Academic Article | Ajantha Rao
- Jahangir was the fourth Mughal emperor, counted amongst the greatest Indian Emperors. He ruled over India for a period of 22 years from 1605 to 1627, and was well known for his love for fine arts. As the eldest surviving son of the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great, he was trained for succession from a young age.
- Wheeler Thackston's lively new translation of The Jahangirnama, co-published with the Freer/Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, presents an engaging portrait of an intriguing emperor and his flourishing empire. The Emperor Jahangir is probably best know in the West as being the father of Shahjahan, who built the Taj Mahal.
The ‘Jahangirnama’ describes the extent to which the custom spread and the number of young boys and men it victimized. This was a stark contrast to the plush life of the eunuchs in harems who enjoyed luxury and comforts that the harem provided.
This article is directed toward the cause of investigating what the contrasting conditions of eunuchs under Emperor Jahangir and his successor Shah Jahan were. The time-period under consideration is from 1605 to 1658. It will analyze the different conditions of eunuchs during that time-period in India by comparing the situation in two regions: Sylhet (in what was then a unified Bengal), and the Mughal Court in Fatehpur Sikri and Delhi.
Eunuchs had always been a part of the Islamic rule and this trend persisted when Islamic rulers arrived in Hindustan (India). For understanding the conditions of eunuchs in the Mughal Empire, the ‘Jahangirnama’ or ‘Tuzk-e-Jahangir’, the autobiography of Emperor Jahangir, will provide first hand information about their status. The second source is ‘Storia Do Mogor or Mogul India’, as described by the Venetian historian Niccolao Manucci who visited the Mughal court during the reign of Shah Jahan.
The first source that will be analysed in this paper is the ‘Jahangirnama’ or ‘Tuzk-e-Jahangir’, the autobiography of Emperor Jahangir. Jahangir was the fourth Emperor of the Mughal Dynasty; his birth name was Sultan Salim. It changed to Jahangir on his ascension to the throne. Jahangir’s rule saw an era of peace and prosperity as well as advancement of art, architecture and literature of many subjects which received patronage from Jahangir. His memoirs begin in 1605, the year of his ascension; in 1622 there was collaboration between Jahangir and his personal assistant Mu’tammad Khan. In the 18th century, a historian named Muhaamad Hadi continued the memoir from where the text left off, after Jahangir’s death. This source is of particular importance to historians as it gives an account of Jahangir from his perspective while also providing authentic information from the ruler, which makes it a primary source of history.
Although this source has a lot of advantages, it also has a number of limitations. Firstly, this source has been written from the biased perspective of Jahangir and may not be reflective of reality, as the information may have been altered to please the emperor as it was reported to him. It purely reflects upon Jahangir as a ruler and his capabilities. Another limitation is the fact that the version that has been analysed in this essay is a translated, edited, and annotated version by Wheeler M. Thackston. During the process of translation, there can be aspects of the work either lost in translation or translated incorrectly. It may also have information edited by other Mughal officials after Jahangir’s demise. Despite these limitations, it provides an authentic insight into the workings of the Mughal government.
The second source that will be analysed in this paper is ‘Storia Do Mogor or Mogul India’ by Niccolao Manucci, written between the period 1653-1708. This source is an account of the Italian historian, physician, geographer, and explorer, Niccolao Manucci. He spent most of his life in India, particularly in the Mughal Court, and right from his arrival, documented his journey in the Empire. He begins his account from his journey to India till his audience with Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb. He documents the latter part of Shah Jahan’s reign and the beginning of Aurangzeb’s. Since he spent most of his life in India he sent his manuscripts back to Europe. He had first-hand knowledge of the court and he mentions his encounters with eunuchs during his stay. Hence, it is an important account of the Mughal reign from an outsider’s perspective.
Although it is an important primary source, it does have limitations. Firstly, there is a controversy with regard to the origin of the text. Also, there might be a bias in his work. Since the version that has been referred to in this essay is a translated version by William Irvine of the Royal Asiatic Society who was also a retired member of the Bengal Civil Service, there might be parts of the work that would be affected by this aspect.
Eunuchs or Khawaja Saras played an important role in all Islamic empires. It was not possible for a emperor to have a harem without the presence of eunuchs as protectors and guardians. It was a tradition followed by all rulers, right from the Sultanate to the Mughals. Many of the slaves were also eunuchs. At the time of the Mughal administration, eunuchs were known as Khawaja Saras or Nazirs depending on their position in court. Under the Mughals, many important eunuchs rose to the positions of Mansabdars under the administrative system introduced by Emperor Akbar in the Mughal Empire, as commanders of armies, or even governors of Subhas, as provinces are called in Urdu. This aspect showed the social acceptance that the Khawaja Saras received, as well as their growth and development.
The chief Nazirs were awarded the designation of Aitmad or Aitbar Khan, which translates to “trusted lord”, hence supporting the claim that a part of the eunuch community in the Mughal era was well-respected and loyal officers to the king. They played an integral role in governance and were key to the functioning of the harem, perhaps the largest department in the Mughal empire.
Jahangirnama
Mughal harems were very large in size as many alliances were made in the form of marriages, increasing the number of inhabitants of the harem. These members of the harems were at security risks and due to the prevailing purdah system, could not come in direct contact with any males, except their husbands. Therefore, the presence of the third sex was integral, as they were considered not have any sexual emotions towards the women and safe-guarded them throughout their lives. They were rewarded by transfers into other sectors of governance such as the army and administration. The presence of eunuchs is evident in the ‘Jahangirnama’: “The eunuch Jawahir Khan was assigned to supervision of the harem.” (Thackston 2016). He then proceeded to become more successful as seen in the excerpt “The eunuch Jawahir Khan was given the rank of 1000/300.” (Thackston 2016). This is just one of the many instances stated in the ‘Jahangirnama’ portraying the importance of eunuchs and the respect they received from the king, thus making it an important source for the topic at hand. The eunuchs were loyal to their masters and mistresses and guarded their secrets. They also smuggled men, wine and drugs into the harem according to Manucci. These closely guarded secrets made them powerful, sometimes even arrogant and conceited.
Manucci also states that the chief Nazir of the harem or Seraglio was highly venerated by the emperor and received a part of the treasury to maintain the jewels, Sarapas (robes), precious stones and linens that came in and out of the palace. He was helped by the large number of eunuchs in the palace to preserve the sanctity of the harem. They also helped the emperor in personal errands, Aitbar Khan, Jahangir’s favourite eunuch was held accountable for the activities of the rebel prince Khusraw during his incarceration. They were also trusted advisors; the eunuch Shabaz, advisor of Shah Jahan, was weary of the promises and words of Aurangzeb prior to his rebellion. Shah Jahan’s Khawaja Sara Firoz Khan, custodian of the harem, also constructed his tomb “Taal Firuz Khan” present till date in Agra, and like many other important Khawaja Saras he also contributed to the architecture of the Mughal empire.
Thus, eunuchs were a part of every sphere of governance, increasing their demand as slaves. This led to the heinous acts committed in Bengal that show the contrast in the conditions when compared to the eunuchs employed in the royal service under the Mughal empire. Thousands of adolescent men and boys were emasculated to serve as eunuchs in Muslim cities as domestic help, mainly in the harem. This practice was prominent in Bengal particularly in the district of Sylhet. This event is also recorded in the ‘Jahangirnama’ under a section titled the ‘The Eunuchs of Bengal’.
Several excerpts describe the custom of castration adopted by peasants and poor farmers who emasculated some of their sons to sell as commodities to wealthy merchants. “Little by little this custom has infected other provinces, and every year many children are ruined and castrated as the custom has gained great currency” (Thackston 2016). The ‘Jahangirnama’ describes the extent to which the custom spread and the number of young boys and men it victimized. This was a stark contrast to the plush life of the eunuchs in harems who enjoyed luxury and comforts that the harem provided. Since there was a rapid spread of the custom to meet the demands of the traders, Jahangir issued a Farman abolishing the practice but there was no significant decline in the custom. The main reason was because eunuchs proved to be more profitable than other slaves and the families of the castrated sons received almost three times the amount of money they would have for selling their sons without emasculating them before. Thus, the practice prevailed but in most cases their castration, though inhuman, proved to be more beneficial for the boys as they received better education, training and amenities than they would have if they were retained as male slaves.
Their emasculation almost compelled them to compensate in other ways, to themselves and to society as it dwarfed their masculinity, which made them loyal and devoted while proving their worth to their masters. The tradition of making eunuchs progressed under Muslim rule. If eunuchs were denied the greatest pleasures attainable in this world, they were reimbursed by sometimes performing great feats of bravery, by displaying great loyalty to the master or just by being piled with great wealth, this fact was documented by Manucci.
In conclusion, it is safe to assert that eunuchs formed an essential part of the Mughal empire and were rewarded for their efforts with great benefits. Although the practice of converting boys to eunuchs was a heinous one, it was the custom that prevailed. Eunuchs held high positions in society, were highly respected and even had direct contact with the emperor who promoted them to high posts. In fact, many reputable nobles in Jahangir’s court were Khawaja Saras. They were trusted by their masters and knew secrets never disclosed to the public. It is clear from the investigation that there are always two perspectives of the same situation, and at the peak of their success eunuchs were respected and trusted, while they also received monetary benefits, amenities and grants. Although their journey to becoming successful had a lot of difficulties starting from their emasculation, a section of this community never gave up the rage they felt towards society for its crime of denying a boy the chance to experience his masculinity. An example of such a eunuch was I’tibar Khan, who served in Aurangzeb’s court. He was appointed to harass Shah Jahan by his master. He took this job to great extents and was a shrewd, cruel individual who seemed like he would never overcome his rage. Another section accepted their situation and made the most of it as they rose through the ranks of the harem and nobles. Both aspects of this community led to their contributions in society and allowed eunuchs to receive more social acceptance. They were powerful and trusted advisors to many merchants, commanders and kings. The stark comparison and acceptance of eunuchs in society is one of the highlights of the Mughal Empire, especially in light of the harassment they face in modern society presently.
Bibliography:
Jahangirnama Summary
N.A. N.A. Bharat Vani. Accessed October 26, 2018. http://www.bharatvani.org/books/mssmi/ch9.htm.
Niccoloa Manicci, translated by William Irvine. 1907. Storia De Mogor. Government of India.
PTI. 2008. Times of India. April 27. Accessed October 26, 2018. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Eunuchs-want-Mughal-era-role-back/articleshow/2987565.cms.
Thackston, W.M. 2016. The Jahangirnama: Memoirs of Jahangir, Emperor of India. New Delhi: Facsimile Publisher.
The author is a BA I year student at MCH
Jahangirnama Written By
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