I also explored the troubled relationship he had with his father throughout his younger years and tried to present a more balanced view of his evolution.

I explored the former in my earlier book, Mistress of the Throne, where I explored his imprisonment as a young child and the death of his mother, Mumtaz Mahal, on his psyche. The question that one should ask is whether his tyranny was rooted in some childhood trauma or was it something arbitrary. We know he slayed his own family, imprisoned his sons, destroyed Hindu temples, and waged war with allies. I think it is hard to make the claim he wasn’t a tyrant. Some claim he really was not as much of a tyrant. There have been a lot of studies on Aurangzeb. It is very hard to destroy the thirst for art and culture by a tyrant or a government because these things are ingrained in our DNA and it is central to many of our lives. We see this now in areas of Afghanistan and Syria where there are people singing and acting and creating art. I think art and culture offer people a reprieve from the force of tyranny. I, therefore, used poetic licence to link the two and in this way merge both aspects of Zebunissa’s life.ĭo you think art and culture always have a way to survive tyranny?

Could the two be related? The historical record is silent.

We also know that Zebunissa played an active role in supporting her brother’s rebellion against her father. This is where the historical records end as it relates to the Makhfi. We also know Zebunissa was her father’s favourite child, which is interesting because she is going against her father’s edicts in forming this society. Here is what we know about the Makhfi: They were a secret poetic society created by Zebunissa during Aurangzeb’s reign. Could you elaborate on their role in those times?

Mistress of the Throne by Ruchir Gupta