KHURRAM

Khurram was born in 15th January, 1592. HE WAs later given the title of Shah Johan.

His education started when he was four years old. He was exceptionally good at horse riding.

He had three brothers Khusru, Parvez and Shahryar.

But Khurram was the favourite of his grandfather Akbar, who had always thought that he was the cleverest and bravest of all his grandsons.

When Akbar died, Khurram was just thirteen years old. His father Salim then become Emperor Jahangir.

Khurram spent much of his time in looking after the empire. He was sent to places where there were problems because he was considered capable enough to solve them.

Prince Khurram loved Nur Jahan's niece, Anjumand Bano. She was the daughter of Nur Jahan's brother.

Anjumand Bano, born in April 1593, was kind, generous and extremely beautiful. She was a good influence on Shah Jahan.

In 1607, Khurram went to Meena Bazaar, a private market attached to the harem.

Anjumand Bano sat there at a shop with her skills and glass beads.

Khurram saw a piece of glass and asked its price. She said that it was a diamond and he could not afford it.

He took the diamond and gave her ten thousand rupees, which was a lot of money at that time.

Next day, he went to his father and said that he wanted to marry Anjumand, but they got married after five years.

ON 10th MAY, 1612 When Khurram was twenty and Anjumand was nineteen, they got married.

The wedding was a grand one. Jahangir and Shah Jahan went in a procession with nobles, musicians, dancer, acrobats, slaves and priests. jahangir himself tied a string of pearls around Shah Jahan's neck.

Anjumand Bano (or Mumtaz) and Shah Jahan were married for nineteen years and had fourteen children.

Seven of their children died. The four sons who survived were Dara, Shuja, Aurangzeb and Murad.

The three daughters who survived were Hahan Ara, Roshan Ara and Gauhar Ara.

Mumtaz Mahal always accompanied Shah Jahan wherever he went. Even when she was to give birth to a child, he would take her along when he went for battles.

When Jahangir had passed an order against Shah Jahan, even then they were together. She suffered a lot of misery when Shah Jahan was sick. At that time she asked Shah Jahan to ask his father to pardon him.