Mariam-uz-Zamani
Rajkumari Heer Kunwari / Harka Bai or
also known as Jodha Bai in television program is a Rajput Princess from Amer
Kingdom and she is one of the wives from Akbar (King of Mughal). Heer Kunwari
and Akbar marriage is a political marriage, where the King Bharmal (Heer
Kunwari’s father) made a political agreement that requires her eldest daughter
married with Mughal nation. As we know that, Mughal nation and Rajput nation
are very different and arguably both of them mutually hostile. Mughal nation
embraced Islam and Rajput nation embraced to Hindu religion. Initially, Heer
Kunwari hated Mughal nation, especially with the king, and she had opposed her
marriage with the king of Mughal. Therefore, after they were marriage on
February 6, 1562, Heer Kunwari didn’t want him to touch her without getting
permission first. The longer their togetherness, love began to grow between
them. Heer Kunwari became the third wife of Akbar after Ruqaiya Sultan Begum (who
was Akbar’s first wife) and Salima Sultan Begum. After Heer Kunwari has the
heir to the Mughal empire, named Nurrudin Salim Jahangir, Heer Kunwari was
given the title as Mariam-uz-Zamani
and her son (Salim) is going to continue Mughal imperial throne as king to
replace Akbar.
My interest in the history of India started
from a translation novel entitled “Mehrunnisa the Twentieth Wife” by
Indu Sundaresan, and continued with the second and the third novels are “Nur
Jahan the Queen of Mughal” and “Taj Mahal”. The point of it is the
third novels tells the story of the son of Mariam-uz-Zamani, he is Nurrudin
Salim Jahangir who at that time was ruled Mughal empire. Mehrunnisa was the
twentieth wife of King Salim, and became the only beloved wife. Before
Mehrunnisa and Salim marriage, she was married with a man that her father
choose. But her husband treated her very badly and therefore their relationship
didn’t long last. Mehrunnisa was a girl of the king’s servants faithful. The
first meeting Mehrunnisa and Salim occurred in the palace gardens when they
were little. She grew into a beautiful girl and finally they met again outside
the palace, love begins to blossom between them like a flower in bloom.
Mehrunnisa was given the title as Nur Jahan because she was Salim beloved
queen. One day, she feel ill and the disease cannot be cured, it makes his own
suffering in his hearts. Salim loves Mehrunnisa so much, therefore he built a
special palace for his beloved wife and at the same final resting place for
Mehrunnisa, that is Taj Mahal. And then, after King Salim died, he was buried
next to the grave of his wife (Mehrunnisa) in the Taj Mahal palace. This is an
eternal love story of all the time.
