Beyond the Cradle: The Remarkable Women Who Nurtured Emperor Akbar
Published on 5/24/2024
The Akbarnama, Abu'l Fazl's monumental history of Emperor Akbar, offers more than just accounts of battles and administration. It provides a unique window into the cultural fabric of the Mughal court, including the intimate details of the emperor's early life. Among the most fascinating insights is the significant role played by the women who nurtured and cared for the infant Akbar – his wet-nurses, known as Anagas.
More Than Just Caregivers
In Mughal and many other historical royal courts, wet-nurses held a position of considerable trust and influence. They were chosen from respected families, and their service created a lifelong bond, not just with the child they nursed, but with the royal family itself. Their own families often gained elevated status and opportunities through this connection. Abu'l Fazl's account in the Akbarnama elevates this role even further, imbuing it with spiritual and symbolic meaning.
A Divine Process of Nurturing
Abu'l Fazl describes the selection and service of Akbar's nurses with rich, almost mystical language. He sees a "Divine wisdom" in the series of women who suckled the infant emperor, suggesting that this process was designed to "implant varied temperaments" and allow Akbar's "pure entity" to become "familiar with the divers methods of Divine manifestation." This perspective transforms the act of nursing from a purely physical necessity into a spiritual development, preparing the future emperor for his unique destiny.
The text lists several women who had the honour of nursing Akbar:
- Fakhr-i-nisā, wife of Nadim Koka
- Bhāwal Anaga
- The wife of Khwaja Ghāzi
- Hakima
- Jijī Anaga, wife of Shamsu-d-dīn Mu. Khan Atga
- Kokī Anaga, wife of Tōgh Begi
- Bībi Rūpa
- Khaldar Anaga, mother of Sa‘ādat Yār Koka
- Pīja Jān Anaga, mother of Zain Khān Koka
Each of these women, and "many other fortunate cupolas of chastity," were "exalted by the excellence of this service," gaining "everlasting greatness" through their connection to the future emperor.
Jijī Anaga: The Chief Nurse
Among these esteemed women, Jijī Anaga holds a special place in Abu'l Fazl's narrative. She is highlighted as the one who received the "glorious head-dress and mantle of distinction," signifying her primary role. The account notes that although she was promised this honour early on, her own pregnancy meant others suckled Akbar first. It was only after this initial period that she obtained the "external and internal felicity" of becoming his chief nurse, fulfilling her "wish for this great blessing."
The bond between Akbar and Jijī Anaga was particularly strong. Her son, Mirza 'Aziz Koka, became Akbar's foster-brother (Koka meaning foster-brother in Turkish), a relationship that carried significant weight in the Mughal court. Akbar is said to have felt a deep connection, reportedly saying that a "channel of milk connected them together."
The Spiritual and the Practical
Abu'l Fazl's description beautifully blends the spiritual with the practical. While emphasizing the divine plan behind the selection of nurses and the varied "temperaments" they imparted, he also acknowledges the physical act of suckling and the "life-giving fluid" that nourished the infant. The service was seen not just as physical care, but as a means for the nurses to "pay their devotions to God behind the curtain of service to my sovereign," acquiring "a stock of eternal merit."
It's worth noting that Maham Anaga, often considered a powerful figure and perhaps the superintendent of the harem and nurses, is not listed among the wet-nurses here. This aligns with the possibility that her role was administrative rather than directly providing milk, highlighting the specific focus of this section on those who physically nursed the emperor.
Preserving a Unique History
The detailed account of Akbar's nurses in the Akbarnama offers a valuable glimpse into the intimate world of Mughal royalty and the important, though often unrecorded, contributions of women within that sphere. It shows how personal relationships, even those established through the seemingly simple act of nursing, were woven into the larger narrative of imperial destiny and divine favour. By preserving these names and stories, Abu'l Fazl ensures that the women who played a foundational role in nurturing one of India's greatest emperors are remembered, offering a richer, more human dimension to the grand history of the Mughal Empire.