Holi festival is ahead. Its effect is visible from the markets to the boundary walls of the houses. From applying Abeer-Gulal to singing Faag, the process starts from villages to cities. The holy month of Ramadan is also going on. This time there is Ramzan in between Holi. During the Mughal period, the festival of Holi was not limited only to the general public. It was celebrated with great enthusiasm even within the walls of the royal palaces and harems. The Mughals adopted Indian culture and named Holi as Eid-e-Gulaabi or Aab-e-Pashi (shower of colours).
In such a situation, when today people do not hesitate to differentiate between Hindus and Muslims, then it would be interesting to know how the queens in the harem celebrated the festival of Holi during the Mughal period? What was the form? Come, let us know.
Mughal Haram and beginning of Holi
Mughal emperors promoted Ganga-Jamuni culture. Holi started receiving royal patronage from the reign of Akbar. The queens and princesses living in the harem eagerly waited for this day. Preparations used to start many days before the arrival of Holi. The best gulal and perfume were procured from the markets. The women of the harem themselves also took part in preparing natural colours. She used to make colors from flowers and herbs. Deep yellow and orange colors were prepared by boiling Tesu flowers.
Holi in Mughal harem. AI Picture
Selection and preparation of colors
Mughal queens took great care of their skin. Therefore she used only natural colours. A mixture of saffron, sandalwood and rose water was made. These colors had a special kind of fragrance. Inside the harem, large tanks were filled with colored water. Rose and kevada perfumes were mixed in these tanks. The queens and their friends would gather near these tanks and spray colors on each other with gold and silver pitchers.
royal attire and makeup
The attire of queens was also special on the day of Holi. She usually wore white or light colored muslin clothes. Colors were clearly visible on the white clothes. These clothes had a gold border. Queens preferred to wear flower ornaments instead of heavy ornaments. She used to decorate her hair with jasmine and mogra flowers. Antimony was applied on the eyes and henna was applied on the hands. It was a unique combination of simplicity and grandeur.
Mughal harem. AI Picture
Music and dance festival
Holi in the harem was incomplete without music. Special gatherings were organized on this occasion. Women musicians and dancers used to sing Holi songs. These songs were called Dhamar or Hori. Queens used to dance to the beats of Dholak, Majeera and Sarangi. She used to dance to the songs of Holi of Braj. These songs often described the love of Radha and Krishna. Mughal queens thoroughly enjoyed these cultural nuances.
food and dishes
The real fun of the festival was in the dishes. The royal chef of the harem would prepare special dishes for Holi. Gujhiya, Malpua and Phirni were the main sweets. Apart from this, arrangements for saffron milk and thandai were made. Dry fruits and rose petals were added to thandai. On some special occasions, mild bhang was also added to it. Queens would enjoy these dishes sitting with their friends and maids.
Mughal emperor Shahjahan.
presence of the king
On the day of Holi, the king himself would visit the harem. This was a time when the protocols were relaxed a bit. The queens and begums would pour gulal on the king. The king also played Holi with his favorite queens. Holi celebrations became even grander during the times of Jahangir and Shahjahan. Historians say that Jahangir used to play Holi with his wife Noorjahan for hours. They used to sprinkle perfume and rose water on each other.
exchanging gifts
There was also a tradition of giving gifts on the occasion of Holi. Kings used to gift precious gems and silk clothes to their queens. The queens also used to give perfume bottles and handmade gifts to each other. Harem maids and employees were also rewarded on this day. New clothes and sweets were distributed to them. This would have created an atmosphere of happiness in the entire palace.
symbol of communal harmony
Women from both Hindu and Muslim communities lived in the Mughal harem. The festival of Holi was the thread of unity among all of them. Rajput queens also used to perform pujas according to their traditions. The Mughal emperors never stopped these traditions. Rather, he himself became a part of these celebrations. This was the most beautiful example of the mixed culture of India. On the pretext of Holi, the walls of the harem used to be drenched with happiness and colors.
evening celebration
After playing with colors throughout the day, the party was decorated again in the evening. The queens used to take bath and wear new and expensive clothes. Fireworks were displayed in the evening. The gardens of the palace were illuminated with lamps and torches. The queens used to see the outside view through the windows. People used to celebrate Holi in the city too, the echo of which could be heard even in the palace.
In this way, it can be said that during the Mughal period, Holi of queens was not just a game. It was a celebration of art, culture and mutual love. The queens of the harem used to forget their daily restrictions on this day. She used to express her feelings through colors. Even today, the stories of Holi during the Mughal period are famous in the pages of history. It reminds us that festivals always work to unite hearts. That Holi of the Mughal harem is still a colorful chapter of Indian history. There was delicacy and also festive joy in it.
Also read: Is Holi’s Gujhiya Indian or foreign, how much did the Mughals change it?