'Among the many beautiful paintings commissioned by Mughal Emperor Jahangir is one by the painter Bishan Das, which depicts the birth of Salim—the given name of the emperor. The painting captures the first few moments after the birth. The lower part depicts the scene just outside the birth chamber—an older woman in a tall Chaghtai hat announces the birth to the waiting astrologers. Inside the birth chamber, a similarly dressed but clearly regal lady sits on a chair, surrounded by women engaged in various activities. They are of various ages and appearances—some dressed in the Chaghtai manner and some in an Indian style, wearing short, tight bodices with dupattas covering their heads. The topmost part of the painting depicts the newborn and his mother, who can clearly be identified as an Indian from her features and mode of dress.
The painting brings to life an important aspect of Jahangir’s heritage—the fact that his mother was a Rajput, the daughter of the ruler of Amer. While this is by no means hidden from those who have even a passing familiarity with Mughal history, the implications are not always fully appreciated. The painting by Bishan Das shows us an early moment in the transformation of the Mughal royal family itself. It shows us the contrast between the Mughal lady of an earlier generation and the young Rajput queen, who has just given birth to the heir. The other women in the room give us a hint of the changes that must have been brought into the royal household by the entourage that came with the queen. One woman sitting in the room plays a dholak in celebration.'
Head towards lnk.bio for complete column by Swapna Liddle @liddleswapna
#Mughals #mughalshistory #mughalcourt #mughalwives
To understand the Mughals, I think we should be looking more closely at the their domestic life. Glad to have got an opportunity to write about it in an article recently. (Will post link in bio).
Looking to hone your writing skills? Here is an opportunity to learn with experts in the field. Madhulika Liddle, with her immense experience in the genre of crime writing, will be there.
Heritage Education and Communication Service (HECS) organised a two-day Teachers’ Training Workshop on 20–21 April 2026 at the INTACH Headquarters, attended by 50 teachers from 48 schools across Delhi NCR. Sessions were conducted by Mrs. Purnima Datt, Dr. Swapna Liddle, Dr. Ritu Sethi, Mr. Sandeep Sethi, and Dr. Jyotsna Tiwari, focusing on heritage, crafts, education, and NEP 2020.
Activities included a Conservation Lab visit and a trip to the National Crafts Museum. The workshop concluded with group presentations in the presence of Mr. Ashok Singh Thakur, Mrs. Malvika Pathania, and Mr. Ravindra Singh, followed by certificate distribution.
#TeachersTrainingWorkshop #HeritageEducation #HECS
On World Heritage Day, sharing a proud visit to an important heritage site - the studio from which Mahatma Gandhi made a radio broadcast on 12 November 1947. I was speaking on the heritage importance of the building - Broadcasting House, Delhi. Will put link in bio.
Glimpses from the second session of the National History Conference 2026 organised by the Indian History Forum at the India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi.
#indianhistoryforum #nationalhistoryconference #historymatters #publicdiscourse #indianmuslim
Gallery Ragini is delighted to present ONE on ONE, a conversation between Kishore Singh (@kishore.write ), Sanjay Das (@sanjaydasphotography ), and Swapna Liddle (@liddleswapna ), as part of the exhibition ‘Cupola on the Cusp: History through the Lens’ a solo showcase of works by Sanjay Das
The conversation will take place on 18th April 2026, 5:30 pm onwards, at Gallery Ragini, F 208, Ground Floor, Lado Sarai, New Delhi 110030
Looking forward to welcoming you!
The broad chhajja of Rashtrapati Bhavan, designed by Edwin Lutyens. I discussed this and other features at a recent webinar for the Lutyens Trust America. The recording is now on YouTube. Link in bio.
Sincere thanks to everyone who came for the physical launch of our book at the Kunzum bookstore in Delhi yesterday.
From the insightful conversations with historian and author Swapna Liddle, the follow up Q&A session to the warmth of meeting so many of you during the signing, our heart is full.
Seeing the book we worked so hard on finally in your hands makes every late-night writing session worth it.
Thank you @harpercollinsin and @kunzum for hosting and @liddleswapna for your gracious presence.
If you’re in Delhi tomorrow evening, this one’s for you.
Join the Paperclip founders and the authors of our new book from @harpercollinsin Robin Hood of Kathiawar as they sit down with our favourite historian @liddleswapna at Kunzum.
It’s going to be a conversation full of fascinating stories from India’s freedom movement through stories of unsung heroes, along with surprising links to pop culture, sports, entertainment, and beyond.
Come by, be part of it, and get your books signed.
📍 Kunzum, GK2
🕠 5:30 PM onwards
