The King of Shorkostan was Zaynul Muluk. He was fortunate in terms of having sons. Unlike other kings and emperors, he was not childless. Everything was going well, but when it came to his fifth son, Tajul Muluk, fate intervened. The astrologer predicted, ‘As soon as the king lays eyes on his fifth son, he will lose his sight.’ The time given was twelve years. Within twelve years, this grave misfortune would fall upon the king.
“‘What a strange thing, I’ve never heard of it before, that the father’s eyes will go blind upon seeing the face of his son.’”
In fear of this, the king sent his infant son along with the queen far away from the palace, to a separate house near a dense forest. By staying there, he would no longer have to see his son’s face, thus avoiding blindness—this was the decision he made.
But as the saying goes, fate’s writing cannot be undone. Whether one is a king or a fakir, it is the same for everyone. So, despite all his precautions, it didn’t work. In the old days, kings would go hunting tigers and deer in the forest. Similarly, the king of Shork went hunting one day. There, he unexpectedly encountered his son, whom he had been avoiding all this time. And thus, the astrologer’s prophecy came true. The king lost his sight. Physicians and doctors gathered together, but none could find a solution. Later, it was discovered that no other medicine could help—only the Bakawali flower from the Bakawali Fairy’s garden could restore the king’s sight.
“‘If that flower is rubbed on the eyes,
The sight will surely be restored, the eyes will know.’”
The four royal sons immediately set out on their expedition. Their goal was clear—no matter what, they had to obtain the Bakawali flower and restore their father’s sight. Tajul Muluk was banished from the kingdom, but he secretly spoke with the commander of the army and joined the mission. After crossing many rivers and regions, one day, they arrived at Firdous Nagar. In Firdous Nagar, they met Delbar Laksha.
“Delbar Laksha, the merchant woman,
A beauty, full of wealth and charm.”
All four brothers fall in love with the beautiful woman. She, using trickery, proposes a game of chess. In this game, she defeats almost all of them. Now it is the turn of the fifth brother, Tajul Muluk. At that time, he was working as a servant at the house of a noble in Firdous Nagar. Though younger in age, Tajul Muluk was very clever. He secretly learned the strategy to win the game from an old woman at Delbar’s house. After that, he borrowed a horse from the noble and, after dressing up, set off to Delbar’s mansion. Tajul was not only clever but also very handsome, and upon seeing him, Delbar immediately became enamored with him.
During their conversation, Tajul casually mentioned the game of chess. Since he already knew the tricks, he easily defeated Delbar. Delbar, after losing, proposed to him. Tajul, although not opposed, revealed the great responsibility he had to undertake. He then explained everything to Delbar. And at that moment, he learned the location of his destination:
“Beneath the earth, in thousands of chambers,
The daughter of the fairy king, named Bakawali,
Her garden, listen to its grandeur,
There is a rose-colored pond in the garden,
Where the Bakawali flower grows in that pond,
No human can reach there,
No bird can fly, and no wind can go.”
Despite Delbar’s efforts to convince Tajul Muluk to stop, he remained resolute, for his mission was of the utmost importance to him. So, after calming Delbar, he set out on his journey once more. At least now he had the address of the garden!
Along the way, he entered a jungle where he encountered a giant. Making friends with the giant, Tajul learned that the chief guardian of the Bakawali garden was a demon named Hammala. Upon meeting Tajul, Hammala was so happy that he practically forced him to marry his adopted daughter, Mahmudah. But what good was marriage if his goal was still unfulfilled? Tajul often became sad, thinking of the Bakawali garden. Seeing this, Hammala decided to take him to the garden.
“Don’t be sad, son-in-law, I will definitely show you the Bakawali garden!” said Hammala.
Then, the chief mouse was called upon to create a tunnel through which only one person could pass. Tajul, riding the mouse, finally arrived at the garden he had come such a long way to see.
“Rows of trees, inside the garden,
Bees come, sit on flowers, buzzing, eating honey in a sweet tone.”
While admiring the beauty of the garden, Tajul Muluk became almost mad with joy when his eyes fell on a pink palace. Inside it was an extraordinarily beautiful flower tree. The fragrance of the flower filled the entire garden, and the beauty of the flower lit up the surroundings. The prince realized that this was the Bakawali flower he had been seeking. Quickly, he plucked the flower and tied it to his waistband.
However, at that moment, his attention was caught by another room in the pink palace. Entering, Tajul found a golden bed, and on it lay an extraordinarily beautiful woman. She resembled the sleeping princess of a fairy tale. Her beauty illuminated the room, making it seem as if heavenly light was shining. Looking at her face, bathed in moonlight, Tajul realized that this was none other than Bakawali, the fairy princess. Enchanted by her beauty, Tajul seemed to lose himself in the moment, forgetting both this world and the next.
On his way back, he thought that he should leave a mark of himself. So, he took off his ring and placed it in the hand of the sleeping Bakawali. After that, he returned to his wife riding on the back of the rat. After spending some days there, Tajul decided to return. His mother-in-law and wife bid him farewell with much sorrow. Riding on the back of another giant, he reached Ferdous Nagar, to Deldar Laksha’s palace. Remember the promise he made? Going to Deldar, Tajul freed his four brothers from captivity. After that, leaving Deldar behind, he dressed as a fakir and followed his brothers.
But when the brothers found out that Tajul possessed the rare Bakawali flower, they decided to take it from him. Their intention was to become the sons the king always desired. With this thought in mind, they went to the king with the flower:
“With the Bakawali in hand, they rubbed the flower over their eyes,
As soon as they rubbed it, their eyes were filled with light.”
The king’s eyesight was restored, and the entire kingdom rejoiced. People celebrated with music and dance, spending their days in festive joy. Rich and poor alike came together for a year-long celebration.
Meanwhile, the fairy princess Bakawali had awoken. Stretching, she went to wash her face with rosewater. As she stood on the veranda, she noticed that the Bakawali flower was no longer on the tree! Looking at her hand, she realized that during her sleep, her ring had been switched. But who was it that stole the flower, and her heart, while she slept? She blushed with embarrassment as she pondered this.
One was the king’s son, and the other was a fairy.
The king’s son from Shorkostan, named Tajul Muluk,
And the fairy dancer of Indrasabha, her name was Bakawali.
The fairy princess Bakawali has set out in search of the thief who stole the most precious flower of the garden — the Gulay Bakawali. Not only the flower, but also the theft of her heart is on the thief’s head. That is why she tirelessly searches, both near and far, to find him.
In the north, west, and south directions,
She roams far and wide, waking all in her path,
She searches house to house, day and night,
But no trace of the thief can she find.
As the fairy princess Bakawali and her entourage journeyed towards the eastern lands, they eventually arrived in the land of Shorkasthan, where the family of Tazul Muluk resided. The entire region was alive with festivities—dancing and singing in every home. Seeing this, Bakawali thought to herself that perhaps it would be best to go incognito.
She took on the form of a sixteen-year-old boy and began asking around, “What is all this celebration and grandeur throughout the city?” The people, eager to share the news, told him about the king’s blindness and the story of how he regained his sight, mentioning the magical Gulay Bakawali flower and its enchanting powers.
Meanwhile, how could Bakawali’s beauty in the form of a young man go unnoticed? Word quickly spread about the handsome youth, and the news reached the king’s palace. The king ordered, “Where is that handsome young man? Bring him here with honor to the royal court.”
When Bakawali arrived at the palace, she adopted a new name and quietly began to devise a plan to find the thief. But as days passed, life in the palace was comfortable, and she found herself spending time peacefully. However, she never met the person she was searching for. One day, she encountered the four princes, but as soon as she saw them, she realized that none of them could have completed the difficult task of bringing the Gulay Bakawali flower. It seemed that there must be another prince. Yet, no one from the king’s family spoke of such a son.
And how is Tazul Muluk, the true thief of the Bakawali flower, the unfortunate prince, the beloved husband of Mahmudah and Delbar Laksha, and the lost lover of Bakawali Fairy? His brothers took the Bakawali flower from him and restored the sight to their father, but they left him behind. Although he lives a comfortable life with his wives, a great pain lingers in his heart—he has lost his kingdom, his father, and, above all, his heart to the Fairy Princess Bakawali.
In such a state, Tazul Muluk remembered the three strands of hair that his mother-in-law, Hammala, had given him during his journey from the land of the giants. She had told him, “Whenever you’re in danger, burn these hairs in the fire. Help will arrive before the wind.” With a heavy heart, Tazul Muluk burned the hair in the fire. Immediately, with a whoosh, a group of eighteen thousand giants appeared, with Hammala at the front.
Tazul Muluk then asked her to create another garden, just like the Bakawali Garden, a perfect mirror of Bakawali’s realm. The prince gave her the blueprint, and the giants took care of the rest.
The giants left no gold, silver, diamonds, or jewels behind. The replica of the Bakawali Garden was created so beautifully that the prince was left in awe. Grateful, he thanked Hammala profusely and then brought his two wives to this grand new palace with great celebration.
But Tazul Muluk’s mind wasn’t solely occupied with family matters. He had other plans brewing. He offered double the wages to all the workers and laborers of Shorksthan, bringing them to his city. This caused great concern among the king and ministers. What would happen to their kingdom if everyone left? Even though they had heard of Tazul’s feats, they still could not recognize that he was their very own prince, whom they had cast out.
The minister came and reported to the king:
“Making gold grounds, he builds a city so grand,
And another garden, with flowers so bland.
Around it, walls of gold so high,
Reaching the sky, a magnificent sight to the eye.”
Without further delay, the king, the minister, the prince, and everyone else, including the youth in the guise of Bakawali, journeyed together to Tazul’s newly built city. As soon as they entered, they were struck by the magical wonders on display. Such joy, such celebrations—there was nothing like this even in Shorksthan! Upon hearing of his father’s arrival, Tazul himself came forward to welcome them. He led them all to a special palace, where he had created a garden exactly like the one from his homeland.
Bakawali could hardly believe her eyes. Was this even possible? What kind of magic did this sorcerer possess, to recreate her garden here? One of her fairy servants explained:
“Your garden is there in its own place,
But this one was made, a perfect replica in grace.”
The truth about the four princes’ deception came to light before the king. The brave exploits of Tazul Mulk were revealed to everyone. It became clear that it was Tazul who had restored the king’s eyesight. King Zaynal Mulk finally realized his mistake and, with a humbled heart, apologized to both his wife and son.
Now, everything settled into its place. King Zaynal Mulk remained in Shorksthan, Tazul Mulk, along with his two wives, lived in the recreated Bakawali garden, and the fairy princess Bakawali returned to her homeland. But the story is far from over. The banyan tree has not yet twisted its branches, and the tale is still unfolding with many more branches to grow.
Back in her homeland, with a heavy heart, separated by the fire of longing, Bakawali wrote a letter to Tazul:
“Separation struck my heart, leaving me in sorrow,
Where have you gone, your love still lingers in my chest,
My heart burns like poison, my life fading away.
Your love lifts my spirit, soaring with each moment,
Even though we are apart, I hold on to the hope of seeing you again.”
In the exchange of rings, Bakawali had lost her heart. Meanwhile, seeing all of Tazul Mulk’s deeds, her heart soared even higher. She longed to meet him. And upon receiving the letter, Tazul Mulk’s state of mind was also something to behold. The extinguished fire seemed to flare up even stronger. After exchanging letters for some time, one day Bakawali told Hammala to bring her son-in-law, no matter what. Could Hammala refuse the Fairy Princess? After all, the fairies and demons were all part of the same clan. Hammala brought the prince to the princess, and there, a reunion took place between the fairy and the man.
But such a reunion was never easy. When Bakawali’s mother, the Queen of the Fairies, learned of this story, she immediately erupted in anger, burning with fury. Bakawali was imprisoned, shedding tears as the days passed. Meanwhile, Tazul Mulk was cast into the sea. Drifting along, he eventually reached a shore where an extraordinarily beautiful meadow awaited him, adorned with a magnificent garden. The trees were laden with enormous fruits, each pomegranate as large as a jug. Stunned, the prince marveled at the sight before him.
There, Tazul Mulk encountered a giant serpent, a python, whose mouth emitted a radiant light from its hood. The light of the coin it spat out illuminated the entire surroundings. Tazul then discovered a magical tree, whose fruits could protect one from any harm. When its leaves were applied to a wound, the injury would heal instantly. He also found a strange lake, where immersing oneself would transform one’s appearance. After dipping into the lake, Tazul’s form grew even more magnificent.
With his staff in hand and his hat tossed into the sky, Tazul Mulk soared into the air with a magical swiftness, leaving the earth behind.
“With staff in hand and hat tossed away,
He flew westward, leaving the ground behind.”
Tazul Mulk’s journey now takes him westward, for that is where the land of the fairies lies, where his beloved Bakaowli resides. After many magical adventures, Tazul eventually meets Ruh Afza, Bakaowli’s cousin. After hearing their entire story, Ruh Afza decides to help them, even convincing her aunt, the Queen of the fairies. After overcoming many obstacles and challenges, a grand wedding takes place between Bakaowli and Tazul Mulk. Some were happy, while others were not, but as the saying goes,
“If the bride and groom are in agreement, what can the wedding officiant do?”
The dancer of Indrasvar, also known as a prince, this marks the end of the tale of Tazul Mulk and Bakaowli.