Introduction

(Other names: Rukmavati Bai, Harkha Bai) was a wife of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Hira Kunwari, was the eldest daughter of Rajaj Bhar Mal of Amer. She was also the sister of Bhagwant Das of Amber and the aunt of ManSingh of Amber, who later became one the nine jewels (Navratnas) in the court of Akbar.

Marriage & Title

In a marriage of political alliance, Mariam uz-Zamani was married to Akbar on February 9, 1562 at Sambhar, Rajasthan, India. She was 22 days older than her husband. She became a secondary wife of Akbar after Empress Ruqaiaya Sultan Begum, who was Akbar's first wife and chief consort, and Empress Salima Sultan Begum, the widow of his most trusted general, Bairam Khan. As per the custom of renaming a Hindu wife, Hira Kunwari was given the title Mariam ul-Zamani ("Mary of the Age").Jodha, it is said, was extremely gorgeous and dignified. But apart from her personality attributes, she gave Akbar what his other queens could not " an heir.

Religion
Inspite of her conversion, she remained a devotee of Lord Krishna.Jodhabai was allowed to practice Hinduism freely. Her palace was decorated with Krishna paintings and frescos i.e. the Mariam uz-Zamani palace.Akbar's fondness for Jodha only made him more accepting of Hindu rituals. That Jahangir, Akbar's successor, too is appreciated as a liberal leader, perhaps only shows the indirect influence that Jodha might have made politically.

Marriage Life
Mariam was reluctant to the marriage and Akbar at first but she later grew to love him. She gave birth to the Mugal Emperor Jahanagir in 1569, through the blessings of Shaikh Salim Chisti, and received the title of 'Mariam-uz-Zamani',which means 'Mary of the age'. Later, she became a mother again to Shahzada Daniyal Mirza on 11th September 1572. Akbar loved her from the beginning of their union. She was his most beloved begum and also, the most intimate. Apart from her husband, Mariam was the favourite of her mother-in-law Hamida Banu Begum due to her politeness and brilliance. In return, Mariam too respected her mother-in-law deeply.Jodha, in the limited way that she could, gave Akbar a sense of belonging that his other women did not. In all probability, she reduced Akbar's personal detachment and made him discover a side of his that had got dwarfed by his political ambitions.

Political Influence and Power

Mariam took part in the royal debates that were held in the Diwan-E-Khas, along with important ministers of the court, and Akbar's higher-ranked begums namely, Ruqaiya Sultan Begum and

Salima Sultan Begum. Like other few women at the Mughal court, Maryam-uz-Zamani could issue official documents (singularly called farman), which was usually the exclusive privilege of the emperor. Maryam Zamani used her wealth and influence to build gardens, wells, and mosques around the country. She is said to have been politically involved in the court until Nur Jahan became empress. In 1586, she arranged a marriage of her son, Prince Salim (later Jahangir), to her niece, Princess Manbhawati Bai, daughter of her brother Bhagwant Das of Amber. Manbhawati bai was the mother of Prince Khusrau Mirza. She is said to have been politically involved in the court until Nur Jahan became empress.

Jahangir gave Mariam uz-Zamani the ships that carried Haj pilgrims to and from the Islamic holy city Mecca. According to Thomas Roe, she was involved in active sea trade and owned a ship named Ramiti which carried pilgrims to Mecca.

Death
Mariam ul-Zamani died in 1623. As per her last wishes, a vav or step well was constructed by Jahangir. Her tomb, built in 1611, is on the Tantpur road now known as in Jyothi Nagar

. She was buried according to Islamic custom. The Mosque of Mariyam Zamani Begum was built by her son Nuruddin Salim Jahangir and is situated in the Walled City of Lahore, present day Pakistan, while Mariam's Tomb is situated at Agra, which was also built by Jahangir. The tomb's location reduced its chances of becoming a tourist attraction, but likewise, its lack of visibility meant it fell into a state of disrepair.Jodha's tomb, is situated just about a kilometre away from that of Akbar, lies in obscure abandonment, so much so that it is only natural for the less curious to give it a miss. Not unexpectedly, just like her tomb is but a shadow of Akbar's, so might have been her being when she lived. the ASI slab at the entrance of the tomb informs that the tomb is that of Mariam Zamani, a princess of Amber who married Akbar and later gave birth to Jahangir.