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empireofpearls-if · 11 months

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Embark on a captivating journey as you assume the identity of Birbal, a brilliant prodigy, and immerse yourself in the enigmatic realm of the Mughal Empire. Behold a world thrown into chaos following the demise of Emperor Humayun, as a mere 14-year-old Akbar inherits the illustrious throne. Your choices shall shape the destiny of this young monarch, as you aid him in becoming the legendary emperor he's destined to be, or plunge the empire into turmoil by orchestrating a web of subversion and deceit. The power to shape an empire lies within your hands.

Amidst a cast of colorful characters, tread cautiously as you determine which souls can be deemed trustworthy, while remaining ever vigilant for those who may, with a swift and treacherous strike, plunge a dagger deep into your unsuspecting back. In this enthralling tale of loyalty and betrayal, the art of discerning friend from foe becomes your most vital survival skill. Make allies, face challenges and uncover hidden secrets. Just as internal conflict reaches a boiling point, the walls of the royal palace begin to tremble, beckoning you take a stance. Whose side will you embrace?

Empire of Pearls: A Mughal Tale is an interactive story inspired by historical events. It is set at the beginning of Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar's reign as the youngest-ever Mughal Emperor where you play as his most trusted advisor and friend, Birbal. This reimagined work is entirely text-based and your choices help shape Birbal's personality, skills, relationship with others, and of course the fate of the Empire.

Content warning: This game explores dark themes such as abuse, bullying, manipulation, use of drugs and alcohol, blood, gore, violence etc. and is strictly rated 18+. Besides that more in depth warnings will be provided before each chapter and certain trigger points can be turned off completely at the start of the game.

Demo | Character Appearances | Tags | FAQ |

Play as male or female and choose your real name and sexuality.

Customize your appearance and personality.

Choose one of three different backgrounds that will impact your reputation and relationships:

A noble possessing a remarkable talent, invited to join the court by Emperor Humayun himself; a child of a maid serving a powerful military commander, hired on the recommendation of the commander or a street urchin caught stealing from the royal palace, rewarded with a place in the elite circle owing to the incredible feat.

Romance any of the five different love interests or not. Friendship is always an option.

Be a part of an elite group of courtiers serving none other than Emperor Akbar and shape the fate of the Empire.

Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (he/him) 💕 : The newly crowned young emperor. Friendly and affable, the ruler has a tendency to be a bit impulsive at times. Despite his age he has been preparing for this role for years and doesn't seem at all nervous to be the new monarch. Akbar can be a powerful friend and an equally dangerous foe. How he perceives you vary depending on your background. A year younger than Birbal.

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Bairam Khan (he/him): A military commander and the most trusted ally of the throne until the death of Emperor Humayun. Since then he has been promoted to commander-in-chief, if that wasn't all he also happens to be Akbar's guardian, chief mentor and advisor. Bairam knows his way around the empire but can you actually trust this man?

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Ruqaiya Sultan Begum (she/her) 💕: An aloof but fiercely loyal woman and Akbar's first wife. Being cousins, neither of them ever saw each other as anything but friends. But Ruqaiya also hides a big secret, one that has her loathing herself. Will you able to form a deep enough connection to assist her in embracing her true self and breaking free from her constraints? A year younger than Birbal.

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Salima Sultan Begum (she/her): A strong and intelligible woman and Akbar's second wife. She feels heavily undervalued and undermined by the court which causes her to constantly act out and push the boundaries of what is acceptable for a woman. Though she sees Akbar as a friend, anything more than that with anyone is unfathomable to her. Two years younger than Birbal.

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Mahira Khan Mughal (she/her) 💕: A softspoken and timid young woman sold as a political pawn by her own father to become Akbar's third wife. Mahira longs for companionship and understanding which she can't find in the palace but you can fill that void in her life by secretly courting her or by providing the friendship she desperately craves. Two years younger than Birbal.

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Arslan Khan (he/him)💕: The son of Bairam Khan and another young prodigy, seemingly possessing supernatural powers and later becoming known as the legendary Mulla Do-Pyaza. With a mixture of rivalry and occasional bullying, he views Birbal as a formidable adversary. Arslan, driven by an insatiable desire for his father's approval, harbors a volatile temper that ignites at the mere mention of insults hurled towards his family. Peering beyond the myth, can you uncover the man within? A year older than Birbal.

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Nadeem/Nadia Mirza (opposite gender of Birbal) 💕: Birbal's betrothed and distant cousin of Akbar. A noble with a secret lover, N only accepted the marriage offer because it was arranged by commander-in-chief Bairam Khan himself and it was made obvious that refusal would not bear good consequences for their family. Can you form a connection with your betrothed despite the rocky start? Two years older than Birbal.

#interactive fiction #if wip #romance #history #drama #LGBTQIA #choicescript #no demo #intro post #dashingdon #empire of pearls #empire of pearls: a mughal tale #mughal era #historical #interactive #choice of games #hosted games #tragedy

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dee-dee-blogs · 4 years

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Dal bati churma : A Rajasthani Delight

Rajasthan ,the Land of Maharajas, is a mesmerizing destination with fascinating fairs and festivals, culture, food/cuisine, arts and crafts and music and dance. If you are at Rajasthan, you would probably sing these lines ‘bhatis bhatis everywhere,where to eat them,can’t choose it’. Yes , these unsalted baked wheat balls has taken over the place.It may look like a simple bread but it has a enticing history.

History and evolution :

This a three-in-one dish comprising of the wheat bread bhati , the dal and the churma . Many believe that the dish originated from the kingdom of Mewar. · Bhati : Bhati , the round wheat bread is believed to have originated during the time of Bappa Rawal – the founder of the kingdom of Mewar. Back then, the Rajputs were establishing their stronghold in the region and bhatti was their preferred war time meal. · Dal bhatti : Later when traders from the Gupta Empire settled in Mewar, that they combined dal and bhatti giving the dish a new makeover. panchmel dal,mixture of five lentils , was a much-loved favourite in the royal court of the Guptas. · Churma : Accidents usually give a new twist to the innovation. And churma had the sweetest accident. It was when a cook of Mewar’s Guhilot clan accidentally poured sugarcane juice into some bhatti. This made the bhattis even more softer and so the women of the clan started dunking the bhattis in the sugarcane or jaggery juice in the same way. Then the crushed , sweet flavoured bhaatis evolved to give rise to churma. · From Mewar to Mughals: Till then the Mewar kingdom had tried the spicy,sweet,bland flavours of bhaati. The chappathi and rotis flavours are different in different places.The same way bhati also had its flavours when each dynasty added their own twists to it. And at last, due to Rani Jodha Bai’s (Akbar’s queen) fond over the dish , the dal bhatti churma travelled along with the queen and reached the Mughal courts. The royal chefs of the Mughal court created their own versions of the dish, giving rise to bafla and kheech . Bafla is a soft bhatti that has been boiled before being baked. Kheech is a kind of traditional porridge made from whole wheat as well as bajra (pearl millet). Tales from history :

The dish also has its stories and tales.It is believed that the Rajput soldiers would break the dough into chunks and leave it buried under thin layers of sand to bake under the sun. On their return from the battlefield, they would dig out the perfectly baked that were then slathered with ghee and consumed with curd made from goat or camel milk.No ovens, no fire, only sun made meal!!

Here comes the popular story of the king.After being attacked by Rana Kumbha of Mewar, Rao Jodha (the founder of Jodhpur) was fleeing from Chittor when he stopped at a farmer’s house for food. He was served some freshly prepared traditional kheech by the farmer’s wife who was unaware of her guest’s royal identity. A hungry Rao Jodha put his finger right in the centre of the piping hot bowl, burning his fingers. Having witnessed this, the farmer’s wife chided, “You are making the same mistake as our king (Rao Jodha). Kheech is hottest in the centre and coolest at the edge. So one should eat from there.”

It is believed that this is what prompted the King to stop worrying about recovering the central fort of Mandore and focus his attention on outlying forts, which he managed to win with ease. He later won back Mandore too.Perhaps the dish saved the king!

Making of the dish:

Dal bhatti churma can be made within 20 minutes if it is already cooked .Cooking has 3 stages : (i) making of panchmel dal (ii) making the bhatti (iii) making churma fron bhattis.

The ingredients required for the dish are wheat flour,milk,ghee,dry fruits for garnishing,powdered sugar and for panchmel dal you require channa dal,urad dal,moong dal ,toovar dal,cumin seeds,chillies,masalas,salt to taste.

Bhattis can be made either by deep fry in ghee or baking in the oven.After that they are crushed and grinded and then added along with ghee and sugar to give rise to churma. Panchmel dal is a different process. Often Dal bhaatis and churma serve a great combo.Churma and bhaatis can also be paired along with other dishes.

Nutritional information : Serving Size - 1 small bowl ,Calories – 835, Fat - 42.0 g ,Protein - 13.4 g, Carbohydrates - 101.9 g ,Sugar - 2.7 g ,Fibre - 10.3 g.

The dish has set itself an example for being simple and sample.So if you are heading to Rajasthan , don’t miss out this ethnic dish !!

#dal bhati #rajasthani food #indian food #dal #bhati #churma

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sushant-travels-blr · 4 years

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Near the Taj Mahal is an important monument of the 16th century Mughal Empire, known as the 'Red Fort of Agra'. Surrounded by a 2.5-foot wall made of red sandstone, this fortress is an imperial city passed by the rulers of the Mughal Empire. There are many beautiful palaces that can be seen only in fairy tales. For example, there are two meeting rooms, Diwan-i-Khas, a reception room built during the Jahangir Palace, Kas Mahal, and Shah Jahan (1630-1655).

The Red Fort (Agra) and the Taj Mahal hold exceptional and complementary evidence about the disappearance of the lost Mughal Emperor. Agra's history dates back to 2,500 years. It seems that the reign of the Mughal Empire began only after Agra flourished more prosperously than the provincial cities. Humayun, the son of the founder of the Mughal Empire, received the most famous Koh-i-Noor jewelry and expensive gemstones from the Gwalior family.

Agra enjoyed his prime during the reign of Humayun's son, the great Emperor Akbar (1556-1605). Under his system, the main part of the fortress of Agra was built. Agra's Red Fort is on the right bank of the Yamuna River. The fortress was built by Emperor Akbar the Great in 1565. Surrounded by the Taj Mahal, the fortress located at the northwest end of the Shahjahan Garden clearly demonstrates monumental unity.

The fortified area, with its red sandstone walls rising above the moat, elegant curves, and a high citadel, was known as the imperial city of the Mughal Empire rulers, surrounded by a wall of 2.5 km. Like the Delhi Fortress, Agra is considered the most distinctive symbol of the grandeur of the Mughal Empire under the rule of Akbar, Jahangir, and Shahjahan.

On the walls are the Delhi Gate and Amar Singh Gate. The original and magnificent entrance is called the Hati Pol or Elephant Gate, which is supposed to enter through the Delhi Gate, which is connected to the interior gateway. Now you can only enter the Amar Singh door. The fortress is lined with fairytale-like palaces.

The diwanikas erected in 1637, as well as the octagonal pagoda of the Kasmahal, Shish Mahal, and Muhammad Burj under the splendid reign of the splendid, the reception room Dwaniam built with many columns in 1628 ( Diwan-i-Am). The palace complex includes two beautiful white marble mosques, built by Shah Jahan from 1646 to 1653, the Moti Masjid (Mosque) or Pearl Mosque and the Aurangzeb (Aurangzeb, 1658-1707). Nagina Masjid and others.

Some of the buildings are made of pure white marble with beautiful carvings, which are strongly influenced by Timur art and show the culmination of Indian Muslim art. Emperor Shahjahan was detained in the hands of his son Aurangzeb at the Agra Fort, overlooking the Taj Mahal built to mourn his dead wife. Shajahan is said to have died in the beautiful Musmanman Burj with a beautiful marble balcony.

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brajeshupadhyay · 4 years

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As tensions rise in Kashmir again, why the continued conflict between India, Pak and China is unlikely to resolve any issues

Joining the Dots is a weekly column by author and journalist Samrat in which he connects events to ideas, often through analysis, but occasionally through satire

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The fighting has escalated again in Kashmir. Last Saturday night, two officers and two jawans of the Indian Army and a police sub-inspector were killed in militant violence in Handwara in Kashmir. A day later, three men of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) died in another attack in the same area.

Is it just another summer of discontent in the valley, where the annual melting of snows from mountain passes coincides with an uptick in the temperature of militancy? Perhaps, but this summer is also different for the wider region and world from the previous ones. It is, after all, a summer when the whole world is in the grip of a pandemic-induced lockdown. It is also a summer when, almost forgotten in the midst of all this, the American government is trying to implement an agreement it signed with the Taliban in February for the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan after 18 years of war.

Across the border in Pakistan, mainstream political tensions involving a crackdown on opposition leaders Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif are rising. There are also worrying signs of shadowy actions underway. Last Friday, the leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, Arif Wazir, was shot outside his home and subsequently died. The PTM have a slogan, “Ye jo dehshatgardi hai, iske peeche wardi hai" (This terrorism, the uniform is behind it). Unlike the Pakistani Taliban, they are in the bad books of the powerful Pak military.

Representational image. AP

In faraway Sweden the same day, police confirmed that a body found in a river a week earlier was that of Sajid Hussain, exiled Editor of the Balochistan Times. In Karachi, a court ordered the release of Omar Saeed Shaikh, the terrorist convicted for the beheading of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was one of three released by the Indian government in 1999 following the hijacking of IC-814 to Kandahar. He has been detained for a further three months, for now.

The clash over Kashmir between India and Pakistan is heating up against this wider background. The usual focus of the dispute is the Kashmir Valley, but this time, the region of Gilgit-Baltistan made an early appearance in the arguments between the two sides. India protested a ruling of the Pakistan Supreme Court to enable holding of elections in that area. “India completely rejects such actions and continued attempts to bring material changes in Pakistan occupied areas of the Indian territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Instead, Pakistan should immediately vacate all areas under its illegal occupation,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

How the mountainous tracts of Gilgit-Baltistan with their predominantly Shina and Balti populations came to be part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir is a fascinating cloak and dagger tale played out in the later years of the 19th Century. It involved local chieftains such as the Mir of Hunza and the Mehtar of Chitral, the Dogra Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, and the prime players of what subsequently became famed as the Great Game – the Russian and British empires. Almost forgotten in the tale of their exploits was another party, which occupied the lands just north of the borders of Gilgit-Baltistan: the Chinese empire. It was to Yarkand in Sinkiang, now Xinjiang, in China, that the Mir of Hunza fled after defeat to British and Dogra forces in 1891-92.

The flow of people and cultures between India, Persia and western China over the Pamir, Karakoram and Hindukush mountains is ancient, going back at least as far as the Guishangs, known in India as Kushans, who founded an empire in that part of the world in the second century BC. Signs of and references to the old connectedness of those seemingly distant spaces pop up in our lives to this day, even in popular culture.

Among the many wonderful songs on Coke Studio, there’s one called Bibi Sanam Janam, by the Pakistani singers Zeb and Haniya. It is a beautiful song in the Dari language that likens the sanam (beloved) to the pomegranate of Sistan and talks of her home by the doors of Tashkorgan. Dari is the Persian spoken in Afghanistan. Sistan is a trans-border region of eastern Iran and southern Afghanistan bordering Balochistan. Tashkorgan is in Xinjiang in China. The sweet song is a tale that spans many borders and territories.

Such connectedness is as contemporary as it is ancient. Tashkorgan today is the first stop on the Chinese side of the border on the Karakoram Highway, which leads on to the Silk Road oasis of Kashgar. It is a vital part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor whose terminus is the Arabian Sea port of Gwadar near Sistan. The prospects of Pakistan heeding India’s demand to vacate these areas are about as bright as the prospects of India vacating the state of Jammu and Kashmir on Pakistan’s asking.

India, as everyone probably remembers, has been tightening its grip on Jammu and Kashmir since last October. Article 370 is gone, and Ladakh, which is bigger in area than what remains of Jammu and Kashmir, is now a separate union territory. The map of the old princely state has been formally redrawn. That, the abrogation of Article 370, and the tighter integration of Gilgit-Baltistan into Pakistan, suggest that the Kashmir issue is being resolved by India and Pakistan one step at a time through the formalisation of the status quo, partly along the contours of what is known as the Dixon Plan.

The occupation of Kashmir and its integration into the Indian subcontinent is part of a historical process that began when Mughal emperor Akbar conquered the kingdom in 1586. It picked up pace in colonial times as concerns over the defence of the northern frontiers of India against possible Chinese and Russian expansionism prompted British expansion into the region. The Russian empire eventually left neighbouring Afghanistan in 1988. The Chinese empire is now the one expanding its influence in the wider region.

Back in the 19th Century when the Russian, British and Chinese empires were jockeying for influence in the remote mountain fastnesses where the Himalayas, Hindukush and Pamirs meet, the friction of distance was still a hard, physical reality. Today the difficulty for borderlands everywhere is that distance is largely dead. State cores are filling out, expanding into their peripheries. The actions of both India and Pakistan in their parts of Kashmir have to be viewed in that context.

The ability of India to unilaterally change the realities on the ground in Gilgit-Baltistan, with near-certainty of Chinese involvement, is remote. The ability of terrorism to shake India’s grip on Kashmir is negligible. The ability of Pakistan to do so has also been found wanting in all the wars that the countries have fought since 1947, and that is not about to change now that both countries openly wield nuclear weapons.

There are powerful emotions and genuine grievances all around, but it seems unlikely that continued conflict would achieve anything beyond a satisfaction of bloodlust.

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utptourandtravel · 7 years

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Ancient and Modern Delhi with UTPINDIA

A thousand years of history are to be found in Delhi, capital of India and its third largest city. Located in the north where the country narrows between Pakistan in the west and China and Tibet in the east, Delhi was the capital of Moslem India from the 12th to the 19th century. It has historically been the hub of vital trade routes and held a strategic position at the gateway to the fertile plain of the Ganges — the social, religious and cultural lifeline of India.

There are two Delhi cities now, the New and the Old. There have been at least eight recorded cities on and around the site, the oldest being Indraprastha, in existence since the third or fourth century B.C. There are many legends regarding the founding of the city and some archaeological dates as to its age. The Tomar Rajputs founded and fortified the walls of Dhillika, the first of the medieval cities, in the 9th century A.D. and were overthrown in the 12th century by the Cauhans of Jaipur who built a second defensive wall. Turkish invaders in 1193 ended Hindu rule and began the new Islamic era of the city. Subsequent cities were added adjacent to the more ancient ones. Shah Jahan, famous creator of the Taj Mahal, was responsible for the seventh Delhi, which he named Shahjahanabad. It was the Mughal capital until 1857. As the Mughal power waned to be replaced by that of the British East India Company, so Delhi lost its prestige and became just another provincial city.

In 1911 the British chose Delhi as their capital, transferring the viceregal headquarters from Calcutta. Plans were soon underway to build New Delhi to the south of Shahjahanabad and Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, two British architects, were brought in to design it. The center of the plan consisted of the Rashtrapati Bhavan or Viceregal Lodge (which is now the Presidential Residence), Parliament House, the Secretariats, Memorial Arch and Connaught Circus. The city was designed in a mixture of European Renaissance and Oriental styles to provide a gracious garden setting for the colonial rulers, but after Independence in 1947, the city began a surge of both horizontal and vertical growth and now incorporates all the older cities, continuing to expand as the population increases.

Thanks to its long history, its many rulers and religions, Delhi is a paradoxical city. It has within its limits many of India’s most ancient and revered buildings and monuments, illustrating all the stages of its development, and is also a bustling modern metropolis of almost six million people.

The Red Fort

On the west bank of the Yaumana River, on the eastern perimeter of Delhi’s walled city, stands the Red Fort. Residence and administrative center, it was built from 1639 to 1648 under the supervision of two architects. It is a formidable war-like structure with octagonal and round bastions and two symmetrical watchtowers overlooking its red sandstone walls which surround an irregular octagon 3,200 by 1,600 feet and reach 100 feet high. It is surrounded by a deep moat fed from the river to the east. Only two great gates, the Lahori Gate (the main entrance) in the west wall and the Delhi Gate in the south wall, remain of the original five.

Inside the Lahori Gate is an arcade of shops, called Chata Chauk, which was originally housing for Shah Jahan’s court. Beyond this is the Drum House, or Hathipol, a parking place for the elephants of visitors. Intricate carvings in the sandstone are typical late Mughal design and were originally painted in gold and bright colors. Much of the original structure of the inner fort has been destroyed, especially during the Indian Mutiny in 1857, and lawns and gardens now replace the galleries which were built inside the walls.

The Hall of Public Audience, located between the inner court and the royal palaces, was the administrative center of the capital, but it was an overwhelming showplace too. Much of its sumptuousness must now be imagined, but the marble canopied throne with its backdrop of marble inlaid in the classical style still remain. Six miniature palaces stood along the eastern wall of the fort and contained apartments for the royal household, including the harem. They were connected by the Stream of Paradise, a small canal of scented waters, the Nahri-Bahisht. Five of these gem-like buildings remain intact. Also situated along the east wall but secluded behind a sandstone wall are the royal baths, which face the Pearl Mosque built by Aurangzeb. The outer walls are aligned with the walls of the fort, but the inner walls are at an angle so that they are correctly aligned facing Mecca.

The Life Bestowing Gardens, originally to the north of the mosque, were designed to imitate the gardens of paradise and contained pavilions, fountains and plants in a formal arrangement. Silver swings were hung on silk cords inside pavilions for the ladies of the court to sit and watch the rains during the Hindu festival of Teej, which celebrates the onset of the monsoon.

Agra

Taj Mahal — “The Crowned Palace”

Probably the most recognized structure in the world and also one of the most beautiful, the graceful lines of the Taj Mahal are among the many architectural splendors attributable to Shan Jahan, which have brought him worldwide recognition.

Built in memory of and to enshrine his first wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the building was begun on her death in 1631. An influential and beloved companion and advisor, Mumtaz Mahal was always consulted on affairs of state and was in fact the one to affix the royal seal on official documents. She died during the birth of their fourteenth child and was sadly mourned by her husband who, as a widower, radically altered his lifestyle. He handed over much of the responsibility for state functions and military endeavors to his sons and devoted his energies to his life-long interest in architecture.

From his teen years when he had remodeled his apartments at Kabul with great skill and taste, Shah Jahan had always actively participated in the impressive building projects of his reign. He designed the structures and decorations, made scale working models and supervised the building. Experience had well prepared him for what was to be his crowning achievement, the Taj Mahal. There has been much speculation as to who could have been the architect and various people have been suggested, from a Venetian goldsmith to a Turk named Usted Isa Afandi (onetime pupil of Sinan, the best known Turkish architect), and an Indian from Lahore named Usted Ahmad. It is quite probable, though, that while many architects, artisans and craftsmen contributed to the construction and modification, the concept and controlling hand was that of Shah Jahan. The style is a synthesis of existing traits of Mughal architecture. The use of gardens and stone water courses is reminiscent of the style prevalent in Kabul which had been utilized by Babur. The slender minarets and inlays in marble are seen on other tombs such as that of Akbar, while the swelling dome and arched alcoves are Persian in style. The Taj Mahal is felt to be the epitome of Mughal architecture.

Work on the project had progressed so well that by 1643 the annual memorial service to Mumtaz Mahal was held within its walls, though it would be a further ten years before the complex was complete. The builders and designers of the Taj Mahal were conversant with the rules of perspective and successfully incorporated many features which heightened the symmetry and grace of the structure by optical illusion. Although the height and width of the building are equal, the appearance is one of towering height. Reflections in the water add to this illusion while rows of cypress and evergreens accentuate the perspective.

Constructed of white marble, the outer facing of the main octagonal structure is decorated with Koranic verse carved into the stone. Designed and executed by a Persian, Amat Khan Shirazi, the most talented calligrapher in the empire, the decorative writings are further enhanced by panels of floral patterns in a realistic style, geometric designs and graceful arabesques. The base is also white marble 300 feet square and inside are mosaics inset with semi-precious stones. The central chamber stands above the burial vaults and houses two cenotaphs surrounded by openwork alabaster screens, also decorated with semi-precious stones. The interior is illuminated in the daytime by diffused light filtered through the translucent alabaster dome and the intricately perforated window screens of the same material.

A terrace surrounds the main structure and is guarded at each corner by a slim, exquisitely proportioned minaret, each 133 feet tall, which give balance and grace to the massive central edifice. A rectangular lake in the foreground acts as a reflecting surface and adds to the perspective. The Taj Mahal is reminiscent of the exquisite two-dimensional Persian and Mughal miniatures depicting ethereal fairy tale palaces, while its size, architectural complexity and scientific accuracy of perspective and symmetry have caused it to fascinate and delight all who visit it.

Jaipur, “The Pink City”

The Pink City of Jaipur in Rajasthan was built in 1728 by Maharajah Sawai Jai Singh II. It was not pink at its inception. It was painted the traditional color of welcome in honor of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s consort, who visited in 1883. The city is an eclectic mixture of Hindu, Mughal, Persian and Jain styles. It replaced the old capital of Amber which was more vulnerable to attack. It was arranged on a grid of eight squares around a central square which contained the palace and administration buildings. North of the central block was the Brahmapuri (the City of God), home of the priests and scholars which was protected by gardens and lakes. The northwest quadrant was actually a hill from which the Nahargarh, or Tiger Fort, overlooked and protected the city. From this vantage point the layout of the city may be clearly seen. The streets are laid out in perfect proportion, the main thoroughfares are 108 feet wide (a Hindu holy number) and decrease in size according to use. Standardization of shop sizes, wide even sidewalks, houses of an even height (half the width of the street) all give the city a gracious, elegant appearance. Deep stone awnings protect the shop fronts from the merciless sun and create a pleasant atmosphere in which to browse.

A bustling commercial center, Jaipur is reminiscent of the ancient Middle East, the people straight out of the “Arabian Nights.” The women’s abundant jewelry represents the wealth of the family and can be quite overwhelming. This is one of the last strongholds of the practice of sati, the custom of Indian wives immolating themselves on the funeral pyre of their husband. Though this has been illegal since 1829, a recent recorded case was in 1980 and received much support from local women.

Fatehpur Sikri, “Victory City”

For four hundred years pilgrims, both Hindu and Muslim, have visited the tomb of Shaikh Salim Chrishti at Fatehpur Sikri. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar to honor a Muslim mystic who, having assured him that his lack of heirs was not permanent, promised not one but three sons to the emperor. When the first of these sons was born the next year, a great mosque and a new capital were built at Sikri to honor the occasion, and when the shaikh died in 1572 his mausoleum was added to the site.

Akbar’s fortunes had changed for the better and in the next year he succeeded in conquering the immense kingdom of Gujarat in the west. To commemorate this achievement he built the biggest gateway in India, 176 feet high, to grace his new City of Victory. This city became a focal point and home to artists, artisans, soldiers and priests — a huge population all working directly or indirectly for the comfort and splendor of the emperor.

During the year of 1584, just fourteen years after the inauguration of the new capital, Akbar left on one of his campaigns to the north and never returned to stay. The reason for this abandonment is not known, though theories have been put forward — lack of water and the ingrained nomadic instincts of the people are two, but the mysterious abandoned city keeps its own secrets. The battlements are crumbling, farm animals graze and peck in the ruins. All signs of human habitation are gone; the rooms give no clue as to the people who lived there, the courtiers, the five thousand wives, the noblemen, all are gone without trace.

A thousand elephants and an immense army were based here and were led on numerous invasions, often not as bloody as those of the emperor’s ancestors, and the lot of the conquered was often much improved after conquest. Akbar was an able administrator, innovative and well before his time — his postal system of runners was capable of delivering a letter 78 miles in a day. His justice was swift and punishment was designed to fit the crime. Torture was believed to ensure truth in evidence while executions were held only after a few days of consideration. Meals were sumptuous, the main one each day boasted forty courses served on Chinese porcelain (legend had it that this fine ware would break in the presence of poison). Water from the Ganges, sent in sealed jars, was the only beverage the emperor drank.

Khajuraho

Madhya Pradesh, the geographical heartland of India, is primarily high plateau country. In a remote corner of this state, far off the beaten track, lie the state’s most extraordinary attractions – the temples of Khajuraho. Superb examples of Indo-Aryan architecture, these structures are embellished with beautifully wrought stone carvings, primarily celebrating the pleasures of sex. This Kama Sutra carved in stone commemorates the beauty of the “celestial maidens,” of gods and goddesses, and real and mythological animals.

Built during the Chandala Period, the temples date from a century-long burst of creativity which lasted from AD 950 to 1050. It is still a mystery why these immense structures were built in this isolated spot which, as far as can be determined, never was a population center and is not a comfortable place to live, due to its long, hot, dry season. It is also a subject of intense speculation as to where the work force came from to accomplish such a monumental building project in just one hundred years. One advantage of the site choice emerged years later when, due to its remoteness, the Khajuraho Temple escaped the ravages of the Muslim invaders in their zeal to destroy all the “idolatrous” temples in India.

The temples of Khajuraho are built in three groups, the largest and most important being in the western enclosure, which is also the best-kept. Following a plan that shows little variation, each temple is approached through an entrance porch, ardhamandapa, behind which is the hall or mandapa. A main hall, mahamandapa, follows, which is surrounded by a corridor supported by pillars. A vestibule, antaraloa, leads into the inner sanctum garbagriha, where the image of the dedicatory god is found.

The exterior of each building is impressive as wave after wave of towers culminate in a soaring sikhara, which tops the inner sanctum. The baroque line of the vertical is offset by ornate horizontal friezes of sculpture, which form a carefully integrated element of the entire building.

Most of the temples are aligned east-west and are made of granite and sandstone. They lack the enclosing walls of contemporary structures in other locations, but often had four smaller shrines at the corners, many of which have not survived. One of the best preserved of all the structures is the Lakshmana Temple, in the western group. This temple was dedicated to Vishnu and is one of the earliest built on the site (between AD 930 and 950).

Varanasi

One of the most important pilgrimage sites in all of India, Varanasi, the “Eternal City,” has been a center of learning and civilization for some 2000 years. Nearby, on the banks of the sacred Ganges, the Buddha first preached his message of enlightenment 25 centuries ago. The city was sacked frequently by Muslim invaders from the 11th century on, and later became a center for Muslim worship also. Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb destroyed the majority of the temples in existence or converted them into mosques.

Varanasi has, over its history, been called “Kashi” and “Benares,” with the present name translating as the “City between two rivers.” Situated in the middle of a poor, backward, agrarian, and overpopulated area, it is a shining jewel of learning and literature for Hindus and Sanskrit scholars, and one of the most preferred and auspicious places in all of India for the devout to go to die. The many ghats that line the riverbanks are always crowded with pilgrims who bathe in the murky waters of the Ganges in religious purification ceremonies.

from Ancient and Modern Delhi with UTPINDIA

#Ancient and Modern Delhi with UTPINDIA

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empireofpearls-if · 10 months

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Introducing A New RO

Hamza/Hira (gender-selectable)

They are temporarily filling in as a stable hand for the royal palace, in place of their father who recently fell sick. Not really popular among their peers as they're fully unfit for the job and frequently make mistakes, even the horses seem to dislike them. But they don't really take it to heart. Incredibly grateful to still hold the job, they are trying their best and are very eager to please, even if that means shameless and equally meaningless flirting. Despite the effort, they very much stick out like a sore thump even among other workers, nevermind the nobles and royals. It's ok though, they don't mind being the butt of the joke now and again. Same age as Birbal.

Check the pinned post for appearance.

#new ro #ro: h #empire of pearls #empire of pearls: a mughal tale

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empireofpearls-if · 11 months

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Character Appearances:

First the ROs:

Akbar

Ear-length curly dark brown hair, kept neatly under his royal turban. He has brown almond eyes, a fair complexion with sharp expressive features, a mole on the left side of his nose, and a thick mustache. A strong build with a broad chest, a narrow waist, and long arms means the emperor is seen as a fairly attractive man. Able to relate more with commoners due to not being raised as royalty, his welcoming smile and a cheerful and friendly personality has helped him amass following from the very early days of his reign. Always dressed in his royal garments and opulent jewelry, Akbar exudes authority. Despite this, he stands on the shorter side at only 5'7".

Ruqaiya

Knee-length brown hair, loosely covered by a dupatta. Pieces of jewelry cover her from head to toe in a way that is only fitting for an empress of her stature. Her fair complexion is only made more beautiful with bold red lips and dramatic eyeliner on her almond eyes. While traveling away from the palace, she exhibits a modest and reserved fashion, hiding her curves and leaving only her eyes visible. To an outsider who doesn't know any better, Ruqaiya and Akbar look like siblings, maybe even twins. Unlike Akbar, her upbringing has all but ingrained a bit of elitism in her blood which she isn't always able to suppress. She is of average height, about 5'3".

Mahira

Waist-length black braided hair, covered by the dupatta of her farshi pajamas and the elaborate passa she wears on the side of her head. As the newest bride, she fulfills her duty of carrying the social status and familial wealth of her family by wearing many layers of gold and pearl jewelry. Mahira is shorter than most people and wears light makeup over her round dark brown eyes and lips. She has a dark brown complexion and has a petite physique. She isn't every talkative and tends to stay in her room. She is very short, standing at only 4'10".

Arslan

Short light brown wavy hair that is fully on display inside the palace as he rarely wears his turban indoors and his popularity in court allows him to get away with it. A man in his position usually has a long full beard but he seems unable to grow one. Despite his good reputation, he is an irritable individual and his hooded hazel eyes, ones he inherited from his father, almost perpetually wear a scowl. Arslan is a tall and lanky man with bags under his eyes and skin that remained unusually pale even in the sun and heat of Agra. Compared to the rest, his almost otherworldly features only helped to solidify his mystical status. And to add to that, Arslan is one of the tallest people in the whole Empire, standing at 6'3".

Nadeem/Nadia

Nadeem has black hair kept short almost like a buzz cut, Nadia has straight black hair going past her shoulders that are intricately braided into an updo. They both have dark skin and upturned dark brown eyes with softer features. Nadeem has trained with soldiers when he was young and still possesses the strength and muscles. Nadia is more on the leaner side with not many visible curves and is considered tall for a woman. They both wear fine clothing expected from the nobles of the time but don't adorn as much jewelry as the people living in the palace. Nadeem stands at 5'9" and Nadia stands at 5'7".

Hamza/Hira

Hira and Hira both wear full head coverings, a hijab and turban respectively that completely cover up their black hair. They have a sun-kissed brown complexion, with sunken dark brown eyes and slightly hollowed cheeks. Growing up malnourished, neither of them have much height or muscles, sporting a bony physique. Hamza wears a simple white dhoti and jama, while Hira has a few worn kurtis. Hira is 5'1" and Hamza is 5'3".

Now the non-ROs:

Bairam

Short salt and paper hair and a short full beard, Bairam has long limbs perfect for sword fighting. He isn't as pale or tall as his son but his strong posture and sharp hooded hazel eyes manage to give him a very intimidating figure. No matter the occasion, he always travels with his talwar, Zulfikar sheathed within his luxurious garment. He stands tall at 5'11".

Salima

Salima, like her cousins Raqaiya and Akbar, has a fair complexion with shoulder-length brown hair which she regularly cuts despite being advised against it. She also brown almond eyes but considering her royal status, she wears almost no jewelry or makeup. She has even worn jamas, traditionally seen as masculine clothing up until her first marriage. Now her fashion sense is still very muted and her lack of effort and overall demeanor ruffles a lot of feathers but her marriage and strong friendship with both her cousins means no one dares says a word. She stands at 5'5".

I'll maybe add either a Pinterest board or commission their portraits later on as I don't trust AI to do any of their features justice.

#empire of pearls #empire of pearls: a mughal tale #character appearances #ro: akbar #ro: raqaiya #ro: mahira #ro: arslan #ro: n #bairam #salima #ro facts

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