Jahanara and Roshnara, the rival sisters

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Jahanara and Roshnara, the rival sisters

After Mumtaz Mahal's death, Shah Jahan went behind everyone's eyes to overcome his grief. He completely ignored taking care of his children in between his pain and suffering. Amidst this situation, all the responsibilities of his children were heaped upon his elder daughter, Jahanara. She took care of all of them and raised them like their mother. Roshanara, as the youngest, was always the most adored by her. But little did she know that she would turn into her biggest rival

The painting of shehzadi Jahanara; Image source- A journey to discover life - WordPress.com

Jahanara was the first daughter of Emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaz, whereas Roshnara was their last child. He loved all of his children equally, but his affection for Jahanara was always stronger. Jahanara was just seventeen when her mother, Mumtaz, was on her deathbed. She passed away while giving birth to her last child, Roshanara. For a young girl like Jahanara, seeing her mother die in front of her eyes was extremely traumatic.

As a result of Mumtaz's death, Shah Jahan broke down and neglected his kingdom. This incident nearly brought the Mughal empire to the verge of its end. This was the point when Jahanara took on all of the responsibilities of the kingdom. Gradually, she managed all her duties well and raised her siblings too.

Roshanara grew closer to her brother Aurangazeb as she grew older, whereas Jahanara always supported her brother Dara Shikoh. With time, handling Shah Jahan became more difficult. During his recuperation, Jahanara and Dara stood by their father, making sure he had everything he needed for a quick recovery. This was the time when the keys of the prime harem were given to Jahanara instead of Shah Jahan's other two wives. This incident fueled numerous rumours, including her illegitimate relationship with her father. This was perhaps one example of the dark orthodox society that existed.

In this turmoil, everyone was forced to choose their sides. Jahanara openly supported Dara and Shah Jahan, whereas Roshanara supported Murad and Aurangazeb. The brutal war resulted in Aurangazeb's victory, in which he cruelly slew Dara. He ascended to the throne, and his final act was to imprison Shah Jahan. He also removed Jahanara from the head of the harem and appointed Roshanara in her place.

Roshanara took over the harem charges and controlled it according to her will, whereas Jahanara supported her ill father inside the prison and mourned for her brother Dara. In 1666, Shah Jahan left the world. After his death, Aurangzeb pitied her and wanted to reconcile with his eldest sister, Jahanara. He even handed over the harem to her, which became a matter of distress for Roshanara. Years later, she died of a miserable death, her body swollen to the size of a hogshead, whereas Jahanara died after ten years of Roshnara's death. Her tomb lies at Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, just like the grave of a simple woman. Looking at the tomb, no one can ever realize it is the tomb of the great Mughal princess.

Jahanara's life was not as interesting as that of the other royal princesses and queens since she was burdened by her responsibilities for a large part of her life. Her personal life was pushed aside in the midst of all of this, and she did not receive the accolades she deserved, but those who know her will remember her as the embodiment of love and sacrifice.

Strangely, Roshanara believed the rumours and started hating her sister. On the other hand, Aurangazeb was concerned about Dara taking such good care of her father that he would eventually usurp the throne from him. Aurangazeb and Dara, as well as their supporting sisters, Jahanara and Roshanara, became rivals as a result of the incident.

It was a dark night when Roshanara's misunderstanding unleashed a storm of rebellion, revenge, and ruse. Dara and Jahanara were sitting next to their sick father, talking about the ongoing problems in the kingdom. When Princess Roshnara came to inquire about her father's health, she overheard this conversation. Unfortunately, she misunderstood this as a conspiracy against her brother, Aurangazeb. She went rushing to write a letter to him where she wrote:

Dear Brother, I am writing this letter in a hurry to warn you against the conspiracy of Dara and Jahanara against you. They made the decision to give Dara the throne, and the damage has been done, so they may try to kill you. I respectfully request that you refrain from visiting Agra in any way.

Aurangazeb turned furious after reading the letter. He did, however, honour his sister's request and did not return to Agra at the time. Instead, he headed toward his brother Murad and convinced him to initiate a brutal war against Dara and Shah Jahan. The news of war spread like a wildfire and reached the ears of Shah Jahan. He tried his best to prevent this, and Jahanara too requested her brothers to stop this barbaric act. But the situation had already worsened.