Mughal Emperor Akbar had a son named Prince Salim who was a bad mannered boy, and therefore the emperor sent him away to the army for fourteen years to learn the dicipline required to rule his vast empire. Finally, Akbar allowed his son to return to the main palace in Lahore, the capital of the Mughal Empire. In order to celebrate the return of the Prince, the Emperor held a great dance performance starring a girl name Nadera who was exceptionally beautiful like the blossoming flower. Abkar named her Anarkali (blossoming pomegranate). During her first performance in Lahore, Prince Salim fell in love with her and it became obvious that she was also in love with him. Later, the Prince informed his father of his intentions to marry Anarkali and make her queen. His wish was denied on the grounds that Anarkali was a commoner. Anarkali was arrested and confined in one of the jails in Lahore.

Later the Prince and one of his friends helped Anarkali escape and hid her near the outskirts of Lahore. Salim then organized an army and attacked Lahore. Emperor Akbar defeated his son and gave him two choices; either surrender Anarkali or face the death penalty. Love dictated and Prince Salim chose death. Anarkali, unable to allow the Prince to die, came out of hiding and offered to give up her life to save him. She asked for one last wish, which was to spend one evening with the Prince. After spending the night, she made Salim go to sleep by mixing drugs in pomegranate juice and after a very tearful goodbye to the unconscious Prince, she left the royal palace with guards. She was taken to the area near present-day Anarkali Bazaar (the oldest market in South Asia) in Lahore where a large ditch was dug for her. She was strapped to a board of wood and lowered in, by soldiers belonging to the Emperor. It is said that they closed the top of the large ditch with a brick wall and buried her alive.