In every citadel of the Mughal Empire, there existed a luxurious fortress that housed the women of the court. Known as the ‘Mahal’, this closely-guarded space that few men could enter has intrigued the world for centuries. Published by Hachette India, 'Mahal' by Shubadra Sen Gupta contains the stories of these women; from queens and princesses to foster mothers and female officers, that deserve to be heard.
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Uncovering the little-known lives of the remarkable women who inhabited the Mahal, this commanding narrative introduces us to Ehsan Daulat Begum, Babur’s grandmother, without whose enterprise there would have been no Mughal Empire; the Padshah Begums who ran the vast establishment of the Mahal with an all-women team; the female scholars and poets – like Zeb-un-Nissa, Salima Sultan Begum, Zeenat-un-Nissa – who influenced the emperor in matters of diplomacy and state policy; and the queens and princesses who ran vast estates and oversaw fleets of trading vessels, among others.
Mahal is a rare peek into life behind the veil, and an illuminating account of the role women played in the courts of the Mughal Empire.
Subhadra Sen Gupta has written over 30 books for both adults and children including the popular A Children's History of India. She has been writing since her college days and has worked as a copywriter in many advertising agencies. She specialises in historical fiction and non-fiction, travel writing, detectives and ghost stories as well as comic strips. She was awarded the Bal Sahitya Puraskar by the Sahitya Akademi in 2014. Her other notable works include A Bagful of History, Hampi, A Mauryan Adventure among others.
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