Baburi Andijani or Andizani (Baburi Al-Barin, Persian: بابری اندیجان) (1486 – April 1526) was beloved of Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur; Emperor Babur first saw him at the camp market in Uzbekistan, in 1499, and was smitten.[1][2][3] No more is known about Baburi. Although Baburi is rarely mentioned in other historical texts, the emperor mentions his beloved, Baburi many times in his autobiography "Babarnama" and expresses his love towards Baburi writing several couplets about him.[4][5][6]
Baburi Andijani | |
|---|---|
| Born | Baburi 1486 |
| Died | 21 April 1526 |
| Cause of death | Footsteps of elephant[citation needed] |
| Nationality | Uzbekistani |
| Occupation | Slavery |
| Known for | Lover of Babur |
Early life and career
editIn 1499, Andizani came into the custody of Emperor Babur. The Emperor taught Andizani to ride a horse and put him in charge of the stable, keeping him as a faithful and constant companion. In May 1507, contempt for the Emperor drove Baburi to leave, returning only in 1522.[citation needed]
Baburi in Baburnama
editAlthough famous emperors often kept their feelings secret, Emperor Babur fearlessly expressed his feelings towards Baburi.[7][8][9]
'Äyisha-sultan Begum whom my father and hers, i.e. my uncle, Sl. Aḥmad Mirzā had betrothed to me, came (this year) to Khujand¹ and I took her in the month of Sha'ban. Though I was not ill-disposed towards her, yet, this being my first marriage, out of modesty and bashfulness, I used to see her once in 10, 15, or 20 days. Later on, when even my first inclination did not last, my bashfulness increased. Then my mother Khänīm used to send me, once a month or every 40 days, with driving and driving, dunnings and worry.
In those leisurely days, I discovered in myself a strange inclination, nay! as the verse says, 'I maddened and afflicted myself' for a boy in the camp-bazar, his very name, Bāburī, fitting in. Up till then, I had had no inclination for anyone, indeed of love and desire, either by hear-say or experience, I had not heard, I had not talked. At that time I composed Persian couplets, one or two at a time; this is one of them:
May none be as I, humbled and wretched and love-sick: No beloved as thou art to me, cruel and careless.
From time to time Bāburi used to come to my presence but out of modesty and bashfulness, I could never look straight at him; how then could I make conversation (ikhtilät) and recital (hikayat)? In my joy and agitation I could not thank him (for coming); how was it possible for me to reproach him with going away? What power had I to command the duty of service to myself? One day, during that time of desire and passion when I was going with companions along a lane and suddenly met him face to face, I got into such a state of confusion that I almost went right off. To look straight at him torments and shames, I went on. A (Persian) couplet of Muhammad Salih's came into my mind.
— Baburi Andijani, in Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur, Baburnama, Page 120 FARGHANA (q. Babur's first marriage.)
Baburi in other literature
editBaburi is a character in Alex Rutherford's historical fiction series Empire of the Moghul which is based on Babur.[10]
References
edit- ^ "Away from Home, How Babur Versified His Pain of Exile and Homelessness". The Wire. Retrieved 2021-09-22.
- ^ Lal, Ruby (2005-09-22). Domesticity and Power in the Early Mughal World. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-85022-3.
- ^ Ross, Oliver (2016), Ross, Oliver (ed.), ""The Bliss I Could Portray": Elliptical and Declamatory Male-Male Desire in the Work of Vikram Seth", Same-Sex Desire in Indian Culture: Representations in Literature and Film, 1970–2015, New York: Palgrave Macmillan US, pp. 87–105, doi:10.1007/978-1-137-56692-8_4, ISBN 978-1-137-56692-8, retrieved 2024-02-13
- ^ Salam, Ziya Us (2014-02-15). "An emperor with foibles". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
- ^ Khair, Tabish; Leer, Martin; Edwards, Justin D.; Ziadeh, Hanna (2005). Other Routes: 1500 Years of African and Asian Travel Writing. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34693-3.
- ^ Babur (2020-11-03). The Babur Nama: Introduction by William Dalrymple. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-101-90823-5.
- ^ "Journal of Babur". Hindustan Times. 2006-03-14. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
- ^ NA, NA (2016-04-30). Same-Sex Love in India: Readings from Literature and History. Springer. ISBN 978-1-349-62183-5.
- ^ Khair, Tabish; Leer, Martin; Edwards, Justin D.; Ziadeh, Hanna (2005). Other Routes: 1500 Years of African and Asian Travel Writing. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34693-3.
- ^ "A historical novel based on Emperor Babur". outlookindia.com. Retrieved 2021-08-31.