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{{Infobox royalty |
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{{references|date=January 2015}} |
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|name =Zainabadi Mahal |
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{{context|date=January 2015}} |
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|title = |
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{{underlinked|date=January 2015}} |
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|image = |
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|caption = |
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|reign = |
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|reign-type = |
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|spouse = [[Aurangzeb]] |
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|issue = |
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|full name = {{lang-en|Zainabadi}}<br>{{lang-fa|زين اباد}} |
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|house = [[Timurid dynasty|House of Timurid]] |
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|father = |
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|mother = |
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|birth_date = |
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|birth_place = Hira Bai<br>Zainabad, Burhanpur |
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|death_date = {{circa}} 1654 |
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|death_place = [[Aurangabad]], [[India]] |
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|burial_place = [[Aurangabad]] |
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|religion = [[Orthodox Christian]] converted to [[Islam]] |
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}} |
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⚫ | '''Zainabadi Mahal''' ({{lang-fa|زين اباد محل}}; died {{circa}} 1654; meaning "Lady from Zainabad") also known as Hira Bai was a young christian slave-girl of Hindu origin in the keeping of Mir Khalil, who had married a sister of Aurangzeb's mother. She was a favourite concubine of Aurangzeb. Her sweet voice and unparalleled beauty and charmed Aurangzeb to a very great extant. Her early death ended this love story soon. |
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==Life with Aurangzeb== |
==Life with Aurangzeb== |
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During his vice royalty of the Deccan, the Prince paid a visit to his aunt at Burhanpur. |
During his vice royalty of the Deccan, the Prince paid a visit to his aunt at Burhanpur. Mir Khalil, (successively surnamed Muftakhar Khan, Sipahdar Khan, and Khan-i-Zaman), a son-in-law of Asaf Khan, was sent to the Deccan as Chief of the Artillery in the 23rd year of Shah Jahan, 1649—50. In 1653, he became commandant of Dharur. It was only in Aurangzib's reign that he became subahdar of Khandesh. Zainabadi, who was beloved by Aurangzeb before his accession, had been, it is said, in the Khan's harem as his concubine. One day the prince went with the ladies of his harem to the garden of Zainabad Burhanpur, named Ahu-khanah [Deer Park] and began to stroll with his chosen beloved ones. Zainabadi, whose musical skill ravished the senses, and who was unique in blandishments, having come in the train of Khan-i-Zaman's wife (the prince's maternal aunt), on seeing a fruit-laden mango-tree, in mirth and amorous play advanced, leaped up and plucked a fruit, without paying due respect to the prince's presence. |
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This move of hers robbed the prince of his senses and self-control. With shameful importunity he procured her from his aunt's house, and became infatuated and given up to her, in spite of all his severe continence and temperance and pure training in theology. The story goes that one day she offered him a cup of wine and requested him to drink it. All his professions of reluctance and entreaty were disregarded. Then the poor prince was (at last) about to drink it, when that sly enchantress snatched away the cup (from his hand) and said ‘My purpose was to test your love and not to embitter your mouth with this wicked and unlucky liquor!’ This love-affair proceeded to such lengths as to reach Shah Jahan's ears. Dara Shikoh, who loved not Aurangzeb, made capital of this incident to slander his brother to the Emperor, saying, ‘See the piety and abstinence of this hypocritical knave! He has gone to the dogs for the sake of a wench of his aunt's household.’ By chance the rose of her life withered in its very spring time, and left the prince seared with the brand of eternal separation. She is buried at Aurangabad close to the big tank. On the day of her death the prince became very unwell; in extreme agitation he rode out to hunt.<ref>[http://persian.packhum.org/persian/main?url=pf%3Ffile%3D03002030%26ct%3D15 Love-affair with Zainabadi]</ref> |
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===Hamiduddin Khan's accounts=== |
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More than half a century afterwards, when this early love-passage had become How she was mere memory, the following inaccurate version of it was recorded by Hamiduddin Khan, a favourite servant of the Emperor, in his Anecdotes of Alamgir. |
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"When Aurangzeb as Governor of the Deccan as going to Aurangabad, on arriving at Buranpur. He went to visit his aunt. The Prince entered the house without announcing himself. Hira Bai was standing under a tree, holding a branch with her right hand and singing in a low tone. Immediately after seeing her, the Prince helplessly sat down there, and then stretched himself at full length on the ground in a swoon. The news was carried to his aunt. She clasped him to her breast and began to wail and lament. After three or four gharis the Prince regained consciousness. However much she inquired about his condition, saying, 'What malady is it? Did you ever have it before?' the Prince gave no reply at all, but remained silent. At midnight he recovered his speech and said, *If I mention my disease, can you apply the remedy ?' She replied, 'What to speak of remedy? I shall offer my life itself to cure you!' Then the Prince unfolded the whole matter to her The aunt replied, 'You know the wretch, my husband. He is a bloody-minded man and does not care in the least for the Emperor Shah Jahan or for you. At the mere report of your desire for Hira Bai he will first murder her and then me. Telling him about your passion will do no other good.' |
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Next morning the Prince came back to his own quarters and discussed the case in detail with his confidant, Murshid Quli Khan, the Diwan of the Deccan. The Khan said, 'Let me first dispatch your uncle, and if anybody then slays me, there will be no harm, as in exchange of my life my master's work will be done. Aurangzeb forbade him to commit a manifest murder and turn his aunt into a widow. Murshid Quli Khan reported the whole conversation to the Prince's uncle, who exchanged Hira Bai for Chattar Bai, a slave-girl of Aurangzeb's harem. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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*[http://madhukidiary.com/aurangzeb-the-love-less-mughal-emperor/ Aurangzeb the love less Mughal Emperor] |
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*[http://www.newindianexpress.com/education/student/Historys-Most-Hated-Mughal-Emperor/2013/12/05/article1928065.ece History's Most Hated Mughal Emperor] |
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*[http://ekbaarphirkahozara.blogspot.com/2013/04/aurangzeb-hirabai-zainabadi-aurangzeb.html Qissa e Laila Majnu... Aurangzeb and Hirabai Zainabadi] |
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*[http://www.prannevile.com/article_36 Stories of royal romance from Mughal India] |
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*[http://anjanadesigns.blogspot.com/2014/11/mughal-romance-hira-bai-and-aurangzeb.html Mughal Romance: Hira Bai and Aurangzeb] |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Aurangabadi Mahal}} |
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[[Category:Year of birth unknown]] |
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[[Category:1654 deaths]] |
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[[Category:Mughal nobility]] |
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[[Category:Indian queen consorts]] |
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[[Category:Women of the Mughal Empire]] |
Revision as of 16:45, 18 January 2015
Zainabadi Mahal | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born | Hira Bai Zainabad, Burhanpur | ||||
Died | c. 1654 Aurangabad, India | ||||
Burial | |||||
Spouse | Aurangzeb | ||||
| |||||
House | House of Timurid | ||||
Religion | Orthodox Christian converted to Islam |
Zainabadi Mahal (Persian: زين اباد محل; died c. 1654; meaning "Lady from Zainabad") also known as Hira Bai was a young christian slave-girl of Hindu origin in the keeping of Mir Khalil, who had married a sister of Aurangzeb's mother. She was a favourite concubine of Aurangzeb. Her sweet voice and unparalleled beauty and charmed Aurangzeb to a very great extant. Her early death ended this love story soon.
Life with Aurangzeb
During his vice royalty of the Deccan, the Prince paid a visit to his aunt at Burhanpur. Mir Khalil, (successively surnamed Muftakhar Khan, Sipahdar Khan, and Khan-i-Zaman), a son-in-law of Asaf Khan, was sent to the Deccan as Chief of the Artillery in the 23rd year of Shah Jahan, 1649—50. In 1653, he became commandant of Dharur. It was only in Aurangzib's reign that he became subahdar of Khandesh. Zainabadi, who was beloved by Aurangzeb before his accession, had been, it is said, in the Khan's harem as his concubine. One day the prince went with the ladies of his harem to the garden of Zainabad Burhanpur, named Ahu-khanah [Deer Park] and began to stroll with his chosen beloved ones. Zainabadi, whose musical skill ravished the senses, and who was unique in blandishments, having come in the train of Khan-i-Zaman's wife (the prince's maternal aunt), on seeing a fruit-laden mango-tree, in mirth and amorous play advanced, leaped up and plucked a fruit, without paying due respect to the prince's presence.
This move of hers robbed the prince of his senses and self-control. With shameful importunity he procured her from his aunt's house, and became infatuated and given up to her, in spite of all his severe continence and temperance and pure training in theology. The story goes that one day she offered him a cup of wine and requested him to drink it. All his professions of reluctance and entreaty were disregarded. Then the poor prince was (at last) about to drink it, when that sly enchantress snatched away the cup (from his hand) and said ‘My purpose was to test your love and not to embitter your mouth with this wicked and unlucky liquor!’ This love-affair proceeded to such lengths as to reach Shah Jahan's ears. Dara Shikoh, who loved not Aurangzeb, made capital of this incident to slander his brother to the Emperor, saying, ‘See the piety and abstinence of this hypocritical knave! He has gone to the dogs for the sake of a wench of his aunt's household.’ By chance the rose of her life withered in its very spring time, and left the prince seared with the brand of eternal separation. She is buried at Aurangabad close to the big tank. On the day of her death the prince became very unwell; in extreme agitation he rode out to hunt.[1]