Royal Lore

The lives of kings and queens,though dead and long gone,hold an inexorable fascination for readers.

Jagjit Puri narrates interesting anecdotes about the Mughals in his new book

The lives of kings and queens,though dead and long gone,hold an inexorable fascination for readers. Writer Jagjit Puri knows this and utilises it to the utmost in his latest book. Mughal emperor Akbar only drank water from the Ganges; the food of Mughal kings and queens was tasted 11 times to ensure it was not laced with poison; tobacco was first introduced during Akbars time; Shah Jahan and Jahangir indulged in the most expensive clothes and liquorthese anecdotes form an intrinsic part of Puris new book,Mughal Badshahan De Ajab Kissee (Lokgeet Parkashan,Rs 125) . Written in Punjabi,the book is a compilation of 170 articles written by the author in newspapers over the years.

An IAS officer,Puri has been writing since childhood. Royalty has always fascinated Puri,who also writes in English and Hindi. I come from a Diwan family and have interacted with people having a royal lineage since school days. Among the royals,Mughals provide interesting stories, he says.

Being a voracious reader with a deep interest in research and history,coupled with his access to national museums,has helped Puri bring to fore some lesser known facts about Mughals. The Mughal wives are very interesting,especially their amazing love stories,quirks and interests. Not much has been written about the huge harems of these kings,which had dedicated rules and norms. The book deals with the personal lifestyles of the rulers: Akbar,for example,was a frugal eater and had no indulgences,while Noor Jahan influenced decision making,thanks to her intelligence and strong personality, says Puri. The system of medicine prevalent then was also much ahead of the times,he adds.

The book will soon be translated to Hindi and English.

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