Mystery of Anarkali: Lahore is the city of living hearts. Love, delicious food and old stories are the identity of this city. But inside a government building in Lahore itself, there is a tomb which has been hiding a secret for centuries. It is said that a woman is buried in this grave who was walled up alive.
Her only crime was that she had fallen in love with the Mughal emperor's son. But the real surprising thing is, is Anarkali really buried in this grave? Or we have been believing a story for centuries whose truth is something else. Cheers once again to Jami Explore. This story begins from the era of Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Akbar.
According to tradition, there was a beautiful woman in Akbar's court whom the world knows today by the name of Anarkali. It is said that love arose between Anarkali and Akbar's son Prince Salim. When Akbar came to know about this relationship, it is said that he became extremely angry. And then he sentenced Anarkali to a punishment that makes this story horrifying even today. The punishment of being thrown into a living wall. But here a question arises. Did this really happen?
Or maybe it was just a story (music) that became more popular over time. Years passed by. Prince Salim himself sat on the Mughal throne and became famous as Jahangir. According to the now famous tradition, Jahangir built a magnificent mausoleum in Lahore in memory of his love Anarkali. (Music) Today this building exists inside the Civil Secretariat of Lahore.
From outside it looks like an old Mughal building. But as soon as you go inside, you see a white marble cenotaph. Beautiful carvings, beautiful Persian calligraphy and words full of love. Everything seems as if this place was actually built in memory of a very special person. But if this is Anarkali's tomb then what is its biggest mystery?
From here the story of Anarkali becomes even more mysterious. Because there is no clear mention of this famous story of Anarkali in the important records of Mughal history. Neither is there any record of this incident in the official history of Akbar's era nor is there any clear mention of this story of Anarkali in Jahangir's own book Tajuke Jahangiri.
Then where did this story come from? And if Anarkali was really walled up alive, then whose tomb is this in Lahore? Historians also do not have the same opinion on this question. According to an important theory, this tomb may not be of Anarkali but of Sahib Jamal, one of Jahangir's wives. That is, the grave which people have been considering as Anarkali's grave for centuries, it is possible that Anarkali might be there.
And if so, then where is the real tomb of Anarkali? This is the question whose answer is not completely clear even today. But if you ever go to Lahore, do stop for a few moments in front of this tomb. To look at that silent (musical) grave and ask yourself a question. Is this a sign of true love or just a legend that has been alive with the name of Lahore for centuries.