Historicizing the Harem: The Challenge of a Princess's Memoir Author(s): Ruby Lal Source: Feminist Studies, Vol. 30, No. 3 (Fall, 2004), pp. 590-616 Published by: Feminist Studies, Inc. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20458986 Accessed: 11-08-2014 19:09 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact
[email protected]. Feminist Studies, Inc. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Feminist Studies. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 128.103.149.52 on Mon, 11 Aug 2014 19:09:11 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Historicizingthe Harem: TheChallenge of a Princess's Memoir RubyLal AFTER THE BATTLE OF PANIPAT in 1526, which gave Babur, the first Mughal king, a foothold in India, his close friend, Khvajeh Kilan, expressed a desire to return to his home in Kabul. As Babur (reluctantly) gave him permission to go, he asked him to carry "valuable presents and curiosities [tuhfehva hadyeh]of Hind" to his relations and other people in Kabul.' Two generations later, when asked to record her memories of the Mughal forefathers for the imperial history, the Akbarnama,Babur's daugh ter, Gulbadan Banu Begum, reconstructed Babur's conversation with Khvajeh Kilan as follows: I shall write a list, and you will distribute them [the gifts] according to it...