Who from the list given below did not belong to the Mughal royal household?

A. Alanqa and Zebunissa
B. Gulbadan Begum and Maham Anaga
C. Lalla and Andal
D. Chand Bibi
E. Jahan Ara and Roshan Ara

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is D

Option A (Alanqa and Zebunissa): Zebunissa was the daughter of Emperor Aurangzeb and a prominent Mughal princess known for her poetry. Although the name "Alanqa" is not very prominent. However, Zebunissa’s Mughal affiliation makes this option mostly associated with the royal household.

Option B (Gulbadan Begum and Maham Anaga): Both belonged to the Mughal household. Gulbadan Begum was Babur’s daughter and Humayun’s sister, author of Humayun Nama. Maham Anaga was Akbar's wet nurse and an influential figure during his early reign.

Option C (Lalla and Andal):These two are not related to the Mughal dynasty. Lalla (Lalleshwari) was a 14th-century Kashmiri Shaivite mystic and poet. Andal was a 7th–8th century Tamil saint and poetess, a major figure in the Bhakti movement. Both were spiritual figures unrelated to the Mughal lineage.

Option D (Chand Bibi): Although often mistaken as part of the Mughals due to her political prominence during their period, Chand Bibi belonged to the Deccan Sultanates. She was the regent of Bijapur and later of Ahmednagar and is remembered for resisting Mughal expansion.

Option E (Jahan Ara and Roshan Ara): Both were daughters of Shah Jahan and therefore core members of the Mughal imperial family.

Thus, C (Lalla and Andal) and D (Chand Bibi) are the correct answers as they were not part of the Mughal royal household.

Information Booster:

Zebunissa was a Mughal princess and a celebrated Persian poet under the pen name Makhfi.
Gulbadan Begum authored Humayun Nama, a rare female-authored Mughal chronicle.
Maham Anaga held power during Akbar’s early rule, acting as his political guardian.
Jahan Ara was a powerful patron of architecture and Sufism, and played a vital role in court politics.
Roshan Ara, like her sister Jahan Ara, was influential and sided with Aurangzeb during the war of succession.
Chand Bibi, though contemporary to the Mughals, was queen regent of Ahmednagar and not from the Mughal dynasty.
Lalla and Andal were revered religious women poets from pre-Mughal India, associated with Bhakti and mysticism.