After having read about the harems maintained by English officers along with the Mughal noblemen and emperors, I am beginning to have my own theories about why Islam is the second most popular religion in the world,
But the surprise comment came from a sixteen year old- "polygamy would be good for us, the women."
She went on to elaborate that women are always hard to get, but if more than one could lay claim to the superior gene pool, like it happens in the animal kingdom, we women would be more sought after!
I did not try contradict her statement, don't know whether I was dumbfounded or worried or both.
But in actual fact celebrities are targeted by many, however that's true about both men and women. I wonder what would have happened if David Beckham, Brad Pitt (lets not talk about Clooney, he doesn't even have one) and the like, had a harem of wives. Would Angelina Jolie and Posh be happy being one of many or would they too have a male harem?
Talking about Mughals and harems, I wonder how many of us have actually visited the Safdarjung Tomb (the Mughal Emperor's Prime Minister in late eighteenth century). Even though it is a very prominent landmark on Delhi's roads and we have all crossed it, I bet nobody except a few mad people like me have set foot in it.
I don't remember who amongst us three brave and foolish girls' mad idea it was, but somehow one fine evening we landed at the Safdarjung Tomb's entrance. I was driving, so I asked the rest to get down while I parked. As I was parking, we all noticed strange looks coming our way.
We had been to the neighbouring restaurant, Khatir, apparently owned by Shahrukh Khan, amongst other glamorous pads in London....so we did not think much of foraying into the entrance of the imposing monument in the neighbourhood.
We have regretted it ever since. As we went in, the enclosed gardens looked very green and the monument indeed very well maintained and clean, yet as we started walking around we saw the love birds behind the bushes.
This was a good two decades back, don't know what the situation is today but on that day the place was full of couples "making out" if you know what I mean!
We soon realised why all at the gate, had been giving us odd looks. We felt so uncomfortable, the place was so silent and deserted, yet so crowded and full of activity of a hushed taboo kind that we rushed out as fast as we could.
Since then I have travelled abroad and probably seen much worse, yet the heavy, fear and guilt ridden atmosphere on that evening inside the tomb- I will never forget!
We still seemed to be in the Salim Anarkali age, where love is punished; when it should be celebrated irrespective of all the man made and perceived differences between us homo sapiens, or is it just a case lack of affordable housing? I have never known!
But the surprise comment came from a sixteen year old- "polygamy would be good for us, the women."
I did not try contradict her statement, don't know whether I was dumbfounded or worried or both.
But in actual fact celebrities are targeted by many, however that's true about both men and women. I wonder what would have happened if David Beckham, Brad Pitt (lets not talk about Clooney, he doesn't even have one) and the like, had a harem of wives. Would Angelina Jolie and Posh be happy being one of many or would they too have a male harem?
Talking about Mughals and harems, I wonder how many of us have actually visited the Safdarjung Tomb (the Mughal Emperor's Prime Minister in late eighteenth century). Even though it is a very prominent landmark on Delhi's roads and we have all crossed it, I bet nobody except a few mad people like me have set foot in it.
I don't remember who amongst us three brave and foolish girls' mad idea it was, but somehow one fine evening we landed at the Safdarjung Tomb's entrance. I was driving, so I asked the rest to get down while I parked. As I was parking, we all noticed strange looks coming our way.
We had been to the neighbouring restaurant, Khatir, apparently owned by Shahrukh Khan, amongst other glamorous pads in London....so we did not think much of foraying into the entrance of the imposing monument in the neighbourhood.
We have regretted it ever since. As we went in, the enclosed gardens looked very green and the monument indeed very well maintained and clean, yet as we started walking around we saw the love birds behind the bushes.
This was a good two decades back, don't know what the situation is today but on that day the place was full of couples "making out" if you know what I mean!
We soon realised why all at the gate, had been giving us odd looks. We felt so uncomfortable, the place was so silent and deserted, yet so crowded and full of activity of a hushed taboo kind that we rushed out as fast as we could.
Since then I have travelled abroad and probably seen much worse, yet the heavy, fear and guilt ridden atmosphere on that evening inside the tomb- I will never forget!
We still seemed to be in the Salim Anarkali age, where love is punished; when it should be celebrated irrespective of all the man made and perceived differences between us homo sapiens, or is it just a case lack of affordable housing? I have never known!
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