This essay is an attempt to reconstruct the way in which male Homosexual behavior and feelings

were conceived and evaluated in the Indian subcontinent/ south Asia in sixteenth century. This was
the period which is characterized as Indo- Persian interaction , cultural interaction taking place from
above and below of the society with help of various tropes under the Mughal Empire. This paper is
an attempt to understand the concept of homosexuality with the writings of the period which has
different notion and understanding attitude for homosexuality, very different from the modern
concept of Homosexuality. I have extensively used Muntakhabu -T-Tawarikh a sixteenth century
text written by a Historian, a linguist and an Alim , a Theologian famed as Mulla Abd al-Qadir
Badauni. The other source which I have used is Waqiat-i Mushtaqi of Rizq Allah Mushtaqi who has
given a detailed information of Afghan and possibly very important source to write Afghan history.
This paper is divided into three section, first how Badauni is presenting Mubarak Shah Khalji and
Khusrau Khan intimacy where the 14th century sources has nothing to tell us except few lines in
Amir Khusaru writing. Second , how Badauni understand the relationship between Islam Shah and
Daulat khan Hujyani where Mushtaqi's observation will be important in the period of 16th century.
Third section deals with the transformation in the undersatnding of homosexuality with the coming
of modernity.

Keywords: Meh'bub , Dar i- Khil'wat, Barawar

Mulla Abd al-Qadir Bada'uni ( d..1615) was among the courteous of Akbar and had well
command over various language and was also the master of theology. He calimed to write a sacred
history and entitled it as Muntakhabu-T-Tawarikh which is in three volume covering the general
history of Muslim in India starting from early invasion. The first volume ends with the detail
discussion on Humayun. The text is written as it is in a spirit of disgust against the eclecticism of
emperor Akbar and his two close associates namely Faizi and Abul fazl in particularly having
breached from Islamic orthodoxy.1 Badauni himself writes that he oftens thought of compiling brief
account of the kings of Delhi, beginning from the commencement of the Muslims rule in India to the
present and hence he did in his work. Badauni no doubt was a pious man and had great respect in
Akbar's court.He does not inform us about the homo social world of the Mughals butcertainly about
Khalaji and Afghan Surs. Badauni has its own prism and undersatnding of homo social world and at
the same time biasness too. Despite many problem with the text ,it has a lot to say/ inform us about
male intimacy and homo social world. Badauni should not be read in isolation and it is important to
read his contemporary for verifiability of his narrative and to break down the meta narrative
imbedded in the text and hence readingthe text against the grain. Fourteenth century great poet
Amir Kusrau writes Nuh Siphir which means nine planets/ jewels for Sultan Qutub al- Din Mubarak
shah Khalji . Nuh Siphir of Amir Khusrau depicts Mubarak Shah very different from the other Sultans
pointing towards his sexuality and sexual behavior. He does not talk in detail and even too his poetry
style is complex to break down the real intention of his writing. Amir Khusrau was the Murid of
Shaykh Nizam al-Din Awliya where the tension between Shaykh and Mubarak shah is clearly
mention in various sources of the time. T his tension might have pushed Amir Khusrau to support his
Pir rather than his Sultan's Patronage and hence he writes in a very different style for Sultan.2
There is a need of writing about Amir Khusrau particularly focussing on Dewal Rani and Nuh Siphir
which will open the many doors to understand the 14th century social and cultural history as well as
homo social world and male intimacy of Mubarak Shah Khalji. We do not find sources which deals
about Mubarak Shah's male intimacy in 14th century except fleeting information by Amir Khusrau
that too in poetry/ poetic style. Badauni in 16th century mentions Mubarak Shah Khalji( d.1317) in
his writing starting from his Amirs dispensation . Among his most trusted Amirs one was Hasan
Barwara Bacha whom he appointed on high office was very handsome and had been brought as a
captive from Malwa. He had been protege of Malik Shadi Naib-i Khass the Hjib of Sultan Ala al-Din. H
e gave him the title of Khusru Khan. F or Badauni and ceratinly 14th century writer the tribe of
Barawar were low born deracinated and were family of servile position in Gujarat. But after
Mubarak Shah their position was strong with the closeness of Khusru Khan with sultan. Badauni
mentions Khusru Khan and Sultan was close in such an extent that the Sultan was infatuated by his
beautiful face , raised him in spite of his unfitness for the office of the trusted post of Vazir. keep in
mind here Mubarak Shah married to the daughter of Malik Dinar and having given him the title of
Zafar khan. Even after Gwaliar conquest he summoned Dewal Rani and included her in hid harem.
the country of Marathas also fell into the hands of Mubarak Shah who having given Khusru khan the
canopy and stuff of office and orderd him to proceed to Ma'bar and having left Yklakhi an Amir in
Deogir as Naib and returned to Delhi. We should think here the relationship was not as we often
assumed as sexual. Imagined a Meh'bub means lover sending his Meh'buba to the enemy land to
fight and at least in wander land. Here rightly argued by Yaseer Arafath how can a lover will send his
loved one to fight against monster enemy although Arafath argument is in context of the
relationship between Ala al-Din Khalji and Mlik Kafur but applicable too in the context of Mubarak
Shah Khalji and Khusru Khan. When Yaklakhi had prepared a rebelllion in Deogir and had arranged
to assume the insignia of royalty . Mubarak Shah sent Kushru Khan Deogir to seize Yakhlaki and bring
his body to Delhi. Badauni understand this relationship in terms of closeness , affection, attachment
but not yet mentions homosexual relationship. Badauni further mentions Sultan became aggressive
like his father and walked in the valley of bloodshed of many innocent people . In these days the
Sultan used generally to array himself in women's garments and adorning himself like them with
gold and jewels, used to give public audience. Openly indulged in drinking and other forms of vice
and performance of low buffooneries was very common. Badauni traces the personal traits and
changes in Sultan.

Another events which Badauni mentions in his writing that how Khusru Khan's dispensation
benefited from Sultan Mubarak Shah Khalji. After the murder of Zafar Khan , Sultan raised Husam al-
Din who was half brother to Khusru Khan and nominated him to proceed to Gujarat( bradar ma'dari).
Husam al-Din collected together all the Barawar crew from all parts of that country and nursed a
scheme of rebellion in his brain. The Amirs of Zafar khan party however seized him and sent him to
Delhi but since sultan was entertained towards Khusru Khan took no steps to Punish him , but had
him set a liberty and gave him extra ordinary privileges. The other Amirs of Sultan was aware of
Khusru Khan's intentions however Khusru Khan in the private apartment/ Dar-i Khil'wat of palace
enjoyed the special companionship of the Sultan. This close intimacy gained Khusru Khan an artful
and specious representation and fully persuaded the sultan of the vaillainy of the Amirs. Badauni
mentions how strong influence Khusru Khan had on Sultan. The Sultan took his words as Gospel so
greatly was he influenced and controlled by him and was incensed against the Amirs, Censured them
severely and subjected them to many indignities and although they brought many witnesses in
support of their allegations but it was all of no use and the wretched witnesses were severely
pusnishd. Badauni mentions how the Sultans reposed entire confidence both in him and in his family
and gave up the reins of government absolutely into Khusru Khan's hand. Hence family of Brawara
gained entire control of the court of the Sultan . Badauni mentions another events in which an Amir
named Zia al-Din khan informed sultan about sedition and planning of rebellion by Barwaras but
Sultan who was the Slave of his lust immediately summoned Khusru Khan in Private / Dar i-Khilawat
and informed him of what had been said by Zia al-Din khan. Kushru Khan said , the people see the
great kindness which the Sultan show upon me and regard it as excessive and from the motives
jealousy falsely accuse me. The Sultan believed him and made over to him the keys of royal treasury
and the other store houses. Such closeness with sultan always had a cause of jealousy among the
Amirs. Keep in mind drinking in private with male partner was acceptable and had no problem at all
for others. Remarkably Badauni uses lust for the Sultan attraction / relationship between the two
male partner which has something to do with sexual interaction. Lust may be interpreted in terms of
emotion, attachment between the two person relationship. Badauni does not say whether it was a
sexual lust or else but the context defines that he had intention of bringing the two Mubarak Shah
and Khusru Khan in terms of Sexual relationship. We might get more clear picture with another
events which Badauni mentions in which Sultan was drinking in night with Khusru Khan in his Dar i-
Khilwat and Amirs of the guards were withdrew from their posts in the palace of Hazar Sutun. In the
meanwhile Randhole who was the Uncle of Khusru Khan entered with number of Barwaras and
killed Qazi Zia al-Din Khan and many guards. when Sultan heard many noise enquired Khusru khan
about the uproar . Khusru Khan went outside to instigate his followers to kill Sultan and came back
and answered some of the horses of the stud had broken loose and were fighting among
themselves, meanwhile Khusru Khan uncle Jahiriya entered with Barwaras and attacked the Sultan
who was intoxicated. Sultan ran wounded towards Harem but Khusru Khan pulled him from back
and with his sword cutting of the Sultan's head and threw it down from the roof of the palace.
Badauni write poetry which means " The bed of that dear one was one of thorns, For his brocaded
bed led to his ruin". Badauni writes after more than two hundred years of the events and forwarded
meta narratives used harsh words for Khusru Khan and Mubarak Shah Khalji. we have no other
references to claim that Muabarak Shah and Khusru Khan had homosexual relationship but certainly
all the 14th century sources mention the events in same fashion. keep in mind narratives changes
with the time and more be the difference from the events the chances are that there will be more
changes in narratives. Hence closer the events easier to understand narratives . Carl Earnst work on
Masud Ba'aq is important one to understand the relationship between events and changes that
takes place with the time in same narrative.3