Portrait of India 2013

Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort

Today we rose early to view the Taj Mahal at sunrise. We struck up a conversation with the gate keeper as we waited for the large doors to be opened, and when they did he beckoned us to follow him. We took off running and literally were the first two people at the Taj Mahal this particular morning. He proceeded to give us a guided tour of the best spots to take photographs. As the sun rose the Taj Mahal took on a pink hue. It was a spectacularly clear day, with a blue sky over the dome. It is hard to put into words the sheer beauty of this mausoleum.

The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. On her deathbed, she asked him for two wishes. The first was that he never remarry, and the second was to immortalize their love in a monument like the world had never seen. He kept both promises. Its perfect proportions and exquisite craftsmanship have been described as “a vision, a dream, a poem, a wonder.” The sublime garden-tomb, an image of the Islamic garden of paradise, cost nearly 41 million rupees and 500 kilos (1,102 lbs) of gold. About 20,000 workers labored for 12 years to complete it in 1643 . Mumtaz Mahal’s cenotaph, raised on a platform, is placed next to Shan Jahans. The actual graves, in a dark crypt below, are closed to the public.

Shah Jahan was imprisoned at the Agra Fort the last years of his life by one of his sons. He was confined to a room that allowed him to gaze at the Taj Mahal from a window. During his life he was known as a very kind, learned man who was very much involved in activities. After his beloved wife died, he stopped shaving, gave up elaborate dress and ate very little. His heart was broken. After he died he was carried to the Taj Mahal by his soldiers and placed in a grave next to his beloved wife.

After visiting the Taj Mahal we visited the Agra Fort. Situated on the west bank of the Yamuna, Agra Fort was built by Emperor Akbar between 1565 and 1573. Its imposting red sandstone ramparts form a crescent along the river front, and encompass an enormous complex of courtly buildings, ranging in style from the early eclecticism of Akbar to the sublime elegance of Shah Jahan. The Jahangiri Mahal is the only major part of the palace n the fort that dates back to Akbar’s reign. This complex arrangement of halls, courtyards and galleries, with dungeons underneath, was the zeanna or main harem. In front of the Jahangiri Mahal is a large marble pool, which according to legend, used to be filled in Nur Jahan’s time with thousands of rose petals so that the empress could bathe in its scented waters. The Musamman Burj, a double storied octagonal tower with clear views of the Taj Mahal is where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb.

Mumbai

Today we flew to from Kerala to Mumbai. On the way to the Kerala airport we passed a Hindui prayer ceremony. We witnessed many worshippers at the ceremony and in route along the roads. Mumbai, formerly Bombay, capital of Maharashtra, is India’s most dynamic, cosmopolitan and crowded city. The country’s financial centre and busiest port, Mumbai is home to the worlds biggest cinema industry, popularly known as Bollywood. Some 15 million people, from Billionaire tycoons to homeless pavement dwellers, live in this teeming megapolis.Consisting of seven swampy islands when the Portuguese acquired it in 1534, Bombay (from the Portuguese Bom or Bahia or “Good Bay”) came to the British Crown in 1661 as part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza when she married Charles II. The city has now reverted to its local name, Mumbai, from Mumba Devi, the eight armed goddess worshipped by the Koli fishermen who were the island’s original inhabitants. Upon arriving we took a tour of the city. Fishing boats dot the seafront of southern Mumbai. We saw the city laundries, where all of the city brings their clothes to be washed outside on the rocks. It is surprising how white the whites are! There were many vendors on the sidewalks, and many large, beautiful buildings that were built by the British. There is much wealth here, as well as much poverty. We saw the Victoria Terminus, the Rajabai CLock tower, the Army and Navy building, and the High Court, all located in the Kala Ghoda area. Mumbai is a city of striking contrasts. Here skyscrapers stand next to stately Victorian buildings, noisy traditional bazaars adjoin glittering new shopping malls, and opulent neighborhoods are surrounded by sprawling slums. The slums actually bring in around 600 million dollars a year income. Most of the inhabitants are actually very enterprising. Tonight we dined at Zyia, an amazing Indian fusion restaurant.

Kumarakom

This morning we were led on a tour of the local village. We encountered many school children walking or riding the local bus to school. Many shops were just opening for the day. It is very tropical and sunny here. We passed over small roads that floated above the backwater area of this part of India. Houseboats and fishing boats dotted the water as the sun sparkled on the surface. After a lesisurly morning at the resort, we boarded a houseboat for a spin around the backwaters. We were treated to a Kalarippayat demonstration on the lawn in the evening. Kalarippayat is the unique martial arts of Kerala. It is one of the oldest traditional martial arts, physical culture and self defense methods in the world. The names, Kalarippayat is derived from two words in Malayalam, Kalari and Payatt, Kalari meaning the place, where proper training is imparted for body and mind. Payatt literally means practice or exercise. In the present context, it means the traditional style of combat. Today it is a hidden art that is out of the public and is only taught in families and passed down through the generations

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Kumarakom Lake Resort

Today we left Cochin for a two hour drive to Kumarakom Lake Resort, located near the city of Kottayam. It is set in the backdrop of the Vembanad Lake which is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Kerala. The Vembanad Lake, the largest backwater in Kerala, is habitat for many marine and freshwater fish species. The bird sanctuary extends over 14 acres (57,000 m²), and came into existence following preservation efforts from the government. Fishing, agriculture and tourism are the major economic activities.

Kumarakom’s perfectly balanced tropical climate is very conductive to cultivation. The place has expanses of mangrove forests, paddy fields and coconut groves. Fruits like Banana, Mango, Jackfruit, Ambazhanga, Puli, Chaambenga, Peraycka, Aathaycka and Pineapple grow here. Also, cocoa and coffee grow well and were cultivated under the coconut trees. This rich agricultural environment is mainly irrigated using interspersed waterways and canals of the Meenachil river. The smaller canals are often lined by hibiscus plants which lean partly over the canals to form a green canopy, from which hang the lovely hibiscus flowers.

In the olden days, when the bund separating the backwaters from the sea was not yet built, the water in the canals moved in and out with the sea tide and it was salty. After the Thanneermukkam bund was constructed, the connection to the open sea was not free anymore, and so the tidal movement of the water in the canals stopped. It stagnated and then plenty of water hyacinths started growing densely in the canals,forming lovely green carpets with pale lilac flowers carpets.

Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things is set in Ayemenem or Aymanam village, which adjoins Kumarakom. The explosive success of this novel has given some added tourism impetus to this area. The Taj Garden Retreat hotel complex is centered around a building that is called “History House” in the novel; it was built by British missionary Alfred George Baker, whom the locals called “Kari Saipu” (possibly an elided form of “Baker Sahib”), as in the novel. Four generations of Bakers lived in the house until 1962, speaking Malayalam, and even wearing the mundu. The Baker Memorial School, Kottayam, was started by a daughter of this family in 1925. The Baker family’s house is in ruins in the novel, as it was in reality before was developed into a hotel and has been restored by the Taj group. The Ayemenem house, where Arundhati Roy spent part of her childhood (like the twins in the story), can also be visited in the village, which can be reached by boat along the Meenachil river that figures prominently in the story.

In the afternoon we the most amazing massages we have ever had. I think i left my body. Lots of oil, scrub, and 4 hands.

Tonight we were treated to a private party with a performance of Mohiniyattum, a beautiful Indian classical dance.

Cochin/Fort Kochi

Today we visited Old Cochin. This area has been declared a Heritage Zone to preserve its many historical buildings. We started at the Mattancherry Palace. The Palace was constructed by the Portuguese in the mid-1550s,and was given to the ruer of Cochin as a token of goodwill in exchange for trading rights. It was later renovated by the Dutch, and so gained the misnomer, Dutch Palace. The two-story structure, built around a courtyard with a small shrine to the goddess Bhaganati, is today a museum with a rare collection of murals and royal artifacts.

The Paradesi Synagogue is nestled in a cul-de-sac at the end of a narrow lane, in the heart of what is known as Jew Town. It is the cities oldest synagogue. The first Jewish settlers said to have reached Kodungallur in the 1st century AD. Their settlement, then known as Shingly, prospered over the centuries. However, persecution by the Portuguese in the early 16th century forced them to migrate to Cochin, where they settled on land given by the raja, and built a synagogue in 1568. Cochin’s Jewish community was divided into two distinct groups- the so called Black or Malari Jews who claimed to be descendants of the original settlers, and the White or Paradesim Jews who came here from the Middle East, and after whom the synagogue is named. A third, smaller group was the Brown or Meshuhurarum Jews, descended from converted slaves, many of whom were in the spice trade. In 1940, there were 2,500 Jews in Kerala. Today there are only 7, the rest having migrated to Israel.

St Francis Church was established in the early 1500s by the Portuguese (who called it Santo Antonio). This is one of India’s earliest European churches, with a simple facade that became the model for later churches. Taken over by the Dutch and then the British, it is today affiliated to the Church of South India. There are numerous gravestones with inscriptions, the earliest a Portuguese epitaph, dated 1562. Vasco de Game was buried here in 1524 until his body was taken to Portugal 14 years later. There are many Catholic churches scattered throughout Kerala, many with large steeples visible from all over Cochin.

We had dinner at the world famous home of Nimmy Paul. She has been featured in the New York Times newspaper and has been the darling of Kerala since she was discovered. She lives in a modest middle class home with her husband and son. She generously welcomed us into her home, giving us a cooking lesson on local dishes. After he cooking lessons we were treated to a feast in her garden. Sublime!

Mumbai/Kerala/Cochin

Today we boarded a fight to Mumbai for a short transfer to Kerala. While in Mumbai we visited the train station and Street Markets. The trains are right out of the movie “Slumdog Millionaire.” People pack the cars to the point where they are forced to lean out the open cars, zipping along the tracks at a very fast clip. The train station boarders the market area. Here, vendors line the streets with their wares for the day. Rows upon rows of fresh produce and vegetables are everywhere one looks. The colors and smells are incredible. Here fresh curry plants compete with cilantro for the most identified scent. The mangos are the best in the world, and glisten in the sun when sliced open. Vendors have large machetes that they are happy to use to slice open a fruit for a view or sample. It is interesting to note that as one travels south, the faces of the local people change significantly. These are not the beautiful faces we saw in Dehli; there is a harder more chiseled look to the locals. It seemed that people are much more reserved here, not as quick to offer a smile. That said, the children are very generous with their smiles, and all generously returns waves.
The streets are much more orderly and clean. There actually seems to be a left and right lane only, and horns are used much less frequent. We did see many large slum areas, popping up right next to high rises and new developments. These seemed to go on for miles in some areas.

After touring the market area, we had a quick lunch at the Orchid Hotel and departed for the airport for our roughly two-hour flight to Kerala. Nestled between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, Kerala is an enchanting mosaic of coconut groves and paddy fields, wide beaches and labyrinthine backwaters, verdant hills and rainforests. Its diverse culture is enriched by the three great religions that have ancient roots here Hinduism is the religion of the majority, practiced here with a rare rigor that prohibits non-Hindus from entering the temples. Christianity, followed by a quarter of its population, was brought here by the Apostle St. Thomas, while Arab traders introduced Islam in the 7th century. The architectural treasures of the state include the beautiful wooden palace at Padmanabhapuram, stately colonial buildings and a 16th century synagogue in Kochi. This politically conscious state, where power alternates between Left and Centrist parties, boasts the highest literacy rate in India. Many of its people work in the Middle East, their remittances home adding greatly to Kerala’s prosperity.

Kochi, better known as Cochin, is Kerala’s most cosmopolitan city and our home for the next two nights. It is also its main trading center for spices and seafood. Built around a saltwater lagoon of the Arabian Sea, Kochi is in fact a collection of narrow islands and peninsulas. While mainland Erakulam boasts concrete shopping malls and glitzy apartment buildings, Mattancherry and Fort Kochi have an old world charm, with their blend of Dutch, Portuguese and English bungalows and quaint narrow streets. The scenic location of Kochi’s natural harbor, surrounded by palm groves, green fields, inland lakes and backwaters, has enchanted visitors from across the globe for centuries.

After sunset cruise on the beautiful bay, we were treated to Kathakali, Kerala’s classical dance-drama. Literally meaning “story-play”, Kathakali is a highly evolved classical form of dance, drama and music (both vocal and instrumental), which is almost 400 years old. Male actor-dancers, in voluminous colorful skirts, elaborate headdresses and jewelry, enact stories from the Puranas and epics, mainly the Mahabbarata. The story unfolds simply first, before building to dramatic climax. The frenetic drumming, the emotive singing and rhythmic movements of the dancers reach a crescendo, as the many scenes of love and valor culminate in the triumph of good over evil. These are traditionally all-night performances, held in temple courtyards during religious festivals.

Make-up, a complex four-hour process, helps identify characters and define their roles. Mineral pigments and lamp black are the main ingredients. A paper frill defines the jawline. The costumes and facial make-up use symbolic colors. Green simplifies divine and heroic characters, such as Krishna and Arjuna, while royal though arrogant personalities, such as Ravana, are distinguished by the red patch applied over the bridge of the nose on a green background. Black is used for demons. Actor- dancers, all male, do not speak but use symbolic hand gestures and facial expressions, with great eloquence. Two drums provide percussion. The lead singer marks the beat with a gong, and his assistant plays the cymbals.

Udaipur

After a short plane ride, we arrived in Udaipur. This fairy tale city, with its marble palaces and lakes surrounded by a ring a hills, was founded by Maharana Udai Singh in 1559, and became the capital of Mewar after the fall of Chittorgath in 1567. The rulers of Mewar, who belonged to the Sisodia clan of Rajputs, traced their dynasty back to AD 566. Fiercely independent, they refused matrimonial alliances with the Mughals, and took great pride in their reputation as the prime defenders of Rajput honour. The city is dominated by the massive City Palace, which overlooks Lake Pichola with its romantic island palaces. Picturesque havelis, ghats and temples line the lakefront.

Stretching along the eastern shore of Lake Pichola, Udaipur’s City Palace is a fascinating combination of Rajput military architecture and Mughal-style decorative techniques. One writer has aptly described its stern, fortress-like façade, topped by a profusion of graceful balconies, cupolas and turrets, as a massive plain cake topped with fabulous icing. The largest palace in Rajasthan, covering an area of 5 acres, is actually a complex of several palaces built or added by a total of 22 different maharanas between the 16^th and 20^th centuries. These include the Chandra Mahal, the bari Mahal, the Dikhushal Mahal and the Moti Mahal.

The Chandra Mahal was built in 1620 and is one of the loveliest in the complex. It has beautiful colums, fretwork windows and striking marble relief of Rajput women, one of whom carries a shield. There is a magical view of Lake Pichola from here.

Another flight of stair leads to the charming Bari Mahal (built in 1699.) Perched 89 feet above the ground, it isanfbuilt on a terraced hillside that is completely enclosed within the palace walls. Deep halls with receding rows of carved arches open into an enchanting courtyard with a marble pool in the middle. The Bari Mahal leads to the Dilkhushal Mahal (built in 1620.) This has two remarkable chambers-the Kanch Burj (“Glass Turret”) inlaid with red and silver glass, and the Krishna Niwas, which exhibits outstanding Mewar miniature paintings. This was the room where the 16 year-old princess Krishna Kumari committed suicide in 1807 when rival suitors from Jodhpur and Jaipiur threated to go to war over her hand. To the left of this palace is the ornate Moti Mahal, the chamber of the dissolute Maharana Jawan Singh (r. 1828-38) who once promised an dancing girl half his kingdom if she could walk a tightrope across Lake Pichola. The girl had almost reached when the maharana’s alarmed courtiers cut the rope and the dancer drowned. After touring this amazing complex, we had a beautiful lunch at the Sunset Terrace overlooking Lake Pichola.

Jagdish Mandir is a 17^th-century temple, just north of the City Palace’s main gate, and has an enormous black stone image of Vishnu in its profusely carved main shrine. Stone elephants flank the entrance, and a superb bronze image of Garuda (the mythical bird who is Vishnu’s vehicle) stands in front of the temple.

Saheliyon ki Bari is an 18-century retreat in the north of the city (its name means “Garden of the Maids of honour”) and has ornamental fountains, a lotus pool and a beautiful rose garden. It was built for a queen of Udaipur, whose dowry included 48 maids.

After touring the gardens, Marc and I hired a tuk tuk to take us through the alleys of the Spice Market. The lanes are extremely narrow and made of cobblestones. Vendors line both sides, with huge carts of fresh produce, tapestries, jewelry, etc. Many small shops line the buildings facing the alleys, with blacksmiths and jewelers and chefs via for space. It appeared as though school was just letting out, as we found many tuks tuks and taxis loaded down with children in uniforms being delivered to their homes, many accessed through long narrow paths veering off from the main street. We were delivered back to our about 45 minutes later. That evening we had a turban and sari tying demonstration and bid farewell to some of our guests.

Jaipur-Amber Palace

The streets of Jaipur were coming alive this morning as we drove through them on through them on the way to the Amber Palace. Vendors were pushing their carts through the streets on the way to their display areas. All of the goods are arranged according to type: all of the fresh milk vendors are in one spot, the textiles in another, fresh fruit and produce, shoes, purses; all have their set areas. The streets of Jaipur have been cleaned up recently, due to the many conferences and festivals being held here on a regular basis. The Literature Festival had just ended.

Of particular note were the homeless shelters that now dot the streets of Jaipur. They are really more of tents than shelters, but they function much the same as those in the states. The difference is there are no rules in place. If there is room, a person can stay there as long as they want. There is no work requirement or time limits enforced. These shelters are provided by the government. They were created in a effort the “clean up the streets.”

The iconic The iconic Hawa Mahal hovers over the market area in old town Jaipur. It was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, and designed by Lal Chand Ustad in the form of the crown of Krishna, the Hindu god. The ladies of the court were able to travel freely behind these screened windows, peering out into the streets without being seen by the men below. Just a short drive from the main shopping area of Jaipur is the the Amber Palace. The Fort Palace was the Kachhawaha citadel until 1727, when their capital moved to Jaipur. Successive rulers continued to come here on important occasions to seek the blessings of the family deity, Shila Devi. The citadel was established in 1592 by Man Singh I on the remains of the old 11-century fort, but the various buildings added by Jai Singh I (1621-67) are what constitutes its magnificent centerpiece. Protected by Jaigarth Fort, the massive ramparts of the Amber Fort follow the contours of a natural ridge.

The Amber Fort offers panoramic views of Maota Lake and the historic old town at the base of the hill, which was the early seat of the Amber kings before they made the fort their capital. Several havelis, stepwells, and temples can be seen below the fort, pointing to the existence of a self-sufficient township, where the Mughal emperor Akbar used to stop on his annual pilgrimage to Ajmer.

The Palace includes the Shila Devi Temple, which has silver doors, silver oil lamps, grand pillars carved to look like banana trees, and contains Kachhawaha family deity, a stone image of the goddess Kali

After touring the Amber Palace, we were treated to Royal thali at the Raj Palace, complete with puppet show!

Jaipur

Today we boarded a bus for Jaipur, located in the state of Rajasthan. No state in India is as rich in magnificent palaces and forts, colorful festivals and bazars as Rajasthan. Stretching over 132, 047 square miles. The state is bisected by the Aravalli Range, which runs diagonally from the northeast to the southwest. Its main river is the Chambal. The That Desert, which covers western Rajasthan, was once ruled by three great kingdoms – Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner. Shekhawati, with its painted havalis, is in the semi-arid north while the eastern plains have the bustling state capital, Jaipur.

Jaipur is often called the “Pink CIty” because its prominent buildings are washed in this color. Tradition and modernity exist side by side here. On its colorful streets, motorbikes jostle for space with camels, and turnbaned village elders rub shoulders with youngsters in jeans. Jairpur’s old walled area has the City Palace, an astronomical observatory and bazars that sell everything from shoes to jewelry.

Sawai Jai Singh II was a keen scholar, statesman and patron of the arts. He was awarded the title of “Sawai” (one and a quarter”), a metaphor for one who is extraordinary, by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb when he was just 11 years old. WIth the help of a gifted Bengali engineer, Vidyadhar Chakravarty, Jai Singh built a new capital south of Amber and named it Jaipur (City of Victory). Work began in 1727 and took six years to complete. Surrounded by a crenellated wall pierced by seven gates, Jaipur is laid out in a geometric grid of streets and squares and is one of India’s finest examples of a planned city.

Occupying the heart of Jai SIngh II’s city, the City Palace has been home to the rulers of Jaipur since the first half of the 18th century. The sprawling complex is a superb blend of Raiput and Mughal architecture, with open, airy Mughal-style public buildings leading to private apartments. The City Palace Museum contains treasures which include miniature paintings, manuscripts, Mughal carpets, musical instruments, royal costumes and weaponry. Two giant silver urns located in the Diwan-I-Khas is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest silver objects. These two vessels carried sacred Ganges water for Madho Singh II’s visit to London in 1901. The Hawa Mahal Palace was originally constructed to allow women of the court the opportunity to watch the activities taking place in the bazaar and the surrounding streets behind stone-carved screens. The entire building is shaped like a crown adorning Lord Krishna’s head.

Of the five observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh II, the one in Jaipur is the largest and best preserved; the others are in Dehli, Ujjain, Mathura and Varanasi. A keen astronomer himself, Jai Singh kept abreast of the latest astronomical studies in the world. Built between 1728 and 1734, the observatory has been described as “the most realistic and logical landscape in stone”, its 16 instruments resembling a giant sculptural composition. Some of the instruments are still used to forecast how hot the summer months will be, the expected date of arrival, duration and intensity of the monsoon, and the possibility of floods and famine.

This evening we had a dinner extravaganza at the Rambaugh Palace. Built in 1835, it was originally a small garden pavilion for Ram Singh II’s wet nurse, but was used as a hunting lodge after she died in 1856. Later, on his return from England, Ram Singh II’s son Madho Singh II transformed it into a royal playground with squash and tennis courts, a polo field and an indoor swimming pool. In 1933, it became the official residence of Madho Singh’s adopted heir, Man Singh II.

Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort

Today we rose early to view the Taj Mahal at sunrise. We struck up a conversation with the gate keeper as we waited for the large doors to be opened, and when they did he beckoned us to follow him. We took off running and literally were the first two people at the Taj Mahal this particular morning. He proceeded to give us a guided tour of the best spots to take photographs. As the sun rose the Taj Mahal took on a pink hue. It was a spectacularly clear day, with a blue sky over the dome. It is hard to put into words the sheer beauty of this mausoleum.

The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. On her deathbed, she asked him for two wishes. The first was that he never remarry, and the second was to immortalize their love in a monument like the world had never seen. He kept both promises. Its perfect proportions and exquisite craftsmanship have been described as “a vision, a dream, a poem, a wonder.” The sublime garden-tomb, an image of the Islamic garden of paradise, cost nearly 41 million rupees and 500 kilos (1,102 lbs) of gold. About 20,000 workers labored for 12 years to complete it in 1643 . Mumtaz Mahal’s cenotaph, raised on a platform, is placed next to Shan Jahans. The actual graves, in a dark crypt below, are closed to the public.

Shah Jahan was imprisoned at the Agra Fort the last years of his life by one of his sons. He was confined to a room that allowed him to gaze at the Taj Mahal from a window. During his life he was known as a very kind, learned man who was very much involved in activities. After his beloved wife died, he stopped shaving, gave up elaborate dress and ate very little. His heart was broken. After he died he was carried to the Taj Mahal by his soldiers and placed in a grave next to his beloved wife.

After visiting the Taj Mahal we visited the Agra Fort. Situated on the west bank of the Yamuna, Agra Fort was built by Emperor Akbar between 1565 and 1573. Its imposting red sandstone ramparts form a crescent along the river front, and encompass an enormous complex of courtly buildings, ranging in style from the early eclecticism of Akbar to the sublime elegance of Shah Jahan. The Jahangiri Mahal is the only major part of the palace n the fort that dates back to Akbar’s reign. This complex arrangement of halls, courtyards and galleries, with dungeons underneath, was the zeanna or main harem. In front of the Jahangiri Mahal is a large marble pool, which according to legend, used to be filled in Nur Jahan’s time with thousands of rose petals so that the empress could bathe in its scented waters. The Musamman Burj, a double storied octagonal tower with clear views of the Taj Mahal is where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb.