INSIDE THE MUGHAL HAREM....

 

The roofs of harem seemingly reaching sky,

Chandeliers  & carpets in grandeur to vie,

Walls studded with murals and carvings,

The Mughals,indeed, had insatiable craving.

A dainty petite figure sat in the center,

Thirsty glances followed when she did enter,

Her moon like face hidden behind a veil,

Face that could make thousand ships to sail.

Pride of harem with her seductive glance,

Shahenshah  got lost and was in trance,

Beauties like her have no place in history,

Born to die inside harem walls in misery.

Dancing, she swayed hips tender and nimble,

Emperor played with her body like fiddle,

As eyes feast on her every posture,

As she did a “TUMRI” in rapture.

Adept at the art of etiquette & decorum,

Using couplets studded with witticism,

Clad in LEHENGA with head shawl,

Anklets tinkled as feet measured harem hall. 

Rolling her almond eyes, she did wink,

Those intoxicating eyes, men readily drank,

In harem, held in esteem, symbol of past,

Outside, she was a “TAWAIFFS”, an outcast.

No less beautiful than those courtesans,

Maids weaved fans to fire up passions,

Low born, can't rise in harem's hierarchy,

But played essential role in lustful party.

 Witnesses of decadence and debaucheries,

 Keepers of conspiracies &  treacheries,  

They ran errands & prepared flowery beds,

They lost their virginity but remained unwed.

They helped at bath, ready with towels to dry,

Not addressed by names, a curt “Koi Hai?”

Fanned royals to sleep but never dozed off,

Or resented and showed emotions thereof.

Helped to dress, undress & in combing hair,

Lucky ones pleased king, joined in amour,

Few bore illicit sons, became concubines,

Others hoped for wheel of fate to turn 

Obscured from curious public eye,

One can never dare to peep & spy,

Fragmented spaces enveloped by high wall,

Where shadows of outsiders can't crawl.

Guarded by hawk like eyes of 'Khwaja Saras',

Those Persian, Arabian and Afghan hijras,

Trained in swordsmanship & martial arts,

Wielded authority & power in lots.

Moved across the veil dividing genders,

Ruthlessly dealt with harem offenders,

Non-males in Islamic system of patriarchy,

Irreplaceable cogs in power hierarchy.

Kinky dungeons housing sensuous women,

Be it  Mughal Zenana or Seraglio of Ottoman,

Is it a female prison or den of debaucheries?

Or female hostels loaded with grotequries?

A golden cages of pomp & glitter, 

For Shahenshah's begums & sisters,

Trapped in the imperial harem's quagmire,

For slave girls, all moments were dire.  

Richly dressed but poorly respected,

At Emperor's nod, virginity was discarded,

Procured by force, intimidation & coercion,

To languish in lecherous Emperor's vice den.

© K.Radhaktishnan