A handful of thoughts

If I were to be born a man (if ever such a misfortune befell me that is), I prefer that the incident happened in Delhi, some 400 years ago, before Aurangzeb’s time. I would be born in an elaborate haveli, in Shahjenabad. I would wake up late, tired from last night’s adventures. My day would begin with a breakfast comprising the best of dried fruits from Persia and some fresh date palms and pomegranate. Afterwards, I would climb the stairs to visit my favorite partidges or kabutars. These are my darlings and I have appointed a very well-trained and experienced pegion trainer who takes care of them and trains them every day.

After my tryst with the pegions I will take a bath in scented water and get ready for the evening. Dressed in bright silk kurta and pajama, a rope of pearls dangling from my neck and a bejwelled dagger adorning my waist band, I head for my favorite courtesan - Shah Banu’s mehfil in a palanquin with my friend and cousin. At the mehfil, I enjoy the ghazals and poetry reclined on a silk cushion, smoking scented tobacco mixed with hashish from a hookah. The mehfil takes place on the spacious courtyard of Shah Banu’s haveli, around the fountain that bubbles with frothy water sprinkled with jasmine petals.

The wine served here has crushed gems and pearls in it, mixed in the right proportion. The kebabs and grilled lamb melt in the mouth. After the mehfil, if Shah Banu is in the right mood, I’l retire with her into her inner chambers. But she does not yield to my requests everyday. Only when she likes the gifts I bestow upon her, does she indulge me. If my luck doesn’t favor me, I would have to go home and visit my cousin’s room. She likes my attentions and….

Before dawn breaks, I’ll finally head for my bed. Tomorrow is another long day.

Imagination courtesy: William Dalrymple