The
Moghul Hedonist
4th Moghul emperor
From 1605 to 1627
The
Moghul Hedonist is an adeptly researched historical, biographical saga about
the life of the 4th Moghul emperor of India,
named Jahangir.
Jahangir's
reign from 1605 to 1627 marks the era of sovereignty from behind the scene,
where Nur Jahan alone possessed the power to rule the emperor and the
empire. Jahangir, a mystic, a naturalist
and an aesthetic laid kingdoms at the feet of his empress, abandoning himself completely to his love for
wine, both from the nature's cups and from gold flagons. His hunger and passion for beauty in nature
lured him to the paradise in Kashmir five times during
his twenty-two years of reign splintered with intrigues and rebellions. The beautiful gardens of Kashmir,
some built by Nur Jahan and some restored by her, became the sanctuary of this
Moghul couple, away from the royal burdens of the court intrigues.
With
the exception of Jahangir's own sons rebelling against him, peace and
prosperity flourished during his artistic and sensuous reign. Industry and commerce yielded great
revenues. The art of painting in detail
and accuracy reached to its culmination under his patronage and
indulgence. The poets basked under the
sunshine of the emperor's generosity, and literature attained the heights of
nobility and veneration. Though cultural
development rose to its peak, the emperor's health failed due to excessive
drinking which became his bane and challenge.
Two
more challenges finished his life. The
rebellion of his favorite son styled as Shah Jahan, and one hundred days of
captivity by his own faithful vizier, Mahabat Khan. The last blow to his frail health came from
the hands of a tragedy, when his son prince Perwiz died of his own indulgence
in drinking.
At
the age of fifty-eight, when Jahangir died, Shah Jahan ascended the
much-coveted throne with great pomp. Not
in the least suspecting that he would know grief shortly, wedding only Taj
Mahal as his lost love and bride.
The
main contribution of this saga toward scholarship lies in the fact, that the
emperor Jahangir steps out of the pages of history as a scholar himself. A man of varied talents and interests, his
observations about plant and animal life are worth exploring, if not his passion
for art and literature.
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