‘All that remains is a village in Juliana’s name’

Chauhan and Tewari spent over 30 years researching for their book, and pored through manuscripts and documents in French, Portuguese, Persian and Urdu to trace the story of Juliana, who was the link between the Portuguese and the Mughals back then.

“Her story begins with emperor Shah Jahan attacking and capturing 4,500 Portuguese, including Juliana’s parents, in Hooghly in 1632. Her father converted to Islam, and her mother was a maid of one of Shah Jahan’s wives. Juliana was born in 1645 but remained Christian, and gained prominence in the Mughal court over time,” said Chauhan.

The authors of Juliana Nama believe that medieval historians did not give her the space in history she deserved. “In 1726, Juliana’s sole portrait was published in The Netherlands by the Dutch. Then, there is some mention of her in Persian text Tarikh-e-Muhammadi,” said Chauhan.

Jean-Marie and Rehana Lafont’s book, The French and Delhi (2010), mention 18th Century historian Colonel Gentil’s account of Juliana: “Emperor Shah Alam I had a particular affection for her and among the honours and gifts that she received was Dara Shikoh’s palace in Delhi… the superb residence was one of the most beautiful in the city… this residence remained in the Juliana’s family till Ahmad Shah’s reign.”

It was in 1720, when Muhammad Shah ‘Rangeela’ took over the Mughal throne, that Juliana built a sarai or a rest house in Okhla for European travellers. Juliana died in Goa in 1734.

Little is known about when Sarai Juliana was corrupted to Sarai Julena, said Swapna Liddle, convener, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, Delhi chapter. Historian Sohail Hashmi said, “The sarai is gone and all that remains is the area now called Sarai Julena and a village called Julena there.”