THE MISTRESS OF THE WORLD

The Mughal era is an intriguing period of Indian history. Wars for succession, establishing dominance over the entire landscape of India, court politics- that's what we recall when we think of this period.
What escapes our notice is the Mughal zenana- the women's quarters, which though apparently separated from the court and outdside world had significant influence on the decisions of the Emperors.
Among the Mughal empresses, Nur Jahan was the most famous and her love story with Emperor Jahangir has been turned into songs, poems, ballads, novels, movies. However, Nur jahan had an arch-rival in the zenana- the lady who had tried to stall her entry in Jahangir's life- Empress Jagat Gosaini, the second wife of Jahangir and the mother of Shah Jahan. The princess of Jodhpur, Jagat Gosaini was feared in the zenana for her sharp wit and political wisdom, her dominating personality. The woman who vied for her husband's attention, the woman who strived hard to make her mark, not only in the zenana but also in the court, the woman who challenged the powerful Noor Jahan- Jagat Gosaini's story is enigmatic in more ways than one and throws light into the Mughal politics, zenana and much more.