Princess Zeb-un-Nissa

Once upon a time, in the royal household of a romantic Mughal ruler, to a tyrant future emperor and his beloved consort, a magnificent beauty was born. Zeb-un-Nissa, she was called, meaning the Ornament of the Womankind. The princess, being the eldest of her father, was much loved and adored and grew up to be a pride of her parents. However, things did take an ugly turn, and that's when the princess' life changed!

Zeb-un-Nissa was Aurangzeb's favourite daughter - when the latter acceded to the throne, the princess became his all-time advisor on the state's matters at the young age of 21!

Of all things that Zeb-un-Nissa had the freedom to do, given that she was a royal woman in an orthodox court, she did not have the freedom to pursue what she really wished for - poetry and music! But where there is a will, there is a way. She started writing under the pen-name of "Makhfi" meaning the Hidden One. She was also an excellent singer and musician. The emperor had anathema towards both!

Beauty with brains was Zeb-un-Nissa. Not only did she had a keen intellect, but her physical beauty was widely popular as well. Tall and slim, round face with beauty-spots, black hair, fair complexion and rose lips - such were her descriptions!

Added to this were her discrete love affairs. We are not certain about this, but there are many legends and tales on who she could have possibly been involved with, but we know she suffered a great deal for love. While some say, Akil Khan, the Governor of Lahore was the love of Zeb-un-Nissa's life, and other legends have it that she was involved with her brother Muhammad Akbar, who was involved in a rebellion against the Emperor. Another tale is that she was involved with the Maratha chief Shivaji and helped him escape imprisonment by hiding him in a basket of fruits. So much for love!

Interestingly, she was betrothed to Dara Shikoh's son, Prince Sulaiman Shikoh and was supposed to become the future Mughal empress. But given Aurangzeb's dislike for his brother, the marriage was called off, and the prince was burnt alive in front of the princess. Later, she received many proposals from her admirers for marriage, but she demanded to see her suitors and test them before the marriage was fixed!

Oh Makhfi, it is the path of love, and alone you must go. No one suits your friendship even if God be though. - Zeb-un-Nissa

Whoever it was, who stole our princess' heart, one or many, did leave a great impact, as Zeb-un-Nissa never got married. Her affairs and interests invited her father's dissatisfaction and resentment towards her. She turned from the favourite to the most abhorred and was imprisoned at Salimgarh Fort for the last twenty years of her life. Constantly watched, perpetually deprived and ultimately chained, she died alone in her sickness, grief and misery.