“Babur and His Infatuation With Baburi: The Desire That Found Its Way Into a King’s Memoir”, Times Now, March 17, 2026
“While reading Raiders from the North, the first in the six-part Empire of the Moghul series by Diana Preston and Michael Preston, who write as Alex Rutherford, one encounters the many layers of Babur: warrior, poet, exile and empire-builder. The novels trace his journey from a young prince in Ferghana to the founder of one of the subcontinent’s most powerful dynasties. Yet beyond the battles and conquests, there are quieter, deeply human moments. One of the most striking is his account of a boy named Baburi.
A Chance Encounter
Our most intimate window into Babur’s inner life is the Baburnama. It is here that Baburi appears as a fleeting presence who leaves a lasting impression. Their meeting is neither political nor planned. Babur writes of encountering him in the camp-bazaar, a temporary, restless marketplace that followed military encampments, filled with traders, performers, soldiers and those living on the margins of empire. It is in this ordinary, almost chaotic setting that something shifts.
There is no dramatic introduction. Babur sees him and the moment lingers. What stands out is how he writes about it. Baburi is not described in terms of lineage, rank or purpose. Instead, he is defined by presence. The boy becomes memorable not because of who he is, but because of what he stirs in Babur…….”
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