was a princess of the Mughal Empire. She was the second and the eldest surviving child of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. After Mumtaz Mahal's untimely death in 1631, the 17-year-old Jahanara was entrusted with the charge of the royal seal and conferred the title of '' Padshah Begum'' (First lady) of the Mughal Empire, even though her father had three surviving wives. She was Shah Jahan's favorite daughter and wielded major political influence during her father's reign, and has been described as "the most powerful woman in the empire" at the time. Jahanara was an ardent partisan of her brother, Dara Shikoh, and supported him as her father's chosen successor. During the war of succession which took place after Shah Jahan's illness in 1657, Jahanara sided with the heir-apparent Dara and joined her father in Agra Fort, where he had been placed under house arrest by Aurangzeb. When Aurangzeb ascended to the throne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arab States Of The Persian Gulf
The Arab states of the Persian Gulf, also known as the Gulf Arab states (), refers to a group of Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf. There are seven member states of the Arab League in the region: Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Yemen is bound to the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, based on history and culture. The term has been used in different contexts to refer to a number of Arab states in the Persian Gulf region. The prominent regional political union Gulf Cooperation Council includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. In modern history, various former British Empire protectorates, including the Trucial States were Arab states along the Persian Gulf. Politics Some of the Persian gulf states are constitutional monarchies with elected parliaments. Bahrain ('' Majlis al Watani'') and Kuwait ('' Majlis al Ummah'') have legislatures with members elected by the populati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mecca
Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above sea level. Its metropolitan population in 2022 was 2.4million, making it the List of cities in Saudi Arabia by population, third-most populated city in Saudi Arabia after Riyadh and Jeddah. Around 44.5% of the population are Saudis, Saudi citizens and around 55.5% are Muslim world, Muslim foreigners from other countries. Pilgrims more than triple the population number every year during the Pilgrimage#Islam, pilgrimage, observed in the twelfth Islamic calendar, Hijri month of . With over 10.8 million international visitors in 2023, Mecca was one of the ten List of cities by international visitors, most visited cities in the world. Mecca is generally considered "the fountainhead and cradle of Islam". Mecca is revered in Islam as the birthp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hajj
Hajj (; ; also spelled Hadj, Haj or Haji) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and of supporting their family during their absence from home. In Islamic terminology, Hajj is a pilgrimage made to the Kaaba, the "House of Allah", in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, alongside (oath that one believes there is no god but Allah), (prayer), (almsgiving), and (fasting during Ramadan). The Hajj is an annual practice when Muslim brotherhood is on display and their solidarity with fellow Muslim people and submission to God (Allah) is fulfilled. The Hajj is taken by Muslims to cleanse their souls of all worldly sins, which connotes both the outward act of a journey after death and th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
