A day before my wedding she asked me to run away and that she would make a dasi sit at my place during the marriage and that no one would ever find out. For days my mother wept and wept and wept. My brave mother fought for me and cried when I was being forced into this marriage by my father in order to protect his kingship. I had only dreamt about my marriage with Rajkumar Rattan Singh, I was taught that ever since I learnt what the word marriage meant. How could he sacrifice his own daughter for his kingdom? Struck with anger, sorrow and fear all at the same time, I cried for days.
I was shattered and did not know what to say to my father or how to face him. And in exchange for his kingdom, he proposed my marriage with the Mughal Shahinshah Mohammad Jalal-ud-din Akbar. So instead of facing the coming war, he extended his hand for friendship and a political alliance. He was well aware that we did not have an army or kingdom that strong which could survive the war. With all this happening, my father feared he would lose his kingdom too. The Mughal would not stop at any cost, till their empire extended from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal and from the Himalayas to the Godhavari River. īy the time I was 13, the Mughal Empire was establishing rapidly, scrolls were sent- wars were declared- battles were won- and the empire expanded. I always had this in mind and so, had accepted and visualized him as my future husband. When I was young, my parents had already fixed my marriage with Ajabgarh’s Rajkumar Rattan Singh. So the king ordered his architects to make something which could solve the purpose.’ The reason behind why this hall was made by glass because the queen was not allowed to sleep in open air but she loved to see the stars shining. ‘The Walls and ceiling of this hall were carved with beautiful paintings and flowers and that too made with pure glass. The Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace) was the most beautiful and my favorite part of the palace.
Its Indian architecture includes large ramparts, series of gates the palace overlooks the ‘Maota Lake’, at its forefront.’ It had a number of courtyards and gardens where all of us- brothers and sisters would play all day long.
Exquisite paintings of hunting scenes on the walls depicted the temperament of the Rajputs, who were extremely revolutionary, adventurous, and self-indulgent. One could see intricate carvings, mirror and precious stone works on the walls and ceilings of the palace. ‘The palace was known for its Indian Artistic Style, blending Hindu and Rajputs elements. I was born and brought up in the beautiful palace of Aamer. When Raja Bharmal (my father) declared his son Bhagwant Das as his successor even after promising the throne to Suja, disappointed he broke all the ties and left Amer. ] As time flew, Suja also became the victim of the political rivalry in the family. We would practice and train for hours together in the palace courtyards. Every morning I would dress up in my white attire, mask my face, wear shields and pick up my sword. However, he could not get the throne as he was very young when his father King Puranmal (direct successor) died helping the Mughal Emperor Humayan to recapture his fort of from other Muslim Rulers. Throughout my childhood, I was very fond of my step-cousin brother Surajmal or Suja, who was the direct successor of the Amer throne. I would sing prayers every morning and keep fasts regularly. My palace was decorated with Krishna paintings and frescos. ]Ī Hindu by birth, I was a Lord Krishna devotee. At a very young age, I witnessed the fight for the succession of the throne as there was a lot of political rivalry within the family.
However, when I was 6 my father was crowned the king. ] I wasn’t born as the king’s daughter, as my father was a cousin to the king then. Have a look at our online store : Etsy StoreĪ short essay describing the life of Jodha Bai – The Mughal Empress, written from her perspective, with a secondary focus on architecture.īorn as a Hindu princess with the name Harka bai on October 1 st, 1542 in Amer (currently Jaipur), I was the eldest daughter of the Rajput Raja Bharmal of Aamer and the sister of Bhagwant Das of Amer and the aunt of Man Singh I of Amer, who later became one the Nine Jewels in the court of Akbar.