Posted:
actually there was a documentary on the Mughal Era on tv recently ...in which they were talking about the harem and whatever we are seeing is just part of the whole truth which was even more ghastly and scary ...conspiracies ,murder,scheming ,fight for power and spying was soo common ...
it was said that the duty of the harem woman was pleasing the Emperor and providing him with children and once they provided that ...the Emperor would stop visiting them and then a life of loneliness waits...no wonder most of them turned against each other
they were provided all the luxuries and protection possible but emotionally it was hell for most of them
it is scary ,i can understand where jodha comes from ..even if she has heard about it ,is aware of it but still it is different coming and living in it ,that too a different religion ,culture ..shudders...
On a trip to Fatehpur Sikri in Agra (which is the palace where these people are shown) I actually saw two "jails" near the harem, and when I asked the guide about it, he said it was usual for the women to get so physically violent with each other and tear others' faces and all ... so the very violent ones were put in jail till they cooled down!
And even though they were supposed to be provided physical comforts at least if not emotional security, you should see how bad t was - the harem must have housed at least 300 women in a crowded state, and there were just some two or three bathing "swimming pool" types, of about quarter of the size of a modern swimming pool. And in that queue only the ladies in favour would have got a first chance to bathe and others who were not in the favour of the Shahenshah must have waited for months to get even a decent bath!
So if you were ignored by the Shahenshah after just one or two nights with him, your life was a literal mess!
