#sarainurmahal #sarai #mughalarchitecture #mughal #nurjahan #jahangir – Rana Safvi https://ranasafvi.com A blog exploring India's Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb or its rich multi plural multi cultural heritage via its adab, tehzeeb & tareekh Wed, 12 Apr 2023 10:31:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 https://ranasafvi.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/image-7-75x75.jpg #sarainurmahal #sarai #mughalarchitecture #mughal #nurjahan #jahangir – Rana Safvi https://ranasafvi.com 32 32 179612229 The birth of Prince Salim ( regnal name Jahangir) in his own words https://ranasafvi.com/38274-2/ https://ranasafvi.com/38274-2/#respond Wed, 12 Apr 2023 07:40:57 +0000 https://ranasafvi.com/?p=38274 “Till he was 28 years old, no child of my father had lived, and he was continually praying for the survival of a son to dervishes and recluses, by whom spiritual approach to the throne of Allah is obtained.
As the great master, K͟hwāja Muʿīnu-d-dīn Chis͟htī, was the fountain-head of most of the saints of India, he considered that in order to obtain this object he should have recourse to his blessed threshold, and resolved within himself that if Almighty God should bestow a son on him he would, by way of complete humility, go on foot from Agra to his [2]blessed mausoleum, a distance of 140 kos. In A.H. 977, on Wednesday, 17th Rabīʿu-l-awwal (August 31st, 1569), when seven g͟harī of the aforesaid day had passed, when Libra (Mīzān) had risen to the 24th degree, God Almighty brought me into existence from the hiding-place of nothingness.
At the time when my venerated father was on the outlook for a son, a dervish of the name of S͟haik͟h Salīm, a man of ecstatic condition, who had traversed many of the stages of life, had his abode on a hill near Sīkrī, one of the villages of Agra, and the people of that neighbourhood had complete trust in him. As my father was very submissive to dervishes, he also visited him.
One day, when waiting on him and in a state of distraction, he asked him how many sons he should have. The S͟haik͟h replied, “The Giver who gives without being asked will bestow three sons on you.” My father said, “I have made a vow that, casting my first son on the skirt of your favour, I will make your friendship and kindness his protector and preserver.” The S͟haik͟h accepted this idea, and said, “I congratulate you, and I will give him my own name.”
When my mother came near the time of her delivery, he (Akbar) sent her to the S͟haik͟h’s house that I might be born there. After my birth they gave me the name of Sultan Salīm, but I never heard my father, whether in his cups or in his sober moments, call me Muḥammad Salīm or Sultan Salīm, but always S͟haik͟hū Bābā. My revered father, considering the village of Sīkrī, which was the place of my birth, lucky for him, made it his capital.”
excerpt from Tuzuk e Jahangiri
“Till he was 28 years old, no child of my father had lived, and he was continually praying for the survival of a son to dervishes and recluses, by whom spiritual approach to the throne of Allah is obtained.
As the great master, K͟hwāja Muʿīnu-d-dīn Chis͟htī, was the fountain-head of most of the saints of India, he considered that in order to obtain this object he should have recourse to his blessed threshold, and resolved within himself that if Almighty God should bestow a son on him he would, by way of complete humility, go on foot from Agra to his [2]blessed mausoleum, a distance of 140 kos. In A.H. 977, on Wednesday, 17th Rabīʿu-l-awwal (August 31st, 1569), when seven g͟harī of the aforesaid day had passed, when Libra (Mīzān) had risen to the 24th degree, God Almighty brought me into existence from the hiding-place of nothingness.
At the time when my venerated father was on the outlook for a son, a dervish of the name of S͟haik͟h Salīm, a man of ecstatic condition, who had traversed many of the stages of life, had his abode on a hill near Sīkrī, one of the villages of Agra, and the people of that neighbourhood had complete trust in him. As my father was very submissive to dervishes, he also visited him.
One day, when waiting on him and in a state of distraction, he asked him how many sons he should have. The S͟haik͟h replied, “The Giver who gives without being asked will bestow three sons on you.” My father said, “I have made a vow that, casting my first son on the skirt of your favour, I will make your friendship and kindness his protector and preserver.” The S͟haik͟h accepted this idea, and said, “I congratulate you, and I will give him my own name.”
When my mother came near the time of her delivery, he (Akbar) sent her to the S͟haik͟h’s house that I might be born there. After my birth they gave me the name of Sultan Salīm, but I never heard my father, whether in his cups or in his sober moments, call me Muḥammad Salīm or Sultan Salīm, but always S͟haik͟hū Bābā. My revered father, considering the village of Sīkrī, which was the place of my birth, lucky for him, made it his capital.”
excerpt from Tuzuk e Jahangiri

Shrine of Shaikh Salim Chishti
]]> https://ranasafvi.com/38274-2/feed/ 0 38274 Sarai Nur Mahal in Punjab https://ranasafvi.com/sarai-nur-mahal-in-punjab/ https://ranasafvi.com/sarai-nur-mahal-in-punjab/#respond Mon, 18 Oct 2021 06:53:41 +0000 https://ranasafvi.com/sarai-nur-mahal-in-punjab/ I decided to check into Sarai Nur Mahal and experience 17th century hospitality.
As this sarai was on the caravan route of Lahore to,Agra I could be coming from either destination.
I could imagine the grandeur of the Sarai from it’s majestic gateway with it’s exquisite carvings of elephants and tiger fights and floral decorations, as well as intricate carvings depicting birds, camels and even fairies on the Lahore Darwaza.
I imagined the royal steward welcoming me and the now broken cell walls lit with diya, the heady smell of incense and the aromatic fragrance coming from the cooking pots.
I would have quickly visited the hammam for a relaxing bath and then gone to the mosque for prayers. The hauz in front would have held my attention as would have the muqarnaas inside.
A restful sleep and I was ready to be on my way the next day.
I would have either entered or exited from the now dilapidated Delhi darwaza. It is now grilled but would have welcomed me or said farewell back then.
I would have offered grateful thanks to Nur Jahan Begum who got this Sarai built in 1618 to
Zakariya Khanthe then Governor of the Doab under whose supervision it was constructed.
There were plenty of rooms, as well as the Emperor’s quarters.
The Emperor Jahangir himself wrote in his memoirs:
“…I took up my quarters in Nur-Saray. At this spot the Vakils of Nur Jahan Begam had built a lofty house, and made a royal garden. It was now completed. On this account the Begam, having begged for an entertainment, prepared a grand feast, and by the way of offering, with great pains produced all kinds of delicate and rare things. In order to please her I took what I approved. I halted two days at this place.”

sarainurmahal #nurjahan #mughalarchitecture #mughal #jahangir #sarai

]]> https://ranasafvi.com/sarai-nur-mahal-in-punjab/feed/ 0 37703 Khajuraho Sculptures https://ranasafvi.com/khajuraho-sculptures/ Fri, 01 Mar 2019 17:45:38 +0000 https://ranasafvi.com/khajuraho-sculptures/ Doesn’t she speak to you?

Applying Alta on her feet

#Khajuraho #khajurahosculptures

These gorgeous ladies adorn the Khajuraho temples and are a glimpse into everyday life of 9th to.12th century and testify not just to beauty of our ladies but skill of our scultors

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