What might have happened had Anarkali found a way to escape from the stone prison she was walled into as punishment for her relationship with the Mughal prince Salim, who went on to become Emperor Jahangir? One of the most famous Indian legends of unrequited love ‒ its historical basis has never been established ‒ becomes an anthem for freedom in this graphic short story.

Excerpted with permission from Eat the Sky, Drink the Ocean, edited by Kirsty Murray, Payal Dhar and Anita Roy, Young Zubaan.

This article was originally published on Scroll.in