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The Hidden One

In the grand fort of Daulatabad, a princess was born in 1638 to Emperor Aurangzeb and his cherished consort, Dilras Banu Begum. She was christened Zeb Un Nisa, her very name meaning “ornament of womankind.” The youngest of her sisters, Zeb Un Nisa, grew up surrounded by the opulence of the Mughal harem at the Red Fort, under the spiritual guidance of her Sufi uncle Dara Shikoh and her wise aunt Jahanara Begum. From her earliest days, she was captivated by poetry, spending hours immersed in literature, her mind dancing among the verses of Persian and Urdu poets. As she blossomed into adulthood, Zeb Un Nisa cultivated her own literary voice and gathered the greatest poets of the Mughal Empire in her private council. Adopting the pen name “Makhfi”, the Concealed One, she wove magic with her words, always returning to one intoxicating theme: Love. Her father, Emperor Aurangzeb, was the most powerful man in India, unyielding in his faith and rule, yet also deeply affectionate towards his ...

Nur Jahan: The Enigma

The Mughal Empire was at its peak. The year was 1577. Emperor Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar was the Imperial Mughal Emperor, and the only resistance he was facing was from the Deccans and Mewar. Maan Singh, his general, was taking care of these resistances as Akbar indulged in art and religion. Akbar's first son, from Mariam Ur Zamani, i.e. Harka Bai of Amer, Nur-Uddin-Mohammad Salim, was eight years old and spoilt immensely as the heir to the throne. Meanwhile, far away, Mirza Ghiaz Begh and his pregnant wife Asmat Begum, along with their three sons, were moving through the difficult roads of Afghanistan into India, in search of a new life after suffering misfortune in their homeland of Persia after a change of power on the throne. A clueless Mirza was searching for a new life and job. Disaster didn't seem to end on the tough roads when they were attacked by robbers. Everything they had was snatched away, and thankfully, lives were spared. The day was 31st May 1577. His luck seeme...