Anarkali

Anarkali is a legendary figure associated with the 16th-century Mughal Empire.

She is most famous for her purported romantic connection to Prince Salim. Salim was the son of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He eventually ascended the throne as Emperor Jahangir. While the legend is widely known, historians debate whether she was a real person. Some believe she was a courtesan, while others suggest she was a wife or a servant. This ambiguity has allowed her story to become a powerful piece of historical fiction.

The most common legend describes a tragic and violent end for Anarkali. According to these accounts, Salim and Anarkali shared an illicit relationship. When Emperor Akbar discovered this, he became extremely angry. The stories claim Akbar ordered her to be executed by immurement. Immurement is the act of being enclosed within a wall while still alive. This brutal decision reportedly caused Salim to rebel against his father. However, many scholars, such as Lisa Balabanlilar, argue that this legend cannot be verified. They suggest the story is likely a myth rather than a historical event.

Early Western accounts provided the foundation for these legends. William Finch, an English trader, visited the Mughal Empire in 1608. He reached Lahore in February 1611 to sell indigo.

Finch wrote that Akbar had caused a lady to be enclosed within a wall. He noted that Jahangir later built a sumptuous stone tomb for her. This tomb was located in the center of a walled, four-square garden. Finch also described a dome that was worked in gold. Another traveler, Edward Terry, visited a few years later. Terry wrote that Akbar had even threatened to disinherit Jahangir because of this relationship.

There are several competing theories regarding the true identity of Anarkali. One possibility is that Anarkali was simply the name of a pomegranate garden. Haroon Khalid notes that the grandson of Jahangir, Dara Shikoh, mentioned a pomegranate garden in his work. Another theory suggests she was a woman named Sahib-i-Jamal. Muhammed Baqir argues that the tomb belonged to Sahib-i-Jamal, who was a wife of Salim. She died in 1599, which matches the date inscribed on the tomb. Some researchers also suggest she might have been a woman named Sharf-un-Nissa. Others have proposed the name Nadira Begum or even Nur Jahan.

The tomb in Lahore contains a richly carved white marble cenotaph.

A cenotaph is a monument built to honor someone whose body is elsewhere. The inscription on the gravestone is very poetic. It reads: "Could I behold the face of my beloved once more, I would thank God until the day of resurrection." Some scholars believe these verses come from the 13th-century poet Sa­ĭ. Ebba Koch suggests that Jahangir saw himself as a "Majnun" prince. In Persian literature, a Majnun is a person who is almost mad with love. Jahangir even had his name inscribed as Majnun on the sarcophagus.

Historians use various pieces of evidence to test these legends. Ram Nath argues the legend might not be entirely fabricated. He notes that Jahangir would not have inscribed his name as a passionate lover without approval. Furthermore, Jahangir's rebellion against Akbar in 1599 might have been caused by this romance. However, other historians point out inconsistencies in the dates. For example, if Anarkali was the mother of Prince Daniyal, the dates of her death do not align. These conflicting details show why the subject remains a mystery.

The story of Anarkali has had a massive impact on culture. It has inspired many books and famous movies. The most notable example is the 1960 Bollywood film *Mughal-e-Azam*. In this film, the character is portrayed by the actress Madhubala. The legend continues to bridge the gap between historical inquiry and popular imagination. Whether she was a real woman or a symbol of forbidden love, Anarkali remains a central figure in Mughal storytelling.