Sunday 14 August 2016

Anarkali and Salim Anarkali


Anarkali and Salim Anarkali was a legendary slave girl. It is believed that she was originally from Iran and migrated to Lahore, Punjab. It is depicted in the Bollywood movie Mughal-e-Azam that during the Mughal period, she was supposedly ordered to be buried alive between two walls by Mughal emperor Akbar for having an illicit relationship with the Crown-Prince Salim, later to become Emperor Jahangir. The story was originally written by Indian writer Abdul Halim Sharar and on the first page of that book he had clearly mentioned it to be a work of fiction. Nevertheless, her story has been adapted into literature, art and cinema. The love story of Salim and Anarkali is a story that every lover knows. Prince Salim was a spoiled and rude boy. Akbar sends him off to war, to teach him courage and discipline. Fourteen years later Salim returns as a distinguished soldier to rule the empire in Lahore. Since this day was one of great celebration, the harem of Akbar decided to hold a great Mujra (dance performance) by a beautiful girl named Nadeera. Since she was an exceptional beauty, she got access to Akbar’s court and later honoured with the epithet of Anarkali by Akbar. During her first Mujra, Prince Salim fell in love with her and it later became apparent that she was also in love with him. Later, they both began to see each other secretly. Later, Prince Salim informed his father, Akbar, of his intention to marry Anarkali and make her the Empress. The problem was that Anarkali, despite her fame in Lahore, was a dancer and a maid and not of noble blood. So Akbar forbade Salim from seeing Anarkali again. Prince Salim and Akbar had an argument that later became very serious after Akbar ordered the arrest of Anarkali and placed her in one of the dungeons in Lahore. When Salim came to know of this, he declared a war against his own father. But the mighty emperor’s gigantic army is too much for the young prince to handle. He gets defeated and is sentenced to death. This is when Anarkali intervenes and renounces her love to save her beloved from the jaws of death. She is entombed alive in a brick wall right in front of her lover’s eyes.

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