The Beautiful Princess Lala Rukh

 

A tale from 18th-century Afghan fiction

 Princess Lala Rukh and her love for music

Lala Rukh, whose name in Farsi evokes the blush of “red cheeks,” was a young Persian-speaking princess from Kabul, Afghanistan, in the 18^th-century. She was engaged to a noble prince from Bokhara, Uzbekistan - then a flourishing city within the cultural realm of  Islamic Persia.

Though their engagement was arranged with the blessings of both royal families, the princess had never met her betrothed. A formal meeting was planned in Bokhara, some 560 miles from Kabul. Lala Rukh was to travel there in a grand springtime caravan, accompanied by her elite entourage: twenty coachmen, eight grooms, five maids, three cooks, twelve guards, and a witty, eloquent musician-poet whose verses would entertain the royal party during their long journey and nightly stops at the caravanserias.

The caravan comprised ten ornate horse-drawn carriages, winding through verdant valleys and mountain passes. Though the weather was gentle, the journey spanned five weeks, with stops every 8 to 12 hours at inns spaced roughly 20 to 25 miles apart - each a haven of rest and replenishment.

The caravan to Bokhara

As the days passed, Lala Rukh found herself captivated by the musician-poet. His charisma, intelligence, and refined manner of expressing ideas stirred something deep within her. Yet she was torn - for falling in love with someone other than her future husband was a breach of honor she could not reconcile. As Bokhara drew near, her heart grew heavy with anxiety and longing.

Upon arrival, the princess and her retinue were welcomed into the royal guest house within the palace complex. The horses were led to the stables, the carriages cleaned and inspected, and preparations made for the formal meeting scheduled the next morning. Lala Rukh, accompanied by two maids, was to meet the prince for breakfast and lunch at his palace.

That night, she stood alone on the ornate balcony, gazing at the star-strewn sky. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she whispered prayers to Allah Almighty, seeking guidance for the turmoil in her heart.

The tearful princess on the balcony

The next morning, as she approached the palace door, overwhelmed by fatigue and emotional weight, she collapsed onto the embellished tiles. A flurry of concern swept through the palace, and she was swiftly carried to the dar-al-shifa, a small, elegant clinic within the palace grounds.

An hour later, she awoke to a disclosure that changed her life: the witty, charming poet she had fallen in love with was none other than the prince himself - her fiancé.

Knowing her love for gentle music, wise and didactic poetry and refined humor, he decided playing this secret role in disguise to maintain a spirit of cheer within the princess through the long journey she willingly undertook to meet him and his family.  Witty as always, this was the prince’s style of expressing his gratitude without breaking the moral rules. 

It was the happiest day in the life of princess Lala Rukh.

The following in my anime style art for kids' storybooks of a tearful Princess Lala Rukh on the balcony.