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ABSTRACT
Hindustan was considered one of the regions which attained political and cultural strength during 16th and 17th centuries. Mughal dynasty had a lash green Central Asian cultural background enhanced the beauty of various cultural areans just like architecture, painting, dance and music etc. even Mughal women were the patrons of various cultural activites. This notion is very controversial that Mughal women who were very seculded how they could be the active participants of cultural ativities? First, Mughal ladies like Noor Jahan Jahanara, Zab-un-Nisa were educated women of age having their own libraries. Second, they consciously contributed in cultural life of that period. This paper identifies various cultural fields which were originated, financed and Iooked after by the Mughal women.
KEY WORDS: Culture, Mughals, Sub-Continent, Ladies
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Introduction
The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were witnessed by a flurry of cultural activities in India as the land had not seen in over a thousand years. The clan of the fabulously talented Mughal dynasty catalyzed much of this. There were also substantial achievements in many fields outside royal patronage. Though there were two different religious identities i.e. Hindus and Muslims, but both these communities influenced each other and there was great cultural interaction between them. But the royal and elite cultural effervescence was primarily a royal spectacle (Early, 1997: 854).
The Mughals came from a lush cultural background (Central Asia) and they valued intellectual, literary and artistic achievements. Their liberal resources helped them to patronise scholars, distribute charity, construct edifices buildings and lay out gardens. Mughal emperors themselves were multi-talented people. They have major cultural accomplishments to their credit. They also gave enough liberty to their ladies in spite of Purdah or seclusion to patronise the cultural activities. So, Mughal ladies utilized their time and resources on the literary pursuits of that age. Royal ladies like Silma Sultan Begum, Gulbadan Begum, Nur Jahan, Jahanara and Zeb un Nisa had their own libraries (Misra, 1967: 84-85). Some ladies devoted themselves to religious and literary activities, others passed their time in music, dancing and fine arts which were considered the best sources of their entertainment. Many of them went on excursions and pleasure trips. Most of the ladies were interested in dresses, toilet and...