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.

Caravanserais in Medieval Islamic Persia, Turkiye and North Africa (Maghreb)

 

The caravanserais (or inns) were large fortified roadside complexes that had a central courtyard, arcaded walkways and guest rooms designed specifically to shelter long-distance caravans, pack animals, and travelers of all ranks. Stopping at the caravanserais or ribats (in Persian) was a necessity that offered rest, regular meals and security along arduous travel routes.

The caravans stopped at the caravanserais approximately every 8 to 12 hours, as they were strategically built to be about a day's journey apart.  This distance was typically between 19 to 25 miles.

The central courtyards were spacious enough to accommodate dozens of animals and multiple carriages, allowing for maneuvering, unloading, feeding, and watering. Large covered stables lined parts of the courtyard, offering shelter for horses, camels, mules, and oxen. Shaded porticoes surrounded the courtyard, providing space for merchants and travelers to sit, dine, and oversee their animals.

Caravanserais were enclosed by thick stone or brick walls, built to withstand bandits and harsh weather. The main entrance was a towering wooden or iron gate, tall enough to admit fully loaded camels and horse-drawn carriages. Upscale caravanserais frequented by prosperous merchants and wealthy families often featured crenellated walls, as they served as overnight repositories for valuable goods.

A separate stable area was typically reserved for prized horses and carriage teams belonging to affluent travelers.

At the heart of the courtyard stood a stone fountain for watering animals, often fed by a deeper well or underground reservoir to ensure a steady supply of fresh water.

Guest rooms were simply furnished with raised platforms or bedsteads, thick carpets  and braziers for warmth during winter months. Wealthier travelers were sometimes offered larger chambers with better bedding and more privacy. These guests, usually accompanied by servants, brought their own cushions, bedding  and food  which attendants arranged within the rooms. Many caravanserais included locked storerooms for securing traders’ valuable goods overnight.

Ottoman and Persian caravanserais often featured a small mosque or prayer hall, typically perched on a raised platform beside the courtyard.

By sunset, the caravanserai transformed into a lively hub of movement. Carriages rolled in under the heavy gates. Horses and camels were unhitched and led to water troughs. Servants laid out carpets, lit lamps, and prepared evening meals. Traders set up stalls beneath the vaulted arcades. The keeper of the caravanserai (kahya) oversaw lodging, secured valuables, and provided basic supplies such as oil, grain, and fodder.

After dark, the gates were bolted from within. Guards patrolled the walls and courtyard. The thick masonry kept interiors cool by day and warm by night. The sounds of the caravan - animals resting, guards calling to one another, soft conversations by lamplight - evoked an atmosphere of temporary yet secure refuge along the long and winding roads of medieval  travel and trade in the Islamic Golden era.

The following two of my oil on canvas ai artworks are of Shah Abbas caravanserias maintained as landmarks until the present, the first in southern Iran and the second in south-western Iran.  Both are more than 400 years old.