Royal Mughal Ladies : And their Contributions

Contents : Preface. 1. The ladies of the Mughal Harem. 2. Adornment of the Mughal harem : education and beauty. 3. Amusements and festivities. 4. Mughal ladies in contemporary politics. 5. Literary contributions. 6. Artistic contributions. 7. Contributions of Royal Mughal Ladies in economic life. 8. Travels of the Mughal harem. 9. Conclusion. Bibliography. Index.

"Indian women, have since ancient days, played an important role in the social, cultural and philosophical development of the country. The ladies of the Mughal dynasty were almost as remarkable as their male counterparts and in certain cases even more cultivated. These beautiful, educated and extremely talented women not only contributed to the social, cultural, literary, artistic and economic fields, but also yielded great power and played a dominant role in contemporary politics. It is indeed interesting that hidden behind veils and confined to the four walls of the palaces, these ladies could achieve so much that some of their contributions till today form a part of our rich cultural heritage.

The present study deals with the royal Mughal ladies in details and is concerned with their activities and achievements. It provides a detailed account of the life and contributions of the royal Mughal ladies from the times of Babar to Aurangzeb’s, with special emphasis on the most prominent among them". (jacket)