ACCOUNTS OF LOVE, LOSS AND BETRAYAL IN
NINETEENTH-CENTURY DELHI
TRANSLATED BY RANA SAFVI
First published in 2018 by Hachette India
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For
Dilli
and
Dilliwaalas,
who accepted me as their own
Jahanabad never deserved this tyranny
As it was once the heart of lovers, many
It has been erased like a wrong letter by destiny
It was one such shore in the ocean of the world
From whose dust people used to pick pearls.
– Shahr Ashob (Lament for a City)
MIRZA MUHAMMAD RAFI SAUDA
Contents
Foreword
Translator’s Note
Preface
Dilli ka Aakhiri Deedar
The Last Glimpse of Delhi
Syed Wazir Hasan Dehlvi
Bazm-e-Aakhir
The Last Assembly
Munshi Faizuddin
Qila-e-Mu’alla ki Jhalkiya’n
Glimpses of the Exalted Fort
Mirza Ahmad Salim ‘Arsh’ Taimuri
Begamat ke Aansu
Tears of the Begums
Khwaja Hasan Nizami
Appendix
Copyright Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
Foreword
The Urdu texts ably translated here by Rana Safvi are key documents to
understanding the social and cultural life, and the political imperatives of the
Exalted Fort during the first half of the nineteenth century.
It is a period much maligned by comprador historians as effete and decadent.
In reality, it was a time rich in cultural and intellectual activity, marked by
social and communal harmony, and life inside the Fort was the paradigm of it
all.
This translation performs a much needed service and corrects the perspective
by which the first half of the nineteenth century has so far been viewed. This is a
valuable contribution to India’s cultural history.
Shamsur Rahman Faruqi
Translator’s Note
When Mirza Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah or Bahadur Shah
II, better known by his pen name Bahadur Shah Zafar, ascended the Mughal
throne in 1837, he inherited an empire that was only nominally his. The writ of
the British ran through the territory of Mughal India, or whatever was left of it;
Zafar was their pensioner. The British Resident was in charge, both in Delhi and
in the ‘Qila’, the Red Fort.
Along with the empire, such as it was, Zafar had also inherited the secular
outlook of his ancestor Akbar and his own father, Akbar Shah II. He believed
that his subjects were his children, and on the night of 16 September 1857, as he
was leaving the Qila after the fall of Delhi, his last prayer, as recorded by his
daughter and eyewitness Kulsum Zamani, was, ‘The entire Hindu and Muslim
population of Hindustan are my children and trouble surrounds them all. Don’t
let them suffer because of my actions. Give them relief from all troubles.’1
There was occasional friction between Hindus and Muslims, but never any
large-scale violence or deep mutual distrust. Indian society in the nineteenth
century lived largely in communal harmony. Both Hindus and Muslims were
devoted to the Emperor and would participate in the jharoka darshan2 every
dawn, when Zafar appeared in the balcony of the Musamman Burj in the Red
Fort. Akbar Shah II, who started the Sair-e-Gul Faroshan or Phoolwaalo’n ki
Sair, the procession of the flower-sellers, would offer pankhas3 both at Qutub
Saheb’s dargah and at the Jogmaya temple in Mehrauli. Zafar surpassed his
father; he would not go to the dargah if he couldn’t visit the temple the previous
day.
When Zafar was exiled to Rangoon (now Yangon) after the fall of Delhi, there
was a palpable sense of loss amongst Hindus and Muslims alike, who felt as if
they had lost their father. Once the British prevailed upon ‘rebel sepoys’ and
captured Delhi in September 1857 after a siege of four months, they arrested the
Emperor and imprisoned him. In a travesty of a trial, Zafar was tried and found
guilty on four counts – aiding the mutinies of the troops, encouraging people in
waging war against the British, assuming the dominion of Hindustan and causing
murders of a number of Christians. In effect, this was tantamount to saying that
he was found guilty of sedition against his own empire.
Some citizens of the walled city who had anticipated British reprisal fled to
safe places outside the walls of Shahjahanabad and survived. Many were
slaughtered before they could escape. There are tales of mass hangings at the
gallows erected on the kotwali chabutra,4 the site of the langar of the presentday Gurudwara Sisganj. Several summary executions were also recorded. Even
those who fled from the city were chased down and punished. The trigger-happy
soldiers who entered Shahjahanabad on 14 September 1857 looted houses and
destroyed libraries.
The culmination of the siege of Delhi wasn’t merely the destruction of the
city, but also the annihilation of a unique way of life. The palace and the city had
a syncretic culture – the Ganga– Jamuni – in which the quotidian life of two
different communities co-mingled and created an amalgam of a multicultural,
pluralistic way of life.
Life in Delhi had an élan of its own and every day was a celebration. In
several books, the all-day parties of the ladies of the Qila have been recorded.
Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Zuha, the two major Muslim festivals, Nauroz (the
Persian new year), Barawafat (the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad), and
Urs (the death anniversary) of various Sufi saints were celebrated with great
fervour, as were Salona (Raksha Bandhan), Dussehra, Holi and Diwali. The
Emperor would participate in and encourage the celebration of Hindu and
Muslim festivals. There were literary and cultural soirées in the mansions of the
noblemen, while dastangos sat on the steps of the Jama Masjid and enthralled
audiences with their retellings of Dastan-e-Amir Hamza and ‘Gulistan’ and
‘Bostan’.5
Following the de facto British takeover of Delhi, the people who had lived
that life either perished, were exiled, or were left struggling to survive. There are
no existing records made by the common people of Delhi on their lives before
the fall of the city, perhaps because they did not anticipate a time when the
Mughal dynasty would no longer rule over Hindustan.
Of course, court journals and records of the 1857 mutiny exist, but they
contain little about the life of the ordinary people living in the walled city or the
royals within the Red Fort. What endured were the apocryphal stories, hearsay
and handed-down tales that stepped in to fill in the breach. It is this gap that I
hope to bridge by translating a series of memoirs written in Urdu by noblemen
who had either experienced life under the last Mughal Emperor or had heard
about it first-hand from their fathers and grandfathers and documented them for
posterity. In all, these four books contain important historical accounts, little
known except to historians. With this translation, I hope to present a Delhi where
communal harmony prevailed, leading to the evolution of a syncretic culture that
showcased the best of two very different ways of life.
The four books I have selected for this translated volume are: Dilli ka Aakhiri
Deedar (The Last Glimpse of Delhi) by Syed Wazir Hasan Dehlvi; Bazm-eAakhir (The Last Assembly) by Munshi Faizuddin; Qila-e-Mu’alla ki Jhalkiya’n
(Glimpses of the Exalted Fort) by Arsh Taimuri; and a few selected stories from
Begamat ke Aansu (Tears of the Begums), stories collected and retold by Khwaja
Hasan Nizami. Almost every story or record of events in this volume has been
written independent of the other. But each story corroborates and reinforces the
common thread of syncretism that runs through its companions, indicating that it
was the norm and not an exception.
The first three books provide glimpses of life inside the Red Fort during the
reign of the last two Mughal emperors. The last, Begamat ke Aansu, features
eyewitness accounts of the escape of the Mughal princes and princesses, and
their subsequent fate. Though Bazm-e-Aakhir and Dilli ka Aakhiri Deedar
describe many of the same ceremonies and rituals, the author of the latter book
also provides a commentary on the life during those times. ‘They (the Mughals)
not only conquered Hindustan but made it their beloved home. Just as an
individual beautifies and fills his home with treasures, they filled their new
homes with their language, administration, architecture, way of living, music,
poetry, cultural pursuits and their knowledge of art and sciences, and took it to
new heights. That is why all their subjects were always happy and festive.’
Aghai Begum, one of the narrators in his book, served as an attendant to one
of the royal ladies in the Red Fort. She talks of the drain of wealth and
comments on the public’s condition: ‘Earlier, earnings were less, but we had
more purchasing power. We earned peacefully and ate in peace. Now, there’s
always some problem or clamour around us. The monsoons are good, the
harvests are plenty, the bags are full of grain, yet we starve and face famine. It’s
as if there’s perpetual famine, and why not? If there’s a war anywhere in the
world, it’s we who suffer. We produce the grains, yet others enjoy it. Our wealth
is sent to them [the British], and we are left naked and starving. Earlier,
whatever was produced here was consumed here. Money stayed within the house
and everything was fine. We could earn, spend, save, or do whatever we wanted
to do with it.’
Syed Wazir Hasan’s observations on communal harmony during the Mughal
rule and the subsequent transformation into discord by the late nineteenth
century are especially instructive, considering the recent debates on whether the
Mughals enforced large-scale conversions, were barbaric towards the Hindu
population, and whether they looted or enriched India. He writes: ‘The rich look
down on the poor, communal feelings have entered people’s hearts, and there’s a
divide between us. Hindus and Muslims don’t visit each other anymore and are
ready to fight with and kill each other at the slightest provocation.’
Though he finds it lamentable, Hasan provides no reason for this later
communal polarization. Yet, it bears in view an analysis of the well-known
policies of the British. Following the 1857 uprising, the British made a deliberate
attempt to polarize the society. The British held Bahadur Shah Zafar and, as a
corollary, Muslims as a whole responsible for engineering the ‘revolt’. In his
memoir, Dastanbu, which centres on the 1857 mutiny, the poet Mirza Ghalib
records that though Hindus were allowed to return to Shahjahanabad after the
British victory, Muslims were permitted to return only much later.
Apart from this, the books also describe political intrigue and the inner secrets
of the Qila. The author of Qila-e-Mu’alla ki Jhalkiya’n was privy to palace
secrets via his father and narrates the palace intrigues and the machinations
within. We read of assassination attempts and power struggles, and the details of
numerous intrigues among the princes and the nobles.
Where I thought English words and idioms were not sufficiently evocative or
could not convey the meaning fully, I have retained the original Urdu words and
phrases to keep the flavour intact.
Approximate meanings have been provided contextually. Food items and
description of clothes and jewellery, too numerous to handle contextually, have
been explained in the appendices. I am also providing a description of the history
of Delhi through the ages and the Qila so that those reading it can contextualize
and visualize the city, thus enhancing their reading experience.
Preface
Since Delhi is the main character in these books, it is only right that we first
learn about it first and understand its transitions over time.
The first reference that we find of the city is as Indraprastha, the city of the
Pandavas in the Mahabharat. There is no concrete archaeological proof as yet of
its existence though excavations are ongoing. However, a village by the name of
Indarpat existed on the site of Delhi’s Purana Qila. Its name is considered to be a
corruption of the name Indraprastha.
The first historical reference we find of the existence of Delhi is a minor edict
of Emperor Ashoka discovered in 1966 in the village of Bahapur, an area in
South Delhi. It dates back to 250 bce and exhorts people to follow the Buddhist
way of life. It does not mention by name, Delhi, or the location of the edict. It is
presumed it was placed there as the location was on a transregional trade route.
In fact, no mention of Delhi is found in Buddhist texts; nor did the famous
Chinese traveller Faxian (Fa-hien) visit it, though he did go to nearby Mathura.
So this edict only proves that Delhi was on an ancient trade route.
We find historical evidence of habitation in Delhi from 300 ce. After that, for
some reason, it was abandoned and was not repopulated until 1052 ce, after the
final attack of Mahmud of Ghazni.
There are many theories about the origin of the name ‘Delhi’; the most
popular among them is that Sarup Dutt, a governor of Raja Delu (Dhelu) of
Kannauj, built a city near the deserted site of Inderpat and named it Dhilli after
his king who ruled the area.
We find mention of the word Dehli in poems of Hazrat Amir Khusrau.
A stone found in a baoli (stepwell) in Palam, which was built during the reign
of Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban (1226–1287 ce), bears a Sanskrit inscription
praising the Sultan. In verse 12, it praises his capital, ‘Dhilli’.
According to a paper by K.M. Shrimalu1 on the origins of Delhi, the word
Dhilli had been adapted to ‘Dilli’, 50 years later, as borne out by an inscription
found during the excavation of another baoli in Ladnu (in Jodhpur, Rajasthan)
where the capital city is referred to as ‘Dilli’, a city in Haritan (modern-day
Haryana).
Since a letter representing the hard ‘dha’ is not available in the Arabic
alphabet, it is converted to the softer ‘da’ in popular speech and the word to
‘Dehli’ in formal literature written mostly in Arabic and Persian. Both Dilli and
Dehli were used interchangeably, with Dilli being the more colloquial usage and
Dehli the formal. Persian chronicles generally used the word Dehli and that’s the
word that was used for toponyms such as Zahir Dehlvi, Wazir Hasan Dehlvi, and
so on.
Since, according to English phonology, there can’t be an ‘h’ at the end of a
syllable, ‘Dehli’ became the anglicized Delhi. Thus, as we can see, the name of
Delhi has undergone many changes. For the purpose of this translation, I have
used the word Dilli or Dehli as it has appeared in the original text and Delhi
wherever I have added annotations.
Delhi was built and destroyed several times. Out of those, ruins of seven cities
are still extant. The first city for which we have recorded history is Lal Kot or
Red Fort, which was built by Anangpal Tomar II in 1052 ce in the rocky
Aravalli Range in Mehrauli.
Raja Anangpal Tomar I founded the Tomar dynasty in 736 ce. He probably
chose the Aravalli hills in Mehrauli as his headquarters, for its strategic and
military advantages. Prithviraj Chauhan (1168– 92), the grandson of Anangpal
Tomar III2 who succeeded him, expanded it, and it came to be known as Qila
Rai Pithaura after him.
Later, Alauddin Khilji (1296–1316) built the city of Siri in 1304, and
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (1321–25) built Tughlaqabad in 1321. Since Mehrauli was
continuing to grow, Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1300–51) built a wall to enclose
that city and Siri together – and a new city named Jahanpanah was born in 1326–
27. In 1354, Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351–88) built Firozabad; Humayun (first
reign 1530–40) built Dinpanah in 1534, which Sher Shah Suri (1486–1545)
expanded and named Sher Shah Garh. The seventh city was Shahjahanabad.
After the announcement of the transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi by King
George V in 1911, a decision was taken to build a new city known then as,
Imperial Delhi, as per the British maps of that era.
Another interesting aspect is the nomenclature of the cities.
Muizzuddin Kaikabad (1287–1290 ce), the grandson of Ghiyasuddin Balban,
had shifted his residence from Mehrauli to Kilokhari (near modern-day
Maharani Bagh) and that became known as Shahr-e-Nau, or the new city.
Mehrauli was simply called shahr, or city.
By the fourteenth century, Mehrauli, the first-known city in what is today
Delhi, was called Dehli-i-Kuhna or Old Delhi.3 Since Alauddin Khilji had built
Siri for defence against the Mongol menace, it was called Lashkar, or army.
Later, once he shifted from Mehrauli, it came to be known as the Dar-ulKhilafat, or capital city.
By the nineteenth century, according to British cartography, Firozabad was
called Old Delhi and Shahjahanabad became Modern Delhi. Once the imperial
city of Delhi was built, Shahjahanabad became Old Delhi and the former New
Delhi, and these are the names by which they are known till date.
Hazrat-e-Dilli
Amir Khusrau refers to Delhi as Hazrat-e-Dehli (respected Delhi):
Hazrat-e-Dehli is an emblem of justice and charity,
A garden of heaven flourishes and will remain forever.
This name was given because of the large number of Sufi saints who had
settled in Delhi under the Delhi sultans. It was known popularly as baais khwaja
ki chaukhat, or ‘the threshold of 22 saints’, the most famous of whom are
Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, whose dargah is in Mehrauli, and Khwaja
Nizamuddin Auliya, whose dargah is in an area named after him in South Delhi.
Shahjahanabad
Shahjahanabad or Jahanabad, as it was shortened to later, was built in the
seventeenth century. Shah Jahan ascended the throne in February 1628. He
found the Agra Fort, from where his father and grandfather had ruled, to be too
small for his needs and decided to shift his capital to the banks of the river
Yamuna, then Jamuna, in Delhi. The new fort to be built here was planned to be
double the size of that in Agra and many times the size of the Lahore Fort.
According to his biography Padshahnamah, (commissioned by the Emperor
himself, and written in four volumes by different authors) after consultation with
Hindu astrologers and Muslim hakims, the engineers chose an auspicious
location between Firoz Shah Kotla and Salimgarh. Salimgarh was an island fort
in the Yamuna built by Islam Shah Suri (1545–1555 ce). A bridge to access it
had already been built by Jahangir, who enjoyed staying in the fort and had
renamed it Nurgarh.
Shah Jahan’s prerequisites, according to the Padshahnamah written by Waris,
were a moderate climate and proximity to a river so that water could be
manipulated to flow in between the buildings.
Shah Jahan gave orders for the new fort to be built on 29 April 1639 and its
construction began on 12 May 1639. While the fort was being built, he also got a
city (named Shahjahanabad after him), built around it. He encouraged his wives,
sons, daughters and nobles to build houses, mosques and parks. Thus, we hear
that Princess Jahanara was instrumental in the conceptinalization and
construction of a market called Chandni Chowk and a beautiful sarai, an inn for
travellers to the city, called Begum ki Sarai (where the present-day Town Hall
stands), which has been described by European travellers as being of world-class
standard.
Prince Dara Shukoh got his mansion built on the banks of the Yamuna and
called it Nigambodh Manzil after the ghat on which it stood. It was here that he
undertook the monumental work of translating the Upanishads into Persian.
Today, the building is known as Dara Shukoh’s Library and stands rather
forlornly near Kashmiri Gate. Many gardens, mosques and grand mansions were
built by the royal family members and noblemen in Shahjahanabad.
The Qila-e-Mubarak or Qila Shah Jahan was ready in 1648. On 15 June that
year, the Emperor entered the fort and orders were given for celebrations. A
durbar was announced in the Diwan-e-Aam. Huge decorated tents were put up
outside the Diwan-e-Aam and the Diwan-e-Khas. Those were the glory days of
the octagonal flower known as Qila-e-Mubarak, or the auspicious fort, the city of
Shahjahanabad and, in fact, the Mughal empire. At its zenith, in 1700 ce, the
Mughals controlled much of present-day India and accounted for 24.44 per cent
of the world’s GDP.
The role of the kingmakers in the battles of succession after the death of
Aurangzeb stripped the Mughal crown of much of its glory. With central
authority on the wane, provincial governors soon started ruling independently.
The power of the Rohillas, Marathas, and the British increased, and eventually
the Mughal Emperor remained as just a figurehead.
From 1788 to 1803, Delhi was under the control of the Marathas. In 1803, the
British army led by Lord Lake captured Delhi and its adjoining areas. Shah
Alam II, who had been only an exalted prisoner of the Marathas, gladly became
a pensioner of the British, under whom he felt he would lead a more comfortable
life. Power, which had already passed into the hands of the British East India
Company bit by bit after the Mughal defeat at Buxar, was vested firmly in
British hands with this victory.
All major decisions regarding the empire were taken by the British Resident
posted in Delhi. A British qiledar or commandant was posted inside the Qila to
ensure that their writ ran there too.
The Emperor was reduced to organizing and enjoying cultural activities inside
the Qila and in certain other parts of Delhi such as Humayun’s tomb, Purana
Qila, Safdarjung’s tomb, and the dargahs of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and
Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki. It is these functions and activities which are
described in the first three books in this volume. Since the Emperor did not
actually rule, there are hardly any references to activities involved in the running
or expansion of an empire.
The pension of the Mughal Emperor was 12 lakh per annum in 1813 and
increased to 15 lakh per annum in 1833. This amount was never enough; the
later emperors are known to have frequently been in debt to local merchants and
moneylenders.
This made it difficult to maintain the glory of the Qila-e-Mubarak. Most of the
buildings of the fort are now red because the white plaster, on which gilded
designs and colourful flowers had been painted, has been stripped off the
sandstone. During the time of the later Mughals, the silver ceilings were stripped
and replaced by copper and by then wood. No one had the resources or
inclination to restore the gilding and the Qila-e-Mubarak became Delhi’s Lal
Haveli, or Lal Qila.
Life in the Qila-e-Mubarak, the Auspicious Fort
A brief description of the Qila-e-Mubarak would make it easier to understand the
royal life and movements during its time.
One enters the Qila through the Lahori Darwaza and proceeds into the covered
market called Chatta Chowk. From here one proceeds towards the naqqarkhana
or drum house. This area housed workshops and the homes of nobles. They were
destroyed by the British in 1857 after the capture of Delhi, and in their place
barracks were built.
The naqqarkhana opened onto the square where the Diwan-e-Aam was
located. There were three areas designated as waiting stations and enclosures
where the nobles, ministers and emissaries waited, according to their status. A
lawn has replaced it. From here, one went to the main Diwan-e-Aam where a
huge marble throne had been built.
Behind it was the Diwan-e-Khas where the Emperor granted special audience.
The Peacock Throne, which was used on special occasions, was kept here. The
eastern side of it overlooked the river Yamuna.
To the south of the Diwan-e-Khas is the hammam, or the baths. The Emperor
used it for private conferences as well as for rest and solitude. Some of the more
important royal princes also had mansions here. In fact, the mansions of the
royal princes and high-ranking nobles dotted the entire area of the Qila. All these
were demolished in 1857.
The Bagh-e-Hayat Baksh (life-giving garden) was between the Diwan-e-Aam
and Diwan-e-Khas and extended towards the Shah Burj on one side and the
Sawan and Bhado’n pavilions, described later in the narratives, on the other.
This is where the ‘Ladies Day’ in the Bagh-e-Hayat Baksh (described in Bazm-eAakhir) was held. Bagh-e-Hayat Baksh was full of flowering and fruit-bearing
trees and bushes.
The Nahr-e-Bahist,4 stream of paradise, started in the far corner of the Qila in
Shah Burj and flowed between every building of the Qila.
Behind the hammam was the Moti Masjid and beyond that was the Mehtab
Bagh in which plants, bushes and trees with only white flowers were present. It
was used during evenings and nights.
The private residence of the Emperor, called the mahal (palace), was to the
South of the Diwan-e-Khas and was accessed by the deorhi, a passageway
leading to the royal harem. It was also referred to as khasi deorhi, or special
passage. This area had a set of three rooms that included the tasbihkhana,5 the
bedroom, or khwaabgah,6 of the Emperor, and a hall open on one side, called the
Badi Baithak.
Beyond it were more palaces such as Imtiaz Mahal, also called Rang Mahal,
and Choti Baithak.7 It was in these areas that the consorts, daughters and close
relatives of the Emperor lived with their female attendants. No male could enter
past the deorhi, and female Turkish and Tartar bodyguards guarded this area.
The female attendants who ran errands were called jasolnis, while the eunuchs,
who also acted as bodyguards, were called khwaja saras. It is into this world that
the writers of these memoirs offer us a glimpse – a rare peek into Delhi and its
society in the 19th century.
Dilli ka Aakhiri Deedar
The Last Glimpse of Dilli
syed wazir hasan dehlvi
Syed Wazir Hasan Dehlvi was the son of Maulvi Ahmed Hasan Mohaddis and
grandson of the famous Deputy Allama Ahmed Dehlvi, known popularly as
Deputy Nazir Ahmed. His upbringing was in an atmosphere of learning, steeped
in the culture of the Delhi of yore. Though he didn’t see life under the Mughals
himself, he grew up hearing about it. His writing is replete with colloquial
idioms and the language of nineteenth-century Delhi.
Dilli ka Aakhiri Deedar was published in 1934, by Dilli Printing Press, Delhi.
It was edited by Shahid Ahmed Dehlavi, the editor of Saqi-o-Shah Jahan. Shahid
Ahmed also wrote the preface to the volume in which he says, ‘Syed Wazir
Hasan Dehlvi has showcased Delhi’s Ganga–Jamuni tehzeeb,1 communal amity,
the colourful festivals, and the cordial relations between the Qila inhabitants and
the general public. He has described the etiquette of assemblies along with a
description of the manners and way of the gentry and noblemen. No one who
reads it can stop himself or herself from weeping tears of blood.’
Zafar, the universe is ever-changing,
Witness the colours that prevail now,
the hues that were before
The world marches forward, and if anyone wants to make a better city than Dilli,
they can succeed. The required bricks and stones are all available, and
construction methods have now improved. But Dilli was never a city of just
bricks and stones. Although the Haveli2, the Jama Masjid and many other
buildings of Dilli are still standing, the life and the soul of the city are dead. The
elements that made Dilli into the city ‘Dilli’ are no more; the spirit that gave life
to this city has disappeared. Dilli was bred on the milk of royal culture, brought
up in the lap of kings, and reached maturity in an atmosphere of learning and
knowledge. Its life-blood was its majesty and dignity, and it has seen the many
hues of life from Raja Bharat to the Timurid kings. Its citizens were examples of
a higher culture and the personification of inherited courtesies.
Hindus and Muslims lived as brothers. If one fondly called the other
‘miyanji’3 he responded with an affectionate ‘lalaji’.4 They were comrades-inarms and participated in each other’s joys and sorrows. They lived in harmony,
like peas in a pod, steeped in learning and culture. They were religious and
worldly; in other words, they were humans, and not the wolves in human garb
that we meet today.
Not even the unlettered and lower classes were uncouth or uncultured.
Unconsciously they had imbibed the way of life of the upper classes.
It was as if:
The rich are happy in their riches
and the poor in their skins
These were the times when every day was Eid and every night was Shab-eBarat5. Then fate took a turn for the worse and the good times disappeared.
Friends turned strangers and the bonhomie vanished. It was as if good sense had
been forsaken and people could no longer think straight, and this weakness of
the mind increased by the day. Those who had been eyeing this golden bird were
waiting for an opportunity to pounce on it.
The year 1857 rang the death knell for the old way of life, when monarchy
breathed its last in the lap of Bahadur Shah and the lamp of Timur was
extinguished forever. Some who loved Dilli escaped from it, never to return,
while many were killed. The few who were left behind were inconsequential to
the city’s fate. This beautiful city was destroyed in the twinkling of an eye – the
chessboard of Mughal culture was overturned. When the Dilliwalas didn’t
remain, how could Dilli survive? All that’s left now is the name of Allah.
It’s the nature of the world that whatever goes up must also come down. The
world has always seen such ups and downs – the advent and exit of rulers and
dynasties. It will always be so.
And so, Dilli’s unique natural personality and grace were snatched away. The
dynasty’s wealth was looted, the city’s fervour and spirit were ground into the
dust, its resolution and aspirations dampened, and its strength of mind faded
away into nothing. The storm swiftly changed the city’s course and wrecked
everything in its path.
Now, only a glimpse of that culture is to be found either in books, or on the
lips of elders who have become repositories of the treasures of a lost world. I
want to hear these stories from them and laugh and weep with them. I want to
thread these scattered pearls into a book so that the coming generations may find
them easily. I know that the books (which have already been written) will always
remain, but since they are not in one place, it’s not going to be an easy task to
access them. The most important point is that many of the people from the older
generation have passed away. Those who live are like flickering lamps and no
one knows when their lives may be snuffed out. It shouldn’t be that they take to
their graves all the tales of the interesting times they lived in. We must gather the
stories that they have heard, have been part of, or have witnessed, and preserve
them for posterity – for time waits for no one. Just as the good days didn’t
remain, their memories too will fade away. We have to ensure they are
preserved, so that they aren’t destroyed as the good old days have been.
Dilli’s life was in its dignity!
Dilli’s heart lay in its character, illuminated by its gaiety and liveliness. Every
little nuance added to the culture, which was encouraged by the Emperor and
spread throughout the city by the prevailing ambience. High and low, rich and
poor, old and young, educated and illiterate – everyone was cheerful, well
dressed and fond of the good things in life. There was always a ready excuse for
celebration, with frequent fairs, festivals, dancing and singing.
Though the Badshah in the Qila was a king only in name, he was the lamp
that, though flickering, gave light to the city and its people. Anyone who wants
to know more about Dilli of those days has to first make a study of the Qila and
its royal residents. It was this attar, this perfume, that made Hindustan fragrant.
When the new year’s sun casts its pink rays in the sky, everyone – from the
Emperor to the fakir – celebrates Nauroz. The Diwan-e-Aam, Diwan-e-Khas,
Chota Rang Mahal, Bada Rang Mahal, Khas Mahal, Hira Mahal, Moti Mahal,
Bagh-e-Hayat Baksh, Mehtab Bagh, Sawan Bhado’n6 – are all decorated. The
walls and the minarets are freshly painted. The flowers are blooming and the
water flowing in the Nahr-e-Bahist is as pure and pristine as if it were a stream
of light. Gulabi Bagh and Angoori Bagh under the jharoka7 are decorated like
brides. Tents are put up; shamianas are strung up with silver and gold tassels and
glittering crests. The shamianas are embroidered with mukaish8 and lace designs,
giving the impression that stars have alighted on them. Brocade, satin, and silk
are wrapped around the poles and held there with silver and gold pegs. Small
flags flutter in the breeze.
On the flowing Jamuna, boats are seen waiting for royal passengers. The boats
are decorated in the colour of Nauroz, which is decided by astrologers every
year. In some years, the buildings of the Qila and its residents9 are dressed from
top to toe in pink; in other years, in purple or saffron.
Once the durbar is ready, the Jahanpanah – the Refuge of the World – appears
in a delicate, silver chair, known as hawadar, an open palanquin borne on four
silver poles, which was a movable throne. A cushion embroidered with gold
thread supports his back and silk bolsters tied with silk tassels line the sides.
Two Ganga–Jamuni quivers and one bow dangle in front of the cushions. The
Emperor reaches the Diwan-e-Khas – according to Ferguson10 the world’s most
beautiful palace – in this fashion. The Diwan-e-Khas’s marble arches, walls and
columns are decorated with pietra dura and embedded with precious stones such
as agate and coral. Its floral patterns shimmer, while the portion above the dado
is completely gilded. In front of the Diwan-e-Khas is a beautiful square marble
enclosure with a sparkling silver ceiling. The Nahr-e-Bahist flows through it,
and it appears as if the moon is shining its light on the enclosure.
In the centre of the Diwan-e-Khas is an octagonal marble platform on which
the Takht-e-Taoos11 is kept. There are attractive arches on all sides of the throne.
The Takht is adorned with beautifully embroidered bolsters. Three elegant steps
allow the Emperor to climb on to it. The throne has a golden canopy fitted with
golden finials. The legs of the Takht are decorated with colourful floral designs.
Two peacocks standing across each other on the canopy hold pearl rosaries in
their beaks.
The durbar begins with offerings and prayers. Poets read qasidas12 and are
rewarded with robes of honour. Princes are presented with turbans, aigrettes and
crests, and nobles with goshwara.13 After that, oblations are offered to Hazrat
Ali14 and everyone is served a piece of the consecrated food. Once the
ceremonial whisking of the pankha is over, gold and silver coins are thrown in
the air, and money for various charities distributed. In the afternoon, everyone
goes for a boat ride along the gardens.
On the anniversary of the Emperor’s coronation, these rituals are even more
grand. The celebrations last for forty days. Trays of food are distributed among
the nobles, in keeping with their ranks, ten days before the ceremony. Guests
begin to reach Dilli four days in advance; princesses and noble ladies fill the
palaces. There is a new function almost every day. The air resounds with drums
beats and robes of honour are awarded to the deserving. Offerings and tributes
are presented to the Badshah, and for forty days, the sound of festivities fill the
air.
The celebrations that start from the Haveli reach every part of the city. During
such days, the Haveli is a blessed river that makes everything along its banks
fertile and verdant. From Muharram to Bakr-Eid, every child of Dilli
experiences a similar wave of emotions. During the month of mourning,
everyone – from the Badshah to the lowly fakir – becomes Imam Hasan’s and
Imam Hussain’s fakir.15 Sabeels16 are set up as a pious duty and sherbet
distributed. Majlis17 and marsiya18 assemblies are set up. Alam19 and taziya20
processions are organized. During the month of Muharram, Dilli turns into a
beautiful maiden – with windswept, uncombed hair and fair, dainty wrists
devoid of bangles – mourning her beloved.
The aakhiri chahar shamba, the last Wednesday21 of the Islamic month of
Safar,22 comes in Terah Tezi.23,24 As aakhiri chahar shamba approaches, fairs
are set up in and around the Qila. Boiled black grams sprinkled with salt and
chilli and boiled wheat sprinkled with poppy seeds and sugar candy are served.
The food is consecrated in the Prophet’s name and distributed along with gold
and silver rings and bands. In the afternoons, everyone steps out into the
gardens. On the occasion of Barawafat, qawwali mehfils25 in the various shrines
brighten the atmosphere. Mashaikhs26 and mullahs are fed twice a day inside the
Qila itself.
On the fourteenth of the month,27 the urs28 of Qutub Saheb is held with great
fanfare. Accompanied by practically the entire population of the city, the
Badshah goes to Khwaja Saheb’s dargah in Mehrauli and offers flowers, a cover,
sandal and attar at the blessed shrine. Before departing the next day, everyone
attends the khatm.29 In the month of Meeranji, a grand ceremony is held in
honour of Hazrat Ghaus-ul-Azam with accompanying fireworks. On satarvi,30
the urs of Sultanji or Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya is celebrated. The qawwali
begins at night, and the Badshah comes and pays his respects in the morning.
The khadims, the hereditary caretakers of the dargah, tie green turbans on their
heads, and everyone who makes an offering at the dargah is given a small gift as
a symbol of their blessings. While some of the visitors swim in the baoli
attached to the dargah, others bathe on its steps. Young boys dive in to retrieve
the money that princes and noblemen have thrown into the water.
The bazaar is teeming with people, their shoulders brushing each other’s as
they pass. All kinds of sweets and savouries are sold. The sky is dotted with
flying kites. As afternoon sets in, calls of the royal mace bearers of ‘Give way!
Move!’ fill the market. The Badshah is going to Humayun’s tomb, and the entire
crowd goes with him. Everyone is singing or dancing at the mela in the tomb
complex, and some fly kites till the evening.
In the month of Madar, the Chharhiyo’n ka mela31 takes place in the Qila. The
Emperor offers a tall and imposing standard with a shimmering silver flagpole at
the venerable dargah. Drummers accompany the standard. Trays full of
maleeda32 are sent. The Emperor appears wearing a garland and walks with the
procession for a while, before rewarding the drummers and sending them on
their way. The meidinis33 carrying the chharhiya’n34 assemble35 on the
fourteenth of the month of Khwaja Moinuddin and leave for Ajmer Sharif on the
sixteenth. Once they return, their relatives send chaab, made from sesame, rice
and sugar, to their houses as felicitation. The meidinis send back sandalwood
combs, rosaries, flowered muslin, Jaipur chadors,36 scarves, handkerchiefs,
stoles, hookah pipes and bottles of attar from the Dargah Sharif.
During the month of Rajab, sweet breads made of flour and ghee are cooked
in the tandoor. These are garnished with fennel and poppy seeds, consecrated in
memory of the dead and in the name of Hazrat Jalal Bukhari and distributed. On
Shab-e-Barat, another grand celebration is held, and various sweets and
savouries are cooked and consecrated in the names of Hazrat Amir Hamza,37
Hazrat Bibi Fatima,38 Babur Badshah, and other ancestors. Milk is consecrated
in the names of innocent children who have died. Only ladies are allowed to eat
the food consecrated in the name of Hazrat Bibi Fatima; that which is
consecrated in the name of Babur is eaten only by his direct descendants. The
rest is distributed to everyone, as fireworks are set off and the sounds of musical
instruments such as naubat39 and naqqara40, echo everywhere. In the evenings,
the Badshah comes into the imambara41 and lights candles after tasting millet
kheer and distributing a spoonful of it to everyone.
As the month of Ramzan draws near, celebrations begin, which go on for the
full month. Everyone lives off the savings from their previous months. The
Hindus too respect the sanctity of this month. Guns announce the hours of sehri
and iftari.42 After pledging to keep a fast at sehri, some people read the Quran
and other prayers, some take a nap and, after the dawn prayers, some go for boat
rides or walk along the riverbanks to cool themselves. Some go off to the jungles
with cages of pheasants and quails, while some go to the dargahs. Once the sun
is out, the whole city glows. As the morning progresses, the bazaars start
buzzing with activity. The clanking of pots and pans fill the air, while the
fragrance of freshly cooked food wafts through the market.
When the time comes for breaking the fast, dastarkhwans43 are spread and set
up with sherbet of various types, tukhm-e-raihan,44 falooda, lemonade, savouries
such as dahi bare and laungchira.45 Fish kebabs, fried gram balls and other
savouries are laid out in trays.
Once the sun sets and the Badshah gives a sign, the messenger waves the flag
and a cannon is set off to signal the end of the fast. The azan46 rings out
everywhere, and devoties break their fast with aab-e-zamzam47 and dried dates
from Mecca. Sherbet and a few morsels of food are tasted before it is time for
the evening prayers. At night, the taraweeh48 is recited with great devotion and
every masjid in the city resonates with sounds of the Quran being read.
Once the taraweeh is over, everyone rests till around 1.30 a.m., when the
chowkidars wake them up with their cries: ‘Those who are fasting are dear to
God. O you pious ones, awake,’ or ‘Awake, it’s in your best interests. Those
who wake up will find God’.
The whole month of Ramzan passes by with these activities. The last Friday
of the month, the alvida,49 is celebrated with great solemnity. On the twentyninth day of the month, everyone gazes at the sky, waiting for the moon to
emerge. Dromedary riders set off to look out for the moon. If the moon is
sighted, they send back the news, and Eid is celebrated the next day. Else, it is
celebrated after the thirtieth day and is called Old Eid.
On the day of Eid, after eating vermicelli cooked in milk, everyone wears new
clothes, sprinkles on the most fragrant perfumes, and leaves for the eidgah50 in
carriages and palanquins or by foot.
Once the Badshah’s procession reaches the eidgah, he offers prayers. Before
the khutba,51 the darogha52 of the qor-khana53 ties his sword around the imam’s
neck with a golden thread. Only after the khutba is delivered do people greet one
another with embraces. The guns are then set off in celebration of the moment.
The Badshah returns in his negdambar54 and comes to the royal apartments,
known as Baithak.55 This marble monument, which was once the heart of the
Qila with its delicate decoration, breathtaking elegance and the verses of
Sa’dullah Khan written in gold ink on its northern and southern arches, remains
just as bright as before. In front of the shah nasheen56 is a five-arched hall of
marble, decorated with mosaic and pietra dura. A doorway from its western side
leads to the Diwan-e-Khas via the deorhi. In the middle of the hall is an oblong
marble basin decorated with different types of colourful flowers and embedded
with precious and semi-precious stones. Each petal has a tiny hole through
which water flows out. In front of the hall is a marble courtyard through which
the Nahr-e-Bahist flows into the many palaces.57 The Badshah enters the Diwane-Khas and holds court on the Takht-e-Taoos. He receives offerings and hands
out garlands and turban ornaments to the various princes and nobles. The same
festivities are followed on Bakr-Eid, with the added attraction of animal
sacrifice.
Every corner of the city celebrates during Eid. Residents consume hot
kachoris and kebabs bought straight from the shops.58 Some meet their friends,
while some walk around and take in all the sights. Kites of various shapes soar in
the sky.
The Hindu festivals are celebrated with equal pomp. On Dussehra, a neelkanth
is set free in front of the Badshah. The darogha of the bazkhana59 brings a
falcon and a hawk to the durbar, and the Badshah lets the birds perch on his
forearm.60
In the afternoons, Hindu nobles make offerings, after which the Badshah sits
in the jharoka, taking in the sights of the city. The darogha of the royal stables
brings out colourfully caparisoned horses in gold and silver finery for the
Badshah to inspect.
Ramlila is celebrated for nine days, and on the tenth day, Bharat Milap is held,
during which Hindus and Muslims embrace each other.
On the day of Diwali, the sounds of drums, musical instruments and raushan
chowki61 echo through the city. Stalls selling puffed rice, candy, sugarcane
pieces and toys made from clay are set up. Eunuchs roam the streets asking for
alms, singing, ‘O sire, please give me a ring.’
Sweetmeat shops make every kind of sweet and keep them decorated to entice
passers-by. The lights lit from the first diya to the last give the impression that
there is daylight even at night.
On the third diya,62 the day of Lakshmi Puja, the Badshah is weighed in gold
and silver. A buffalo, a black blanket, mustard oil, a mix of seven cereals and
grains, and gold and silver are distributed as alms to avert any misfortune that
may befall the Emperor. The Qila is brightly lit. Hindu families send trays of
food for everyone. Friends go out to greet each other on the joyous occasion,
roaming the city and enjoying the festivities. Carriage drivers and cattle herders
colour the hooves of their cattle with henna. The animals are painted in bright
colours and their horns are either painted silver or covered with silver foil. Bells
are tied around their necks and hooves, beautifully decorated finery is laid across
their backs. The bells tinkle as the animals walk past.
Holi is another day full of entertainment and enjoyment. Folks play with
colour in the bazaars, in their houses and on the streets. The daf,63 jhaanjh64 and
nafiri are played, and courtesans dance at various places in the city. The
musicians and the courtesans eventually reach the Qila, where the Emperor,
Huzur Alampanah – His Royal Presence, the Refuge of the Universe – and his
noblemen sit on one side of the jharoka and the women on the other. Groups of
revellers came to the jharoka to take their rewards.
The royal courtesans play holi by squirting each other with their pichkari65
coquettishly in the presence of the Badshah.
They sing:
How do I squirt my beloved with the colours of Holi?
How do I squirt my beloved with the colours of Holi?
The washerman washes my bodice across the river
Who has cast their evil eye that my bodice has become tight?
How do I squirt my beloved with the colours of Holi?
The crane sits across the river, picking out its fish
The big fish’s bones get stuck in its throat and it dies
How do I squirt my beloved with the colours of Holi?
Apart from these festivals, younger folks also go to other festivals such as the
Kalka mela,66 the Meerut ki nauchandi ka mela,67 and for the urs of Hazrat
Peran-e-Pir Sabri68 or Khwaja Ajmeri.69
Today, we have lost that culture. We had not realized that it had been a part of
our lives that needed to be preserved. Any discussions of past glories now sound
like a homily. Those who are today the subjects of the British were once subjects
of rulers that were the mainstay of Hindi70 civilization. These rulers not only
conquered Hindustan but made it their beloved home and, just as an individual
fills his home with treasures, they filled their new home with their language,
administration, architecture, their ways of living, attitudes, music, poetry,
cultural pursuits and with their knowledge of art and the sciences. They
transformed the country into a garden of delight. For their subjects, every day
was like Eid and every night like Shab-e-Barat, and they were always in a festive
mood.
Summer
In the heat of summer, people swim in the Jamuna or go to the jungles after the
pre-dawn namaz. Folks exercise, wrestle or sit on bamboo stools around the Mir
Mahal and engage in interesting conversations.
In the nobles’ mansions, flowers are in full bloom. Freshly baked earthen pots
filled with water are kept on stands; for drinking water, there are surahis71 with
white cloth tied over their brims and silver-bowl lids. In the middle of the
courtyard there is a fishpond; wooden settees are laid out covered with pristine
white sheets and adorned with bolsters with floral and geometrical embroidery
on them. Beautifully carved tables and footstools are placed in the corners. There
isn’t a speck of dust anywhere.
Inside, there are well-lit arches, galleries and corridors. The sparkling white
walls rejuvenate the heart and mind. Embroidered doilies with silver flower
bouquets fill the niches. Garlands of chameli and mulsari72 flowers hang from
the corners. Nightingales, ablaqa,73 weaver birds, pheasants, quails, parrots,
mynahs and chandul74 are kept in cages in the courtyards. Various types of
pigeons, guinea pigs and other animals are also kept as pets.
On the roofs of many homes are cotes for pigeons; different types of pigeons
are trained to fly and herd back other pigeons. This is a popular game and most
residents of the city indulge in it.
Everyone is well dressed, refined, cultured and well-versed in the etiquette of
conversation. Some men keep full beards, some stubbles; some shave their
heads, while others keep shoulder-length hair. They wear angarkhas75 with
chikan embroidery. Sharbati,76 malmal, doriya,77 jamdani,78 or nainsook79
pyjamas, both narrow and flared. With feet protected by salim shahi shoes,80
they wear chougoshia81 or do palli topi82 and carry square handkerchiefs.
Holding their shiny, slender canes, they talk of riding, unarmed combat,
wrestling, swimming, shotput, and slingshots.
Amidst all this talk, someone praises the skill and expertise of calligraphers
Mir Panjakash Saiyyed Khush Navez Mohd Jaan Aga Saheb,83 Ahmed Jan,
Imamuddin and Badruddin. You may well ask, ‘Who is Badruddin?’ It is the
same Badruddin who was entrusted with the task of inscribing the seal of the
Queen of England, the order for which came all the way from London. In
another part of the city, musicians Shah Nasir Wazir, Mirza Kale, Mirza
Gauhar,84 or their disciples are performing, their skill with the sitar on full
display.
Once the sun is overhead and it gets warmer, noblemen retire to their halls,
where ceiling fans made of cloth are pulled by servants and vetiver screens are
sprinkled with water to cool the room. The employees and the shopkeepers enjoy
a siesta, even as vegetable vendors sell their produce in the lanes and markets,
spinning a silken web with their words, tempting you to make a purchase. This is
the season of kulfi-sellers. Some people enjoy the sweet barf ka gola, or ice
candy, and some sit in corners chewing sugarcane steeped in kewra85 and rose
water.
In the evenings, after a bath, the men dress up in pristine white clothes and
sprinkle themselves generously with attar, adorn their necks with beautiful pearl
necklaces. They walk down to Chandni Chowk, or towards Chawri Bazaar.
Sherbet-sellers line up on both sides of the roads. The sherbets are garnished
with falooda and tukhm,86 each better than the other. Business is brisk, and one
is unable to keep count of the bowls being handed out to customers. Water
carriers known as saqqas stand with their waterskins on their shoulders, a coarse,
wet cloth over the skins to keep the water cool, offering cold water to passers-by,
saying, ‘Miyan, should I offer some water? Would you like a sip of lifepreserving water?’
As night falls, beds and cots, with sheets as white as milk, are arranged on the
rooftops, and mulsari, chameli, champa87 and zard88 flowers are kept near the
bedstead for fragrance. The servants pull out fans made of vetiver that have been
sprinkled with water. Some people lie tossing and turning in their beds.
Sometimes, on moonlit nights, friends go to a melon field to eat muskmelons
and watermelons to their fill, play kabaddi, listen to songs, or watch dance
performances, and return home only in the morning.
Monsoon
Often, even when it rains continuously for eight to ten days, the monsoon clouds
don’t show signs of letting up. At times, it is a light drizzle, but more often it
comes down in torrents. People yearn for a dry day and clear skies. The sun is
not seen for days on end; it only appears as a flash very occasionally, like
lightning in the sky. The stars, hidden by clouds, glow faintly like fireflies at
night.
Monsoon is the season when everyone spends time in the gardens. Some go to
Khwaja Saheb in Mehrauli, others to Sultanji at Hazrat Nizamuddin. Hot
parathas are served straight from the pan. This is also the season of mangoes.
Langda, sindoori, guudra and saroli mangoes are soaked in water to lessen their
latent heat.
All the ladies get henna applied on their hands, and wear green, saffron or
sandalwood-coloured dresses, and green bangles. They sway merrily from
swings slung from the trees, singing the Raga Malhar in joyful voices.
And when the Jamuna is in spate, it is time for the swimming competition,
with champions ready to show off their skills. Vendors set up their shops on the
sandbanks and everyone comes down to the river to watch the fun. Delicious
sesame balls and savouries are fried and served piping hot to the eager and
expectant crowd. Jamun-sellers call out, ‘Come and try our salted jamuns,’ while
others sell juicy mangoes, ripened on the bough. Another fruit-seller says of his
guavas, ‘They have ripened on the tree and are tastier than apples.’ A spicy
savoury preparation made of sliced guavas called kachalu is served, while
another vendor sells spicy chaat made of gram lentils seasoned with twelve types
of spices and lemon. One vendor extols the virtues of bananas that have ripened
on the plant and grown on the sandy banks of the Jamuna itself.
Winter
No one wakes up before eight or nine o’clock on winter mornings; everyone
remains lazily cuddled up under his or her blanket. Even though the braziers
burn brightly, the shivering does not stop. And then, one can hear the
chanewalas89 and halwa puri vendors in the streets, and one can’t resist eating
hot halwa, parathas and fluffed up chickpeas for breakfast. Nor can one resist hot
nahari and khamiri roti.
It is late morning when folks gather enough courage to step outside, and even
at that hour their teeth chatter. Everyone on the streets resembles a shivering
bundle of cotton. God forbid it rain! For then, the nights and days become
bitingly cold and even the fires don’t give enough warmth. At night, because of
the frost, water freezes.
Huge sacks of apples, grapes, pomegranates, pistachios, almonds, walnuts,
pine nuts, cashew nuts and other dry fruits that reach from foreign shores are
sold out in no time. Winters are also the time when local vegetables mature.
Pedlars loudly hawk their produce in the bazaars and alleys: ‘These carrots are
sweeter than candy. They are from Shah-e-mardan in Aliganj.’90 Sweetshops are
decorated with trays of varieties of halwa; some offer carrot halwa and others a
variety of gajak91 and crisp rewri.92 Rasawal93 and bajre ka maleeda94 are
cooked inside homes. It is easy to digest food in winter, so one is constantly
hungry and nibbles on things. Everyone glows with health and is as red as a
pomegranate. The grounds are prepared for wrestling matches, where the
wrestlers trained by Kale Jamanwaale, Dariwaale and Gondu Shah wrestle each
other.
Royal kite-flying contests are held in Salimgarh during winter. There are
several types of kites: kantara, bagla, angaara, mangdaar, zulfondaar, juniyondar,
kunde khuli, sar khuli and adrangi pari. As kites soar high in the sky, each kiteflyer seeks to cut another’s string while protecting his own. As soon as anyone
cuts the string of an opponent’s kite, loud congratulatory cheering can be heard.
At night, as everyone sits bundled up in the men’s quarters, the fragrance of
desi betel leaves being chewed wafts in the air. Some play ganjifa,95 chess,
chausar or other board games. Some get engrossed in intellectual discussions
about spiritual and religious issues. Poetry-reading soirées are organized; Ustad
Zauq’s and Mirza Ghalib’s disciples and followers are everywhere. The two
poets are much sought after in mushairas and their disciples argue with each
other like crows and hoopoes pecking at each other:
‘There is no parallel to Mirza Nausha’s new style of writing!’ they say. Or,
‘Ghalib can’t be counted as a poet since he has never written a qasida, the test of
a poet’s ability. He is a be-ustada,96 and to avoid being humiliated has created a
story of some Maulvi Abdus Samad being his ustad. He could not find any guide
to show him the right path and that’s why the poor thing stumbles through flights
of fancy in the dark. How can one justify this?’
We could have our own vantage point high above,
If only our house was on the right side of the sky.97
Mirza Ghalib
‘Mir Saheb!98 In God’s name, how has philosophy come into this discussion?’
because of such interruptions, outsiders also start commenting. One gentleman
writes, ‘Someone who has not been to Khwaja Saheb (Mehrauli) claims that they
have seen the laat,99 describes the ruins that can be seen from the top, and says,
had this laat been a couple of storeys higher, he would have been able to see soand-so as well. Tell me, how would you describe a person who exaggerates
thus? For God’s sake, tell me how can someone, whom even the winds coming
from heaven haven’t touched, boast as if he’s been there?’
People start laughing at this and Mir Saheb replies, ‘Khan Saheb, it seems that
the influence of outsiders has rubbed off on you too. Dear friend, you are a
Dilliwala and such words are unbecoming of you. The world will point fingers at
you. How does it matter to a wise man when the poet reached the heavens, or
whether he reached there at all? Heaven is not someone’s personal property!
Dear friend, if you ask me, heaven is in his bosom, where his heart dwells, like
God in His kingdom. It’s another matter altogether that people are unable to
perceive it. I hope you will understand and remember: When a poet receives
inspiration as he is apprenticed to God, only those who are similarly gifted by
the Almighty should comment on his works. Otherwise they should merely listen
quietly.’
Another person sitting there asks, ‘Mir Saheb, tell me, did Ustad Zauq also get
divine inspiration? He must have got some revelation for his qasidas?’
Mir Saheb smiled, ‘Brother, don’t go in that direction. This is just the way
things were in that era. However, even the greatest of poets have their share of
good and bad verses. But those verses which really are the result of divine
intervention, believe me, are unparalleled and incomparable.’
‘You could say that, but I consider them masters more than poets,’ says Khan
Saheb.
Mir Saheb starts laughing. ‘It’s up to you to think whatever you want to, but
do you see how he [Ustad Zauq] ascended the heavens in a masterly way in this
verse:
It’s his humility that man is content to lie in this dark dustbin called
the human body
Otherwise it is his flame that illuminates the lamp of heavens.
Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq
‘I would say, don’t make the mistake of thinking that Huzur Bahadur Shah’s
verse was just the result of an ustad’s thought process. However, an ustad is an
ustad and a badshah a badshah, and his verses often show the influence of Zauq,
Shah Nasir, Ghalib and Mir Dard. He owns the language. Simplicity, originality,
purity, emotions, feelings, delicacy of words and passion stand before him with
folded hands. But he has his own unique style. Just as every person looks
different, so do their qualities differ. Despite external influence, Zafar’s own
temperament will shine in his work. He is a poet and if you bring his diwan,100 I
will show you the city of fancy that he has built. This city of fancy was initially a
house of mirrors, which reflected husn-e-ishq101 where his playfulness was like
an early spring that pampered the senses and allowed love to flourish. However,
his later verses are steeped in spirituality. It seems as if he has reached the divine
city where a celestial light burns away the hell created by power and arrogance
and transforms it into a heaven of sincerity and affection, awakening the soul. In
fact, I feel this is all there is to life. This is the crown of spiritual victory. The
real purpose of poetry is the instruction of this, and its gatekeeper is the source
of divinity, immersing it in the exhilarating and joyous fragrance of heavenly
flowers before imparting it to people.’
Whether it is the lives of families of Dilli of yore, or their social lives and mores,
it has all been lost now. This sparkling diamond had many facets, and every
facet shone in new and different colours. This city saw poets like Ghalib, Dagh,
Zauq, Shah Naseer and Momin; an outstanding biin nawaz102 like Shah Nasir
Wazeer; and sitar players like Mirza Kale, Mirza Chida and Mirza Gauhar. It
was witness to the exploits of a swimmer like Ismail Shaheed, a calligrapher like
Mir Panjakash, a hakim like Mahmood Khan, an elegant and stylish poet like
Hakim Momin Khan who was also a master of astronomy, and scholars like
Maulvi Sadruddin and Maulana Nazeer Hussain. Such excellent craftsmen and
artisans were products of Khanum ka Bazaar,103 even as Dilli was dying. It was
a Greece in knowledge and the arts, and a Japan in its delicacy of thoughts and
love for nature. Alas, today it is a dark place whose light has been extinguished.
None of the features that set Dilli apart have survived; the Qila, Chandni Chowk,
the Bazaar Jama Masjid as we knew it, have all been destroyed and its light
extinguished. So, has the beauty of strolling on the banks of Jamunaji and the
fun of the Phoolwaalo’n ki Sair.104
My mind is full of memories from the Phoolwaalo’n ki Sair and I cannot stop
myself from talking about it. I will describe it in detail as narrated by a
mughlani105 who lived in the Qila. Of course, I cannot describe it as sweetly as
she did, but I will try my best to recreate her words. If I fail in doing justice to
her words and recreating the mood, then the fault is mine.
If I call the mughlani Aghai Begum, who will recognize her? However, if I
call her Nani Hajjan, many of the old households of Dilli will immediately know
her. She still lives in Chandni Mahal and is so old and frail that she may leave
the world any day. Since she received proper nourishment in her youth, her
senses are all intact and she remains mobile. Her spirit and will to live, her
courteousness, affection, empathy and unique style of conversation are still the
same. Her sparkling wit and conversation are like flowers falling out of her
mouth, and one can never grow tired of listening to her stories. Her words touch
the heart of a listener, and she recreates scenes from the past with such art as to
make one feel that one were witnessing them. This will be obvious from her
descriptions herein.
During the monsoon, Dilli turns beautiful with its pleasant weather and
greenery. Even though most of it is no more, some fair and spectacles are still
extant, but the hearts of the people are not the same, and communal feelings
have entered their hearts. Hindus and Muslims don’t visit each other any more
and are ready to fight with and kill each other at the slightest provocation. Every
other day there is a street brawl, and if there is a fair or a festival then it is as if
the wrath of God has descended upon the populace. Everyone is out of control,
ready to take offence at the slightest provocation. In minutes, stones are thrown,
sticks are used to beat each other, and in seconds scores of heads begin to bleed.
Now the guns are out and there is a curfew in the city, while jailhouses are full
till the brim. Some are sentenced to kala pani106 and some are executed.
Children are orphaned, women are widowed and families are bereaved. Instead
of rejoicing in festivities, houses are mourning. The gentle folk of the city have
stopped attending fairs. But when does time or weather let you stay at home?
The poor still go out to have a stroll, enjoy the fairs, and have fun.
One morning, I was sitting in Nani Hajjan’s house. The sky was clouded and a
light drizzle fell around us. When everyone decided to go and visit Sultanji, we
somehow persuaded Nani to go with us. We reached the Dargah Sharif and
recited the Fatiha.107 Then we went to Humayun’s tomb and picnicked on
parathas, mangoes, savouries and flatbread made from gram flour. From here,
we decided to go to Safdarjung, a beautiful red sandstone rose with delicate
white marble veins on its petals. The dome is constructed of pristine marble and
is so beautiful that it looks like a pearl from the river of divine beauty.
We came to the Madrasa108 and found that Moti Mahal, Jangli Mahal and
Badshah Pasand Mahal109 were desolated. It seemed as if the souls of
Safdarjung, Shuja-ud-daula110 and Shaidi Bilal111 were witnessing our emotions.
The hauz112 and water channels were full of rainwater and along the banks,
flowers of English origin smiled amidst the greenery. Colourful butterflies
fluttered over the parterres and birds chirped from the treetops. All this made for
a beautiful scene.
It was a strange excursion, and the old lady fell into a strange, reflective
mood. She said, ‘Children, come near me, I will describe the Phoolwaalo’n ki
Sair as it was held in the days of the Mughal Empire. When Huzur Bahadur Shah
went for the Phoolwaalo’n ki Sair, he would stop at Safdarjung to partake of the
royal meal. It is said that Akbar Shah II liked this place and found its
environment very pleasing. He would come and stay here during the monsoons.
When his son Nawab Mirza Jahangir was exiled to Allahabad and put under
house arrest, Mirza Jahangir’s mother, Nawab Mumtaz Mahal, took a vow, “O
Khwaja Saheb,113 please pray that my son is safely released. I will offer a
canopy and a cover for the blessed shrine with great pomp and show.”
‘Such was God’s grace that, in a few days, Mirza Jahangir was released and
Badshah Begum offered a golden brocade cover and a floral canopy. The flowersellers of the city also made a pankha of flowers and offered it at the dargah. It
was a huge fair and all the people of the palace and the city participated in it.
Huzur114 was very impressed by the mela and fixed an annual stipend of two
hundred rupees for the flower-sellers for this. They would offer a floral pankha
in the month of Sawan. God forgive him, but Huzur Bahadur Shah’s great
grandfather’s wazir115 was a disloyal ingrate and would always be on the
lookout to destroy him. He somehow managed to lure the Badshah away from
his palace by deceit one day and had him assassinated.
‘The corpse was lying on the riverbed when a Hindu woman came there for
her morning bath. This pious lady saw a corpse lying there and recognized that it
was the Badshah’s bloodied dead body. She had a sweet name,116 which I don’t
remember now, and, God bless her, she sat with the body. When a search was
launched for the Emperor, they found this lady sitting by the corpse. They
brought them to the Qila and presented her to the heir, and from that day
onwards the new Emperor made her his sister. After he graced the throne as
Shah Alam II, he would visit the house of her in-laws every year in Mehrauli and
remember her noble act. This is how the Emperor started going to Mehrauli, and
after Mumtaz Mahal’s vow it became a regular annual excursion called
Phoolwaalo’n ki Sair.
‘Preparations start months prior to the event. Pankhas are made; colourful
clothes are stitched, with beautiful embroidery and trimmings. The attendants,
servants and sentries set off for Khwaja Saheb. The royal palace known as Zafar
Mahal117 is readied for the arrival of its royal inhabitants. The Diwan-e-Khas is
decorated with carpets and chandeliers like a bride. Days before the actual
sair118 begins, guests arrive and there is not an inch of space left in the palaces.
The Zafar Mahal is full of joy, shouting children and young girls. One girl is
heard saying, “Ai Bi Ammajan, ai Bhabhijan, for God’s sake, get these
harmoniums kept somewhere.” There is such a furore inside, that no one can
understand what anyone else is saying. When one girl complains, another says,
“O bitiya,119 they are children, let them be. Let them play and enjoy themselves.
Everyone is like this in their childhood.”
‘The children play games such as atkan batkan dahi chatokan.120 Some young
girls get drenched in water from head to toe; one runs away calling out to
someone to save her from the water, slipping and falling hard on the wet marble;
everyone rushes towards her and there is complete chaos. Nani hazrat121 and
Dadi hazrat run towards the young princess, saying, “God is merciful! He has
saved my child’s life. The tank is just two steps away, what if she had fallen into
it? How would I have faced her mother?”
‘During both meals, the jasolni distributes trays of delicious food, betel
leaves, sweet rice, cardamoms, halwa puri, sweetmeats and kachori to everyone.
These trays are covered with a beautiful green cover.122 There is continuous
singing and dancing throughout the day and through the night, people laugh,
tease each other and enjoy themselves.
‘Two days before the sair, the maids set up the dressing tables, neatly laying
out jewellery, kohl, missi123 and lakha,124 ready for use by the royal ladies.
Henna is kept soaked in silver vessels and applied on the hands of the ladies
while female attendants sing laudatory songs. The foster mothers listen to the
attendants recounting fanciful tales about their wards. Some tell exaggerated
stories and do not let anyone sleep. If any girl or lady gets up and goes away,
there is hell to pay. The women from outside this exclusive group of royal
attendants try to find excuses to come and sit with them.
‘Scenes like these are common: A beautiful, delicate young girl is lying down
with a dupatta on her face. The diaphanous piece of cloth cannot hide her
beauty, and her half-closed, almond eyes and rosy cheeks can be seen as clearly
as a rose in a clear stream. The other girls put soot and oil on her face to make
fun of her. Mortified, she peevishly retorts, “Look here, I don’t like this kind of
jest. What kind of a joke is this? You have blackened my face, now I don’t want
you to say a single word to me.” The others burst out laughing: “Oh what fun!
We will burn the burnt, and sprinkle salt on the wounds.”125
‘When morning arrives, there is more merriment. One young girl complains
about her henna, “See what Anna chuchuu126 has done to my hands! I told her
yesterday that she hadn’t applied henna properly on my left hand, but she
refused to listen to me. O bua,127 she has nothing to lose, but thanks to her
stubbornness, my hand now looks like a bloodied mess.”
‘Another girl speaks up, “This coarsely ground henna seems fake to me. There
is no colour on our hands.”
‘A third girl retorts, “What are you saying? Has the excellent henna from
Faridabad become like this now?”
‘The fourth girl says with a flounce, “Oh these are unjust words. Apaa
Begum! As God is my witness, just see her hands. The beautiful floral design on
her hands is looking royal and attractive. Yet she’s not satisfied.”
‘A day before the sair is to start, the palace’s entourage and equipage leave
the Qila. Escorted by respectable guards, the ladies of the harem travel in horsedriven royal carriages. Other carriages follow with serving maids, slave girls,
those who work in the workshops, and their possessions. Sentries and soldiers
guard the procession while female sentries in their red uniforms run alongside.
‘On the second morning, a loud cannon is fired. Huzur Bahadur Shah wakes
up with the kalima128 on his lips in his khwaabgah and sits up against his
bedstead. The jasolni then calls out to everyone to be alert: “Attention!” The
attendants reply: “Allah and His Prophets watch over him.” Everyone then bends
down from the waist and salutes the Emperor, who blesses them. They then put a
footstool covered with green velvet for the Emperor to step down. He gets down
and goes to a silver commode. By then, a hookah for the Badshah is set up on a
table covered with gold and silver lace. The female attendants in charge of his
ablutions come in with a water basin, hand towels, cloth for wiping the feet, and
napkins for wiping the face. The jasolni sets a Persian prayer rug on the
sandalwood settee for Huzur to come in and say his prayers after his ablutions.
By then, the face of the fair goddess of morning is peeping in from the windows.
‘The jasolni then says with respect, “Huzur, the hafizji is waiting for your
permission to come in.”
‘The Emperor replies softly, “Let him come.”
‘Purdah arrangements129 are made and the hafizji preceded by the jasolni,
enters the khwaabgah hiding his face with a handkerchief. After the hafizji
presents his salutations, the Badshah recites a few verses from the Quran.
Badshah Salamat recites it with such piety that everyone present is moved by it.
‘As soon as the hafizji leaves, the hakimji comes in and presents his
salutations. He checks the royal pulse, congratulates him on his good health and
leaves. He sends a cooling drink from the royal dispensary. The bottle is covered
in a green velvet bag, which has been sealed to prevent any tampering. The
dawakhaana waliya’n130 breaks the seal in front of the Emperor and serves it to
him.
‘The Emperor then hears petitions while smoking his hookah. Then he orders
the attendants to prepare his bath. Everyone springs into a flurry of action. The
wardrobe attendants take out a velvet bundle containing his clothes; the bath
attendants lay out silver dishes containing gram flour,131 ubtan132 and khali,133
silver jugs containing water, as well as cups, combs and a pumice stone, while
the attendants in charge of towels lay out towels of all sizes. There are separate
towels for wiping the hands, body, feet, and face. The attendants in charge of
jewellery present the jewellery to be worn that day, and the raushan chowki
ensemble of musicians start playing music: “Behold! The Jahanpanah has
reached the hammam.”
‘The hammam has three sections.134 The first section is a room with delicately
embossed marble up to its dado. The eastern side has glass windows and screens
through which one can see the river and the refreshing greenery. In the second
section, a marble throne towards the north has exquisite mosaic and inlay work.
In front of it is a marble square decorated in unique floral designs. A beautiful
square pool is set in the middle of this room, and the nahr runs all around it. Hot
and cold water flows in it as per the season and the royal wish. This section is as
refreshing as spring.
‘Once the Jahanpanah finishes his bath, he comes to the Baithak. The ladies
and girls of the harem flit around like luminous fairies, fresh blossoms, chirping
nightingales or a bouquet of beautiful flowers. They are dressed in peach, green,
grey, purple and marigold-coloured dresses. Some of the girls choose to dress in
the style of Radha Nagri135 which are decorated with beautiful designs, while
others wear fine silken brocade pyjamas with flared bottoms, like a gharara.136
These have delicate floral and geometrical patterns embroidered on them. They
are accompanied by delicate dupattas with Banarasi borders and mukaish
designs, with their corners decorated with pearls, and gold and silver filigree
lace.
‘But how can you understand these clothes? Don’t mind me, but you belong to
the new generation, and can only see what girls are wearing today. I won’t take
names, but a year ago, a girl from a good family came to an assembly and kept
taunting quite rudely the elderly people gathered there. Son, if you ask me, they
are welcome to their sleeveless dresses with low necks and their high heels. God
help me, but is this any dress a well-born girl should wear? Today, daughters and
daughters-in-law wear dresses in which their bosom and armpits are clearly
visible. These dresses are now considered respectable, while the clothes worn a
generation ago have been condemned to ignominy. I don’t know how these
dresses can attract people, but everyone is crazy about them, and women are
willing to risk their reputations to wear them! I want to ask them, why – have
your brains turned soft? Why are you hell-bent on destroying yourself? Wake up
and stop flaunting yourself in these clothes. Remember that you have fallen in
the eyes of those whom you want to emulate and impress. They must understand
that if they didn’t think of their own ancestral prestige, why will anyone else
think about theirs? I want to tell them, you are bottomless vessels that will keep
rolling without being loyal to anyone, that you are good neither for this place nor
for another. And now, they’ve even started talking the same way they dress.
‘What can I say? Today, even the relationship between a husband and his wife
has become meaningless. As soon as evening comes, the husband goes his way
and the wife hers, and each is unaware of the other. There’s nothing left to say.
This is how it is nowadays.’
I saw that the old lady was getting agitated and quickly passed her the betel
box. She was fond of it, and soon calmed down. She started preparing a betel
leaf for herself and asked, ‘Son, where was I?’
I replied, ‘Nani, you were describing the beautiful dupattas worn by the girls.’
‘Oh yes!’ she continued. ‘Once the trumpets announce the sair, the whole city
starts moving towards Khwaja Saheb. The rich go in their carriages and
phaetons, the courtesans and prostitutes in bullock carts, while the poor walk.
There is a sense of great joy.
‘When the Emperor leaves, the guards, soldiers, mace bearers and attendants
all stand with folded hands and bent heads from the Lal Purdah137 till the central
gateway of the Haveli. They wear green cotton turbans and red sashes on their
waist. The royal bodyguards are armed with swords and bucklers. The
qullars,138 dressed in red cotton angarkhas, green turbans with black bands tied
around it, guns on their shoulders, shields on their backs, and swords on their
waists, stand at attention.
‘In the courtyard of Diwan-e-Khas are present the prime minister, Shamsuddaula, ministers, senior noblemen, and the bakshi139 in charge of the household,
Moinuddin Nazir. The lawyers, Saif-ud-daula and Anis-ud-daula, Raja Mirza
Bahadur, Raja Bahadur, mir adl,140 mir munshi,141 mir tozak,142 and – God
knows how many – other noblemen stand according to their rank and status.
Armed and uniformed cavalrymen and infantrymen stand on either side of the
road all the way from the Qila gateway till the Dilli Darwaza. The shopkeepers
of the bazaar make beautiful arches: some only from flowers, some brocaded,
some from leaves, some with tapestries and mirror work.
‘The streets are sprinkled with water, the shops and houses are decorated like
beautiful brides. All the windows and balconies that open out onto the streets are
full of women straining to see the procession from behind screens, curtains or
from behind their chadors.
‘By now, the palaces are abuzz with excitement. The ladies’ attendants are
sitting with the mistresses, ready with boxes full of every conceivable type of
jewellery and ornament. The ladies choose hair ornaments, earrings, bangles,
teeka and jhoomar,143 ornaments for their arms and feet and anklets, and the
maids help them out. Other maids decorate the ladies’ hair with fresh flowers.
Oh, what is this? Some ladies have not yet chosen their dresses, rejecting
whatever they have pulled out. One says, “Oh, where are you Gulshan? Sausan,
Man Kunwar, Chanchal Kunwar, can you hear me? Please bring my red brocade
box. I think I will wear the red phulkari angiya kurti.”144
‘Sausan rushes to her mistress. Suddenly, a loud sound of breaking glass
erupts – Sausan has tripped clumsily and her bangles are lying shattered. Now
she stands in a corner and grumbles. The princess is angry. “Haven’t I told you a
hundred times not to be so clumsy? Why can’t you walk carefully? Why are you
grumbling in a corner? No one has tripped you. Are you going to move from
there or will you keep sulking forever? This weather is not going to hold, we
have to hurry up and get ready. Wear some more bangles, these aren’t bridal
ones that cannot be replaced.”
‘Another girl calls out, “Sweet Apa Begum, there is no need to rush. Oh! Why
is everyone creating such a furore?”
‘Apa Begum replies, “Dear Banno, why are you reproaching me now? It was
you who said that you would follow the advice of Elaichi behen. Now go and
ask her. I have no problems if you take someone else’s advice. We all want
what’s best for you.”
‘Another lady says, “Please call my maid. I had told her at night what I
wanted to wear, and she still hasn’t got my kurti ready.”
‘Bi Zanakhi replies, “Oh yes, Bi Agha Meena, God save us from such
ignorant blockheads! They were not sitting with henna on their feet that they
could not have done all the preparations in the night itself.”
‘By now, many of the young princesses are ready. The clamour of bangles,
anklets and bells reaches the palace of the Padshah Begum.145 All the ladies and
girls come up, one by one, to present their kornish146 and give a small tribute to
the Padshah Begum, who blesses everyone according to their age and marital
status. The girls are blessed with, “May you have a long life and be a fortunate
bride soon,” and the ladies with, “May you have a long and blissful wedded life
and your husband live long. I pray that you have a beautiful son soon.” They
then sit around her according to their status in the royal hierarchy.
‘The Malika-e-Zamani147 is sitting on a brocade couch, leaning against a
bolster. She is adorned from top to toe in gold, and her incandescent beauty
challenges the sun. The pearls around her neck make her look as beautiful as the
moon. A sweet smell emanates from the gold and silver hookah in front of her.
A beautiful gold filigree khasdan,148 is kept on a silver table next to her bed,
with a silver spittoon under it. On one side is the golden-canopied, conjugal bed,
with an exquisite bedcover and fragrant flowers scattered all over it, exuding
sweet fragrance. The maidservants, eunuchs, personal attendants, female guards
all stand with folded hands in the courtyards waiting for their orders.
‘When the jasolni calls out, “Stand at attention, the Emperor graces us with
his presence,” the ladies lower their gaze and stand up to present their salutations
to the Emperor. Huzur asks them all to sit down and partake of breakfast with
him. After breakfast, he smokes the hookah for a while. As is his custom, after
an hour, he calls out for aab-e-hayat and drinks water. Everyone stands up while
he drinks, and then wishes him a long life.
‘The female porters bring out his hawadar. As is his custom, the Emperor first
recites thrice the Ayat-al-kursi149 from the Quran and then the royal carriage
leaves with its royal occupant. The begums and the princesses accompany him in
covered palanquins and on elephant litters. As they leave the palace area, the
jasolni once again calls out: “Be alert!” The royal bodyguards and mace bearers
reply, “Mahabali, Badshah Salamat,150 as God and his Prophet are our witnesses,
we are alert.”
‘Usually, the Emperor holds court and dispenses justice around this time. The
Emperor, the Refuge of the World, arrives in the Diwan-e-Khas and everyone
bends down from their waists to present their salutations. The royal mace bearers
call out: “In the name of God, the most beneficent and merciful, may all friends
flourish and all enemies be destroyed. May all misfortunes vanish.”
‘The venerable and respected Emperor sits on the Peacock Throne while the
wazir, mir bakshi, mir munshi, nazir,151 mir-e-adl, all the other nobles and the
clerks stand in front of him with folded hands. Petitions are presented one by
one, and royal orders are issued. The arzbegi152 presents the petitions.
‘However, the court closes as the Emperor is leaving for Mehrauli for the fair.
The court will be held in Mehrauli until his return.
‘The Huzur Badshah is a slim man of medium height, with a long neck, oval
face, dusky skin, aquiline nose, high cheekbones and a white beard. A spiritual
radiance emanates from his face. Once he emerges from the seraglio, the porters
lift his hawadar. Female attendants dressed in male attire, with green turbans on
their heads and red sashes on their waists, accompany the hawadar till the
central gateway of the Lal Haveli. Female Turkish warriors walk alongside with
spears in their hands. The eunuchs walk by the side, waving the royal whisk,
while the jasolni calls out: “Attention everyone, may the Refuge of the World
have a long life.”
‘The nobles hold the poles of the hawadar as per their rank. As soon as this
royal carriage reaches the central door of the Qila, the nobles step aside.
Cannons and small guns loaded on camel backs are fired. Trumpets are sounded
and the gathered soldiers give a gun salute. One of the gathered people call out:
“O Lord, bless us with a thousand more such years.” The rest of the people say
ameen153 with such fervour that the royal horses get startled.
‘The royal carriage moves forward slowly, the Emperor flings a fistful of
coins towards the gathered crowd. A man holds the royal hookah and walks
alongside the hawadar so that the Emperor can smoke it. The personal
attendants carry aab-e-hayat in earthen pots, packed in saltpetre and covered
with muslin. The watch keepers hold the hourglasses and strike the gong every
hour. The ewer bearers hold ewers, porters hold fans and Abyssinians hold
whips with silver tiger heads; all of them walking beside the hawadar. They are
preceded by the mace bearers and personal bodyguards who hold silver and gold
maces and call out: “Keep moving, walk briskly, the Blessed Emperor arrives.”
‘Soldiers, bearing guns on their shoulders, shields on their backs and swords
on their waists, march along. Horses, decked with embroidered cloths on their
back and bells on their feet, clop ahead. The city’s residents salute the Emperor
from the upper storeys of their homes, and the Emperor acknowledges their
greetings with a nod of his head. Thus, the royal carriage exits the city slowly
and stops. Once again, gun salutes are raised, and there is a change of guard.
Dak messengers are stationed all the way till Mehrauli. The Emperor exchanges
his hawadar for a six-horse carriage with a silver and gold canopy and golden
finials. The coachmen are dressed in identical uniforms and wave the horses
forward. Camel riders precede the royal procession and cavalrymen bring up the
rear. Now only the hookah and the ewer bearers accompany the carriage.
‘The royal procession first stops at Sultanji’s dargah, and then at Humayun’s
tomb, where the Emperor and his retinue recite the Fatiha and offer flowers.
From there they go to the Madrasa, where tents have been erected on one side
and a big shamiana on the other. Beneath the shamiana is a platform on which a
cushioned seat is kept for the Emperor. Behind the platform are two tents
reserved for the ladies, segregated from the public gaze by canvas screens.
Shadows created by fires from myriad stoves flicker on canvas screen enclosures
outside the tomb, and one can hear the noise of pots and pans being moved
around for the royal feast.
‘There are many kinds of pulao: gilani, Irani, noor mahli, zamurradi, nargisi,
moti pulao. In other pots, savouries such as Mughlai dopiyaza, chashni dar
machhli, khaasa ke karele, shah pasand dal, qalia kundan, kofte, pasande, many
types of dulma, dogh, burani raita. Different types of kebabs, murgh musallam,
samosa and so on are prepared. Cooking on a stove are wafer-thin chapatis and
layered parathas, while baqarkhanis, and naans are made in the tandoor. For
dessert, there is mutanjan, yaquti, man-o-salwa, khajle, imarti, halwa sohan,
qatli, pista, maghzi and andarsa ki goliya’n, sohal, and dar bahisht.
‘While the food is being cooked, the begums, princesses, and princes lose
themselves in the labyrinth inside the Madrasa. Some play hide-and-seek while
others rest in the cool breeze. One female attendant makes everyone laugh. A
young princess says, “Ai Bi Dushman, ai Bi Jaaneman, come let’s go down the
stairs and see who can go down faster.” Her foster mother immediately calls out
in fear, “May I give my life for you, please be careful. You can break your bones
here, please don’t think of such foolish pastimes.” The young girl replies
cheekily, “O you old lady, be quiet! I’m not going to fall prey to your
blandishments. You get alarmed for no reason.”
‘The ni’matkhana154 is readied by the afternoon, and the dastarkhwan is
spread out.155 The food is decorated with gold and silver foil. Water scented
with musk, rose, saffron and attar is sprinkled on the ground. The air fills with
the aroma wafting from the food. A low sandalwood table is set up. The
Emperor arrives and sits cross-legged on a cushion. The towel attendants place a
gold and silver ewer on an embroidered brocade cloth and proceed to wash and
dry the royal hands. They keep napkins on their knees and handkerchiefs in
front. The royal food is served in a grand procession. The darogha of the kitchen
breaks the seal from each dish before placing it on the table. Begums, princes
and princesses sit on either side of the Emperor. The Emperor gives morsels of
food to his sons, Mirza Shabbu, Mirza Fakhru and Mirza Jawan Bakht, who
stand up and present their salutations before taking it from him. He also offers
food to the Malika-e-Dauraan156 and his daughters, who shyly stand up and, with
lowered gazes, and present their salutations.
‘It wasn’t only the royals who ate well. Of course, now people can say
anything they please, but everyone ate well at the time, wore attractive clothes
and lived a good, civilized life. One lawyer’s wife who came to Dilli after her
wedding was so impressed that she couldn’t stop singing praises of the city. I
wanted to ask her, “You keep praising Dilli all the time, but do you even
understand what the city means?”
‘Dilli was Dilli because of the Dilliwalas, who were full of love and empathy,
who were there for one another and couldn’t bear to see even their enemies in
trouble. Everyone had a royal disposition – dignified, fearless and generous to a
fault. They were cordial and would greet everyone graciously and humbly. Even
if someone angered them, they didn’t mind. There was always a smile on their
faces and sweet words on their tongues. Now, such people are no more. Dilli
was widowed the day they were ruined and scattered by the winds of time. The
city is no longer Dilli – it is now Dehli.157 Its a city of outsiders and none of the
older people remain. Even those who have managed to survive have died in their
youth. Those who are alive bemoan their fate; they are sick and surviving thanks
to medicines. Most of them stoop as if under a heavy burden and continually
curse themselves.
‘I ask you, what kind of life is this? They all seem to be dragging themselves
on till they die. There’s no blessing left for any of us. Everyone is struggling to
earn a livelihood and to live a decent life in these expensive times. Earlier,
earnings may have been less, but we could buy more with less. We earned
peacefully, and ate in peace. Now, there’s always a problem or clamour. The
monsoons are good, the harvests are plenty, bags are full of grain, and yet we
starve. It feels as if there’s a perpetual famine, and why not? If there’s a war
anywhere in the world, it’s we who suffer. We produce the grains, and others
enjoy it. Our money is also sent to them. That’s why we are now naked and
starving. Earlier, whatever was produced here was consumed here. Money
stayed within the house and everything was fine.158 We could earn, spend, save,
or do whatever we wanted with it. Thus:
Where did the ghee go?
Into the khichri.
Where did the khichri go?
Into the stomachs of our loved ones!
‘We were our own masters and our own slaves. If we were good, it was for
ourselves, and if we were bad it is we who suffered. Our days were like Eid and
nights like Shab-e-Barat. Let it be – what will I gain from repeating something
that’s there for everyone to see? I hear that these days knowledge has increased
and people are more learned, but I see no trace of it here. It seems as if more
than learning, it is blind superstition that has increased. You must know that
Mirza Afzal, who is married to my great-granddaughter, has just returned from
England after studying medicine. He spent seven or eight years there and has
become a Christian. He’s always putting on airs and graces for no reason. He
couldn’t treat his sister because he couldn’t write a prescription since the tonic
had not been delivered from England. I asked him why he couldn’t make the
tonic himself. He told me, “Wah, respected Nani, how would I know what
ingredients to put in the tonic?”
‘Son, I was enraged hearing this. I told him, “What use is such learning? What
use is your medical degree? You have studied everything, yet know absolutely
nothing. Our local apothecaries are better than you. At least they can give tonics
and medicines when they are needed. Son, don’t feel bad, I am just indulging in
plain speaking. I wonder if education has taken away knowledge from you – of
what use is it?”
‘Girls are worse. They say they will give up their purdah and cut their chains.
That’s fine, but at least think of your husband. If he stops sending you bangles,
you will be walking around with bare arms. The women should realize they
would gain nothing by roaming around without their purdahs. I will not be
around to see it, but if this way of life continues, all of you will become
Christians, and the women, Jesus’s slaves. If women become so shameless, then
God save us all! They will give birth to serpents and scorpions.’
The old lady grumbled and lamented, while we sat and listened to her quietly.
For one, whatever she was saying was correct, and if we had dared to contradict
her she would have pounced like a wounded tigress and pulled out all our hair
from our head. We could only listen to her stories helplessly.
I was used to her temperament. I knew it was impossible to stop her once she
got started on this subject. To distract her, I quietly pushed the paandan towards
her. She took out a betel leaf and said, ‘I have forgotten what I was saying and
seem to have digressed. Where was I?’
Everyone reminded her of the royal meal she had been describing.
‘Oh yes! After the meal is over, Huzur Badshah rests for a while. After the
mid-day prayers, they leave for Mehrauli which they reach in no time. Oh! How
should I describe the wonders and beauties of that place! My heart threatens to
stop just at the thought of it. There are screen tents, gold and silver flags
fluttering in the breeze, and platoons of soldiers stand on both sides of the roads
discharging gun salutes. Cannons and muskets are also fired. There is a grand
spectacle all around.
‘Hordes of people from the shahr159 begin pouring into Mehrauli. Those who
own houses there enter their already readied and decorated mansions. Those who
don’t have houses, rent them. The poor just put up tents wherever they find
space. The talab,160 jharna,161 Nazir ka bagh,162 and amriya’n163 have all been
cordoned off with green tents for the ladies to enjoy themselves in without
hindrance.
‘The Emperor’s carriage reaches the Dargah Sharif first, where he pays his
respects, recites the Fatiha, offers flowers and gives money for lighting the
lamps. From there, he goes to the palace called Zafar Mahal and, via the Jungli
Deorhi164, reaches Nazir ka bagh. In the bagh, begums, princesses, the harem
ladies, concubines and daughters of the nobles set off to enjoy themselves.
Brightly uniformed and armed young soldiers of the bachera paltan165 walk
with them as guards. The princesses and daughters of noblemen are running
around joyously, dressed in colourful silk and brocades and laden with jewellery.
The female attendants, servants, slave girls and foster mothers fuss around their
various charges with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ and praise them: “May I give my life for
you.”
‘Everyone then comes to the jharna and has fun in the water. Some get
drenched, and all are laughing and full of gaiety. One girl slips in the mud and
slinks away in embarrassment when everyone starts making fun of her. “What
did you find so attractive in this accursed dirt that you started rolling in it?” says
one girl.
‘The other one says, “Oh, don’t worry. Such things happen.”
‘The unfortunate wench says cheekily, “I pray to God that you fall down like
me and get covered in muck.”
‘The girls now go towards the mango orchards, where oil is being heated in
huge iron kadhais166 to fry various types of savouries. Female gardeners have
put up stalls where they make garlands and floral jewellery. Some women sell
their wares seated in neat rows; some sell betel leaves; while the kababans167
grill and fry delicious kebabs. Some sell dahi bara; the goldsmiths’ daughters
sell multi-stone earrings and rings; and the halwais’ daughters sit with puri,
kachori and sweetmeats. The whole garden is like a rainbow of colours and
fragrance.
‘Various kinds of mangoes grow here: Mohammad-shahi, laddoo, shahad
kooza, shah pasand, batasha, safeda, gulabi, sindoori and siroli. They are piled
up, ready to be eaten. Jamuns168 fall from the trees and the girls rush to pick
them up. Several fruits – sour lime, mulberries, oranges, phalsa berries,169
khirni,170 gular,171 star fruit, berries, jackfruit, peaches and apricots – have
ripened, ready to be plucked from the trees.
‘Inside the jahannuma,172 the Emperor sits on a chair that has tiger-shaped
legs, floral designs on the back and is covered with velvet cushions. Next to him
is a silver table on which a hookah is kept on a silver tray, covered in
embroidered velvet.
‘While the grey clouds sway and dance in the sky, every now and then a burst
of rain adds to the beautiful ambience. Peacocks scream, nightingales chirp,
koels sing and a strange longing arises in the heart. The princesses flit around in
the rain like gay butterflies, plucking different coloured flowers, stopping at one
flower for a minute, then moving on to the next. The young girls in colourful
dresses remind one of turtledoves in a garden or deer in the forest. It is as if
beautiful but disobedient flowers bloomed in that garden, oblivious to the
gardener’s attempts to bring about some order.
‘When it rains, the dye from the cloths begin to bleed, and soon the earth is
full of puddles of various hues. All animosity is forgotten and sworn enemies
can be seen running around with arms around each other’s necks. Someone
glides, someone’s wooden clogs clop, someone slips and falls and someone
throws stones at the mango trees. A girl pulls at the fruit cluster of the banana
tree and calls out to her attendants, “Oh sweet lady Durdana, please pluck these
bananas for me.” Her attendants, maids and slave girls have been waiting for her
signal, and they climb various trees in a rush to be the first to pluck the fruits,
and eat them on the branches itself.
‘But then, a thorn pricks a girl, another girl scrapes her knee and a third falls
off the tree with a loud thud. Now the laughter turns into loud wails and the
other attendants begin to gather around them.
‘Ayahs and foster mothers cluck around their royal charges like mother hens.
“Hide your head with a white chador as all kinds of mysterious spirits in these
gardens can cast evil spells on you. Beware of the ants in the grass.” Some
friends continue to swing from the trees laughing joyously. They mock an
attendant dressed in bright colours, “Wah, bua, your bright red shirt has been
stitched with black thread! Were the enemies blind that they spoilt your dress?
Look after yourself first then worry about us.”
“My dear lady, what can I say, this is the work of Agha Mina.”
“I swear upon the throne, she is wearing a dupatta meant as an offering for the
poor.”
‘Just then a maid comes rushing in with a fruit platter and offers it to the girls
to taste. Another one says, “My dearest lady, I swear on my life this platter of
oranges is a life-saver.”
‘Swings with silken ropes covered in gold and silver lace hang from the
mango trees. Two girls sit on them, while four girls push them to make the
swings go higher and higher. They sing in their sweet voices:
Who has put up the swing on the mango tree?
The orchard is dark, the peacock dances at the edge of the lake,
Black clouds splatter raindrops softly;
Who has put up the swing on the mango tree?
All our friends have gathered at the bhool bhulaiyya,173
Shauq,174 they all swing innocently;
Who has put up the swing on the mango tree?
‘When the morning embraces the evening and the world is wrapped in a
beautiful dusky hue, bamboo torches shaped like red lotuses are lit up on the side
of the Shamsi Talab. Lanterns glow in the trees like fireflies, while the palaces
are illuminated with exquisite chandeliers, exotic wall lamps and candelabras.
Night turns into day, as percussion instruments are beaten in the drum house.
The sounds of the kettledrum can be heard. The raushan chowki musical
ensemble makes its rounds playing their drums and oboe. Tanras Khan175 begins
to sing outside the palace. Dancing girls dance inside, while the musicians
accompanying them sit outside and play on.
‘The dancing girls were the epitome of culture and etiquette, dressed like
dolls. I can’t find the words to describe them. They gladdened our hearts and
rejuvenated our minds. They were called derawalis,176 and there were no
courtesans like them. They were so talented and cultured that they were easily
recognized in a crowd of lakhs. They behaved like teachers with the young girls
and boys, criticizing their smallest faults and polishing their manners. People
sent their children to them to learn etiquette and culture. Today, they have
become prostitutes, and their manners and dresses are those of rustics.
‘Meanwhile, the princesses go boating in the Shamsi Talab, wearing jewellery
made from white flowers and looking like fairies. The boats are lit up, and as
they glide across the pond they glitter like a mirage. It is almost as if fish made
of light are swimming in the water.
‘Groups of friends sit around asking each other riddles, playing the dholak,
singing, telling stories, playing pachisi and laughing. Many dialects and styles of
language are heard as friends indulge in banter. In another area, young royal
ladies play hide-and-seek.
‘The guns boom to signal that it is dedh pahar.177 Night has fallen, and it is
time for the Emperor’s evening meal. There is silence in the palace and only the
storytellers stand outside the Emperor’s bedchamber narrating their dastans.178
Women sentries stand at attention inside, while male guards stand vigil outside.
The physicians are at their stations, ready to attend to the Emperor at a moment’s
notice if summoned.
‘Such fun and games go on for many days. When three days are left for the
procession of the flower-sellers, the princesses stop going to the jharna, as it is
open to all and boys dive in the tanks. Some boys play on the phisalna
patthar,179 while courtesans dance in the orchard. People jest with each other
and watch wrestlers compete. Some go as high as they can on the swings, while
others battle with their kites.
‘In the evening, a fair is organized around the Shamsi Talab. At first, the
princesses’ carriages arrive. Then, amid the cacophony, the crowd is asked to
move as the Emperor arrives to grace the fair with his presence. The disciples of
Miyan Mohammad Ismail Shahid show off their prowess in swimming. Then the
master himself enters the waters and leaves the audience spellbound.
‘Meanwhile, all the shops and houses have been decorated the night before the
procession, and now all of them look like a fairy garden. Flowerpots full with
blooms dot the streets; Hindus tie banana plants on the tent poles. Sweetmeatsellers arrange their colourful sweets in huge trays; savouries such as kachori,
andarsa and suhal are fried. All the shops are beautifully decorated, while the
vendors sit on the roadside selling halwa, kebabs, paratha and sheermaal.
Clanking pots and pans announce the cooking of biryani, korma and mutanjan.
Sounds of laughter fill the air as people enjoy themselves.
‘Then comes the incomparable Shakur Kakkarwala180, dressed like a
bridegroom, in his embroidered brocade shoes and high-waist chikan
embroidered angarkha. A crowd of children follows him. His hookah
accompanies him. May Khuda make me speak the truth, its pipe is at least five
yards long and covered in gold and silver lace, and there emanates from its
chillum a wonderful fragrance of tobacco. People crowd on the upper floors of
their houses to watch him proceed. Wherever he stops, his sweet tongue weaves
magic, the words like flowers. He recites a verse with great élan:
This is not a hookah in the hands of a respected sire,
This is the Milky Way in the hands of the affluent.
‘Jugglers, magicians and bear trainers show off their tricks, while roués and
rakes create a ruckus on the roofs of houses belonging to noblemen. Shops sell
gold and silver rings, earrings, nose rings, pearl and silk necklaces during the
intervals. The whole market smells of perfumes as the perfumers do brisk
business. Eunuchs beg at the shops with songs on their lips. Mendicants ask for
alms, singing about the rewards given by God to those who give charity.
Hussaini Brahmins181 spread a sheet and call out, “Dear friends, only God is
truth, who has given nobility to the Prophet.” Street artists sing in another spot.
‘After the afternoon prayers are over, sentries line both sides of the road. All
the rooms are beautifully decorated, with white coverings on the floor, and
beautiful bedspreads and canopies on silver beds. Verandahs are decorated like
brides. Canopied wooden settees, covered in attractive bedspreads, bolsters and
cushions are laid out in front of the homes and shops. Spittoons are kept next to
them, ready for use. All of these are for the people who have come to see the
sights.
‘A volley of gun salutes announces Emperor Bahadur Shah’s entry into the
dargah. Two brightly caparisoned elephants carrying the royal standard head the
procession. The elephant Chatur comes next, looming like a mountain, swaying
and trumpeting, lifting its trunk in salute. The beast is covered in gold and silver
ornaments and decorations. Then come the elephants carrying the royal emblems
of victory, shaped like a fish, a horse, and a lion. The emblems are decorated in
flowers and gold and silver lace. Behind them come camels carrying drums and
small guns – the drums are being played while the guns are set off in salute at
intervals. Next come beautifully decorated royal horses, prancing like peacocks.
Then, finally, the various platoons182 of soldiers, carrying guns on their
shoulders and swords on their waists, marching in rows of two. Officers in their
smart uniforms and bright turbans follow on white horses. The Badshah Huzur
Bahadur Shah sits either on a brocaded couch under a leafy tree, or on a throne,
and emerges in public in an open or covered palanquin.
‘Three magnificent, beautifully decorated elephants – named Maula Baksh,183
Khursheed Ganj and Chand Murat – also join the procession. They are decorated
with an iron shield on their foreheads, golden silk caparisons and gold jewellery
in their ears, with floral strings and richly embroidered tasselled brocade cloth
covering their backs. Maula Baksh is the royal elephant, on which a royal
howdah is placed for the Emperor. Faujdar Khan184 sits with an aigrette and
goshwara in his turban, holding the ankus185 in one hand and the royal hookah
in the other.
‘The Emperor is wearing a charqub,186 a turban with a goshwara, jigha,187
sarpech188 and the royal crown with a turra189 of pearls. On his neck he has a
short necklace of pearls, another of alternating pearl and emerald beads with a
ruby clasp after every ten beads, and other necklaces of emeralds and diamonds.
On his arms he wears a diamond and nine-gem armlet, on his wrists seven
bracelets of precious gemstones – four on his right wrist and three on his left.
Two gold and silver quivers with a bow hanging from it are fixed next to him
and a beautiful canopy provides him with shade. The raushan chowki musical
ensemble plays in front of him. On both sides, his personal bodyguards with
green turbans and red sashes on their chapkans190 march according to their
ranks, carrying various royal emblems.
‘The personal attendants and mace bearers call everyone to attention as the
Emperor’s procession proceeds. Waving the whisk, Mirza Shabbu sits in
attendance to the Emperor.
‘An attendant walks behind the elephant measuring the distance with a silken
rope that is hanging from the animal. When one kos191 is completed, he comes in
front of the elephant with a flag in his hand and bends down in salutation to
signal that the royal procession has completed one kos. The timekeeper strikes
the gong to announce the passing of the hour. Horses, elephants carriages of the
rajas, nobles and nawabs follow at a distance of 55 yards192 behind the royal
elephant. The cavalry, infantry and elephants carrying kettledrums, and bela ka
hathi make up the rear. This is the name of the elephant from which charity is
distributed.
‘The cavalcade reaches the Dargah Sharif and the inmates of the royal palace
come out on the balconies and to the windows to witness the ceremonial
procession of the pankhas to be offered. After maghrib prayers, the royal pankha
arrives. It is made of gold with pearl tassels and has a golden peacock with
colourful precious stones on its neck and feathers fixed on top.193 Its stomach is
filled with a mixture of perfumes – musk, amber, saffron, rose and kewra –
which ooze out from its feet and fill the air with fragrance. The pankha is
covered with sehra194 made from flowers and red and yellow threads. People
carrying sticks covered with flowers walk in front. Flag-bearers and drum and
trumpet players walk ahead of them. Water-carriers juggle water bowls and, in
the process, spill some water. Thirsty people crowd around them asking for
slivers of ice. They sing their requests in such sweet voices that even Barbud, the
famous Persian musician, would have been impressed: “This is a sabeel in
Allah’s name for the thirsty. If you have it, give it to us, or else drink it in the
name of God.”
‘Princes and other noblemen dressed in their best ride their horses. Attendants
walk alongside the procession with gulabpash,195 from which they sprinkle an
essence made of five scents on the bystanders.
‘As a light drizzle starts to fall, more and more people crowd on their
rooftops, windows and balconies. Some of the buildings look to be in danger of
collapsing under the sheer weight of the people gathered. There is not an inch of
space anywhere and knees scrape against each other. A grand spectacle with
fire-crackers and acrobats is to begin soon.
‘Huzur Bahadur Shah became very fond of this area, as is evident in his
songs.196 In some of his compositions it appears as if he was mentally
stimulating himself with such memories. Even though this particular description
is from my childhood, the procession was taken out with as much pomp and
show in subsequent years too. In the later years, the royal fan was missing, but
the rest of it was all there.197
‘To come back to the procession I saw.
‘Other pankhas begin to arrive in a great panoply. The market is lined with
bamboo frames in which candles and lanterns have been lit. The houses are lit
brilliantly with beautiful glass lamps, globes with candles, chandeliers, and other
items of illumination. The mica mix used for whitewashing the houses and shops
is making them glitter in the night.
‘When the pankhas reach below the royal palace, eunuchs throw fistfuls of
coins from upstairs. The trumpet players play a popular tune with gay abandon:
My beloved has gone abroad
Who’ll dye my scarf now?
The monsoons are here,
My beloved has gone abroad.
‘When the time for fireworks comes, various kinds of sparklers, crackers, squibs,
rockets and bombs are set off. The procession continues to move forward;
Muslims offer the pankhas in the dargah and the Hindus in the Jogmaya temple.
There is singing and dancing through the night. Disciples of Shah Nasir Wazir
play the biin while the disciples of Mirza Gauhar and Mirza Kale show their
expertise on the sitar. The sounds from drums and tambour float in the air.
‘When morning comes, everyone does their last-minute shopping for silver
and gold bands, rings, nose-pins, pearl and glass strings, and other trinkets. It is
now time to return to the city, and a steady stream of people begin to leave
Mehrauli. However, the Emperor is to remain there for the rest of the monsoon
and conduct all his imperial work from there.
‘This was the city and the fair of my youth. Hindus and Muslims lived and
celebrated together, and there was bonhomie between them. Even though the
empire was tottering, Mughal culture persevered. Muslims were ready to
sacrifice their lives for Hindus and the Hindus couldn’t live without them. If one
was the bridegroom, the other was his best man.
‘Now the tide has turned and the ones with gravitas have been buried in the
debris, while the worthless jump up and down.
‘That same city has now become a ghost of its former self and seems to be
devouring everyone, one by one. People are scared of their own shadows. It’s as
if someone has cursed the city. Enmity has seeped into our bones and the
hostility between the two communities seems to never end.
‘Whose work is it? Have our brains stopped functioning that we can’t see
what’s happening? As God is my witness, I wish that the earth would open up
and swallow all of us whole. It would be preferable to these daily conflicts. We
would at least be rid of this torment and escape this disgrace and ignominy.
‘As far as I am concerned, both Hindus and Muslims are like my two eyes,
and just as precious. Those who don’t listen to me may go to hell, I don’t care.
Their hot-headedness will only take them closer to ruin and we will be flying
like straws in the wind. We should keep our hearts free of malice, or the
unscrupulous gora log198 will loot us further. Though not all the goras are bad,
many of their emerging leaders are like jackals. People have become
unprincipled and corrupt; one has to merely tempt them with money and they
will demolish either the Kaaba or a mandir. Yet, they show off as if they are
street-smart and wise. Wherever one casts one’s gaze, one finds a perfect face,
who is imperfect in faith.
‘If you ask me, they are just useless fellows whose only job is to boast about
their non-existent virtues and deeds. On top of it all, they dupe people by asking
for money. A year ago, a few folks came to me and asked for funds to organize a
Hindu-Muslim milap.199 I got fooled and gave them money, but they have
neither organized the milap nor shown me their faces again. I think they have
embezzled my money and all I can do is curse them.’
Her sweet story ends here.
Alas, I am mixing the sweet melody of the beloved Shah Rangeela200 and the
lovable words of Bahadur Shah as a poignant reminder of an era lost forever. Is
our imagination taking us on a sightseeing tour of the past to show us new
miracles from that era, or did they ever really take place? Individuals can decide
this as per their capacity and ability. However, whenever I hear the sweet songs
of my beloved Dilli, images embedded in my subconscious mind come to the
fore and run in my veins like an elixir.
I often imagine a city of light where delicate, young girls, pure of mind, with
hidden and observable qualities, roam around with arms around each other’s
necks, dressed in Dilli’s pyjamas,201 kurta and dupattas. The palaces are, at
times, Taj Mahal or Lal Haveli, at times it is Baghdad or Alhambra. These are
the residences of Akbar-e-Azam, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, Noor Jahan,
Mumtaz Mahal, or Zeb-un-Nisa.202 They are either esteemed kings and queens
who have passed away, or revered elders born and brought up in the arms of
royalty. They were courageous, valiant, elegant, amiable and jovial, steeped in
the knowledge of the arts and literature, and were cultured and erudite.
They were a unique amalgamation of Iran’s khushbashi,203 Hind’s
bholapan204 and Arabia’s assasi saadgi, pakeezgi aur bulandi.205 It was as if
someone had breathed a soul into a newborn which reached its apotheosis in
Dilli as a beautiful woman who sings exotic, oriental melodies of the past. Her
face is full of life, like a morning in spring. Brightly coloured radiant flowers
bloom from head to toe; showers of prosperity and happiness rain all around.
The past, present and future fuse into one entity in my mind. My mind’s eye
goes on a beautiful sightseeing trip in which even the Taj Mahal soaked in
moonlight seems pale.
When Nani Hajjan ends her recollections, the light vanishes, and it seems as if
a blight has crept into the garden, its leaves and flowers have begun to wilt, and
a fog of sorrow has engulfed this illuminated city.
The colourful soul of the past has disappeared like a rainbow and left behind
nothing but tears and anguish. All I can do is to stare helplessly at the dark sky
where the sun has set, just as it has on the Mughal Empire.
Bazm-e-Aakhir
The Last Assembly
Munshi Faizuddin
The original manuscript of Bazm-e-Aakhir, which was first published in 1885, is
today in the Hardayal Municipal Heritage Public Library, earlier named
Hardinge Municipal Library. The text is a record of the last days of the Mughal
Empire, written after its lamp was extinguished in 1857. The author, Munshi
Faizuddin, was an attendant of Mirza Mohammad Hidayat Afzan (also known as
Mirza Ilahi Baksh), the father-in-law of Bahadur Shah Zafar. Baksh’s daughter
Rahim Baksh Bai Begum was married to Zafar, and his grandson Mirza Fakhru
was the heir apparent till his sudden and tragic death. It has footnotes and
explanations of archaic terms, words and idioms which could be difficult to
understand for those who are not acquainted with them. These were added as a
glossary in a 1945 edition of the book published by Alimi Press, Delhi. I have
used the edition published by the Urdu Academy, Delhi, in 2009 that has
retained the glossary, added to it and further simplified it.
This book was written only twenty-eight years after the end of the Mughal
dynasty, when many who had witnessed the reigns of both Akbar Shah II and
Zafar were still alive. Faizuddin spent a lot of time in the Qila as Baksh’s
attendant and was privy to the inner workings of the court. He was in a unique
position to write a tribute to the Mughal court as it was. The book’s preface was
written by its original publisher, Munshi Agha Mirza, manager of the printing
press, Armaghan, Dehli, and Akhbar-un-Nisa, a journal for women. He
commissioned Faizuddin to write it and helped to gather facts from wherever he
could. In the preface, Munshi Agha Mirza says that the proprietors of the
printing press Armaghan, Dehli, commissioned the book because he felt these
stories would soon be forgotten if they were not penned down. He wanted the
syncretic culture and traditions of Hindustan, and the life and environment of the
Lal Qila and Dilli, to be captured for posterity.
At the end of the book there is a taqriz (praise for the book) by Shahzada
Mirza Mohammad Sulaiman Shah Saheb Gurkani,1 son of Mirza Ilahi Baksh,
who belonged to the Timurid dynasty. He reiterates that Faizuddin was his
father’s special attendant and that whatever he has described in the book is
truthful and honest. Faizuddin does not mention anything related to politics, as
Ilahi Baksh’s role in the ‘mutiny’ as a British partisan was well-known. Possibly,
Faizuddin did not want to get into any trouble because of his association with
Ilahi Baksh, thus restricting himself to writing only of the culture of the old city.
This was the first book to be written on Delhi after the dissolution of the
Mughal Empire and the end of Timurid rule. It awakened an interest in Delhi’s
past glory and life and inspired many books, three of which are included in this
collection.
The most fascinating chapter in this book is on royal delicacies that were
served to the Emperor: there were twenty-six kinds of bread, twenty-four types
of rice dishes, and equal numbers of desserts, curries, kebabs, vegetable dishes,
pickles and relish. I have been unable to find the present-day equivalent of some
of the dishes and have recorded them as they have been written.
A Description of the Palace
The day the king of flowers illuminated the throne of the garden,
An army of nightingales serenaded him, the noise rose all around him
An army of nightingales serenaded him, the noise rose all around him
When days of the fall came, there was nothing except thorns,
The gardener would cry and point: here the rose, there the blossom.
Night
Night has descended. The Emperor is resting in the palace,2 with attendants all
around him. The chappiwaaliya’n3 press his feet, while the qissakhwans4 stand
outside the room and narrate stories. All passages leading up to the palace where
the Emperor rests are locked and guarded by female guards. None can go past
these Abyssinians and Turkish women-warriors to disturb the Emperor’s sleep.
Then there are the male guards outside the palace. These are tall, muscular
Abyssinian attendants dressed in red cloaks and black turbans. They also walk
alongside the royal carriage to ensure propriety is maintained whenever the
Emperor goes anywhere. Their appearance is enough to make sure everyone
stays within their prescribed limits. The royal infantrymen, mace bearers and
soldiers all remain alert as their royal employer rests.
When dawn comes, the royal gun is fired to announce its arrival.
Morning
The attendants bustle around getting everything ready before the Emperor
awakes. Female attendants in charge of the washbasin and ewer are ready. The
women in charge of the royal towels and handkerchiefs stand with soft
handkerchiefs to wipe his feet, ears, face and hands.
The moment everyone has been waiting for has come; the Emperor is awake.
Everyone presents their salutations by bowing to him and offering the salutations
by touching their hands to their foreheads. They present their salutation in one
voice as the Emperor wakes to a new day.
The Emperor now performs his morning rituals, relieves himself in a
commode and performs his ablutions. It’s time for the morning prayers and the
Emperor bows before his Creator. When his prayers are done, he sits down to
read the Quran, say his prayers and the rosary. This is his daily routine.
Meanwhile, the ladies from the toshakhana5 enter with a set of clothes for the
day, neatly laid out in a brocade box. They help the Emperor get ready, and once
he is ready for the day, his personal female attendants, who have been standing
quietly with folded hands, announce respectfully, ‘Refuge of the World, the
hakimji is in attendance.’
The Emperor nods, says a soft ‘yes,’ and the physician is called in. Lo, in a
second, all the royal ladies go into purdah, while the hakim enters blindfolded,
led in by a jasolni. He presents his salutations and checks the royal pulse.
Finding everything in order, he presents his greetings and leaves.
A refreshing and cooling drink is delivered from the royal dispensary in a
sealed bottle encased in a brocade cover.6 The female attendant from the
dispensary breaks the seal in front of the Emperor and gives him the drink. Now,
the female attendants in charge of the royal hookah come forward and present it
to the Badshah on a silver tray, lined with brocade. The Emperor smokes for a
while before giving orders for his hawadar to be brought to take him to the
seraglio.7
The Seraglio
The hawadar is brought in by the female porters. The Emperor is accompanied
by the urda beginiya’n,8 dressed in male attire with turbans, sashes on their
waist, and holding a jareeb.9 The other guards – female Abyssinians, Turks, and
Tartars – also hold the wooden staff and trot along as the royal hawadar moves
ahead. The khwaja saras wave the morchal10 to keep insects and flies away. The
jasolnis go ahead with jareebs in their hand, calling out, ‘Attention! The
Emperor is entering the dargah.’11
The Badshah pays his respects at the shrine and reads the prayers for the souls
of the departed, known as Fatiha, before he heads towards the seraglio. The
hawadar enters the Baithak, where the Emperor alights and sits on a soft, padded
cushion. The Malika-e-Dauraan sits on a quilted coverlet beside him, while the
other wives sit according to their status on his right. The many princes and
princesses, and the ladies of the harem, sit on his left. The female attendants and
the eunuchs present their reports on the happenings outside and inside the harem.
Orders are given and petitions are signed.
Lo, it’s mid-morning,12 and the royal kitchen superintendent now asks
respectfully for his orders. The Emperor orders the food to be brought, and the
female attendants relay it down the line, ‘Ladies, get the ni’matkhana ready.
Bring the royal food.’
Khaasa, the Royal Food
Female attendants holding several baskets on their heads come towards the
Baithak. They form a relay system, passing the dishes to ensure smooth delivery
of the food to the royal table. The female kitchen attendants spread out a sevenyard long and three-yard wide piece of leather.13 They lay a white cloth on it,
and in the middle of this, another two-yard long, one-and-a-half-yard wide and
six-finger-span high wooden table is set. Before the sealed dishes are set on the
table, another piece of leather and tablecloth are spread out. The kitchen
superintendent sits in front of the Emperor, who will partake of his breakfast
here. The rest of the table is reserved for his wives, the princes and princesses.14
The food is served.
The Menu
Various types of bread: Chapati, phulka, paratha, roghni roti, biri roti, besani
roti, khamiri roti, naan, sheermal, gau deeda, gao zaban, kulcha, baqar khani,
ghausi roti, badam ki roti, piste ki roti, chaval ki roti, gajar ki roti, misri ki roti,
naan panabba, naan gulzar, naan qimash, naan tinki.
Biscuits: Badam ki naan khatai, pista ki naan khatai, chuware ki naan khatai.
Pulaos: Yakhni pulao, moti pulao, Nur Mahali pulao, nuqti pulao, nargisi pulao,
kishmish pulao, zamaruddi pulao, lal pulao, muzafar pulao, phalsaayi pulao, aabi
pulao, sunheri pulao, rupahli pulao, murgh pulao, baiza pulao, ananas pulao,
kofta pulao, biryani pulao, chilao, saare bakre ka pulao, but pulao, shola khichri,
qabuli, taheri, mutanjan, zarda muzafar.
Desserts: Siwain, mann o salwa, phirni, kheer, badam ki kheer, kaddu ki kheer,
gajar ki kheer, kangani ki kheer, yaquti, nimish, doodh ka dulma, badam ka
dulma.
Snacks: Samosa, salona meetha, shaakhein, khajle, qatle.
Meat Curries: Korma, qaliya, dopiyaza, hiran ka korma, murgh ka korma,
machhli.
Yoghurt accompaniments: Buraani, raita, kheere ki dogh, kakdi ki dogh.
Side dishes: Paneer ki chutney, samni ki chutney, aash, dahi bare, baigan ka
bhurta, aloo ka bhurta, chane ki dal ka bhurta, aloo ka dulma, baigan ka dulma,
karele ka dulma, badshah pasand karele, badshah pasand dal.
Kebabs: Seekh ke kebab, shaami kebab, goliyon ke kebab, teetar ke kebab, bater
ke kebab, nuqti kebab, khatai ke kebab, hussaini kebab.
Halwa: Lauziyat rave ka halwa, gajar ka halwa, kaddoo ka halwa, malai ka
halwa, badam ka halwa, piste ka halwa, rangtare ka halwa.
Relish and Conserves: Aam ka murabba, seb ka murabba, bihi ka murabba,
turanj ka murabba, karele ka murabba, limu ka murabba, ananas ka murabba,
gurhal ka murabba, badam ka murabba, karonde ka murabba, baans ka murabba,
kapde ka achar.
Starters: Badam ki nuql, piste ki nuql, khushkhush ki nuql, saunf ki nuql.
Fruits: Rangtere, shareefe, amrood, anar, and other seasonal fruits.
Sweetmeats: Gehun ki bale mithai ki bani hui, halwa sohan gari ka, papdi ka
halwa, gonde ka halwa, habshi halwa, motichur laddoo, moong and badam and
pista laddoo, malai laddoo, lauzat, doodh ki mithai, piste ki mithai, badam ki
mithai, jamun ki mithai, rangtare ki mithai, false ki mithai, paithe ki mithai, pista
maghzi, imarti, jalebi, barfi, phirni, qalaqand, moti paak, dar bahist, balushahi,
andarsa ki goliya’n.
All the dishes are served in individual bowls or on a covered tray to prevent flies
from touching it. The entire room is fragrant with the smell of musk, kewra and
saffron. The tablecloth shimmers from the reflection of the pure silver foil that
covers every dish. Attendants stand in a corner holding silver basins, ewers and
soap dishes containing gram flower, jasmine and sandal scrub to wash after the
meal. Another set of attendants stands with separate handkerchiefs for wiping
the hands, nose and mouth.
The jasolni announces, ‘Huzur, the food has been laid.’ The Emperor then sits
on his cushion in front of the wooden table; on his right are his chief consort and
other begums and, on his left, the princes and princesses. The attendants in
charge of handkerchiefs put the napkins on the royal knees. It is time to eat.
Finger bowls are kept on the table in case they are required. The kitchen
superintendent breaks the seal and starts to serve. The Emperor sits cross-legged,
as do the others. The begums, princes and princesses sit respectfully with
lowered gazes.
It is the Emperor’s custom to call upon someone and give him or her a morsel
with his own hands – this is called the ulash. The person so honoured stands up
and bends low to present his or her salutations and deferentially takes the morsel.
Once the Emperor finishes, he offers thanks to Allah and then gets up from the
table to wash his hands with oil cakes, pieces of sandalwood and gram flour.
Afternoon
The sun is high up in the sky, and it’s time for the royal rest. The attendants in
charge of the beds arranges the beds with covers, bolsters and cushions. Cotton
quilts and blankets are neatly folded at the foot of the bed. Once the bed is ready,
the Emperor comes to the khwaabgah and sits on the bed to smoke his hookah.
After an hour, he asks for aab-e-hayat, and the superintendent of the department
of water brings him water from the River Ganga, which is stored in an earthen
urn and placed on ice. The royal water is kept in brocaded containers whose tops
are sealed to prevent poisoning and any other villainy. The eunuch who brings
the urn breaks the seal in front of the Emperor and serves it in a shallow silver
bowl. Everyone stands up while he drinks. Once he finishes, everyone presents
their salutations once more, and prays for his long life.
At midday, the Emperor lies down on his bed and the curtains of the
khwaabgah are drawn for privacy. The attendants gently massage his royal feet.
There is pin-drop silence now.
When the Emperor wakes up, he performs the afternoon namaz, reads other
prayers and says the rosary. It is now time to hear the petitions of his people.
Soon, it is time for the second prayers of the afternoon. He recites these prayers
too.
When a few hours are left for sunset, the jasolni calls out: ‘Stand at attention!’
Sentries offer their salutes and are ready for duty. The nobles and courtiers stand
under the jharoka. The Emperor sits in the jharoka till the call for the evening
prayers is sounded. Then he goes inside to pray. The call for prayer also signals
a change of guard. The sentries from the previous watch salute and hand over
charge. Drums begin to be played in the naqqarkhana. The attendants prepare
the flambeaus; the chandeliers are lit, along with candlesticks and lanterns of
various shapes and sizes.
Night
When night comes, the raushan chowki procession, accompanied by drummers
and oboe players, marches through the fort. They pass in front of the Diwan-eAam and the Diwan-e-Khas and then on to the jharoka.
The Badshah has finished his evening prayers, and it is now time for the
evening’s entertainment. Tanras Khan presents himself along with courtesans
and the songs and dances begin. The musicians play tabla and sarangi from
behind the curtain, while the dancer performs in front of the Emperor.
A cannon announces dedh pahar by firing a shell, and once again the royal
meal is laid out. An hour after the Emperor has eaten and partaken of his
hookah, he asks for the aab-e-hayat. Meanwhile, the naubat for midnight starts
to play. The Emperor lies down and dastangos begin telling their stories to
entertain him.
In the deorhi, all the armed female attendants come to take their stations. They
are of Abyssinian or Turkish origin or Calmuc tartars. They guard the Badshah
as he sleeps. Abyssinian guards, infantry soldiers, and royal bodyguards are in
their positions, outside. Royal physicians and attendants take up their posts.
Once it is dawn, the Badshah gets up and orders his carriage to be brought.
Daily Excursions
When the Badshah desires to take in fresh air, his carriage is brought and the
jasolni alerts everyone. When he emerges from the mahal, everyone presents
their salutations. The mace bearer calls out, ‘Present your salutations to the
Emperor. May he stay safe. Allah and His Prophet watch over him.’
The porters bring the hawadar and the Badshah sets off.
He is accompanied by the charan bardar, who carries the royal shoes in a
brocade cloth; two royal attendants who carry morchal on either side of the
takht-e-ra’wan,15 and other sentinels and attendants who carry the spittoon and
handkerchiefs. The hookah carriers walk next to the hawadar so that the
Badshah can hold the pipe and smoke it. Others carry the coal and tobacco
needed for the hookah.
A timekeeper walks alongside, ringing his bell. The nobles walk as per their
ranks, holding the hawadar. The porter holds a fan, ewer and wash basin.
Abyssinian soldiers hold staffs with tiger-heads. The herald and mace bearer
alert others, ‘Keep moving, move your feet.’ Salutations and prayers for the
safety of the Emperor come from every side.
The royal bodyguards are dressed in their red angarkhas, black turbans and
sashes, and carry their guns in red holsters on their shoulders, their shields on
their backs, and swords tied to their waists. They walk ahead of the hawadar.
Ahead of them are the royal horses decorated with gold and silver ornaments and
upholstery, wearing kalgi16 on their heads. Saqqas sprinkle water on the roads.
When the Badshah indicates with his knees when to stop or where to go, the
royal porters carry out the instructions.
The first rays of the sun are out and the Badshah is back in the mahal. The
ewer and basin have been set up for him to wash his hands. The Badshah then
sits in the Diwan-e-Khas for the adalat ka durbar.
The Court of Justice
The Badshah sits on his throne and various umaras17 wazirs, bakshis, nazirs,
vakeels,18 mir adl, mir munshi, muharrars19 and mutasaddis20 stand in front of
him with folded hands, waiting to present papers related to their departments.
Mir Adl Bahadur presents the cases for justice while the arzbegi brings petitions
to the royal notice. Orders are being given and the dar-ul-insha21 is issuing
farmans or shuqqahs.22 The shuqqahs are mostly for royal princes and umaras,
and have the Arabic letter swad – written in grey ink as the signature.
The Royal Procession
Guns start to fire from every direction to announce that the Badshah is setting
out. At the head of the royal procession are two tasselled elephants, on which the
royal standards flutter. Another elephant follows them, a huge jewelled canopy
on his back glittering with a golden finial and silver handle, covered completely
in brocade with gold and silver lace on edges. The beast seems to dominate all
the other elephants. Elephants bearing mahi maratib,23 gold emblems in the
shape of the sun, a fish’s mouth, a tiger’s face, a man’s fist and a horse’s head
follow this leviathan. The standard is fixed on a tall, gold-plated pole with
banners flowing from it. Silken tassels hold them in place. Floral wreaths are
tied to the poles. These are the symbols of the lands conquered by the Badshah,
while the sun is a special royal insignia.
The zamboor khana procession24 looks equally grand. A drummer sits on the
first camel, which is followed by the musketeer-bearing camels. Then come the
platoons. The captain is in front, followed by the deputy captain, cavalry officer
and the rest of the cavalrymen. Behind them is the bachera paltan whose
uniformed young boys hold their guns proudly, carrying cartridges on their
waists. Officers and drummers follow them. The bodyguards form one platoon,
while the other has soldiers from Telangana. Then there are the Abyssinian
regiments and reserves: each regiment has 100 men with their own drums and
standard. A subedar, a jamadar and a dafadar accompany them, wearing flashy
brocade turbans. The soldiers come in rows of two in their bright uniforms.
Drums accompany them. Royal horses, beautifully decorated in gold and silver
ornaments and cloth, trot forward, their anklets tinkling as they advance.
Here comes the canopied throne borne aloft by porters. It is vaulted with an
eave on the side. This golden canopy has brocaded and richly embroidered
cushions inside it.
A royal palanquin, cooled by vetiver screens and a small pankha, follows. The
porters, walking behind, pull on the fan, while waterskin bearers sprinkle the
screens with water. The hawadar throne has four poles covered with silver and
form an enclosure with gold embroidered cushions on the sides and a bolster in
the middle. Two cushions to the side are tied with silken ropes. A quiver with a
bow tied to it is in the front.
The glory of such a procession is indescribable.
The raushan chowki walks in front, flags fluttering in the wind. Then come
the karkeet,25 who sing praises of the Badshah. The soldiers with their swords
and shields, the royal bodyguards with guns, the Abyssinians with the emblem of
the silver tiger on their heads and heralds, and the mace bearer in white turbans
and angarkhas with crimped sashes walk alongside.
The negdambar elephant now approaches, richly caparisoned with jewels and
brocaded cloth. The litter is mounted on and tied to the royal elephant; only the
Badshah can sit in it. The canopies provide shade to the Badshah. Faujdar Khan
has a turban with an aigrette. He holds the Badshah’s hookah in one hand and in
the other the ankus used to goad the elephant forward. The Badshah sits in the
negdambar, wearing a bejewelled turban with a priceless pearl aigrette and a
goshwara and over that the royal crown, and numerous necklaces of diamonds
and pearls around his neck. On his arms are bhujbands26 of nine gems, including
priceless diamonds, called nauratans; on his hands, he wears ruby, emerald, and
pearl bracelets. He holds one end of the hookah pipe. One of his favourite sons
whisks the morchal behind him.
A durban27 walks behind, measuring the ground with a silken rope. When one
kos is covered, he comes in the front and presents his salutation to the Badshah
with a flag in hand to indicate the distance travelled. The timekeeper holds a
sand hourglass and strikes the gong to denote the passing of each hour.
The elephant has a beautiful silver howdah, with two quivers and a bow in
front of it. A curved silver stick with flowers decorates it, while a canopy hangs
from it. The Badshah sits under the shade of this canopy. Behind the elephant is
the Malika-e-Zamani and behind her the amirs, the umaras, the nawabs and the
various rajas. Cavalry regiments follow them. Alms are distributed from the last
elephant in the procession. Drummers play alongside it while the alms are
distributed. The whole procession walks slowly, majestically. The people watch
the procession from their balconies, roofs and from atop compound walls. They
bend over double to offer their salutations. The Badshah signals with his eyes to
indicate he has accepted their greetings.
The herald and mace bearer cry out, ‘Attention! Present your salutations with
respect. Long Live the Emperor.’
And thus the procession is over.
Celebrations
The anniversary celebrations of the Badshah’s coronation lasts for forty days.
There’s a great atmosphere of festivity. Rewards and awards are distributed
along with clothes and food. There is continuous dancing to the beats of the tabla
inside the Qila.
Distribution of Food
The food to be distributed starts getting prepared ten days before the coronation
celebrations. There’s no respite from the noise of huge cooking pots being
placed on the stoves and taken off them.
Colourful pulao, biryani, mutanjan, mazafar, zarda, firni, yaquti, naan,
sheermal, khamiri roti, gao deeda, gao zaban, meethe, salone samosa, kebab,
paneer, korma and salan are kept in various trays, plates and bowls. Pickles and
relishes such as aam ka murabba, aam ka achar, malai and khand are placed too.
All of these are placed in beautiful trays and plates and wrapped in embroidered
gold and silver cloth to be sent with attendants to people’s houses. Each tray has
at least twenty-two items, and the number goes up as per the status of recipient.
The recipients reward the mace bearers handsomely when they receive the
trays of food.
Hospitality
The guests start arriving four days before the celebrations. The princesses and
daughters of nobles gather in the Rang Mahal, Khas Mahal, Hira Mahal and
Moti Mahal. Both meals are delicious, and served with paan, tobacco, areca nut
and cardamom. Breakfast includes dry fruits, halwa, puri, kachori and mithai.
The jasolni and female porters distribute it individually to each lady.
There is much merriment among the girls, who sing the whole day,
accompanied by musical instruments. One of the girls pranks the others by
throwing a piece of black cloth on a girl, crying out, ‘Beware!’
All the girls scramble around, shouting and screaming, without waiting to see
the source of the commotion. Soon, chaos erupts, with each maidservant trying
to protect her mistress by using various means to ward off the evil eye. Only
when it is discovered that the source of the prank was nothing but a piece of
cloth, is peace restored.
Staying up at Night
This is the night for staying awake and all the women, whether a princess or a
slave girl, dress up in their finery on this day.28
Dress: Fine dresses with even finer embroidery made from: Banarsi zari booti,
mukaish, crepe, lahi phulkari, gulshan, baberlet, aab-e-ravan, shabnam ke
dupatta, zar baf, kimkhwab, gulbadan, masruh, atlas, georgette, choli, radha
nagri ki tah-poshiya’n.
Embellishments for the dresses (gota, kinari, salma, sitara): thappa, gokhru,
kiran, turra, khajoor charhi, leher, beej bel, chharhiya’n, bandrum ka jaal,
chameli ka jaal, mahi pusht ka jaal, chain, mur murre ki tuyi,29 keede ke par ki
tuyi, motiyon ki tuyi, salme siatre ki tuyi, pucca gokhru, nanhi jaan, champa,
paimak.30
Colours of the dresses: The girls wear dresses with colours such as gul-e-anar,
naranji, gaindayi, pistayi, sardayi, phalsayi, unabi, kakerezi, surmayi, ooda,
nafarmani, gul-e-shiftalu, sebi, fakhtayi, kokayi, aabi, basanti, dhaani, kafuri,
gulabi, gurhali, badami, sherbati.
Ornaments: teeka, jhumar, sara sari, nath, patte-baliya’n, baale, haale, karanphool, jhumke, khatke, jhakke ke bale, bijli ke bale, chadein, magar, chaudaniya’n, chand guluband, champakali, jugni, gajre ka tora, motya ka tora,
challon ka tora, kanthi, challa, do ladi, satlada, dhukdhuki, hainkal, chandan
haar, kairee, zanjeer, joshan nunge, ikke (ik-lara), nauratan, bhujband,
muthiya’n, pahunchiyan, kangan, moti-pak hubbab, chuhe datti, tipdiyan,
naugariyan, lachhe, chudiyan, jahangiriyan, kade, angoothiyan, challe, aarsi,
tode, jhanjhan, paazeb, chaurasi, teep, chutki challe are some of the jewellery
worn by the girls who are covered with gold and silver ornaments from head to
toe.
Footwear: With ornamented shoes such as ghaitli, anidar, kafsh, zer pai, kaf-epai,31 and Salim shahi they tinkle their way to the Malika-e-Dauraan, present
their salutations and sit as per their rank.32
The Malika-e-Dauraan is bejewelled from head to toe. She sits on her couch
with the gold and pearls adorning her glittering in the light. Her hookah is placed
in front of her, and eunuchs and slave-girls stand with folded hands awaiting her
orders. The women from the toshakhana come forward with dresses placed on
trays, and she gifts them to the ladies and girls in attendance. They come forward
when their names are called, take their gifts, present their salutations, and make
an offering.
Once the dresses are distributed, it’s time to soak the dal, considered to be a
good omen for the night of the celebrations.33 The Badshah’s chief consort will
be the first to fill seven handfuls and put them in the lagan34 while the Badshah
will put the prepared dough in the kadhai for frying the baras.
It’s now time for the Malika-e-Dauraan to soak the dal. Kettledrums begin
playing. Women carrying torches, candelabras and lamps for illumination
precede the Malika. Bands of female musicians, comprising the raushan chowki,
playing the shehnai and beating the drums, lead the procession. Female guards
and attendants, eunuchs, jasolnis and princesses, other begums, ladies of the
harem, harem servants, singers and noble ladies all follow the Malika as per their
ranks.
When the Malika-e-Dauraan reaches the Rang Mahal, a heap of split green
gram is cleaned to be soaked in huge qalaidar lagans.35 She puts in seven
handfuls of dal in the lagan, and then the other ladies put the rest of the dal to
soak. Salutations are presented to the Malika, along with congratulatory
messages amid the sounds of drum rolls and trumpets.
When the midnight drums are beaten, the soaked dal is ready to be fried. The
kadhai is placed on the stove. The Malika shapes seven baras with her hand. The
Badshah arrives in his hawadar with great pomp and places the seven baras into
the kadhai one by one with a spoon. Once it’s done, everyone offers their
salutations and congratulates the royal couple. Music is played, and the royal
couple leaves for the Baithak, with everyone following them as per rank.
In the Baithak, a wooden chowki36 is laid out with pristine white covers by an
attendant in charge of the carpets. Two new earthen goblets are filled with
sherbet, with two pots of milk kept on top of them. The goblets are decorated
with garlands and red threads. Two betel leaves are tied to the milk pots’ spouts.
The earthen goblet and pot are called jigad, symbols of the Badshah’s long life.
Past midnight, the kitchen attendants fry gulgule,37 bare, puris, mathhi and
papad and place them on trays and lay them around the jigad. The Badshah
consecrates the food, which is then distributed to everyone. The ratjagga38 is
over.
The royal cannon signals it is morning, and the Badshah goes into the
hammam. After his bath, women from the toshakhana and jawaharkhana39
bring the robes and jewellery for the day. Immediately, congratulatory drums
and trumpets are sounded.
The Badshah wears a qaba,40 charqub and a dastar41 with a goshwara. On his
turban is an aigrette, and on top of that a sarpech. Around his neck is a pearl
necklace and a string of 101 precious stones with pearls and emeralds
alternating, and after every 10 beads, a ruby clasp. A ruby pendant sits on his
chest, and he wears a pure pearl string with emerald clasps, and a diamond
necklace to top them all. On his arms are diamond and nauratan bazubands, and
on his wrists are sumran,42 four on the right wrist and three on the left. Two
sumrans have a double row of pearls, two have a single row of pearls, two have
emeralds while the seventh, worn on the right wrist, has four pearls, two
emeralds and a ruby.
Once he is ready, it is time for the sahnak.43
Sahnak
Rice is put in new bowls and, curd and white crystallised sugar are sprinkled
over it. This is taken to a curtained room where no man can enter.44 A clean,
white dastarkhwan is spread out and the rice bowls and a plate of slaked lime are
placed on it, along with bangles, henna and missi in packets, attar bottles tied
with red thread and wrapped in red paper, red, printed dupattas, along with a
hundred rupees for illumination,45 and seven types of cooked vegetables.
The food is consecrated by the ladies, who put mehndi on their fingers, wear
the red shawl, and sit down to eat the sahnak. Everyone has to test their piety
first and eat the slaked lime. The mouth of the pious ones do not get cut by the
slaked lime. The rice and curd dish follows.
In a few minutes the dastarkhwan is emptied. The ladies wash their hands and
rinse their mouth in a basin, and pour that water in a corner so that no one steps
on it. They rub the missi on their mouths and put attar. Then they take the
bangles and money for illumination and leave.
The sahnak is over, so now let’s visit the durbar.
Court of Celebration, Jashn ka Durbar
All nobles dismount at the naqqarkhana and walk towards the Diwan-e-Aam, to
the first station of audience known as adabgah where they must present their
respects. The second station of audience46 has a thick iron chain on a screen, and
one must bow down and enter. No one can enter upright.
At the gate of the Diwan-e-Khas is a red broadcloth curtain, the Lal Purdah.
The royal infantrymen, foot soldiers, bodyguards, soldiers and qullar stand with
red staves in their hands. If any stranger tries to enter, he is thrown out by the
qullar, by placing the hook of his staff around the stranger’s neck. However, on
the day of the jashn47 anyone can see the court in all its glory as per royal orders,
but everyone must wear a turban.
The third station of audience is near the Lal Purdah. Once again, all those who
have come bow, present their salutations to the throne in the Diwan-e-Khas, and
then stand as per their ranks.
The Diwan-e-Khas is beautifully carpeted and curtained. There is is an
octagonal marble platform in the centre of Diwan-e-Khas and on it stands the
Takht-e-Taoos. There’s a foot screen in front of it.48
Look at the beauty of the Peacock Throne! It has three attractive arches on all
sides with a wooden baluster running around the throne. There is a bolster at the
back of the throne. There are three steps in front of it. A vaulted Bengali-style,
dome-shaped canopy with golden finials covers the throne. On top of the
canopy, two peacocks face each other, holding a rosary of matchless pearls in
their beaks. The whole throne is made of gold from top to bottom and is
glittering.
Brocade and velvet cushions and bolsters provide support at the back. Two
royal fan-bearers stand on either side with royal whisks said to be made from the
phoenix’s tail.49 A prayer mat is spread behind the throne, and the high-ranking
nobles and ministers stand according to their rank to the right and left of the
throne.
The ushers, mace bearers and heralds stand near the adabgah. In the Diwan-eKhas’s courtyard, royal horses decorated in gold and silver stand on one side,
and the Emperor’s elephants Maula Baksh, Khurshid Ganj and Chand Murat
stand on the other side. Their trunks and heads are decorated with jewellery.
Their foreheads are painted and protected by armoured shields; their ears are
decorated with gold ornaments and silk ribbons. Their silk coats are heavily
embroidered with gold and silver thread. Beside them are regiments with
decorated metal shields. The raushan chowki ensemble and mahi maratib
standard bearers stand alongside. The mighty guns from the magazine are also
placed there.
The jasolni calls out, ‘Attention!’ The herald and mace bearer reply, ‘God
save the king.’ When the Badshah appears, the two call out, ‘In the name of
Allah, the most merciful and beneficent, may the grace and mercy of Allah and
his Prophet be on the Emperor. May the Emperor stay safe and all his friends
prosper, his enemies be destroyed and his troubles vanish forever.’
The Badshah gets down behind the throne and reads two raka’ats50 of namaz.
He raises his hands in prayer and then sits on an hawadar, which is then placed
next to the Takht-e-Taoos. The Badshah then graces the throne; flags are waved;
the guns are fired; salutations presented; and the drums beaten. The jewel of the
kingdom, the heir apparent, stands to the left of the throne, and the other royal
princes as per their rank on the right, in front of the umaras.
The heir apparent is the first to make an offering. He comes to the adabgah,
presents his salutations and the herald cries out, ‘Long live the Refuge of the
World, long live the Refuge of the Universe, long live the Mahabali.’
Once the prince makes his offering, the Badshah receives it and hands it over
to the officer in charge of collecting the offerings. The prince then backs away
from the throne to the adabgah, presents his salutations once more and wears the
khil’at51 robe. The Emperor himself fixes an aigrette and jewel on the prince’s
turban and places a string of pearls around his neck, and a shield and sword on
his waist. The prince returns to the adabgah walking backwards, without
showing his back to the Emperor and presents his salutations again.
He gives an offering for the robe and other gifts, and, after presenting another
salutation, returns to his station and stands there.52 Similarly, all the other
princes and nobles present their offerings as per their rank. They go to the jewel
house, wear their khil’ats, and the Badshah ties the aigrettes and jewels on their
turbans, and only the goshwara on the turbans of eminent nobles.
Salutations are being heard, while heralds and mace bearer call out,
‘Attention! Present your salutations with due respect. Long live the Refuge of
the World. Long live the Refuge of the Universe, long live the Mahabali.’
The Badshah moves the cushion and raises his hands to recite the Fatiha. The
usher cries out, ‘The court is dismissed.’
The porter puts the hawadar next to the throne and the Badshah sits on it to go
to the khasi deorhi,53 where female porters replace the male porters.
This continues for forty days.
The Palace Court, or Mahal ka Durbar
A silver throne with floral carvings on its legs, with a cushion at the back, and
three steps in front and placed within an enclosure, is kept ready for the
Badshah. The throne is covered with a silken embroidered takhtposh.54 The
Malika-e-Dauraan is sitting on the right on a cushioned seat; she is covered from
head to toe in gold and precious stones. She wears a nose ring with pearls the
size of a bird’s egg. The other wives, adorned with jewellery and nose rings, sit
on their sozni.55 The princesses sit on the left, equally decked in jewellery.
Standing in the front are female Abyssinian, Tartar, and Turkish soldiers,
along with female ushers, jasolni, and eunuchs holding either maces or spears.
The Badshah enters the mahal and the jasolni calls out, ‘Attention!’ All the
ladies stand up immediately and present their salutations.’
The khojas56 remove the takhtposh and the porters set down the hawadar next
to the throne. The Badshah sits on it, and the eunuchs stand next to it with
morchals in their hands.
The Malika-e-Dauraan presents her salutations and offerings first, and after
another salutation, sits down. The other wives and princesses present their
offerings according to their ranks. The Badshah gifts them ornately embroidered
dupattas as per their status with his own hands.
Once the salutations are over, the dances begin. Dancing girls perform for the
Badshah, while musicians play their tablas and sarangis from behind the tents.
The Badshah listens to a few ragas sung by Tanras Khan. Once the khaasa is
readied, the court is dismissed. The Badshah eats the khaasa and rests.
In the third pahar, everyone gathers in the same manner once more and the
Badshah sits on his couch. Sweetmeats are placed on eight silver trays wrapped
in red threads. Sweetmeats, betel leaves, green grass, earthen cups with candied
sugar and silver rings – all covered in a tasselled brocade are brought out.
The jasolni calls out, ‘Venerable sir, please enter.’
The Badshah stands up in respect and the priest sits down on the couch. The
priest then consecrates the first tray in the name of the Prophet, the second in the
name of Hazrat Ali, the third in the name of Hazrat Fatima, the fourth in the
name of Hazrat Hasan and Hussain, the fifth in the name of his ancestors, the
sixth in the name of Babur Badshah, the seventh in the name of those who have
died childless, and the eighth in the name of fairies.
Only women can eat the offering made to Hazrat Fatima and only the
Emperor’s direct descendants can eat the offering made to Babur Badshah, while
only pious women can eat the offering made to fairies.
The rest is distributed.
Hazrat Saheb takes the red thread from the tray and, reciting Bismillah arRahman ar-Raheem, ties a knot. In the second knot, he ties the betel leaves, in
the third the grass and candied sugar, in the fourth the silver rings, and the fifth
knot is tied after touching the thread to Badshah’s head. Once that’s done,
everyone stands up and presents their congratulations: ‘May God bless you with
a reign of a thousand years.’
The drums of celebration are beaten. This continues for a whole month.
Nauroz
The New Year begins from Nauroz, which is the ancient Persian New Year and
is celebrated on the first day of the spring equinox. The Mughals, who had
modeled their court on that of the Persian empire, celebrated it with great pomp
and show. The first thing astrologers and pandits do is to predict a colour for the
New Year. Once the colour has been chosen, dresses are made in the same
colour for the Badshah, begamat57 and the princesses.
Bamboo frames with seven earthen plates plated with abraq58 are filled with
sweetmeats in seven different colours. The frames are covered with cloth of the
auspicious colour and tied with tassels. The jasolni distributes embroidered
dresses in the same colours to the ladies.
The court is ready!
The Badshah appears in his naurozi poshak.59 All the princes and nobles are
wearing naurozi turbans and sashes and standing in the order of their status.
Nazar60 is presented and the poet laureate and other poets recite qasidas. Before
the court is over, rewards are given. The dastarkhwan is laid out in the chosen
colour. The dish covers and tassels are also in the same colour. The rice dishes,
desserts, curries, vegetable dishes, dry fruits and other delicacies are in seven
different colours, while seven differently coloured vegetables have also been
cooked together, which is called nauratan.61 There is also jao ki roti, saag ki
bhujiya and sattu.
Once the khaasa darogha announces, ‘Jahanpanah, the dastarkhwan is ready,’
the Badshah makes the niaz62 to Hazrat Ali as this is the day of his khilafat.63 It
is appropriately called Hazrat Ali ka dastarkhwan. The Badshah tastes a bit, and
then gives the consecrated food to the heir apparent and other nobles with his
own hands.
Once all the men leave, only the zenana64 remain in the Diwan-e-Khas. The
Badshah gives a portion of the consecrated food to all of them. Then he and the
begums enter the mahal and the rest of the food is distributed to everyone there.
In the afternoon, all the begums and princes gather to fulfil the omen of the
fan. They throw fistfuls of gold and silver coins in the air, a tradition on Nauroz.
In the evenings, all the salateen males65 come to the Diwan-e-Khas with
sabzwar hen eggs66 scented in musk and saffron. The Badshah sits on his
masnad and now the egg fight begins.
One salateen takes an egg in his hand and hides it, leaving only the tip
exposed. A second salateen tries to aim at it with another egg. When the egg
breaks, his supporters start celebrating, ‘He has cracked it!’
The Badshah retires to the mahal after five egg fights are completed.
The salateens leave and Nauroz is now over.
Muharram
As soon as the Muharram67 moon is sighted, the mourning begins. Stations
distributing water are set up. The Badshah wears a kafni,68 a green dress worn by
fakirs, and becomes the fakir of Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain, with a green
bag tied around his neck containing cardamom, fennel, and poppy seeds. He then
goes to the dargah and, after paying respects there, consecrates the food.
Fakirs will be given food in the mornings and sherbet in the evenings for the
next 10 days.
On the sixth day, the Badshah will go out holding two silver alams with red
patkas69 in either hand. A silver chain is tied around his waist. Two Syeds70 pull
the Badshah for a few steps by the silver chain, which is then put around the
Badshah’s neck. The alams are taken by the Syeds.
On the seventh day, candles are lit on a lotus-shaped mica tray, set in a
bamboo frame covered in red cloth. Trays with henna71 and maleeda with a red
lotus in the centre are brought in, accompanied by torches. These are preceded
by drums and illumination and followed by the Badshah and begamat, the
female Abyssinian and Turkish bodyguards and the eunuchs on foot. The henna
reaches the imambara and is offered at the dargah. The decorations from the
imambara are removed before the offering.
On the eighth day, the Badshah becomes Hazrat Abbas’s saqqa,72 wearing a
simple red cotton lungi and carrying a mashq73 of sherbet on his shoulder, which
he distributes to the children. Once he does that, he consecrates the maleeda.
On the tenth day, called Ashura, fresh earthen cups called kooze are filled with
milk and sherbet and a red thread is tied around their mouths. Earthen bowls
filled with fresh halwa are kept for consecration. Children come running to drink
the sherbet and taste the halwa.
For zohar,74 the Badshah reads the ashura namaz in Moti Masjid.
Preparations for haziri75 begin. A long dastarkhwan is laid out, on which
sheermal is placed along with kebabs, paneer, mint, ginger, and radish slices.
The Badshah consecrates the food and tastes a morsel from it. Then he gives it to
the heir apparent and subsequently to the other princes and nobles as per rank.
Once he finishes, it is distributed to everyone.
The Prophet’s relics have been brought in from the Jama Masjid and kept in a
nalki, a palanquin used by persons of rank. Soldiers play their regimental
instruments before the nalki. The Badshah stands up to show respect, the relics
are taken out and then kept on a settee. The Badshah touches his eyes to Hazrat
Mohammed’s robe and slippers. He first kisses and then places on his head the
Quran sharif written by Hazrat Ali. He picks up the khaak-e-shifa76 and touches
it to his eyes. Then he bathes the hair from the Prophet’s beard in attar and rose
water.
The men are then asked to leave so that women can come and pay their
respects.
Once the begamat pay their homage to the relics, the Badshah and begamat
return to the palace. The relics are sent in a stately procession back to the Jama
Masjid. The relics kept in the palace dargah are paid similar homage.
Gota, a mixture of roasted fennel, coriander seeds, cardamom seeds, melon
seeds, coconut and betel nut, is filled in beautiful, brocaded bags with tiny glass
plates and distributed. Many of the salateen keep taziyas in the Qila and become
fakirs, reciting the marsiya and observing the mourning. The marsiya khwan77
are given four plates of gota.
When the alam is finally taken out in a grand procession, Muharram is over.
The Last Wednesday, or Aakhiri Chahar Shamba
On the thirteenth day of the month of Safar, known as Terah Tezi, there is a
special custom. Offerings made from boiled black gram, sprinkled with salt and
chilli, and boiled wheat, sprinkled with poppy seeds, are laid out on trays,
covered with embroidered covers, consecrated to the Prophet and distributed.
The Badshah holds court on the last Wednesday of the month. The treasury
superintendent brings gold and silver rings on a silver tray. Four rings each in
gold and silver are worn by the Badshah, two by the heir apparent, and one ring
each by other princes, personally given to each by the Badshah. The remaining
rings are distributed among the gathered nobles.
Everyone bows down and presents their salutations. When the court is
declared over and the Badshah returns to his palace, he presents the four rings to
the Malika-e-Zamani.
In the third part of the day, new, unused earthen pitchers are brought in. A
little water and one ashrafi78 are dropped into the first pitcher. Then the pitcher
is thrown over the Badshah’s head. A needy person takes the coin. Some dry
grass is burnt. The Badshah steps over it. More pitchers with some silver coins in
them are brought in by female porters for the begums and the princes. These are
similarly thrown over their heads, and those in need take the coins. After that,
they walk on the grass in the garden.
The ustads of the princes who bring epistles written in gold and silver ink on
flowered and scented papers are suitably rewarded. The princes are given a
holiday from learning on this day.
Eid-i-Aakhir Chahar Shamba
It’s the last Wednesday in the month of Safar
Go take a stroll in the garden, enjoy the day.
Whoever marries today, hear the good news,
Will never see sorrow – it’s what the prophet says.
Barawafat
The month of Rabi-ul Awwal is also known as Barawafat.79 On the first day of
this month, a beautiful sitting arrangement is made in Moti Mahal. Gold and
silver bolsters and carpets are placed for the Badshah in the centre of the Mahal.
When the Badshah comes out in the afternoon, mashaikhs sit on either side of
him, and once he’s seated, the qawwals come and start to sing.
When a disciple goes into a trance, he moves his head around, then stands up
and starts to whirl. The Badshah and others in the gathering also stand. The
qawwals repeat the verse that induced the trance with loud beats on the dholki.80
When the trance is over, the disciple sits down soberly. When the qawwali is
over, trays of cardamom seeds are distributed to signal that the mehfil has ended.
Everyone leaves after the Badshah goes to his apartments.
There are similar mehfils held for 12 days, and food is distributed in the
mornings and evenings to the mashaikhs and malangs.81
On the twelfth day of the month, the palace dargah and the Mehtab Bagh are
decorated and illuminated. The Badshah first goes to the dargah, where sweets
are distributed. Then he goes to the Mehtab Bagh dargah. The mashaikhs gather
there and the qawwali begins. The session ends when cups of qahwa82 are
distributed.
Urs, or Death Anniversary
The urs of Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki is on the fourteenth of the
month of Rabi-ul Awwal. The Badshah goes to Mehrauli, and the residents of
Shahjahanabad follow him there. The Emperor reads the Fatiha at the shrine and
sprinkles a mixture of gulab, sandalwood and flower essences using a teaspoon.
He offers seventy rupees as homage, twenty rupees for the tents and twenty
rupees as an offering for a chador for the shrine. He gives sixty rupees towards
the food to be cooked for the khadims and mashaikhs.
The henna ceremony is accompanied by music and qawwali. The princes
carry chadors for the shrine and bottles of rose water on their heads which they
offer at the dargah.
The Badshah goes to Zafar Mahal to partake of a light lunch and to rest. They
leave for Shahjahanabad after morning prayers.
Gyarveen, or the Eleventh Day of Hazrat Ghaus-ul-Azam
The month of Rabi-us Sani is called Meeranji. On the eleventh day of this
month, the day of the urs of Ghaus-ul-Azam,83 there is a celebration in the Qila.
All kinds of fireworks, some in the shape of animals, are set off in the courtyard
of the Diwan-e-Khas. A bamboo frame covered with shimmering red paper,
called a mehndi, is placed in the Diwan-e-Khas. It is made for illuminating
candles and lamps. The dastarkhwan is spread out and every type of food is laid
on it. The Badshah lights the mehndi and consecrates the food in the name of
Ghaus-ul-Azam.
When the fireworks display starts, the food is distributed.
In the morning, the mashaikhs gather in the Mehtab Bagh dargah, where the
Badshah distributes tabarruk.84
Satarveen, or the Seventeenth Day of Rabi-Us Sani
The urs of Hazrat Sultan Nizamuddin Auliya is on the seventeenth day of the
month of Rabi-us Sani. Mashaikhs from all over gather at the dargah at night,
where the entire Quran sharif is first read and then the qawwali starts, during
which the mashaikhs go into a trance.
In the morning, the Badshah comes and recites the Fatiha at the shrine. He
offers four ashrafis and thirty-two rupees as nazar to the dargah, and two
hundred rupees to the khadims for their expenditure. The Quran is read a second
time in its entirety with him in the audience, while pots and plates full of
tabarruk are brought in by the khadims. The Badshah rewards them with an
ashrafi, and leaves.
Only then does the rest of the populace make their offerings. The khadims are
now in their element. People who are lucky get pots full of batasha,85 puffed
rice and savouries from the khadims as tabarruk, who then tie green and white
turbans on their heads. Trying to please the faithful, the khadims say, ‘We are
your old and trusted well-wishers. We pray day and night for your success at the
Dargah Sharif,’ and take some monetary compensation from them.
When the dancing begins, while some watch, others sit on the baoli steps
waiting to bathe, while a few dive into the baoli and swim. Spectators throw
coins into the well, and children dive in to retrieve them.
Vendors hawk their wares loudly: freshly fried, hot kachoris; barfi made from
fresh milk; butter that is sweeter than malai; earthen cups of malai kept on ice;
saffron and dry fruits; phalsa sherbet; toys; halwa; kebabs and baqarkhani;
nahari and khamiri roti. Some people with hookahs in their hands offer puffs to
the crowd. The paanwalas are selling giloris, while kulfi-sellers are sitting with
bowls, ready to serve kulfi–falooda.
In the afternoon, the crowd moves to Humayun’s tomb. There is a fair-like
atmosphere here. People have fun getting lost in the bhool bhulaiyya,86 while
others relax on the lawns and enjoy the cool breeze. A kite-flying competition is
in progress and the maestros have fun challenging and cutting each other’s kites.
Led by his guards, a prince’s procession enters, followed by mace bearers who
call out, ‘Long live the prince!’ The prince is seated on an elephant in a canopied
litter, accompanied by an attendant waving the whisk. Behind him is a regiment
of cavalrymen. At the gateway, the elephant kneels and the entire procession
comes to a halt. The prince gets into a palanquin and then enters the tomb
complex. Two special bodyguards holding the morchal accompany him.
Everyone takes their place in the procession: the herald and mace bearer are in
the front, moving commoners out of the way. The prince gets down at the
platform and walks up to the tomb. A carpet has been laid out for him, and he
sits on it to watch the dances.
By evening, the tomb complex is empty. Now there are only the leaves and
the peels left behind by the spectators. Flies hover over them. The tomb feels
desolate and haunted.
The satarveen is over.
Madar Saheb
Jamadi-ul Awwal87 is the month of Madar Saheb.88 On the first day of the
month, wooden poles called Madar Saheb ki Chharhiya’n are put up. In the
evening, a few people enter the Diwan-e-Khas, beating the dhol and holding the
chharhis. The Badshah appears. Trays of maleeda are brought out. The
cheelabdar89 place a garland in front of the chharhi to consecrate it, which is
then worn by the Badshah. The maleeda is distributed to everyone. A beautiful
fluttering standard is brought in. The Badshah hands over the standard and a
silver bowl to the cheelabdar and sends them off. These would be offered on
behalf of the Badshah in Madar Saheb’s dargah in Makanpur in Kanpur district.
Khwaja Saheb ki Chharhiya’n
On the fourteenth day of the month of Jamadi-us Sani, also called the month of
Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, people from everywhere gather at Qutub Saheb.
Many are going to Ajmer Sharif for the urs, and they are called meidinis.
The entire Quran sharif is read at night, and on the morning of the sixteenth
day, the meidinis leave for Ajmer. The Badshah offers them a silver chharhi
with a standard and accompanies the procession for a short distance. Everybody
sings praises of Khwaja Saheb.
When they return, their families send chaab90 to them. They offer oil, black
gram, money, clothes as alms, and distribute the mementos brought from there in
the dargah of Qutub Saheb. These are: sandalwood combs, rosaries, flowered
muslin, Jaipur sheets, handkerchiefs, scarves, flowers, hookah pipes, bowls and
attar.
Rajab
A Fatiha is held for the departed souls in this month and food offered to them.
Sweet bread is made from white flour, ghee and sugar and sprinkled with fennel
and poppy seeds in the nearby tandoor and distributed. The Surah Tabarak91 is
read forty times to bless the souls of the departed. A dastarkhwan is spread on a
wooden bed and rotis and new earthen pitchers full of water are placed on it. A
set of clothes, rosaries, miswak92 sticks, prayer rug, comb and shoes are arranged
on a tray. Incense sticks are burnt and everything is consecrated. The clothes, a
quarter of the rotis and the water pitchers are sent to the local mosque. The rest
is distributed as tabarruk.
The kunda93 of Hazrat Jalal Bukhari is also held in this month. Pulao, zarda
and kheer are cooked and served in earthen dishes called kundas, and distributed
amongst all.
Shab-e-Barat
On the fourteenth day of the eighth Islamic month,94 ustads of the royal princes,
bring epistles written in gold and red letters:
Hail the coming of Shab-e-Barat, when the world is filled with light,
When the marketplace is turned into a garden, O what a sight,
Those fireworks, those colours, that moon,
Enough to make the flowers envy the night.
The ustads are given ashrafis as gifts and there is a holiday that day for the
students. New earthen pitchers are washed and set out on a wooden chowki.
Sheermal and sweet rotis are brought in trays. Lobaan95 is lit. The sheermal, roti
and water are consecrated in the name of Prophet Mohammad, Hazrat Amir
Hamza, Hazrat Fatima, Emperor Babur and other ancestors. For infants who
have died, the consecration is done using milk. Food consecrated in the name of
Hazrat Fatima is only given to women, and that which is in the name of Emperor
Babur is given only to his descendants. The rest is distributed to all and sundry.
In the afternoon, fireworks are distributed to the royal children.
At night, various types of lamps in many designs are lit. The drums are played
in the naubatkhana,96 the palaces are illuminated, fireworks are set off, and the
air is full of festivities and enjoyment.
The Emperor comes to the imambara and lights the chirag,97 with his own
hands. Kangni kheer is brought to the imambara. The Badshah tastes from a
teaspoon, then distributes it himself to others with the same spoon. Every one
presents their salutations before accepting it.
Ramzan
Two days before the month of Ramzan, dromedary riders are sent off in all
directions to spot the Ramzan moon. If clouds prevent the moon from being
sighted by the riders, someone reliable from the villages or hills – a qazi98 or a
nobleman – would have to corroborate, in front of the Emperor, the testimony of
the person who has sighted the moon. The Badshah will then consult the ulema
and order the cannons to be fired to signal the month of Ramzan. Eleven
cannons would be fired on the sighting the moon, and the same eleven would be
fired to signal the end of Ramzan99 either on the twenty-ninth or thirtieth day of
Ramzan as per the sighting of the moon.
The begamat, the ladies of the harem, the royal children and singers and
dancers felicitate the Emperor. Days of festivity begin, with drums and dances,
illumination, songs and the beating of the naubat. The Badshah distributes
earthen cups and cottage cheese to everyone.
When the time comes for the night prayers, the azan for isha can be heard
everywhere. Prayer rugs are spread out in the Diwan-e-Khas, and the attendant
informs the Emperor that the congregation is ready. The Badshah appears and
reads his prayers with the congregation and hears a chapter and a half of the
Quran in the taraweeh. He returns to his apartments, partakes of the hookah, and
rests.
Preparations for sehri are in full swing. The first gongs of the bell announcing
sehri can be heard from inside the palace, naqqarkhana, and the Jama Masjid.
As soon as the second gong is struck, the dastarkhwan is laid out with food. The
Badshah eats the sehri on the third gong, has his hookah, and goes for the
morning prayers. A cannon announcing the end of sehri is let off. The Badshah
rinses his mouth and drinks aab-e-hayat. Now, there will be no more eating or
drinking till iftar.
The Emperor makes the vow of roza,100 reads his fajr101 prayers, then goes to
the dargah to pay his respects. He then goes out for some fresh air and returns to
the mahal to hear the people’s grievances.
During late afternoon, the tandoors are lit. A golden chair with legs shaped
like a tiger’s head, decorated in golden floral carvings, and upholstered in velvet
is set for the Badshah near the tandoor. The begamat, ladies of the harem and
princesses are cooking various kinds of rotis in the tandoor with their own hands.
The Badshah watches them indulgently. When someone’s rotis are cooked well,
she is delighted. If someone’s roti is burnt, falls inside the tandoor, or is
undercooked, the others laugh in good humour. Innumerable stoves are kept
ready. Several dishes are cooked: methi ka sag, green chillies, the tender green
stalk of moti ke phool, baigan ka dulma, and badshah-pasand karele. The meats
are cooked separately. In another corner, seekh kebab, hussaini kebab, tikka
kebab, nan pao ke tukre, gajar ka lachha and other varieties of food are prepared.
Everybody tries to pass the time till iftar and make sure they do not break the
fast. When a rozakhor102 comes, they get after her, with imprecations:
‘rozakhor, khuda ka chor’;103 ‘haath mein beeda, munh mein keeda’;104
‘rozakhoro’n par kya tabahi, tooti jooti, phooti razai’.105 The person is teased so
much that she runs away in embarrassment.
Suddenly, there’s a loud crash, and someone erupts in anger. A maidservant
has broken a dish and the lady starts throwing utensils at the stove and begins to
sulk. The other ladies reason with her that anger is against the rules of fasting.
‘What use is a fast in which you are cruel to Allah’s creatures? You are not an
animal to be insensitive to another’s feelings.’
She retorts in anger, ‘Stop! Hold your tongue. As you sow, so shall you reap.
As if you are very pious and god-fearing. If you go to heaven, it’ll be because of
your deeds, and if I am condemned to hell, it will be based on my deeds.’
Someone replies, ‘Come on, let’s not waste any more time with this tyrant.
The devil is ruling her today. May God save us from such an evil one.’
The women gardeners have set up shops of flowers and garlands,
overcharging the ladies four times the normal price. Some women walk about
with baskets full of savouries on their heads to sell them.
After the asr106 prayers, everybody prepares for breaking the fast. Brightcoloured crockery is kept on trays on one side, and new pitchers and delicate
porcelain cups are kept on the other. Fresh salad vegetables and dry fruits are
kept beside each other. Some vegetables are kept raw, some are boiled and some
sprinkled with chilli or pepper. Oranges are peeled and sprinkled with salt.
Rahat-e-jaan salad is made and bananas are sliced. Muskmelons are diced finely,
sprinkled with sugar, and kept in bowls. Fried split green gram, ground
chickpeas savouries, roasted gram and dry fruits seasoned with salt and pepper
are set out on plates. Sherbets are made from grapes, pomegranates and phalsa.
Lemonade is being poured into glasses.
Now it’s time to exchange the food that the ladies had cooked. The time to
end the fast is close now; everyone is drained of energy and waiting eagerly.
Someone complains of a parched throat, another of hunger and asks how long
before the cannon is fired to mark the end of the fast.
Every minute seems like an eternity.
Finally, the sun sets, and the Badshah gives the order for the cannon to be
fired. The harkaras107 wave their flags, and as soon as the shot is fired, the azan
is given. An unbelievable atmosphere of happiness descends on the city.
The fast is broken with a sip of aab-e-zamzam or dates from Mecca. Sherbet is
sipped delicately. They taste morsels from the food that has been set out and
then go to pray. After praying they eat their betel leaves.
A whole month goes by thus.
Alvida, or Farewell
The last Friday of Ramzan, the alvida, is an important occasion. The Badshah
goes out to the Jama Masjid in a ceremonial procession. At the steps of the
mosque, his hawadar is placed next to an elephant. The Badshah sits on it and
enters the mosque, getting down near the hauz, for ablutions. His attendants call
out loudly for all to move away from the path. Princes and nobles follow him.
When prayers begin, the Badshah’s rug is placed behind the imam’s. On his
left sits the heir apparent, on his right the other princes. The Badshah asks the
imam to read out the khutba. The imam stands on the pulpit. A sword is placed
on his waist by the darogha-e-qur.108 The imam holds the hilt and delivers his
khutba.
Once the khutba is over, the names of all the deceased emperors are taken.
When the time comes to announce the name of the reigning monarch, the
wardrobe superintendent is ordered to give a robe to the imam. The imam now
makes the pledge, and the congregation follows suit. He reads the two raka’ats
of namaz for Friday after the khutba.
When the Badshah finishes his prayers, he comes to the asar sharif,109 where
the Prophet’s relics are kept. He pays homage to the relics and returns to the
Qila.
On the twenty-ninth day of Ramzan, envoys are sent to sight the moon.
Everyone is eagerly looking at the skies for the moon, which will signal the end
of Ramzan. If someone sees the moon, or a messenger brings a signed letter of a
sighting from a village, the time to celebrate will begin. At the naqqarkhana, a
25-gun salute is given for the advent of Eid the next day. If the moon is not
sighted that day, the gun-salute will be done on the thirtieth day of Ramzan.
Eid-ul-Fitr
The guns, shamianas and carpets are sent to the eidgah at night. The elephants
are painted and ready to be caparisoned. As soon as morning breaks, the
Badshah bathes and changes into robes adorned with jewels. The dastarkhwan is
quickly laid out with vermicelli and milk, sweet candies, dry fruits and plain
rice. Split green gram is put on them. The Badshah consecrates the food and
tastes all the dishes. After rinsing his mouth, he goes outside. The jasolni
immediately calls out to alert every one of his presence. A trumpet is sounded
and the procession falls into place.
Faujdar Khan makes the elephant kneel, and the hawadar is set down a foot
length away from the elephant. The Badshah goes to the Diwan-e-Aam on the
elephant. A 21-gun salute is given from the parade grounds. As the royal
procession reaches the gateway of the eidgah, it divides itself into two, and the
guns are let off in salute once more. The Badshah gets down from the elephant
and into his hawadar. The heir apparent sits in a nalki, while the rest follow on
foot.
The Badshah gets down at the platform and goes into the royal tent where his
prayer rug has been spread out. The muezzin sounds the Takbir. Everyone stands
in rows and makes pledges for prayers with the Imam. After the namaz,
everyone but the Badshah and the heir apparent stand. The imam is asked to read
the khutba. The armoury superintendent ties a sword and a bow-and-arrow
around the imam’s waist. The imam reads the khutba with a hand on the hilt of
the sword. When the Badshah’s name is announced, the wardrobe superintendent
once again gives him a robe. When the prayers are complete, one gun is fired in
honour of the khutba. The Badshah sits on the negdambar, and goes back to the
Qila, where he holds court in the Diwan-e-Khas sitting on the Peacock Throne.
He accepts everyone’s offerings and gives them garlands and turban emblems.
After that, he enters the mahal and, sitting on a silver throne, accepts offerings
from all the ladies.
Eid-ul-Adha
On the tenth day of Zil-hajj,110 the Badshah’s procession leaves for the eidgah.
The protocol remains the same, except that this time, a masnad is set aside for
him in a royal tent that faces south. Two tents with shamianas are set up behind
it for the ladies. Men with ropes hold a decorated camel with a chalk mark on its
chest. It is now time for the ritual sacrifice.
When the Badshah arrives, a sheet of cloth is put up between the camel and
him. The superintendent of the armoury gives him a spear. The qazi reads out the
prayers for offering the sacrifice. After the prayers, the Badshah throws the spear
at the chalk mark on the camel’s chest. The qazi slaughters the camel and
completes the sacrifice.
After the sacrifice is over, the Badshah mounts his carriage and goes back to
the royal tent, where a lamb, dyed in henna, stands at the entrance. The Badshah
sacrifices the animal and enters the tent. He sits on his couch with his heir
apparent to one side and the other princes on the other. Nobles stand in front of
him with folded hands. The dastarkhwan is set up. The camel’s and the lamb’s
livers are cooked as kebabs and served with sheermal. The Badshah eats a small
morsel and offers the food to the others. Everyone salutes him and takes the
morsels. The same sequence is repeated in the ladies’ tents, and, after a short
duration, the Badshah leaves for the Qila, where he holds court and accepts the
offerings. Sacrificial goats are sent to everyone as per their status.
Salona
I have heard this custom being described as such.
When Alamgir II111 was the reigning monarch, all powers were vested in the
hand of his wazir, Ghaziud-Din Khan [Imad-ul-Mulk]. The wazir hated the
Emperor and kept thinking of ways to kill him. But he did not have the courage
to commit the crime inside the fort, so he devised a clever way to draw the
Badshah outside.
One day, Ghaziud-Din Khan told the Emperor that an exalted, pious fakir had
come to the old citadel.112 The Badshah gave orders to summon him. The wazir
said, ‘As you wish,’ and found an opportunity to secretly allow two men with
daggers into the Kotla. He came back and told the Emperor, ‘Huzur, the fakir
says he is a king himself. If the Badshah wants to meet him, he should come
himself.’ As Alamgir II was a pious man with great faith in Sufi saints he
accepted and left for Kotla.
When he reached Kotla, the wily wazir said, ‘Jahanpanah, the fakir will be
very upset on seeing your retinue.’ The Badshah ordered everyone to wait near
the entrance and went inside accompanied by only the wazir. As soon as he set
foot inside Kotla, he was set upon by the wazir’s men, stabbed, and his body
thrown into the river.
The wazir came out and told the Badshah’s retinue, ‘The Badshah is sitting
with the fakir and has asked me to bring a piece of paper from his apartments.
All of you stay here while I return with the paper.’ He disappeared after that.
A Hindu lady113 was passing by on her way to her early morning puja of the
Jamuna. She saw the dead body and recognized it as that of the Emperor. She
was shocked. The Mughals had always enjoyed the goodwill of their subjects –
Hindus and Muslims alike. She immediately sat down there and placed the head
of the dead Emperor on her lap.
At the citadel, when neither the Badshah nor the wazir came back, the royal
retinue entered the mosque, and found it empty. They started running around in
search of the Emperor and found the Hindu lady guarding the corpse. They
brought the dead body back and after a ritual bath, buried the Emperor in
Humayun’s tomb. Shah Alam II, Alamgir’s heir, called upon her and declared
her to be his sister.114 He rewarded her generously.
After that day, she would come on every Salona festival (as Rakshabandhan
was called) bearing lots of sweets and tie a rakhi of pure pearls on his wrist. He
would gift her clothes and gold coins, as was the custom. This practice continued
till Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled from the Fort, with women from the Hindu
lady’s family coming to tie a rakhi on the wrist of the Mughal Emperor and other
princes.
Dussehra
On Dussehra, the Badshah holds a durbar. An Indian Roller bird is let off in
front of the Badshah. The superintendent of the falconry brings a falcon and a
hawk to the Badshah, who places the falcon on his wrist. The court is adjourned
after that.115
In the afternoon, hennaed and caparisoned horses, decorated with gold and
silver tassels and embroidered cloth, are brought by the royal stables
superintendent under the jharoka. The Badshah inspects the horses and rewards
the superintendent before sending him on his way.
Diwali
When the time comes for the first diya, no one enters or leaves the royal
apartments. None of the women helpers – the washerwomen, the gardeners,
porters, and other servants – will be allowed to step outside the fort. No
vegetable enters the mahal, and all vegetables have to be peeled beforehand for
fear that someone may do black magic on the ladies inside the Qila.116
On the third diya, the Badshah is weighed in gold and silver. For this, a huge
weighing scale is set up. The Badshah sits on one platform, while the other is
filled with gold and silver, which is then distributed amongst the poor. A black
buffalo, a black blanket, mustard oil, seven kinds of grains and cereals, gold and
silver are offered as the Badshah’s sadqa.117
The Qila is illuminated on all sides. Puffed rice, candy, toys made from clay,
sugar cane, lemon and small clay houses are distributed to everyone by the
jasolnis and the maidservants. At night, mud houses made by the royal children
are filled with puffed rice and batashe, and lamps lit in front of them. The naubat
starts playing.
Sugarcane plants are placed in all four corners of the mahal, with lemons
strung up on them. These canes are distributed amongst the maidservants in the
morning.
Carriage drivers decorate their bulls’ hooves with henna, gild their horns, tie
bells around their necks and place gold-and silver-embroidered cloth on their
backs before parading them in front of the Badshah.
Holi
All the groups that did mimicry, impersonation, play-acting etc., in the city
during Holi would come to the jharoka and be rewarded by the Badshah.
Ladies’ Day in the Garden under the Jharoka
There is a garden under the badshahi jharoka through which the river flows, and
tents are put up on its banks. Small tented boats are anchored to the bank. As the
royal ladies come out, guards all around ensure that no stranger can come near
them. Children and women put up shops on the banks. The royal children, the
salateen from the Nau Muhalla118 along with their begums come out of the
Khizri Darwaza.
The Badshah also comes out in his carriage, with the female porters carrying
it. The khojas walk alongside whisking the morchal and carrying the hookah.
Abyssinian and Turkish female attendants are there too.
After the jasolni’s alerts, the Badshah approaches, and everyone presents their
salutations. The Badshah sits in the jahannuma tent and gives orders to plunder
the bagh. Instantly all the royal ladies and children run around. Some fill up bags
with lemons, some pluck bananas, and some call out to others, ‘O bua, come and
help me pluck this fruit.’ No one pays heed, as all are busy having fun. Someone
throws stones at the mango tree, another peels sugarcane, while agile
maidservants climb the tree and eat the fruits on the tree itself.
Suddenly, one falls off a tree with a thud. Another is pierced by a thorn, while
someone has scraped themselves and is howling loudly, ‘I got nothing except
injuries!’
By the time they are finished, the bagh is bereft of all fruits. But everyone is
happy as they now have bags full of oranges, lemons, and pomegranates. The
empty-handed, unfortunate ones hide their faces in disgrace. Everyone teases
them mercilessly, ‘See, we have bags full of fruits. You can take some from us.
Don’t look so forlorn.’
‘Go to hell!’ they reply. ‘I don’t want them. You have got scratched and are
injured for these worthless fruits. Just give them away to beggars.’
‘Oho! Why did you come here then? Why did you try to pluck the fruits if you
thought they were worthless?’
‘It’s just sour grapes.’
Everyone now returns to their tents. It’s now time to sing and dance. Some
continue boating. Some splash one another with water and enjoy themselves.
What is this! Someone has slipped and is covered in wet mud. Another is
stuck in the wet sand. Others are laughing at them. But the two are stuck, and
now call out in frustration, ‘Ai Bi Amki, Ai Bi Dhamki! Come here and help me
out of this mud.’
Some make excuses to not help them, ‘Why should we get stuck in the mud
with you?’
After much laughter and fun, they are finally pulled out.
It’s now time for the pankha.
The Badshah is dressed in a pink robe. Everyone else wears pink from head to
toe, and there’s now a sea of pink everywhere. The salateens all wear pink
dresses with pink turbans, their guns on shoulders and their swords on their
waists. All their platoons have gathered.
The silver pankha is brought out from Mehtab Bagh with great pomp and
show. The salateens stand in formation in front of the pankha. The drummer
girls and those holding lights follow the pankha. The Badshah is behind them in
his hawadar, while the royal children and begums of the salateens walk along
the throne with the pankha.
Once the pankha is offered in the dargah, the Badshah comes to his Baithak.
‘Ladies Day’ in the Bagh-e-Hayat Baksh
In front of the Badshah’s Moti Mahal is a huge bagh named Hayat Baksh. In the
middle of it is a sixty-square-meter tank – and inside the tank is a building
known as Jal Mahal.119 To its north and south are two buildings named Sawan
and Bhado’n, made completely of marble. Inside each of these buildings are two
small tanks into which water enters through chutes. At their four corners are
channels carved in red sandstone along which water flows continuously. The
flowerbeds next to the streams are planted with marigold, gul-e-mehndi,120 gule-naurang,121 shabbu,122 gul-e-turra,123 zambaq124 and sunflowers. The bagh is
filled with the fragrance of Arabic jasmine, royal jasmine, common jasmine,
flowering creepers, rose, Arabian jasmine, Chinese honeysuckle and Spanish
cherry.
Nightingales chirp, the freshness of the greenery beckons, the trees are laden
with mangoes – shahad kooza, batasha, badshah pasand, and Muhammad Shahi
laddoo – pomegranates, guavas, jamun, oranges, grapefruit, khatta,125 lemons,
figs, mulberry, quince, phalsa, khirni,126 apricots, shaftalu,127 alucha,128 apples,
grapes, pears, star fruits, berries, jackfruit and kakronda.129
When it begins to drizzle, peacocks prance about, while the cuckoo breaks
into song.
Orders are given for the purdah so that women can come out for a stroll. All
the ladies are told to dress up in red. They hurriedly get dresses dyed red and
embroidered and decorated with fine gold and silver laces.
Tents are put up around the tank, and wooden planks laid and carpeted. The
Badshah’s jahannuma is set up on one side. Small boats are set afloat in the
tank. Shops sell betel leaves, vegetables, dry fruits, lace, clothes and other finery.
Some fry puris and bare; some cook kebabs; some sell dahi bare. The hawkers’
children sit with a variety of rings and bands, while the halwais’ sons sell puri,
kachori and mithai.
The young boys of the bachera paltan dress in their uniforms and march in
unison with their guns on their shoulders. Young bombardiers130 wearing their
blue uniform pull their muskets along. Both regiments are stationed all around.
Finally, when the bagh is ready for the ladies, the begums and the princesses
enter. All of them glitter and shimmer in their red dresses and jewellery as they
daintily enter. Their maidservants, the nannies, the mughlanis, the nursemaids,
and the slave girls walk alongside the ladies, holding parasols over their heads
and loudly praising their beauty. They warn their ladies of sorcerers, black magic
and the evil eye, telling them to cover themselves with a white chador, to stay
safe from evil spirits that may be hovering around, while they walk through the
vaulted corridors of the palace that lead to the bagh.
If anyone comments on the royal ladies, the attendants pounce on them and
curse them for casting an evil eye. All kinds of counters are undertaken to offset
the effect of the evil eye.
Finally, they reach the bagh, where swings have been strung up on strong
branches. Young princesses play with their friends, laughing with gaiety. The
servants and attendants rib each other in good-hearted fun or hostility depending
on the relationship of their employers. A few old ladies sit with the children and
enjoy their company. They look odd wearing red. On top of that, they have
applied mehndi on their hands and missi on their lips and are teased mercilessly
by the young girls and other attendants.
Lo, someone is angry with the slave girls. ‘Oh! Where have Gul-Bahar, NauBahar, Sabza-Bahar, Champa, Chameli, Gul-Chaman, Nargis, Man-Kunwar,
Anand-Kunwar, Chanchal-Kunwar, Mubarak-Qadam, Nek-Qadam gone? There
they are! Prancing around in the bagh. May the curse of the gods be on them!
These strumpets, witches, whores – they have lost their sense of decency and
have become shameless and disgraceful. So out of control! No shame left in their
eyes! Ready to open their drawstrings for anyone! They just don’t want to work
or stay in one place. They are like cats whose paws have been burnt. They just
can’t sit still! Gathering the cobwebs from everywhere by crawling into every
nook and cranny…’
A fight erupts between two sisters and very soon one is crying copiously.
An older relative cajoles her, ‘Oh, what is this fuss about? Why are you crying
at every little thing? What was so extraordinary about it? Was it the life of
Adam, heart of Nemat’s mother, or urine of an eagle that you are creating such a
fuss over your younger sister taking it? I will get you more. Let me see that
mischief-maker too who has been overcome by the devil.’
She orders some of the servants to go and look if they can find it, somewhere.
‘Begum Saheb, it is no longer available in any shop.’
‘How can that be? Someone must have more. You have not looked for it
properly and are making excuses. Yaquut, Zamarrud, go find it and bring it to
her immediately.’
Some snacks are brought back, but these are not what the girls wanted. ‘What
have you brought? You can stuff your face with this. Khaane ko bismillah, kaam
ko nauzbillah’.131
‘We couldn’t invoke loyalty in them. We can’t blame them.’
‘Come on, stop crying. Forget your anger and stop these tantrums. I don’t
want you girls to squabble among yourselves. Make up and be friends. Both of
you are just as important to me. I care for both sisters equally. It is not as if you
will take me to heaven and she will consign me to hell! Oh! I give up if you are
not willing to listen to me.’
The younger sister is not willing to give up just yet, but since no one is paying
attention to her, her tantrum fizzles out.
By late afternoon, the Emperor’s presence is announced. The Badshah is also
dressed in red robes, and the morchal is made of red-dyed huma132 feathers. The
bachera paltan presents their salutations, and small muskets are fired. Everyone
comes and sits near the hauz. The Badshah enters his jahannuma and everyone
offers their salaams to him one by one.
With everyone dressed in red, it’s as if red flowers have blossomed all around
the hauz. The children are now allowed to pluck fruits, and everyone
immediately rushes off pushing one another to get to the choicest fruits.
Someone falls off a tree and attendants rush towards their charge to tend to them.
Charms are breathed over them to ward off the evil eye. A child replies, ‘Oh,
don’t fuss, Bi dadda.133 I am not hurt.’
The children once more clamber all over the trees and pluck fruits from them.
Some of the older girls and women stand beneath with their bags spread out to
catch the fruits. If one of their own servant girls has climbed a tree, they ensure
the fruits are thrown into their lady’s bag.
One lady calls out, ‘O Durdana, O Dilshad, pluck that orange for me.’
Another calls out, ‘Oh my sweet Achpal, pluck that khatta for me. Not this
one, the big one there.’
Another lady could find nothing so she picks up a fruit out of another’s bag
and runs off with her prize.
Now the one who has been looted is busy cursing the thief: ‘May the thieves
be cursed. You couldn’t get any fruit yourself and are looting mine in frustration.
Now you will boast to your friends. I am going to let out your secret and keep
cursing you.’
As dusk approaches, it is time to enjoy the moonlit evening. The children sit
in the small boats and have fun in the hauz. White garlands and white jewellery
adorns them. Coupled with their red clothes, it’s a stunning sight. Someone is
playing the dholki, another is singing, while some are playing board games or
telling each other stories.
Twenty girls begin playing hide-and-seek and chant the words to decide who
will be the first seeker. An older lady is put in the middle of the circle to ensure
the selected girl has closed her eyes while everyone else hides. When all the girls
have hidden themselves, they call out to the seeker. She sets off to look for her
friends but can only catch a few. Even the caught girls run away and hide again.
The game goes on with much jollity.
The celebrations continue for seven days. On the eighth day, which is a
Thursday, arrangements are made for the pankha. All the women of the city
come to the bagh dressed in red and wearing their finest jewels. The spectators
gush at the beauty and splendour of the ladies.
The pankha procession starts from Chandni Chowk Bagh. A golden pankha
trimmed with real pearls is carried on an elephant, which carries rose water and
kewra essence in its trunk and sprinkles them around as he walks. People carry
flowers, blow trumpets, or beat the drums ahead of it. Behind the elephant are
the salateen and umara on their respective elephants, while residents jostle for
space on either side.
This grand procession reaches the darwaza of the bagh. Everyone halts
outside while the salateen brings the pankha inside. The little bombardiers and
bachera paltan let off their muskets and present themselves in front of the
Badshah. Female drummers, trumpeters, and the ladies carrying the lights follow
them. Behind them come the salateen holding the pankha.
The Badshah follows the pankha seated in his hawadar.
The khojas whisk the morchal, while the attendants alert people to move out
of the way. The royal children, the begums and the daughters of the salateen
follow the procession along with the ladies of the city. There’s a light drizzle and
black clouds gather in the sky. As thunder and lightning begin to erupt in the
sky, the gold and silver sequins on the ladies’ dresses shine so brightly they
blind everyone around them. The trumpet sounds loudly and hordes of ladies
come out of the palace and from the lanes of Shahjahanabad. There is not an
inch of space; it is as if a sea of red is swirling around the Qila.
By evening, the pankha is offered in the dargah in Mehtab Bagh and everyone
returns to the bagh. Lamps and flambeaus are being lit. The parterre of the Nahre-Bahist around the tank is lined up with red lotuses and wooden lamps. It seems
as if a forest is burning. The small boats are laden with lamps. Lamps also hang
from trees like fireflies. Groups of musicians and singers are making merry;
somewhere else, young girls are dancing. The whole night goes by in this
merriment.
Phoolwaalo’n ki Sair134
The village of Mehrauli is seven kos towards the south of the city, and it is also
known as Khwaja Saheb or Qutub Saheb because Hazrat Khwaja Qutbuddin
Bakhtiyar Kaki’s shrine is located there. Here, huge mansions have been built by
the royalty and nobility to enjoy the sair.
During the monsoons, this place is beautiful. Akbar Shah II was fond of this
place and resided here during the rains. When Akbar Shah II’s favourite son
Mirza Jahangir was incarcerated by the British and sent to Allahabad, his mother
Mumtaz Mahal Begum had made a vow to offer a floral chapparkhat135 and
chador at Qutub Saheb’s dargah if he was released. When Mirza Jahangir was
finally released, his mother fulfilled her vow with great pomp and show.
While the chapparkhat and chador were being made, the flower-sellers made
a floral pankha and offered it to the shrine. Food and alms were distributed to the
poor. The entire population of Shahjahanabad had also gathered here to
participate in the Badshah’s happiness. Akbar Shah II announced that the fair
would be held here every year in the month of Sawan. Every year, an amount of
200 rupees was given from the royal treasury to the flower-sellers for making the
pankha and chadors.
This festival is still celebrated, and anyone can go and attend it even today.
Months before the Phoolwaalo’n ki Sair begins, preparations are made in the
palace. The ladies get dresses with plenty of embroidery and embellishments
stitched for themselves. Soldiers and workers from various workshops in the
Qila are dispatched to Khwaja Saheb as an advance party to make preparations.
The Diwan-e-Khas, the royal palace, is cleaned up and carpets and curtains
arranged for the imperial entourage. Special carriages carry the attendants with
food trays. Slave girls, servants and craftsmen from the workshops sit in other
carriages. Eunuchs and soldiers accompany them, as do singers who make a
living at the fairs. They bless the ladies in the carriages and ask for money.
The next morning, the Badshah sets off from Shahjahanabad along with the
princes, ladies of the harem and his attendants. They ride in palanquins and
elephant litters. The royal procession stops just before reaching Mehrauli and
salutations are offered by presentation of arms by the soldiers. The procession
enters Khwaja Saheb in hawadars, covered carriages or a six-horse carriage.
Coachmen wearing red sashes and tasselled topis drive the golden carriage,
which is covered by a canopy with golden finials. They are preceded by camel
riders and followed by the cavalry regiment. The hookah attendants and the
mace bearer accompany the buggy procession on horseback.
Orders are given for purdah for women from the royal palace136 till the
Shamsi Talab, jharna, amriya’n, all the way till Nazir’s bagh. Tents have been
raised everywhere. Eunuchs and soldiers stand guard. No stranger can enter this
area now.
From the deorhi of the mahal, the Badshah in his hawadar and Malika-eZamani in a taam jhaam137 leave for the jharna with their entourage. The
Badshah and Malika-e-Zamani sit in the baradari,138 while the others roam
around.
Fires are lit, kadhais are put on them, and savouries and sweets are prepared.
Swings are put up on the mango trees and vendors spread out their wares.
Look! A princess runs along the edge of the hauz, another clatters about in her
wooden clogs, yet another walks daintily with her friends. Someone sings from
the swings:
Who has put up the swing on the mango tree?139
The orchard is dark, the peacock dances at the edge of the lake,
Black clouds splatter raindrops softly,
Who has put up the swing on the mango tree?
All the friends are together,
(Laughing and playing) in the Bhool Bhulaiyyan140
(With) Shauq-rang, the beloved.
Who has put up the swing on the mango tree?
What is this? A girl sits on the swing, while another stands and swings the jhoola
with her movements. ‘Ai Bi Zanakhi, ai Bi Dushman, ai Bi Jaaneman Achhi,
let’s go to the sliding stone.’
The nurses and the lady’s maids reply, ‘Be sensible, and control yourself.
Someone can break their bones there. May I be sacrificed over you. Princesses
don’t slide on stones. That’s for the slave girls and maidservants. You enjoy the
procession.’
The princess replies, ‘You are fussing unnecessarily. I am going to the slides.’
As soon as the ayah says, ‘If you don’t listen to me, I will complain to Huzur,’
the little one retreats.
An enchanting atmosphere prevails, with swirling clouds and lightning
lighting up the sky at intervals, the splashing rain, the gushing water, the rustling
sound of the wind, the song of the koel, the calls of the papiha141 and the
peacock, and the sound of musical instruments.
The hills142 are verdant with trees and the ground is full of ladies in brightly
coloured dresses. Colour runs from the dresses in the rain and the ground turns
multi-hued. Girls run around trying to gather fallen fruits.
When the jasolni announces that the Badshah is ready to leave, everyone stops
whatever they are doing and accompanies him. The servants scramble to gather
the scattered belongings and follow them.
The next fifteen days continue in similar manner.
Three days before the sair starts, the flower-sellers are given twenty rupees
for the pankha. Once the auspicious time is fixed, it is announced throughout the
city. Orders are given to open the area for everyone, lifting the zenana purdah.
People from Shahjahanabad start pouring in. Those who have homes in the area
move in; others rent rooms for three days at fifty, hundred, or two hundred
rupees. The poor ones stay wherever they find space. Those who cannot afford
to stay come on the auspicious day with their own food to enjoy the procession.
On Thursday,143 all the rich and poor shopkeepers of the city gather at
Mehrauli, abandoning Shahjahanabad for the day. The scene in Mehrauli is
unique – some houses are decorated in sparkling white paint and furnished with
gold-and silver-embroidered cushions, silver bedsteads, delicate curtains,
magnificent chandeliers, floral canopies and pristine mirrors. Music and dance
assemblies are organized and the halls are full of laughter and the smell of
biryani, korma and mutanjan. Tents, both elaborate and not-so-elaborate, have
been put up for Shahjahanabad residents. There’s a festive atmosphere
everywhere. At close intervals in the streets of Mehrauli, food stalls where
people could enjoy paratha, milk and vermicelli, puri, kachori, laddoo and burfi
are found. Others eat the famous Shahjahanabad dahi bare. Some rush to the
jharna and jump off the baradari roof into the hauz. Children enjoy sliding off
the phisalna patthar, while some play among the swings in the mango orchards,
taking them as high as they can.
Wrestlers show off their prowess. Vendors loudly advertise their wares.
Someone calls out for a drink of water. The kakkadwaale144 offer hookahs to
people. Eunuchs ask for alms. Actors are singing loudly in the nautanki.145 The
jugglers show off their artistry. Rakes and scoundrels create a ruckus under the
houses of the rich. Rasool Shahi fakirs call out for alms in the name of God.
Hussaini Brahmins stand beside a sheet and ask for alms.
Everyone is engrossed in their own world.
By late afternoon, the princes are ready to set off. The pankha procession
undergoes its final preparations. Irrespective of rank, everyone is dressed in their
finest, and have come out on their balconies, roofs, or sit on the walls to see the
procession. The first to come are the embroidered pankhas of the craftsmen,
followed by fireworks and trumpeters. Lo, the pankhas of the flower-sellers now
come out in all their splendour, and it is as if spring has descended on earth. The
procession is headed by people with staffs decorated with flowers, followed by
trumpeters who sing:
My beloved has gone abroad
Who will dye my scarf now?
My enemy, the monsoons are here
People throw money at them, which they happily collect. Behind them come
soldiers, marching ahead of the princes mounted on their elephants. The
mukhtars146 whisk the morchal over them. Drummers walk alongside. The
attendants and mace bearers call everyone to attention. The other nobles follow
on their elephants behind the princes. The road is so crowded that there’s no
place to walk now. The houses are stooping under the weight of all the people
looking out from the balconies. The soft drizzle, the cool breeze, and the
intoxicating music from the trumpets and drums are driving everyone mad. The
swaying trees and the colourfully dressed men have turned it all into a beautiful
tableau.
The procession reaches the royal palace by the evening. The princes dismount
from their elephants and go to their apartments overlooking the street. Only then
does everyone else dismount.
The Emperor is sitting on a balcony behind a curtain.
The trumpeters now give their all and the khojas throw money into their bags.
Once the pankhas are offered at the dargah, there is singing and dancing in all
the houses and mansions. When people leave in the morning, they take back
mementos of the sair – gold and silver bands, rings, pearl and precious stone
necklaces, glass baubles, multi-thread pankhas, paratha, paneer and khoya. By
evening, there is quiet and tranquility.
The Badshah remains here for the entire monsoon. He looks after the affairs of
the state as well as go for shikar trips. The begums, who couldn’t come for the
sair, have sent sweets in sealed pots along with purses full of ashrafi for the
youngsters through the chaubdars,147 who are rewarded, and gifts are sent back
with them.
The sair is over.
The Emperor’s Funeral
The news of a badshah’s demise is not announced. Instead, ancient custom
decrees that the words ‘Aaj ghee ka kuppa lund gaya’148 be announced
throughout his kingdom.
The Emperor’s body is quietly prepared for burial and the corpse is sent out
secretly through the mahal’s talaqi darwaza.149 The only concession is that
naubat is not beaten and no fried or festive food is prepared that day. All
customs related to happier times are stopped.
As soon as the next badshah is coronated, drums are beaten and gun salutes
fired. Some say that there was a time when the badshah’s corpse would be
brought in and placed in front of the throne, and the successor would ascend the
throne by stepping over the corpse. Akbar Shah is believed to have stopped this
custom.
The Funeral of the Heir Apparent
The heir apparent’s corpse is placed in a coffin and carried on a palanquin
covered in black. There is a sombre and funereal atmosphere everywhere. The
heir apparent’s sons, his grandchildren, and other nobles walk beside the
palanquin, crying copiously, their faces covered with handkerchiefs. Spectators
begin to weep when they see this procession.
The funeral procession is preceded by attendants, bodyguards and cavalrymen
who hold their guns backward, while the drums and other musical instruments
are also turned upside down. Behind them follow elephants with money and
sheermal for alms. The whole city’s population pours out to watch them, and
everyone is crying uncontrollably.
The body is brought to the Jama Masjid and the coffin is set down near the
hauz. Thousands have gathered to read the namaz-e-janaza.150 After the prayers
are read, the janaza151 goes outside the city limits, and only a selected few
accompany it. The body is buried in Khwaja Saheb’s dargah. The sheermal and
money are distributed amongst the indigent. The servants are rewarded for their
efforts. The Fatiha is recited and the grave is covered with a shawl. One hafiz is
appointed to recite the Quran and another for the upkeep. Everyone else leaves.
The Badshah sends food for haziri152 for 40 days.
Phool Ceremony
On the second or third day, the preparation for the deceased man’s phool
ceremony is underway.153
Lavish food is being cooked and everyone gathers to read a chapter of the
Quran so that it can be completed and offered as redemption for the deceased’s
soul.154 They recite the kalima 70,000 times over cardamom seeds, offering it
for the forgiveness of the deceased. The cardamom is distributed to those
gathered there. Food and clothes are distributed to the poor. The relatives give
money for haziri as per their status.
The dastarkhwan is laid out and everyone leaves after the meal. The Badshah
enters the mahal and gives clothes to his children and their partners to persuade
them to give up their mourning clothes. The widows are given randsalas.155
There is a desolate atmosphere all around. Everyone is mourning with the
widows. The Huzur is also teary eyed, and consoles them by saying, ‘Amma,
sabr karo.156 You will not gain anything by crying. Allah does not permit
anyone to take their own lives and one can only endure the pain with patience.’
Fatihas are held on the tenth and the twentieth days, and food and clothes are
distributed to the poor. One baqarkhani and one plate of sweets are given to
everyone individually. After that, food trays are distributed via the female ushers
to everyone and then notice for the chaliswan157 is sent to the family.
The mir-e-imarat158 is instructed to make the grave. He pours attar and
rosewater into the pit, makes a grave, and installs a marble tombstone.
On the thirty-ninth day, the entire family gathers. A tora,159 a set of clothes, a
doshala,160 a prayer rug, a rosary, miswak, comb and shoes are laid out on a tray.
Copper utensils are kept on the spot where the heir apparent breathed his last.
Two large torches are lit there. Everyone mourns him through the night. In the
morning they come to his grave and recite the Fatiha.
A canopy of flowers is erected over the grave, which is covered with a
brocade cloth and a chador. The food, the clothes, and the other items are kept
near the deceased’s head. Frankincense and incense sticks are lit. The shoes are
kept near his feet.
Order for the purdah is given, and the begums come to mourn him.
The kalima and Quran are read once more and cardamom seeds are
distributed.161
A qawwali session is held, and once everyone has eaten and distributed the
alms, they return home.
A similar Fatiha is held after three months and then six months. The yearly
Fatiha is held like the rites on the fortieth day, but clothes, food and utensils are
not distributed.
Taqriz, or Praise for the Book
Aali Janab Mu’alla Alqab Saheb-e-Alam wa Almiyat Shehzada Mirza
Mohammad Sulaiman Shah Saheb Gorgani.162
I have read this book, Bazm-e-Aakhir, in which the life and customs of my last
two ancestors are written. Because this book has been written by my retainer
Munshi Faizuddin who grew up in the Qila and was present in the service of my
father, I testify that whatever is written in it is accurate.
The writer has written this book on the request of the owner of the press
Armaghan, Dehli, located at Turkman Darwaza.
Qila-e-Mu’alla ki Jhalkiya’n
Glimpses of the Exalted Fort
Mirza Ahmad Salim ‘Arsh’ Taimuri
Qila-e-Mu’alla ki Jhalkiya’n (Glimpses of the Exalted Fort) is written by Mirza
Ahmad Salim ‘Arsh’ Taimuri,1 a descendant of the last Mughal emperor,
Bahadur Shah Zafar.
In the aftermath of the fall of Delhi in 1857 and the fall of the Mughal empire,
many of the Mughal princes and nobles were killed. Those who escaped, hid in
states that were not governed by the British. Arsh Taimuri’s great grandfather
settled in Hyderabad, and Arsh was born (in 1921) and brought up there.
One noteworthy point about this text is that it was published in 1937, when
Arsh-e-Taimuri was only 16 years old. In his preface, he has written that the
book was finished in Delhi on 23 May 1937. On 25 May 1937, Syed Yusuf
Bukhari2 wrote the introduction, after which it was published by Maktaba
Jahannuma, Urdu Bazaar, Jama Masjid. The first edition of the book was priced
at eight annas and 1,000 copies were printed.
In this introduction to the books, Yusuf Bukhari writes that Arsh-e-Taimuri
had finished writing his book of verses, Khurshid Khavar, and four other books
before this volume, and these books were to be published soon. Arsh wrote his
first book at the age of 12, and thereafter he wrote a book every year. According
to the genealogy set out by Bukhari, Arsh-e-Taimuri was born in the fifth
generation in Bahadur Shah Zafar’s lineage. He was the great grandson of
Bahadur Shah Zafar’s son Mirza Shahrukh Beg, who died in 1847.
In this book, Arsh attempts to show the last glimpses of the Mughal court
under Akbar Shah II and Bahadur Shah. Since he was neither born nor brought
up in Delhi, his book is not steeped in Delhi’s culture. He was also quite young
when he wrote the book and many of the historical events he mentions in it are
based on hearsay.
The book is dedicated to Bahadur Shah Zafar, whom Arsh refers to as ‘Hazrat
Zafar’.
The dedication in the book says, ‘Dedicated to the sacred soul of Hazrat
Zafar.’
He goes on to write ‘I am grateful to my respected father Hazrat Labeeb for
recounting such priceless and unique events for me to write this book.’
Preface
Many books have been written on the ghadar,3 but Khwaja Hasan Nizami’s
Ghadar Dehli ke Afsaane4 and Maulana Rashid-ul Khairi’s Wida Zafar5 were
the most popular and famous amongst them. Other books on the subject were not
as popular because these two writers wrote their books as if they were
eyewitnesses to the event.
Qila-e-Mu’alla ki Jhalkiya’n became famous when it was published in the
magazine Saqi-e-Dehli.
When Moses fainted and fell down on Mount Tur
The Beloved’s splendour called out, ‘You haven’t seen anything yet!’
Those with hearts filled with sympathy and empathy were not satisfied with this
one glimpse and pressed Arsh Taimuri to write more and, finally, he has brought
us this book. But it would be wrong to call the book a mere glimpse of the Qila,
when in fact the book reveals Arsh Taimuri’s heart – restless and pained, full of
anguish.
The book’s contents offer us not just a glimpse of life in the Qila, but also a
detailed description of the people that imbued it with life. It describes the
buildings inside the Qila, and the lives of the Badshah and the royal children, in
a way that makes it seem like he has opened a mirror-lined window for readers
to peep into the past while simultaneously experiencing it for themselves. Within
this book, you will be able to read about governance, valour, courage, justice,
royal disposition, culture and the style of the Qila’s inhabitants.
Arsh Taimuri is from the royal family to whom I am deeply indebted, and I
can only sigh in grief whenever I recall those days. He has now become famous
as a writer and poet. His full name is Mirza Ahmed Salim Shah Arsh, son of
Mirza Nizam Shah Labeeb (employed by the Nizam of Hyderabad) – Arsh
Taimuri son of Mirza Labeeb son of Mirza Ahmed Sultan Khawar son of Mirza
Muzzaffar Bakht son of Prince Mirza Shahrukh Bahadur son of Shahenshah
Hind Hazrat Abu Zafar Bahadur Shah II.
Arsh Taimuri was born in 1921 in Hyderabad and resides there. He is only
sixteen years old but a very talented poet.
Someone will rise from this dust as the sun of the orient
Someone will rise from this dust as the sun of the orient
Someone will rise from this land of peace like the day of resurrection.
It won’t be strange if this prophecy of his in favour of the youth of Hind, comes
true. I pray to God that it does.
For whom the fortress of the heart is decorated,
For whom the cold sighs blow,
For whom garlands of tears flow,
For whom the blood of desires flow…
When will that enchantress come,
Like a beautiful thought?
And be your mirror-holder, O cup-bearer
Whether I touch the sky or am a doormat on the ground,
May I be sacrificed for you, O cup-bearer.
He intends to publish his collection of poems under the name of Khursheed
Khawar.
Apart from this, he has published other books and essays. He also contributes
to many magazines.
I can not do justice to Arsh Taimuri’s talent and his beautiful writings in this
brief introduction. The dictates of refined taste are that we relish at leisure his
writing and we linger on the beauty of each word and description. However, I
can only end with the promise that if life sustains me I can do it some other day.
Yusuf Bukhari
Gali Imam Jama Masjid
Dehli
25 May 1937
one
I present a faint glimpse of a time when the lamp of the Mughal Empire was
flickering and the sun of the firangi’s6 fortune was in the ascendant, signalling
the beginning of a new era.
Jilani Saheb, one of the peerzadas7 of Baghdad narrates an incident from
when he was a guest of Mumtaz Mahal, Akbar Shah II’s eldest wife. Her
daughter-in-law, the mother of Mirza Kamroon, had fallen ill, and Hakim
Ruknuddin had prescribed some purgatives. The lady refused the treatment,
saying she couldn’t take such a large goblet of medicine.
Hakim Saheb said, ‘Huzur, it won’t be a large goblet.’
Begum Saheba replied, ‘Even if it isn’t a large goblet, it will smell of
amaltas.’8
He said, ‘It will not smell of amaltas.’
The Begum Saheba then said, ‘It will definitely be thick,’ to which he said,
‘Though made from amaltas, the medicine will be a fine distilled liquid infused
with a fragrance that will help cure your ailment. If you so desire, I will make it
myself and bring it to you every day.’
Begum Saheba accepted his condition that he would charge five hundred
rupees for every dose. But when she was cured in five doses, she was so relieved
that she gifted him shawls and bolts of expensive cloth apart from the fees.
Hookah
Both ladies and gentlemen in the Qila enjoyed the hookah, in particular, the
princesses. There were six types of hookah. The chillum was also called katori.
Gilori, or Betel Cones
In the Qila, gilori was made with one-and-a-half betel leaves and silver and gold
pins bound the folds. Sometimes cloves were also used. The various giloris
were: a triangular ‘samosa’; a square ‘luqmi’ with a small dome like a pointed
top; a rectangular ‘tavezi’; or the ‘beda’, which was round or oblong. Betel
leaves would be smeared with katha and chuna, folded and kept. When someone
wanted to eat paan, they would break off a portion as needed, and add betel nuts,
tobacco and so on, to taste. During winter, catechu and slaked lime paste were
applied in such a way that it would warm up the person eating it and at times
even make him sweat. My father, Nawab Mirza Nizam Shah Saheb Labeeb, has
eaten these paans and I now quote him.
‘I had this paan made by a lady who was a grandmother of mine. Her name
was Sadiq Zamani Begum Saheba, and she was the granddaughter of Huzur
Bahadur Shah and daughter of Mirza Dara Bakht Bahadur. May Khuda give her
eternal peace but this paan had nothing in it except catechu and slaked lime
paste, and a wave of heat ran through me as I ate it, and I started sweating.’
Separate paans were prepared for summers and monsoons, and though the
ingredients remained the same, their proportions would be changed.
Royal Death
The custom in those days when the Emperor passed away was that they would
not declare the death outright, but say, ‘kuppa ludhak gaya’, or, ‘the lamp has
been extinguished’.9 It was considered unseemly to mourn the death of the
Emperor, as there would be rejoicing in the court of the heir apparent, where
celebrations would start. The drums would start beating at the same time as the
funeral arrangements.
The System of Seclusion: Rasm-e-Purdah
According to Prince Mirza Mohammed Shuja Saheb, the system of purdah
existed in the harem and the begums would not come in front anyone who was
not a mahram.10 Even the princes would not mix freely,11 and were always
suspicious of each other. There was a lot of rancour amongst them and they
would constantly criticize one another.
When the Syed brothers were kingmakers,12 enmity amongst the princes was
at its height. In this era, there were constant intrigues, and every prince thought
he could become the Emperor. They were mostly kept under house arrest or their
activities would be constantly supervised. No noble was allowed to talk to the
princes, but every noble would patronize a few princes so that if their ploy
worked, they could place their puppet-king on the throne. The nobles would pass
on messages through the servants and attendants and tell the princes of their
intentions. If a prince came face-to-face with a noble when he was out, and the
noble addressed him as ‘huzur’, the prince knew that his star was on the ascent
and he could hope to be the next Emperor.
There were many factions among the nobles and the same was the case with
the princes. The princely factions were more dangerous as they were dealing
with mortal enemies. As soon as one became the Emperor, he got the other
claimants to the throne, or those who were involved in intrigues with other
nobles, eliminated. This had bred an intense rivalry among the princes. Their
children too would keep conspiring against each other.
When Shah Alam became the Emperor, he called all the princes and told them
to live in harmony with each other. Since then, the rasm-e-purdah or seclusion
amongst the princes was abolished, and such seclusion is no more in the Timurid
family now.
Nauroz
On Eid-e-Nauroz, there was an egg fight amongst the princes and noblemen.
There was a special kind of hen, known as Sabzwar, which laid small, pointed,
hard-shelled eggs, which were called nesh. The birds would be bought at three
hundred rupees a pair a few months before for the festival, and they would lay
about five to six eggs.
On the day, one man would point the nesh outwards and hide the egg in their
hands and lie in wait. Another would try to hit this egg with another egg. There
would be a loud noise as the eggs clashed, and the crowd would cheer them on.
The one whose egg cracked first would be the loser. Thousands of rupees were
bet on this game. The public would play the same game with normal eggs.
On Nauroz, there were egg fights all over the city, but especially on the steps
of the Jama Masjid which would be bustling with activity. These sabzwar eggs
were kept in beautifully decorated boxes along with mustard seeds and other
preservatives.
The game required special skill. The princes and nobles who played this game
exercised their hands throughout the year to earn some money through the
betting.
On the evening of Nauroz, there was a feast with every kind of delicious food,
which would be consecrated in the name of Hazrat Ali. Everyone participated in
it except in the Wahabis.13
Aakhri Chahar Shamba, or The Last Wednesday
On the last Wednesday of the Islamic month of Safar, the Badshah gave rings
and bands to the men in the palace who were younger than him. The women
were gifted dupattas of different kinds in price ranges depending on their status.
Princes and slaves, who occupied special positions in the Badshah’s heart, were
also given special gifts on this day.
The Old Saiydani’s Pension
Once there was a reduction of five rupees in the salary of an old saiydani,14 who
had many children. She used to receive eleven rupees from Mirza Shahrukh
Bahadur’s estate, and when she got less money she came running to Miyan Kale
Saheb,15 who promised to ensure that she got the original amount. He presented
a petition to the Badshah written in his own hand, who received it with great
respect, as Miyan Kale Saheb was his spiritual mentor. He kissed the petition,
touched it to his eyes and forehead, and then opened it. He immediately wrote on
the petition that Mirza Shahrukh should restore the saiydani’s salary and make
good the deducted amount. But Mirza Shahrukh forgot about it and it was not
done.
After a few months, the saiydani came to Miyan Kale Saheb once more with
her grievance. He met the Badshah and submitted an oral petition, who
immediately called Mirza Shahrukh and said, ‘I had ordered you to restore this
lady’s salary and you have not obeyed me!’ Mirza Shahrukh replied with folded
hands, ‘It will be done immediately.’ However, he was a negligent prince and
forgot to do it again. The lady complained to Miyan Kale Saheb once more, and
the latter was so upset that he stopped going to the Qila.
The Badshah didn’t realize that anything was amiss but when Miyan Kale’s
salary was sent to his house, he returned it. The Badshah was in shock and
inconsolable. He realized what had happened. He visited Miyan Kale’s house
along with his heir apparent Mirza Fath-ul-Mulk, carrying with him the old
lady’s full salary. Miyan was sitting on his prayer rug and reciting his prayers.
When he met the Badshah, after the small talk was over, he told Mirza Fath-ulMulk, ‘Your father is a liar.’
The Badshah said, ‘Pir-o-Murshid,16 today my carriage stopped near a
Hanuman temple and I saw a man wearing a jacket made from mosquito skin.’
Miyan Kale started laughing and, looking at Fath-ul-Mulk, pointed a finger
towards the Badshah and said, ‘See, this is a white lie.’
The situation was diffused and Miyan Kale was once again happy with the
Badshah.
Tidh-muyi Khanum, or The Lady with the Crooked Mouth
There was a group of musicians who were favourites of the Badshah because
they could set to music and sing the Badshah’s ghazals as soon as he recited
them. Among them was a lady, famous as Tidh-muyi Khanum because she
added excessive amounts of betel nut in her paan, which she would park inside
one cheek. This gave her a funny appearance, as one of her cheeks was always
swollen with the nuts and her mouth looked crooked. But she was an
accomplished musician and extremely intelligent. She was the star of the group.
Mirza Quwaish
Mirza Quwaish was not a good administrator, but he was an accomplished sitar
and tabla player, and addicted to bhang. He was very fond of hunting and had a
great collection of guns.
When Major Hodson arrested the Badshah and his sons at Humayun’s tomb,
Mirza Quwaish, Mirza Abdullah and Mirza Abdullah, son of Mirza Shahrukh,
were the first to be separated from the Badshah and forcibly brought out of the
tomb. Hodson was jittery as his soldiers were greatly outnumbered by the
Mughal soldiers and supporters gathered at the tomb, and he instructed his men
to stand at ease. He told the three princes to stand outside the tomb while he
went back inside.
The army’s risaldar took pity on the three young princes and asked, ‘Why are
you standing here?’
They replied, ‘Saheb has told us to stand here.’
The risaldar said, ‘Have some pity on yourselves. Once he comes out, he will
kill you. Run away as far as you can and don’t stop running till you feel safe.’
The risaldar turned his face in the opposite direction and the three princes ran
in three separate directions.
When Hodson came back, he asked, ‘Where are they?’
The risaldar asked, ‘Who?’
Hodson replied, ‘The three princes.’
The risaldar said, ‘I have no idea where they have gone.’
Hodson cried out in anger, ‘O risaldar, this is terrible. They were the
Badshah’s sons.’
The risaldar retorted, ‘Huzur, you had not given them into our custody, and
we were not responsible to ensure that they stayed.’
Mirza Quwaish ran straight to Hazrat Nizamuddin’s dargah where his sister’s
husband, Hafiz Mirza Mahmood Shah Saheb, son of Mirza Babar, was. He told
him, ‘I have escaped from Hodson’s captivity.’ His brother-in-law advised him
to go on further and save his life. He shaved his eyebrows and head and, wearing
a loincloth in the style of Rasul Shahi fakirs,17 escaped to Udaipur, where he met
a Thakur related to the Maharaja of Udaipur.
One of the eunuchs employed by the Maharaja was from Dilli, and he and the
Thakur appealed to the Maharaja to give refuge to the fakir. The Maharaja fixed
an amount of two rupees a day for him, and Mirza Quwaish started living in a
Sindhi’s house. He would go away for a few months and then return to this
house to maintain his disguise. He lived for thirty years after the mutiny in this
way and became famous as Miyan Saheb.
Hodson searched high and low for Mirza Quwaish but could not find him.
Posters were put up by the British government for his arrest along with a big
amount as reward. Tempted by this reward, Mirza Ahmed Shah Ibn Mirza Abu
Saeed, who was descended from Shah Alam II; Ashraf Khan, a royal risaldar
and a few others came to Udaipur many times. They managed to track down his
house, but thanks to the kotwal of the city they could never catch him.
Mirza Quwaish finally died in Udaipur.
Meanwhile, Mirza Abdullah lived in a state of distress in the state of Tonk.
The Nawab of Tonk’s relatives would help him occasionally. Though the British
officers found out his whereabouts, they never arrested him as they considered
him unimportant. The third prince, Mirza Abdullah Ibn Mirza Shahrukh, spent
the rest of his life begging and died in a state of penury.
Treatment of Criminals
It was a custom that if any criminal came to the Qila for shelter, the Badshah
pardoned him and gave him refuge. However, if he was a murderer, he was
given into the custody of the hawaldar.18
Uzbuks and Lurs
The Taimuri family despised the Mongol branch of Uzbuks and Lurs19 and used
to treat them unkindly. Eventually these two words became synonymous with
‘stupid’ and ‘idiot’.
Curd Dish
Once Prince Mirza Haider Shukoh, son of Prince Mirza Sulaiman Shukoh Ibn
Shah Alam II, was having his meal when an amir from one of his votaries
presented himself.
Saheb-e-Alam20 gestured to him to join him for the meal.
The man said, ‘Pir-o-Murshid, I feel like eating curd.’
The prince said, ‘Come and join me.’
Immediately twenty attendants rushed to the market to buy curd. Soon,
earthen dishes full of curd started pouring in. In no time, there were a hundred
earthen pots full of curd in front of them. The prince had to order them to stop
bringing anymore curd.
In those days, a prince or a noble just had to say what they desired and they
would end up with a surfeit of it.
Royal Hospitality
According to Khwaja Ashraf Ali Mirza Mohammad Shuja, there was once a
wedding in the family of Dabir-ul-Mulk Hakim Ahsan-ud-Daulah. A musical
and dance soirée had been planned, as was the custom for wedding celebrations
amongst the inhabitants of the Qila and the important nobles of the city.
All the famous nobles and notables were present at the soirée, and a steady
supply of garlands, flowers, betel leaves, cardamom and attar had been readied
for them.
One of Hakim Saheb’s attendants whispered something in his ear. Hakim
Saheb immediately wore his turban and sash and proceeded hastily to the jilau
khana,21 his family in tow. Khwaja Ashraf Ali Mirza Mohammad Shuja saw that
a relatively less well-to-do prince was seated in a palanquin and the royal
procession was with him. Hakim Saheb and his family greeted him with great
respect and deference. He walked a few steps beside the palanquin and, once it
was set down, escorted the prince into the mehfil and seated him respectfully on
a couch.
All the guests stood up respectfully and presented their salutations. In reply to
them, the prince kept his hand on his head. After that, Hakim Saheb also
presented his salaam, sat deferentially with folded hands, and presented betel
leaves, garlands and attar to the prince.
The prince sat there for a few hours and left when the call for prayer was
sounded. All those present stood up respectfully as he made his way out. Hakim
Saheb escorted him to the palanquin and everyone bent low to present their
salutations.
two
The Children of Hazrat Bahadur Shah
Sons
1. Mirza Muhammad Dara Bakht Bahadur, Miran Shah – the first heir
apparent
2. Mirza Muhammad Shahrukh Bahadur – prime minister and general
administrator
3. Mirza Kayumars Bahadur – the second heir apparent22
4. Mirza Sultan Fath-ul Mulk Bahadur – the third heir apparent
5. Mirza Muhammad Quwaish Bahadur – the heir apparent claimant during
the mutiny of 1857
6. Mirza Zahiruddin urf23 Mirza Mughal Bahadur
7. Mirza Farkhanda Shah Bahadur
8. Mirza Khizr Sultan Bahadur
9. Mirza Bakhtavar Shah Bahadur
10. Mirza Sohrab Hindi Bahadur
11. Mirza Abu Nasr Bahadur
12. Mirza Muhammad Bahadur
13. Mirza Abdullah Bahadur
14. Mirza Kuchak Sultan Bahadur
15. Mirza Shah Abbas Bahadur
16. Mirza Jawan Bakht Bahadur
Daughters
1. Kashifa Sultan Begum
2. Nanhi Begum
3. Agha Begum
4. Mubarak-un Nisa Begum
5. Shabih Begum
6. Makholi Begum
7. Dabeer-uz Zamani Begum
8. Hasan Zamani Begum
9. Nawab Begum
10. Haji Begum
11. Kulsum Zamani Begum
12. Jamia Begum
13. Aurang Zamani Begum
14. Pyari Begum
15. Basti Begum
16. Nanhi Begum
17. Hameed-uz Zamani Begum
18. Salis Zamani Begum
19. Qutbi Begum
20. Bulaqi Begum
21. Mariam Zamani Begum
22. Rabia Begum
23. Hatim Zamani Begum
24. Quraisha Sultan Begum
25. Sultan Zamani Begum
26. Khair-un-Nisa Begum
27. Sitara Sultan Begum
28. Afsar Zamani Begum
The next two were twins:
29. Tahniyat Tara Begum
30. Khatoon Zamani Begum
The daughters who survived the mutiny were given a pension of ten rupees a
month.
The Fate of the Badshah’s Sons
When Major Hodson arrested Mirza Mughal, Mirza Khizr Sultan, and Mirza
Abu Bakr and put them in a bullock cart to be transported to the Qila, the cart
driver ran away in fear, excusing himself on the pretext of wanting to relieve
himself. The cart driver was replaced by Mirza Mughal’s special attendant who
was called Hussain Mirza.
According to Mirza Qumqamuddin, the author of Muzaffarnama, when the
cart reached the jailhouse, Major Hodson stopped the cart and asked, ‘Who is the
commander-in-chief?’
Mirza Mughal replied, ‘I am.’
Hodson made him alight from the cart and shot him point-blank. He asked
once again, ‘Who is the colonel?’
Mirza Khizr Sultan replied, ‘I am.’
Hodson made him get down and shot him in the same manner.
The bodies of the two princes lay writhing in the dust with fountains of blood
spouting out from the wounds. Unable to see the state of his uncles, Mirza Abu
Bakr called out in anger. Major Hodson dragged him down from the cart and
shot him as well. The first bullet hit his arm and the second entered his thigh.
The third shot killed him.
When the corpses were cold, one of the riders with Hodson hacked off their
heads and set off. Mirza Qumqamuddin has written that he was sitting in the
cart, shivering with fear as he waited for his turn, but Hodson ignored him.
Leaving the cart behind, Hodson went off with the heads of the princes, his
cavalrymen in tow.
Mirza Qumqamuddin got off the cart and started searching the corpses. Mirza
Mughal’s corpse had an amulet tied on his arm, which he undid and took back to
Mirza Mughal’s mother, Sharafat Mahal Saheba, after a few days. But she
refused to accept it.
According to Prince Mirza Mohammad Shuja Bahadur Hazrat Labeeb, one of
Bahadur Shah’s daughters, Nawab Begum, was married to Peerzada Hasan
Askari Saheb. She had died two years before the mutiny. The British hanged
Hasan Askari after the mutiny.
There was a stream outside the Qila’s Dilli Darwaza which had a stone path
on either side called Patri, where markets selling different wares would be set
up. There was a tripolia24 in front of it, and the stream passed through the central
arch of the tripolia while the stone paths passed through its side arches. Mirza
Mughal’s residence was on top of this tripolia. Behind it was a vast square with
residential quarters where the royal officers and attendants stayed.
The custom was that if women came into the Qila, female attendants dressed
in male uniform would check inside the carriages to see who was entering the
fort. In case the visitors were unknown people, the attendants would check why
they had come and whom they were visiting.
Zenana Khidmatgar25
1. Chitthi nevezni did the work of scribes as per the orders of the Badshah and
Begums.
2. Urda beginiya’n were stationed at Lahori Darwaza, Dilli Darwaza and near
the Qila in male uniform. Their job was to check the carriages of the
women who came into the Qila.
3. Khair salla waaliya’n were employed by the Badshah to look out for the
welfare of every prince and report to him. When these women would enter
the deorhi, they would investigate everyone from the daroghas to other
employees of the prince. They would then enter the mahal and present
greetings to the Begum of the house and say, ‘Allah rasul ki amaan, biwi,
Huzur has enquired after the welfare of your children and yourself.’ They
would then sweet-talk the ladies to find out what was happening in their
households. Sometimes the begums would reward them. If the begums were
uncooperative, they would leave after initial enquiries.
4. Aacha were teachers to the young girls.
5. Baridarniya’n were the attendants who would take turns to attend to the
Badshah and Begums.
6. Pahredarniya’n acted as guards at night or pressed the Badshah’s feet.
Baari ka Khaasa, or Food Trays
These trays of food were sent to the houses of princes and nobles daily, or on
alternate days, or at regular intervals.
Baola, or Water Bag
This was a huge pakhal, a water bag, which would hang outside the deorhi, with
a three-legged stool placed under it for support. The female saqqa would fill
their mashq from this and take it into the zenana mahal.
three
The Innocent Prince
Hazrat Akbar Shah II was angry with his heir apparent,26 Mirza Abu Zafar.
Akbar Shah II loved Mirza Babar, Mirza Salim and Mirza Jahangir amongst his
sons. He, therefore, appointed Mirza Salim as his heir apparent and desired that
the East India Company also accept and announce the same. However, since
Mirza Abu Zafar was the oldest son, the Company was not ready to accept the
Badshah’s proposal. The Badshah Salamat then became resentful of the heir
apparent.
Mirza Salim died during the lifetime of his sons, and the Badshah handed over
his responsibilities of looking after the workshops and the other services
rendered in the Qila to his son Mirza Firoz Shah. When the Badshah was on his
deathbed, he handed over the royal keys to his grandson with the instruction to
not hand them over till he had made sure he had taken advantage of every
opportunity to succeed him.
According to legend, Mirza Firoz Shah went into a state of shock when he
heard about his grandfather’s demise. Kingship was now slipping from his grasp
and heading right to the palace of Mirza Abu Zafar. Mirza Firoz Shah wore
saffron clothes and retreated to the jungle. He kept the keys with him and spent
his time contemplating his grandfather’s advice.
When Abu Zafar became the Badshah, a search was undertaken for the royal
keys. The royal attendants informed him that the previous king had handed them
over to Firoz Shah. The Emperor ordered that the keys be handed over to him.
He sent nobles to the prince to convince him to bring the keys. He tried to
reassure the prince that no harm would come to him. However, the prince
refused to hand over the keys.
Later, the Saheb Resident Bahadur and Saheb Commissioner Bahadur made
promises in exchange for the keys, but even they failed. They told the prince, ‘If
you give us the keys, we promise that all the money and factories that were
under your father will remain under you. Apart from that, the Badshah will also
reward you well.’
But Firoz Shah only had a ‘No’ on his lips for all.
After a few days, a royal officer, who had looked after Firoz Shah when he
was a child and had been with him ever since, approached the prince. He was
weeping copiously and the prince too broke down. The officer drew a verbal
sketch of the transient nature of the world and started lamenting the deaths of
Akbar Shah II and Mirza Salim. His refrain was: ‘Miyan, there is no use of
living in this disloyal world. One should be unaffected by and stay aloof from
the vagaries of time. This world stands by no one. Huzur, may I sacrifice myself
for you, it breaks my heart to see you in these beggar’s clothes. These are the
days for you to live a luxurious life and enjoy yourself. Had your father been
alive, this is what would have transpired. However, we are but puppets in the
hands of God.’
Mirza Firoz Shah was deeply moved by these words and, finding a
sympathetic soul, related to him the story of the keys, and asked for advice. He
said, ‘The Badshah is after my life to hand over the keys to him. The British
support him.’
‘Huzur, when you have forsaken the crown, what use are the keys?’ the
officer said with folded hands. ‘Hand back the keys and spend your days in
remembrance of Allah to see what fate has in store for you.’
The naïve prince did not realize that this was a conspiracy and handed over
the keys.
A day later, when he heard sounds of jubilation from the Qila, he realized he
had made a mistake and forsook the world to become a fakir. He refused to take
the stipend fixed for him by Bahadur Shah Zafar. He spent his life selling the
jewels and cash that Akbar Shah II had personally gifted him and continued this
life even after the mutiny of 1857. He was a scholar of philosophy, logic and the
sciences, despite being inclined to mysticism. He was a handsome, spiritual and
generous prince. He never ate alone, either as a prince or as a pauper. He was a
follower of Hazrat Maulana Ghaus Ali Shah Qalandar Panipati and Sain Kafur
Shah. He was broad-minded and secular and would often spend time with the
sadhus and bairagis27, humble in his search for mystical meaning. He converted
to Christianity but reconverted thereafter, and stayed a staunch Muslim till his
death.
After the mutiny of 1857, he sent many petitions to the British asking them to
restore his estate and income, saying he had had nothing to do with the mutiny.
However, they heeded no petition. He travelled all the way to London to have
his estate restored and was told to go to the Viceroy with his petition, who would
give it due consideration. But the time was adverse for Mughals and the British
government was hostile to Muslims, and his petition went unheard.
He realized that the British had no intention of heeding him and considered it
more dignified to live with whatever he had. These princes were dignified and
polished, yet naïve and not worldly-wise. When his time came, he called Mirza
Iqbal Shah, son of Mirza Ilahi Bux, whom he had adopted as his son, and
instructed him to bury him simply in Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin without
spending any money. Mirza Iqbal Shah searched his trunks after his death and
found a cloth shroud he could use. He was initially in a fix over payment for the
expenses of the burial, but the gravediggers found a purse with two hundred
rupees in it in the earth they were digging and he spent this money on the burial.
four
The Devious Prince
It was rumoured that Bahadur Shah Zafar could suck the juice from the meat
after a hunt and after an hour’s rest, he would drink water and vomit out all that
he had eaten. He had developed this reaction because his son, and heir apparent,
Prince Mirza Kayumars had once given him a tiger’s whisker in a paan, hoping
to kill him and become the Badshah himself.
It took place when Huzur Bahadur Shah was invited to an elaborate feast. A
beautiful musical soirée followed, and when the room was resounding with
delightful ragas and the Badshah was totally engrossed in them, he was
presented with a paan which contained the tiger’s whisker. He immediately took
ill upon eating it, and the royal physicians, suspecting foul play, gave him
emetics to induce vomit. He vomited blood and eventually the whisker came out
in one of these purges.28 Upon investigation, it was found that Prince Kayumars
Bahadur had done this foul deed.
Once the Badshah had recovered and a celebration was held for his health, he
called upon Prince Kayumars to present himself. He had a cup of poisoned
sherbet prepared for the prince. The prince knew what was in store for him and
appeared before the Badshah with his head bowed and his hands folded. The
Badshah took the sherbet in his hand and said, ‘Son, here is a cup of poisoned
sherbet for you in return for the tiger whisker you gave me.’
Mirza Kayumars wanted to say something, but the Badshah pre-empted him,
‘Noxious wretch! Do you want to be known as disobedient too?’
The prince quietly said, ‘As you desire,’ and accepted the cup from his
father’s hand. Within a few seconds of drinking it, he fell writhing to the ground
and died.
five
The Fate of the Sons of Akbar Shah II
Akbar Shah II had many sons.
1. Mirza Ibban or Abu Zafar
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Mirza Jahangir
Mirza Babur
Mirza Salim
Mirza Buland Bakht
Mirza Jahan Khusrau
Mirza Qabad (Kaikubad)
Mirza Jahan Shah
Mirza Kaus Shah
Mirza Shujat Shah
Mirza Nazim Shah
Daughters
1. Nawab Masood-uz Zamani Begum
2. Nawab Qamrun Nisa Begum
3. Nawab Moti Begum
4. Nawab Hussaini Begum
5. Nawab Lamiya Sultan Begum
6. Nawab Sakina Begum
Abu Zafar alias Mirza Ibban
Mirza Ibban was born in the Lal Qila, Dehli, on 28 Shaban in 1189 AH.29 He
was named Abu Zafar at birth, and nicknamed Mirza Ibban. He was appointed
heir apparent on 7 Ramzan 1221 AH,30 when he was 32 years of age.31 The
British Resident, Seton, presented him with the robes of honour of an heir
apparent.
Coronation
Mirza Ibban was crowned Badshah in 1253 AH on 28 Jamad-us Sani32 at the age
of fifty-four.33 Sir Thomas Metcalfe, the Resident of Dehli, coronated him on the
marble throne in the tasbihkhana.
The Phoenix Throne and the Bitter Governor
The Badshah took the title of Sirajuddin Bahadur Shah II and got an octagonal
throne of gold and silver made for his coronation ceremony, which he named
Takht-e-Huma or the Phoenix Throne. Huzur Bahadur Shah II used the Takht-eHuma only once for ceremonial purposes. After that, the British government
prohibited him from sitting on the formal throne, since Lord Ellenborough had
not been given a seat during the durbar.
The End of the Turks
The Badshah ruled for thirty years and seven months. He was removed from the
throne in 1273 AH34 at the age eighty-four. In 1275 AH35 he was sent to
Rangoon at the age of eighty-six.36
This is the chronogram:37
The angel Hatif whispered in my ear
Listen, Turkey38 has fallen
The Simplicity of the Badshah
The Badshah was very intelligent, courageous and simple.
We will tell you a story of the Huzur Badshah’s simplicity. When he was a
prisoner in Dehli after the mutiny and the case against him began, many brave
and fearless friends and relatives who were unafraid of the British would come
to meet him. He told one relative, ‘Hey brother, remind Ilahi Bux that he used to
always get sohan halwa39 cooked and present a tray to me. Has he forgotten me
now?’ This news reached Mirza Ilahi Bux, and he immediately recounted it to
Colonel Sanders saying, ‘The imprisoned Badshah has sent me this message.’
Sanders gave him permission to send some sohan halwa for the Badshah.
Mirza Ilahi Bux bought halwa for twelve rupees from the market and sent it to
the Badshah, who happily ate it.
The Royal Food as an Emperor and a Mendicant
During his reign, the Badshah usually ate kebabs, meat soup and oranges. His
digestive system had become very weak after the incident of the tiger’s whisker.
So he would only suck the juice from his food and vomit it out after an hour and
half. Huzur Bahadur Shah always yearned to eat a proper meal but despite much
treatment he could never do so. But after the mutiny, when he was in prison, he
suddenly found he was able to digest every kind of food. Initially he had
problems with the food cooked in government kitchens, but after some time he
ate whatever food was served to him.
Attributes
Archery Skills
Bahadur Shah was such an expert archer that even his ustads would bless him.
His ustad was Teerandaz Khan, and the Emperor practised right till the end of
his monarchy. He had built a target of mud in front of the Diwan-e-Aam. He
would practise every day from the top of Diwan-e-Aam and his skill was such
that, though he shot from a higher plane, the arrow would hit the middle of the
target instead of hitting the top of the target. It seemed as if he and the target
were at the same level.
Shooting Skills
The Emperor was an ace shot and always hit the mark whether the target was
moving or still. He could shoot down a flying bird.
Hunting
During the four winter months, the Badshah would set off from the Qila at 3 a.m.
every day in a glass-covered palanquin. He would be accompanied by fifty or
sixty torchbearers. They would go out 6 to 7 miles along the Jamuna and would
alight wherever dawn broke. He would recite his morning prayers and then
continue, and return by 8 to 9 a.m. This continued till he was imprisoned.
His style of hunting was such that he never got down from his palanquin,
which kept moving at a steady pace. The Badshah would shoot the animals and
birds that came his way. Rarely did any escape. A group of shikaris were in his
employ and their job was to bring the animals into the path of the Badshah. It
was said that these shikaris were experts in rounding up not only animals on the
ground but also birds in the sky. They would round up waterfowl too.
The Emperor never returned empty-handed from a shikar.
Hunting Lodges
Bahadur Shah had two hunting lodges on either side of the Jamuna, at a distance
of 7 or 8 kos. He could go only to these areas for shikar, as he had formal
permission for access to only these areas from the British. If he wanted to go
anywhere else, he would have to take permission from the Resident.
The Emperor of the World of Sorrow as a Poet
Alas, the heart of Hindustan has been devastated. The nightingales of the garden
have had to bear the pangs of separation, and the lights have flickered and died
in their candle stands.
However, people still talk of the time when these candles burnt brightly and
about the moths that gathered around them. Even though the candle was
flickering in this new morning’s wind, it still maintained its stature, dignity and
lovely grace. The pearly tears illuminated by the flame were dispersed amongst
the love-struck moths that still hovered around this dying flame.
Now there is no assembly, no candle and no moths! All that is left are stories.
The late Mohammad Hussain Azad has used dastangoi to describe these days,
and while Zauq’s40 verses are masterly, that language and anguish is no longer
there:
The flowers revelled for two days in the spring
Alas, the heart goes out to those buds that wilted without blooming.
Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq
Zafar doesn’t count a man as human, be he a man of understanding
and charity,
If he doesn’t remember God in moments of happiness, or doesn’t fear
God when angry
Bahadur Shah Zafar
Either my crown should have been made royal
Or mine should have been the crown of a beggar
Bahadur Shah Zafar
The Lamp of Dehli is Extinguished
The Lamp of Dehli is Extinguished
Bahadur Shah lived for six more years after he was exiled. He died at the age of
92, on a Friday, on 14 Jamadi-us Sani 1279 AH.41 Tears of blood were wept by
the heavens at this unfortunate’s death. Everyone wept for him except the hardhearted Hindustanis. He was buried in Rangoon.
Sirajuddin Abu Zafar has departed towards heaven
He was the reason that the cup of Dehli had brimmed over with
happiness
The chronogram of his coronation is ‘lamp of Dehli’
How aptly did the divine angel give the chronogram for his death:
‘The lamp of Dehli has been extinguished’42
Mirza Jahangir
Prince Mirza Jahangir was a courageous and handsome young man. He was fond
of alcohol and would be under its influence most of the time. He was quicktempered, pompous, authoritative and fast to take action on something that
offended him. Even the British feared his temper.
He was an expert at horse-riding, playing chougan,43 an ace shot and a
champion javelin thrower. He won many bets against the British in horse races
and horse jumping. He would often go out riding with them and jump over all
the ditches and moats that came their way. The British officers would be
astonished at his riding prowess and were always wary of him in case he
overthrew them and became the real ruler of the country.
War
To mock them and for his own amusement, Mirza Jahangir had given various
nicknames to the British officers in his father’s court. He used to call Sir
Archibald Seton, the British Resident, a ‘lulu’.44
One day the prince came to the Diwan-e-Aam in a state of intoxication and
addressed Seton as lulu. An offended Seton left the durbar and got together an
army and surrounded the Qila. However, he had doubts about the correctness of
his actions and thus did not issue orders to attack the Qila. He told them to aim
their guns towards the Qila but to hold their fire.
Meanwhile, Mirza Jahangir got his army together inside the Qila and stationed
them facing the Qila’s walls and gateways. He gave orders to his troops to fire.
Soon there was retaliatory fire from the other side. The battle was joined. Mirza
Jahangir’s forces were defeated, and the British army entered the Qila. Once
again, there was an intense battle between the two, and corpses started piling up.
Mirza Jahangir’s forces were routed and he took refuge in the palace. The
Badshah sent a peace proposal to Seton, who accepted it but on the condition
that Mirza Jahangir was handed over to them, and that in the future British
troops would guard the four main gateways of the Qila.
The Badshah had no option but to accept these terms. He called forth the
prince from inside the palace. The brave prince came like an enraged tiger with
his hand on the hilt of his sword and without fear of the consequences of his
actions. Seton and the other British officers present acknowledged his courage.
They saluted him and stood quietly.
The Badshah tried to diffuse the situation by making the prince shake hands
with Seton. However, Seton was adamant that since the prince had broken the
terms of the treaty between the Mughal Emperor and the British, and since he
was young and immature, he should be sent to live in Allahabad. The Badshah
tearfully sent off his favourite son to Allahabad, where he reached amidst great
pomp and took up residence in the fort.
He came to Dehli once to pay his respects to his father, but after he returned to
Allahabad he fell sick and died.
Death
He died in Allahabad and was buried there.45 The Badshah was heartbroken and
died in grief some months later.
Shahzada Mirza Babur
He was a handsome and brave man but always remained in a state of
intoxication. He died during his father’s46 lifetime.
Shahzada Mirza Salim
He was a pious and upright young man. Akbar Shah II47 was most inclined
towards him as his most capable son. He wanted to appoint him heir apparent
and sent many letters to the British government and Resident expressing this
desire. But Mirza Salim also died during his father’s lifetime.
Buland Bakht and Kaikubad
Both these princes died during the lifetime of their father Akbar Shah II.
Mirza Jahan Shah
He died before the mutiny.
Mirza Jahan Khusrau
Nothing was heard of this prince after the mutiny, when he fled from Dilli in the
confusion that followed.
Mirza Kaus Shah and Mirza Shujat Shah
The British hanged both these princes after the mutiny.
Mirza Nazim Shah
He was arrested by the British after the mutiny and deported to the island of
Moulmein.
six
Dilli Incomparable Singer
Before I write about Tanras Khan, I would like to give a brief background on the
authenticity of the material available. The account I have given is what I heard
from my ancestors and the princes who were scattered during the mutiny, and I
can vouch for them.
Tanras Khan’s real name was Qutub Baksh, and he was five at the time of Shah
Alam II’s death. Qutub Baksh was from a family of musicians who were given
great prominence during the reign of Mohammad Shah Badshah. He was
fortunate and made great progress in his study of music. When Qutub Baksh’s
fame grew, he was called to the court of Bahadur Shah. In those days, royal
employees were not paid much but were rewarded generously. Qutub Baksh’s
salary was low but he got an allowance for dry fruits and yakhni from the royal
court. Yakhni was instrumental in making Tanras Khan’s throat supple and
strong. Both the foods helped strengthen the muscles of his throat.
Qutub Baksh gained great fame as a singer and was given the title of Tanras
Khan. Tanras Khan also coached singers in the court of Bahadur Shah. Some of
his students were Pyari Bai, Chandra Bai, Masaib Bai and Sultan Bai. There
were eighteen singers at the court and each was more accomplished than the
other.
Hunting Dogs
During Akbar Shah II’s reign, there was a ladies’ palace behind the Diwan-eAam, which was called Baithak. Near the Baithak was a tank48 enclosed by a red
sandstone screen.
On one side of the hauz were apartments49 and on the other was the splendid
mansion of Mirza Babur. The mansion of Hazrat Abu Zafar, the heir apparent,
was a little distance from here. Professional women or prostitutes whom
Mohammed Shah had patronized occupied these apartments. The mansion of
Hazrat Abu Zafar, the heir apparent, was at a little distance from here. One day,
Tanras Khan was sitting and instructing the singers in his mansion. After
completing that, when he got up to go, he saw through one of the arches that
Prince Afaq Mirza Babur Bahadur was standing at the tank and with him were
two huge dogs, almost the size of tigers and looking just as ferocious. But they
had not yet tasted blood or been used for hunting. Tanras Khan stayed inside for
fear of the dogs. After some time as the prince didn’t move, he was forced to
come out, covering his face as was the custom. He wanted to escape attention,
but Mirza Babur saw him and called out mockingly, ‘Hey, Tanwa!’
Tanras immediately said, ‘O Nurturer of the Poor.’
The prince said, ‘Why are you slinking away from me?’
Tanras said, ‘Huzur, your slave dares not ignore you. Your Highness didn’t
see me.’
‘Very well,’ he said and let loose the dogs. The dogs were frisky and started to
prowl all over the place. It was providential that till then the dogs had not bitten
a human being and tasted blood. Else, Tanras would not have lived to tell the
tale or sing his songs.
Tanras begged for forgiveness. The prince said, ‘All right, you can go, but
ensure that in the future you don’t walk past me without paying your respects.’
Exile from the Qila
When Tanras Khan became popular in the court, fate once again took a turn and
his fortunes dimmed. He fell in love with the singer Pyari Bai and started
meeting her secretly. As soon as this news reached the Badshah, Tanras Khan
was exiled from the Qila. This was catastrophic, as no one would ever patronize
a man thrown out of the Qila. Every noble shunned him.
Recognition and patronage of talent
Tanras Khan was resigned to his fate and became despondent. Bahadur Shah,
who was a connoisseur of music and the arts, sent him a message that though he
would continue to get his salary as usual, he was not allowed to come into the
Qila. The eighteen singers banished from the Qila were employed by various
princes thereafter.
Mutiny
When the Mughal dynasty of Dehli was destroyed, Tanras Khan took up
employment in the states of Alwar, Jaipur and Jodhpur. These kings rewarded
him handsomely. However, tales of the generosity and splendour of Hyderabad’s
Nizam lured him to Hyderabad, where he took up employment with Alaa Hazrat
Nawab Mir Mahboob Ali Khan and reached great heights of fame. Tanras Khan
had two sons: Ghulam Ghaus Khan and Umrao Khan.
Wit
One day Tanras Khan was in the court of Nawab Mir Mahboob Ali Khan of
Hyderabad, who was lying on a couch listening to Tanras sing a thumri, ‘Raat
balam tum humse lade thay.’50
Even though Tanras Khan had become old by now, the raag was youthful and
vibrant, and reverberated in the room.
Huzur was compelled to exclaim, ‘Wah, Tanras Khan, wah!’
Tanras Khan approached the Nawab and gestured as if he was taking away all
the bad luck of the Nawab. This offended the Nawab and he glared at him. The
rest of the gathering was in a state of shock, anticipating the Nawab’s anger.
The aged Tanras Khan was familiar with the temperament of nobility and their
whims, and immediately understood what was going on. He said, ‘May I give
my life for you. It was my long-held desire to take away the misfortunes of a
Muslim Badshah. These hands have only done this for Huzur Badshah Bahadur
Shah, and today, for you.’
Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, who was about to throw him out unceremoniously,
smiled, and the tension fizzled out.
Death
Tanras Khan died in Hyderabad and was buried on the premises of Shah
Khamosh Saheb’s dargah. His sons wanted to take his body to Dilli for burial
but Mir Mahboob Ali Khan asked his sons, ‘Is God only in Dilli and not here?’
Tanras Khan was thus left to sleep in peace forever in the Deccan. Though
Dilli’s sun set in Hyderabad, its rays shine brightly still.
seven
Mirza Ilahi Bux
Genealogy of Shah Alam I
Mirza Hidayat Afza, popularly known as Ilahi Bux, son of Mirza Mohammed
Shujaat Afza, son of Mirza Izzat Afza Bahadur, son of Shahzada Humayun
Bakht Bahadur, son of Murshidzada Afaq Shahzada Azimush Shaan,51 son of
Hazrat Khuld Manzil Abul Muzaffar Qutbuddin Muhammad Moazzam title
Shah Alam Bahadur I.
Shahzada Azimush Shaan
Mohammed Moazzam, who reigned under the title Shah Alam I, had four sons.
The oldest, Muizuddin Jahandar Shah, succeeded him as Emperor. Another son
of Shah Alam I, Shahzada Azimush Shaan, had been the Governor of Bengal
from the time of his grandfather Hazrat Muhiuddin Aurangzeb and had peopled
the city of Azimabad52 near Patna. Azimush Shaan was a thorn in the flesh of
Jahandar Shah’s followers, who bred hostility between the two brothers. This led
to a battle between the two on the banks of the river Ravi. Azimush Shaan’s
elephant was hit by a gunshot from Jahandar’s army and the elephant along with
his royal rider perished on the battleground.
However, his son Farrukhsiyar Ibn Azimush Shaan was in Azimabad at the
time. Muizuddin Jahandar Shah gave orders to Syed Abdullah Khan and Syed
Hussain Ali Khan from Sadat-e-Barha to bring Farrukhsiyar to him.
Farrukhsiyar and his mother Aqeela convinced the Syed brothers to side with
them and they deserted the Badshah for his nephew. The Syed brothers helped
Farrukhsiyar gain victory over his uncle and become Emperor of Dilli.
Farrukhsiyar’s descendants: Farrukhsiyar had no sons. He had one daughter
who married Mohammed Shah, who became the Emperor later. Farrukhsiyar had
a brother, Mirza Humayun Bakht, who was blind. However, his son Shahzada
Izzat Afza Bahadur was married to Nawab Umdat-uz-Zamani Khair-un-Nisa urf
Manjhli Begum, daughter of Alamgir II.
Nawab Umdat-uz-Zamani was a sagacious and resilient woman. When her
father Alamgir II was assassinated, Umdat-ul-Mulk Nawab Ghaziuddin Khan,
wazir-e-azam, created a lot of confusion and strife in the kingdom. This intrepid
lady put her nephew Shahzada Jahandar Shah urf Mirza Jawan Bakht as a
temporary ruler on the throne to save it for her brother Shah Alam till the latter
could arrive [in Delhi].53 She ran the interim government. Shah Alam rewarded
her generously and gave her the Begum ka Bagh in Chandni Chowk as a sign of
respect.
When Akbar Shah II died, the descendants of this lady returned all the estates
she had received from the crown as they were badly managed and got an annual
pension of five thousand rupees fixed for themselves. They received this pension
till 1842, after which it lapsed to the British government.
Umdat-uz-Zamani’s descendants: Mirza Shujaat Afza and Mirza Karamat
Afza were the sons of Mirza Izzat Afza and Umdat-uz-Zamani. Her estate and
income remained in their family.
Shujaat Afza’s descendants: Mirza Shujaat had four sons. One of them was
Mirza Ilahi Baksh, who got a stipend from Umdat-uz-Zamani’s jageer.54
Ilahi Baksh’s Achievements
I will now describe his progress inside the Qila.
Ilahi Baksh’s Ascendancy
During the reign of Akbar Shah II, Ilahi Baksh was the mukhtar to Prince Mirza
Babur, who was the bailiff of the Badshah. After Mirza Babur’s death, his son
Mirza Mahmood Shah Bahadur became the nazir and Ilahi Baksh became his
mukhtar too. After six months, the Badshah took away the naziri from Mirza
Mahmood and gave it to his grandson Mirza Dara Bakht Bahadur, and Ilahi
Baksh changed loyalties to the new incumbent.
When Bahadur Shah ascended the throne, Prince Dara Bakht was named his
heir apparent. The offices of the bailiff and quarter master were given to Mirza
Shahrukh Bahadur, son of Bahadur Shah’s second son. Mirza Ilahi Baksh now
became the mukhtar and chief employee of Mirza Shahrukh Bahadur. After the
latter’s death, Mirza Fath-ul-Mulk became the bailiff and Ilahi Baksh became his
mukhtar.
By the time the former became heir apparent, Mirza Ilahi Baksh had firmly
established his relationship with the British, and with the Qila, too, as his
daughter was married to the Badshah. He started interfering in the affairs of the
court and became a close confidant of the Badshah and his wife Zeenat Mahal,
as well as the chief intermediary between the Badshah and the British. His star
was on the rise.
After Ilahi Baksh married off his daughter Hatim Zamani Begum to Prince
Fath-ul-Mulk, he became an integral part of the mahal where his natural
shrewdness paid off. In 1852, Mirza Ilahi Baksh got an ahadnama55 written by
his son-in-law Mirza Fath-ul-Mulk, giving him a jageer, and ensured that Fathul-mulk was declared the heir apparent. He got a stipend of five thousand rupees
from the imperial treasury, which continued after 1857 as he had sided with the
British. He was close to the British officers and his influence increased once
British officers came to rely upon him.
During this time, Mirza Dara Bakht Bahadur, the eldest son and heir apparent
to the Badshah, died and Bahadur Shah and his wife Zeenat Mahal desired to
make the latter’s son Jawan Bakht the heir apparent. Meanwhile, Mirza Fath-ulMulk too began to espouse his cause to be chosen as the heir apparent. This was
the opportunity that Mirza Ilahi Baksh had been waiting for, as it brought him
closer to becoming the heir’s father-in-law.
He started exchanging expensive gifts with the British while maintaing a
cordial relationship with the Badshah and Zeenat Mahal. He got his son-in-law
to make certain promises and stepped up attempts to get him declared as the heir
apparent. And he succeeded.
However, Mirza Fath-ul Mulk died soon after being made heir apparent.
Mirza Ilahi Baksh now made a new attempt to turn the tide in his favour. He
espoused the cause of Mirza Quwaish Bahadur. Nawab Zeenat Mahal, on the
other hand, renewed her efforts at getting her son Jawan Bakht declared the heir
apparent, and the Emperor sided with her. They employed Mirza Ilahi Baksh as
a go-between with the British government to ensure Jawan Bakht’s succession.
A few months after this, the 1857 mutiny began, and since Ilahi Baksh was a
confidant of the Emperor and knew all the secrets of the palace and had access to
it, the British commandeered his services to be a British spy with promises of
untold rewards. Mirza Ilahi Baksh would relay all the news of the rebels’ actions
to the British army camped on the ridge, who tried to prevent the death of the
fifty British captives who were eventually killed by the rebels. With Ilahi
Baksh’s help Hodson also captured Mirza Mughal, Mirza Khizr Sultan and
Mirza Abu Bakr. On his advice, the British destroyed the bridge of boats near
Salimgarh on the river Jamuna, breaking the chain of supply to the rebels from
the East. His support and connivance enabled the British to successfully capture
Bahadur Shah.
eight
Ilahi Baksh after the Fall of Dehli
When Dehli fell into the hands of the British, it became unsafe for the Mughal
royal family. At this time, the British government appointed two cavalrymen to
safeguard Mirza Ilahi Baksh, one named Najjo Khan, the other Miran Baksh.
After they retired from the army, they remained with Mirza Ilahi Baksh, and
received a salary from the Mirza’s estate till their death.
After the mutiny, Ilahi Baksh was generously rewarded by the Viceroy and
the British government for his services. He was appointed as head of the royal
family and got an annual pension of 22,830 rupees from them. In 1861, the
British gave him an additional jageer of five thousand rupees per annum. Then,
in 1864, the government declared that his pension would be paid to all his
descendants for all time. Finally, in 1877, when Queen Victoria became the
Empress of India, the Mirza’s pension was increased and he was given a cash
reward of twenty-five thousand rupees.
The Exile
Along with the Emperor, Mirza Ilahi Baksh was also given the order to into on
exile. It was said that since he did not like to go to Rangoon since the Badshah
was there, he was offered the option of moving to any city of his choice –
Paigon, Karachi, Teausaran or Mortban Province.56 The order was later
cancelled in view of his services to the British.
Ilahi Baksh’s Death
He died on 21 March 1878, when he was seventy-two years old. He was buried
in Mirza Jahangir’s enclosure. The British declared Nawab Mirza Khairuddin
Khursheed Jah Bahadur as his successor.
The Foundation of the Madrasa
The British government wanted to establish a madrasa in the Qila for the
education of the princes so that the British government could employ them in
various high posts. The Badshah, however, did not like the idea and said in
anger, ‘My children will never seek employment in your government. We have
not fallen on such bad days!’
Offerings Made on the Occasion of Eid
During the festivals of Eid and Nauroz, and on birthdays, the British Viceroy
would give a thousand gold coins as an offering to the Badshah. Until the time
that the Resident , Prime Minister and ataliq (preceptor) of the Badshah were
alive, the Resident did not allow the Badshah to be troubled in any manner and
remained loyal to him. After his death, Simon Fraser, amir-ul-umara57, was
appointed the British Resident. He was a shrewd man and soon became
indispensable to the Badshah. It was during his tenure that intrigue became
commonplace in the Qila.
The Heir Apparent
Bahadur Shah’s eldest son, Mirza Dara Bakht, was appointed heir apparent as
soon as he became the Emperor. After Dara Bakht’s death, his second son, Mirza
Shahrukh, became the heir. However, he too died soon after. Then the third son,
Mirza Sultan Fath-ul-Mulk, was made the heir.
Zeenat Mahal, Bahadur Shah’s favourite queen, started her intrigues to get her
son Jawan Bakht appointed as heir. She convinced the Badshah to support her
and distanced him from Fath-ul-Mulk.
Shahzada Fath-ul-Mulk as Heir Apparent
Since Mirza Jawan Bakht was the youngest and in no way entitled to become
heir, Lord Hardinge, the viceroy, supported Fath-ul-Mulk in 1854 and declared
him as heir apparent.
An Affidavit
Lord Hardinge made an agreement with Fath-ul-Mulk or Mirza Fakhru in return
and took an affidavit from him. Mirza Qumqaamuddin, has noted this in his
book as hearsay from Prince Khursheed Alam, son of Shahzada Fath-ul-Mulk
Bahadur. He writes that Mirza Khursheed Alam had seen this agreement with his
own eyes. His account records:
After the coronation of Bahadur Shah, his eldest son, Shazada Miran Shah alias
Mirza Muhammad Dara Bakht Bahadur, was declared the heir apparent. His
second son, Mirza Shahrukh, was made the bailiff. However, since Mirza
Shahrukh died, Mirza Fath-ul-Mulk Bahadur was considered the worthy
candidate to become the heir apparent.
On this occasion, Bahadur Shah Badshah and Nawab Zeenat Mahal Begum,
the chief consort and beloved of the Emperor, tried to get the latter’s son
declared as the heir apparent.
Mirza Jawan Bakht was Bahadur Shah’s youngest and favourite son, but there
was no precedent for him to become the Badshahs’ heir. So the British rulers and
the British Governor General overturned the appeal and got the Badshah to
declare Mirza Fath-ul-Mulk Bahadur as the heir apparent.
Conditions:
1. After the death of the Badshah they will vacate the Qila.
2. The entire family will have to leave the Qila and live in Qutub Saheb.
3. They would get one crore rupees as compensation for leaving the Qila and
one crore rupees to construct residences for themselves in Qutub Saheb.
4. As per this agreement, the heir apparent would get three lakh rupees a
month from the British government.
5. He would be permitted to keep a force of five thousand armed men for his
personal use.
6. Nawab Governor General Bahadur and Nawab Lieutenant Governor
Bahadur would be given chairs to sit in on the durbar and they would be
shown every courtesy due to them.
7. They would be given preferential treatment and first position on every
occasion.
Prince Mirza Fath-ul-Mulk accepted all these conditions and signed on the
agreement.
Begamat ke Aansu
Tears of the Begums
Khwaja Hasan Nizami
In his book Twilight in Delhi, Ahmed Ali, describes the Delhi Durbar held in
1911 to celebrate the coronation of King George V a few months earlier. The
British Emperor and his wife, Queen Mary,he describes, left the Red Fort, as the
Qila-e-Mubarak was called by the British, in a stately procession. Almost every
prince and ruler of India was in attendance and presented their tributes to King
George V.
As the princely convoy advanced, Ali described a beggar known as Bahadur
Shah dragging himself on his paralysed legs, begging on the streets of
Shahjahanabad. Who was this beggar? Why was he named Bahadur Shah? What
was his connection, apart from his name, to the erstwhile Emperor?
An intense curiosity led me to research on the life of the Mughals after the fall
of Delhi to the British in 1857. Hardly any English book, barring Ahmed Ali’s,
describes the surviving Mughals. However, books in Urdu from the latenineteenth and early-twentieth century abound with descriptions of the survivors
and their lives. For one, Mirza Ghalib describes it in two of his works, Dastanbu
and Roznamcha-e-Ghadar. Even though Ghalib was not critical of the British
and hoped for their patronage and a pension, his words vividly portrayed the
desolation of Shahjahanabad. The most effective descriptions of the plight of the
innocents are found in Zahir Dehlvi’s Dastan-e-Ghadar, Mirza Ahmad Akhtar’s
Sawaneh Dehli, Syed Wazir Hasan Dehlvi’s Dilli ka Aakhiri Deedar and
Fughan-e-Dehli, and in the dirges written by many Urdu poets on the plight of
the royals left in the city. Khwaja Hasan Nizami’s Begamat ke Aansu, the final
text in this volume, is one among these records.
It is in this text that the prince found begging on the streets of Delhi in 1911
finds mention. His name was Mirza Nasir-ul-Mulk and, after escaping British
wrath in the immediate aftermath of the Uprising of 1857, he had taken up
employment along with his sister at a merchant’s house in Shahjahanabad. Later,
when the British government fixed a pension of five rupees a month for the
Mughal princes and princesses, he stopped working. However, the pension was
soon squandered away and he fell into debt.
The story recounts, ‘A few years later, a saintly man, who looked as if he was
from the Timurid–Chengezi lineage, was seen dragging himself around the
Chitli Qabr and Kamra Bangash area. His legs were paralysed. He had a bag tied
around his neck and he would look beseechingly at passers-by, mutely to ask for
help. Those who knew who he was would throw a few coins in to his bag. When
people asked who he was, they were informed that he was Mirza Nasir-ul-Mulk,
the grandson of Bahadur Shah.’
Another prince, the son of Bahadur Shah Zafar’s daughter Quraishia Begum,
was also seen begging on the streets of Shahjahanabad. Known once as Saheb-eAlam Mirza Qamar Sultan Bahadur, he was reduced to begging after the British
took control of Delhi. He would beg only at night as he felt ashamed to be
begging on the streets where once people had bowed before him and saluted
him. He even asked for alms with an aristocratic air. He didn’t address anyone
but cried out, ‘Ya Allah, please give me enough so that I can buy provisions for
myself.’
Khwaja Hasan Nizami wrote innumerable books on the events that unfolded
in 1857, all based on eyewitness accounts of survivors. A story I found
particularly moving was that of the daughters of Mirza Quwaish, who had been
appointed the heir apparent by the British after overturning the claims of Mirza
Jawan Bakht, the son of Bahadur Shah Zafar’s favourite wife Begum Zeenat
Mahal. In Begamat ke Aansu, Khwaja Hasan Nizami describes the story exactly
as he heard it from the princess.
The princess’ name was Sultan Bano and when she met Khwaja Hasan
Nizami, she was almost sixty-six, but she remembered everything vividly. He
recorded her accounts in Begamat ke Aansu as Shahzadi ki Bipta, or ‘The
Hardships of a Princess’.
Here I have translated a selection of stories from the book.
From Royalty to the Era of Mendicancy
and Destruction
If Bahadur Shah had not been involved in the mutiny, he would have lived the
life of a dervish in great comfort and ease. However, he got caught in the trap set
by the rebel forces and spent the last days of his life in great trouble. My mother
heard from her father, Hazrat Khwaja Shah Ghulam Hasan, that the day Bahadur
Shah left the Qila of Dehli, he went straight to the dargah of Mehboob-e-Ilahi.
At that time, he was in a state of despondency and despair. Only a few eunuchs
and the porters of his hawadar were with him. His face was lined with worry and
he was covered in dust. His white beard was matted with dirt.
As soon as my grandfather heard that the Emperor had come to the dargah, he
presented himself before His Highness. He found the Emperor leaning against
the head1 of the shrine, a faint smile appearing on his face when he saw my
grandfather. My grandfather said he sat in front of the Emperor and asked him
about his welfare.
The Emperor replied with great simplicity, ‘I had said these accursed rebels
were headstrong and trusting them was a mistake. They would go down
themselves and take me with them. This is what transpired. They have run away.
I am a mendicant, but I am a descendant of the Timurid race, which has the
instinct and courage to go down fighting. My ancestors went through tougher
times and never gave up hope. But my end has already been revealed to me.
There is no doubt that I am the last Timurid to sit on the throne of Hind. The
lamp of the Mughal dynasty is about to be snuffed out. It is just a guest for a few
more hours. Why then should I indulge in unnecessary bloodshed? That’s why I
left the Qila myself. This country is God’s and He can bestow it on whomever
He pleases. For hundreds of years we have ruled Hindustan through force and
fear. Now it is the turn of others to rule. We will be the ruled and they the rulers.
This is not a reason to mourn, for we also removed someone from the throne and
destroyed their dynasty to establish ours.’
After this, the Badshah gave my grandfather a box and said he was entrusting
him with it. ‘When Amir Timur conquered Constantinople, he acquired this from
the treasure of Sultan Yaldram Bayazid. It has five hairs from the blessed beard
of our beloved Prophet. This has been passed down in our family as a special
blessing. Now there is no place for me in this wide world, and I don’t know
where I can take them. I am placing them in your trust as you are the worthiest
person to take care of them. They have provided much solace to my heart over
the years. Today, on the most calamitous day of my life, I part with them.’
My grandfather took the box and put it in the treasury of the dargah. The box
remains with us even today, and on every twelfth of Rabi-ul Awwal people are
given a glimpse of it.
The Badshah then told my nana saheb, ‘I have not had time to eat the last
three meals. If there is some food in the house, please bring it.’
My nana saheb said, ‘We are also standing at the edge of death and no one
has had any time, or peace, to cook. But I will bring whatever I can for you. In
fact, why don’t you grace my humble home with your blessed presence? As long
as my children and I are alive, no one can touch you. We will die before anyone
can harm you.’
The Badshah said, ‘This is your kindness, but I will not jeopardize the lives of
my pir’s children to defend this old body. I have paid my respects to Mehboobe-Ilahi,2 I have entrusted you with my sacred trust. Now, if I can eat a few
morsels, I will go to Humayun’s tomb. Destiny will fulfil what is written in my
fate.’
Nana saheb came home and asked if there was something available to eat and
was told that there was only besani roti and a chutney made of vinegar, and some
relish. He took the food on a covered tray and presented it to the Badshah, who
ate it and thanked God for His mercy.
After that, he left for Humayun’s tomb, where he was arrested and later exiled
to Rangoon, where the Badshah continued his spiritual pursuits. As long as he
lived, he was a forbearing and pious dervish.
This tale should serve as a warning to all humans.
The Princes Get Dragged through the Market
This Dehli, the heart of India, its capital, was flourishing, and when the flame of
the Mughals began to flicker, and the empire was teetering on the precipice of
destruction, the first change to be noticed was in the lifestyle of its people. Both,
rulers and their subjects, were destroyed.
A year before the mutiny, a few princes had gone for shikar into the jungle
and were killing doves and other birds that were resting on the branches of the
trees, shielding themselves from the hot summer sun. A fakir dressed in rags
presented his salaam with great respect and said, ‘Miyan Sahibzado’n, why are
you tormenting these innocent birds? What wrong have they done to you? They
are also living creatures. They too can feel pain like you but are helpless to
express it. Show them mercy, for they too are part of this country and deserving
of royal clemency.’
The eldest prince, who was eighteen years old at the time, felt embarrassed
and kept his slingshot away. The younger one, Mirza Nasir-ul-Mulk, got very
angry and said contemptuously, ‘Go away, you! A worthless man like you wants
to preach to us? Who are you to tell us what to do? Everyone hunts and we are
not committing a sin.’
The fakir said with humility, ‘Saheb-e-Alam, don’t get angry. We must only
hunt in a manner that even if one animal is killed, a few others can feed people
from it. What can you achieve by killing these tiny birds? Even if you kill twenty
of them, a man won’t be full.’
Mirza Nasir was further enraged and, aiming his slingshot at the fakir’s leg,
let fly a stone at his knee. The fakir fell face forward and cried out, ‘Oh! You
have broken my leg.’
Both the princes mounted their horses and left for the Qila. The fakir dragged
himself to a nearby cemetery and kept repeating, ‘How can a dynasty flourish
with heirs so merciless? Young Prince, you have broken my leg; may God break
your leg too and force you to drag yourself around like me.’
A year later, the sound of cannons and gunshots filled Shahjahanabad and
heaps of corpses were lying everywhere. Dehli was being deserted. A few
Mughal princes were seen riding in a dishevelled and bewildered state from the
Lal Qila towards Paharganj. They were being chased by twenty-five British
soldiers on horseback, who let loose a volley of gunshots. Very soon, the horses
and princes were writhing in pain on the ground. When the British soldiers came
close, they saw that two princes were dead – but another was still breathing. One
of the soldiers pulled him to his feet and found that he was unhurt except for a
few scratches from falling off the horse. But he was frightened out of his wits by
the turn of events.
They tied his hands to the reins of his horse and sent him in captivity to the
camp in the company of two soldiers. The camp was on the ridge, where Indian
soldiers who were supporting the British had gathered. When the senior officer
was told that the prince was Nasir-ul-Mulk, the grandson of the Emperor, he was
very happy and asked that he be kept in safe captivity.
When the rebel sepoys started fleeing in disarray and the British army entered
the city in triumph, Bahadur Shah was arrested from the premises of Humayun’s
tomb and the lamp of the Timurid dynasty was snuffed out. The jungles around
Dehli started getting filled with Mughal princesses in disarray, their hair and
faces dishevelled and uncovered. Fathers were slaughtered in front of their
children, while mothers saw their sons writhing in the throes of death in the dust.
Mirza Nasir-ul-Mulk was tied with ropes and was sitting at the ridge when a
Pathan soldier came to him and quietly said, ‘Run away, I have taken permission
from Saheb to release you. Go before they catch you again.’
The poor Mirza was at a loss for he had never travelled on foot. However, his
survival instinct was strong and, thanking the Pathan, he set off. He walked
aimlessly for a mile; his feet began to get blisters, his throat was parched, and his
tongue swelled up. When he was unable to bear it anymore, he collapsed under
the shade of a tree and looked imploringly towards the sky, ‘O Lord, why has
this calamity struck us? What should I do? Where can I go?’
When he looked up, he saw a dove on the tree hatching eggs in her nest.
Seeing her ease and freedom, the prince said enviously, ‘O dove, you are a
thousand times better than me. At least you sit without a care in your nest. There
is no place for me in this whole wide world.’
The prince spied signs of habitation in the distance and, gritting his teeth,
decided to move towards it. The blisters on his feet were bleeding, but he
somehow managed to reach. Here, he was witness to a macabre spectacle.
Hundreds of villagers surrounded a platform on which a thirteen-year-old girl sat
in a state of complete shock. Her ears were bleeding from where her earrings had
been wrenched off, and the villagers were laughing at her. As soon as Mirza and
the girl laid eyes on each other, they started screaming in shock. The girl was his
sister. They embraced each other and wept bitterly. The princess had left the
Qila with her mother in a bullock cart for Mehrauli to Qutub Saheb’s dargah.
Mirza had no idea that she had been caught in this situation.
He asked her, ‘Malika, how are you here?’
‘Aqa ji, the gujjars looted us and killed the servants. People from another
village forcibly took Ammajan to their village and these people brought me here.
They snatched my earrings and kept slapping my face.’ She was crying so
uncontrollably by now that she could not speak any more. The Mirza consoled
his sister and started pleading with the villagers to let her go.
The gujjars said with contempt, ‘Go away, you are a fine one to talk like this.
If we hit you even once, your neck will be separated from your body. We have
bought her from those villagers. Now you can buy her from us.’
Mirza replied, ‘Chaudhry, I am not in any position except to beg for food from
you. Please have mercy on us. Until yesterday we were your rulers and you were
our subjects. Please don’t torture us. We are going through a bad time. If we
come back to power, we will reward you handsomely.’
The villagers laughed loudly, ‘Oho, the Emperor! We will now sell you to the
firangi and this girl will serve our village. She will sweep it, look after the cattle
and clean up after them.’ They were still talking when the British forces arrived
and surrounded the village. They captured the gujjar chief, and the young prince
and princess.
Gallows had been erected in the bazaar of Chandni Chowk. Whoever the
British pronounced as guilty, was hanged there. Thousands were hanged every
day. Some were shot, and others decapitated with swords.
Mirza Nasir-ul-Mulk and his sister were presented before the bade Saheb,3
who pronounced them innocent and let them go. The two then took employment
with a trader. The princess looked after his children and Nasir-ul-Mulk did his
chores which included buying provisions for the house. A few days later, the
princess died of cholera which was raging in the city. The Mirza then took
employment in various houses.
Finally, the British government fixed a monthly pension of five rupees for all
the Mughal princes, and he could now afford to leave others’ employment.
Some years later, a pir baba, who looked as if he was from the Timurid–
Chengezi lineage, could be seen dragging himself around the Chitli Qabr and
Kamra Bangash area. He couldn’t move his legs as they were paralysed, and he
had a bag around his neck. He would meekly look at passers-by and ask for help.
Those who knew who he was would throw a few coins into his bag. When
people asked who he was, they were informed that it was Mirza Nasir-ul-Mulk,
the grandson of Bahadur Shah.
Mirza Nasir had wasted his pension and taken heavy loans against it. Now
begging was his only means of living.
Khwaja Hasan Mirza heard this tale from him and some other princes. The
fakir’s curse had come true.
A Picture of the Mutiny
Allah! How many poignant and emotional scenes are hidden in time! With time,
the same Dehli that saw the blood of innocents flowing along its streets now
takes on new hues. Babur’s sword had once killed Ibrahim Lodi and the former
ruler’s family stood helplessly in front of the new Emperor. Now, Babur’s
descendants are helpless in these terrible times, having lost their power.
When I enter the Dilli Durbar, my glance falls on a picture4 that shows the last
scion of the Timurid empire, Abu Zafar Bahadur Shah, being arrested by Major
Hodson at Humayun’s tomb. Bahadur Shah stands wearing his cloak and holding
a staff in his hand. His face reflects his sorrow and helplessness and his wrinkles
reveal his advanced age. Major Hodson, in his red uniform, holds the Emperor’s
hand in his, not in salutation, but in supreme victory. Two of Hodson’s soldiers
stand behind the Emperor. A loyal soldier leaps forward to strike Hodson, but
before he can do anything, one of Hodson’s soldiers shoots him dead.
Alas! How can one still crave for power?
Beggar Prince
‘I am the beloved son of Quraisha Begum,5 daughter of Bahadur Shah. In my
childhood I was known as Saheb-e-Alam Mirza Qamar Sultan Bahadur. Today I
am just a humiliated beggar. I was happy earlier and am content even now. How
can one complain about the turning of the wheel of fortune?
‘I was born in palaces and from the time I opened my eyes there were servants
standing before me with bowed heads and folded hands. When I grew up, I
witnessed a different scene. Nobles would run to obey my commands at just a
glance. I thought I was born into this lofty position, and was meant to be feted
and fawned over forever. I never knew there could be another side to life.
‘May I be sacrificed over Allah’s power. He showed us our place. We saw our
rise and our fall. We enjoyed the glory of being a royal and now we are
experiencing the abjectness of a beggar’s life. And both are unique in their own
way.
‘When the British fixed a pension for us of five rupees a month, we were
Shahzada Alampanah once again. We borrowed on expectations and then
drowned in debts. Now we have to earn our own money, but how could we work
for someone else? Meanwhile, I lost my eyesight, and became blind and
helpless. I was desperate, and finally took up the beggar’s bowl. I go out in the
dark of the night, when I can’t be identified, and cry out for alms.
‘People ask me why I don’t come out in the day, but I am ashamed and
embarrassed. How can I beg on the same roads where people once bent low to
salute me when I rode in the streets?’
Mirza Qamar Sultan asks for alms with an aristocratic air. He doesn’t address
anyone, but just cries out, ‘Ya Allah, please give me enough so that I can buy
provisions for myself – ek paisa ka atta dilwa de.’6 He roams the streets of
Dehli, then returns home.
A Family of Royal Descent
Hazrat Mehboob-e-Ilahi would exclaim whenever he saw a delicious item of
food, ‘How can I eat my fill when thousands of my brothers remain hungry in
their houses? First feed a few of them, then bring this to me.’
When some new clothes were brought for him, he would cry out and say,
‘How can the Nizam wear this when his brothers are shivering, bare-bodied, in
front of mosques and open fires? First clothe them, then come back to me.’
Those who claim to be his disciples should first look after the poor.
Once, it was bitterly cold in Dehli. Water began to freeze in the vessels. I,
Khwaja Hasan Nizami, decided to do some charity and went to Shahjahanabad
to a friend’s house, an area where many indigent Mughal princes lived. There
was a small hut next to my friend’s house in which resided a family of royal
blood. I had heard that the prince used to work in a Muslim trader’s shop but had
lost his job when the trader shifted to Calcutta. The prince had three small sons
and an eighteen-year-old daughter. The daughter was married but she had come
back to her parents’ house because her husband was not good to her.
I sat next to a wall from where I could see inside their house. There was a
small store room with a small open gallery, and a small courtyard. The thrifty
princess had spread out dried palm leaves on the floor. I don’t know if there was
anything inside the store room. There were some patched-up rags, in a corner of
the gallery. Three children sat on these rags wrapped in a torn and tattered
blanket. The princess was cooking bajra rotis while the daughter was grinding
chutney on the whetstone. One of the children called out, ‘Bajijaan, please give
me some chutney, the roti is getting cold.’
The girl quickly gathered the chutney and placed it before the children. They
began to eat.
The prince returned while this was going on. He wore a dirty shawl and sat
quietly against a wall. The girl asked, ‘Abbajan, I hope all is well. Why are you
sitting so forlorn?’
The prince looked up and replied, ‘Don’t worry. All is well. I spent the day
pleading with people, but I could not get any job which could support my family.
As I was returning home I saw our worthy son-in-law being taken in handcuffs
by the police. He had cut off a prostitute’s nose. I was very saddened by this.
When I came into our locality, the bania from whom we take our provisions on
credit asked me very rudely for his money. I was humiliated and left wondering
how to make ends meet. This bitter cold is adding to my woes. I wish God would
call me to Himself so I would be relieved of these difficulties.’
He bent his head and remained lost in his thoughts.
I saw that the poor girl was weeping when she heard her father’s words,
especially about her husband.
It was a horrifying scene.
When the meal was over, the four children gathered together under the ragged
cloth lying in the corner. It was short, so while the boys could cover themselves,
the girl could not. She had to fold her legs to keep them under the blanket. The
prince covered himself in his shawl and the princess used the torn blanket.
That’s how the royal family slept.
I was lost in my thoughts about the vicissitudes of life.
Bahadur Shah’s epistle to the Prince7
The son of my royal and illustrious brother has come to Rangoon. It was my
desire that I should host him in a manner commensurate with his majestic status
and my own honour and prestige. However, I am helpless as I have been exiled,
and have nothing with me here. All I have is a small room that can fit in a grave,
and a wet and mouldy bed of mud and dust. A bundle of bones lies in a tattered
shroud on that bed. Outside, there is a tennis court and an uninteresting
compound.
How can I call my fair and handsome brother to such a desolate place? All I
can do is send you this brief dua nama:8
May you live to be a thousand years
And may each year have fifty thousand days
Mirza Ghalib9
Jaan-e-Zafar10
May God preserve brother Edward’s glorious lineage through your illustrious
life. May you enjoy your youth and flourish and prosper forever. Son, I have
heard that nothing is shorn of selfish motives these days, and thus this frail and
helpless well-wisher of yours wants to put in a few words about his own trials
and travails. I know you to be felicitous and dutiful, and I have great hopes that
you will listen to my complaint and convey it to your respected father.
First of all, let me begin with the fact that your unfortunate and ill-starred
brother is consigned to live in a foreign land. My name was erased first, and now
the signs of my grave have also been removed. I am hopeful that another royal
will respect the esteem due to such a royal name and not tolerate the desecration
of his remains.
Please also tell your father that my descendants are in great trouble and are
reduced to penury. They are now surviving by begging and performing menial
tasks, and even that doesn’t fill their stomachs on many days. You have fixed a
pension of five rupees a month for a few princes, why don’t you do the same for
the rest, too? My soul gets distressed when I see my children hungry and in
need.
As for disrespect, there is none if a defeated brother asks a favour of a
victorious one! Whom should I request, if not you? The populace of Hindustan
certainly does not take pity on my poor children.
Allah’s wish is that those nobles who felt themselves fortunate to bow in our
presence now look down on my descendants with contempt. In this bitter cold,
when even an ordinary man sleeps in a brocade and velvet blanket, my
descendants do not even possess a torn one. Everybody can see this, they talk
about it, but no one takes pity on them.
No one is at fault here and it is useless to complain. This is what was written
in our destiny.
It is not agreeable for me to plead with the ordinary people of Hindustan,
which is why I write to you, so that you can inform my just and righteous friend
of what is happening with me.
The Distress of the Princess
Although the mutiny took place 50 years ago, I remember it as clearly as if it
were yesterday.
My name is Sultan Bano. My father Mirza Quwaish Bahadur11 was a
favourite and able son of Hazrat Bahadur Shah. I was sixteen years old then, two
years younger than my brother Mirza Yavar Shah, and six years older than my
sister Naaz Bano, who died. We sisters were very fond of our brother, Yavar
Shah, and our affections were reciprocated fully. Aqa bhai had a whole range of
tutors who taught him every subject and instructed him in the various arts. He
had expert calligraphers, Arabic and Persian scholars as well ace archers
teaching him. We sisters learnt embroidery, stitching and other household arts
from mughlanis.
The children whom Huzur-e-wala12 was fond of used to eat breakfast with
him every morning. Zill-e-Subhani13 was fond of me, and I was always called to
partake of breakfast with him. We did not observe purdah then, and do not do so
now either. Strangers would come and go from the women’s palace without a
problem. But I was shy, so I kept my head covered and didn’t like to be in front
of strange men. But I had to obey the orders of the Huzur, even though various
male cousins would also be present. The saving grace was that they kept their
gazes lowered because they were in the presence of the Emperor. No one could
look up or speak out of turn.
As per the custom, Huzur Mu’alla14 would offer a morsel from a special dish
to a few of his children. The child, whether young or adolescent, boy or girl,
would get up from their seats, walk up to him, and present three salaams with
bows. One day, Huzur gave me a portion of a special Irani dish that had been
made that day. He said, ‘Sultana, you only peck at your food. It’s good to be
respectful, but you should not go to the extent that you get up hungry from the
dastarkhwan.’
I presented three salutations to him that day, but only I know how I was
quaking and tripping over my feet while I went up to him and walked back.
Alas! Where did those happy days go? What happened to that era? We would
roam about in our palaces without a concern. Zill-e-Subhani’s benevolent
shadow was over our heads and we were addressed as Malika-e-Alam.
Such are the ups and downs of life.
I clearly remember the day when Huzur-e-Mu’alla was arrested at Humayun’s
tomb. A white man shot my chachajaan15 Mirza Abu Bakr Bahadur. Mirza
Sohrab ran towards the white man with a naked sword, but he was shot down by
another white man. He fell with an ‘aah’ on top of chachajaan’s corpse and
died. I stood there, mute and still as a statue, watching it all. A eunuch came to
me and said, ‘Begum, why are you standing here? Your father is calling you.’
I followed him in a state of stupor.
Bareheaded and anxious, my father, Mirza Quwaish Bahadur, was seated on a
horse near the river gates. Abbajan’s hair was covered in dust and straw. He
started crying when he saw me and said, ‘Farewell, Sultana, I too am leaving.
The light of my life, my young son, whose face I wanted to see hidden by a
sehra of pearls and flowers on his wedding, was killed in front of my eyes by a
Sikh soldier.’
I screamed loudly, ‘O my brother Yawar.’
He dismounted and pacified Naaz Bano and me. He told me, ‘Daughter, now
the British are looking for me. I don’t know how long I can remain out of their
clutches, or how long I have before my life is snuffed out. You are, by the grace
of God, young and sensible. Pacify your younger sister, place your trust in God,
and be patient. I don’t know what will happen to either of us. I don’t want to
leave you both alone, but one day or the other, you will both be orphaned. Naaz
Bano is a child, look after her and live a righteous life.’ Then he told Naaz Bano,
‘You are no longer a princess, so don’t throw tantrums or make demands. Just
give thanks to Allah and eat whatever you can get. If someone is eating, don’t
look at them, or people will say princesses are greedy.’
He put the eunuch in charge of us and said, ‘Take them to where the other
members of our family have gone.’ With that, he embraced us and spurred his
horse into the jungle. That was the last we saw of him; we have no idea what
happened to him after that.
The eunuch was an old servant of our family and he set off with us. Naaz
Bano walked for a little while, but she had never walked such a distance before
in her pampered and protected life. Soon, her legs gave way, and she began to
cry. I had never walked much myself either, but I managed somehow and,
pulling Bano along, stumbled through the streets where we once rode elephants
in state processions. When a thorn pricked Naaz Bano’s foot, she fell down. I
tried to remove the thorn. The accursed eunuch only watched and made no effort
to help. Instead, he started pushing us to hurry up.
Naaz said, ‘Apaajaan, I can’t walk anymore. Please ask the steward to send a
palanquin for us.’
I started pacifying her through my tears. My heart felt as if it would burst with
sorrow.
The eunuch said rudely, ‘That’s enough. Get a move on now.’
Naaz Bano was high-spirited and was used to obeisance from servants,
keeping them in their place. She scolded the eunuch, who flew into a rage and
slapped the poor orphaned princess. Bano trembled with shock. No one had ever
laid a hand on her. I cried, and the eunuch walked off leaving the two of us there.
Somehow we stumbled our way to the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya,
where our family had taken refuge along with thousands of people from Dehli.
Everyone was caught up in his or her own troubles and fears. No one spoke to
the other or enquired after each other’s health.
When a wave of epidemic diseases, which spread in the wake of the mutiny,
claimed my sister’s life, I was left all alone. Though peace eventually returned to
Dehli, there was no peace for me. The British government fixed a pension of five
rupees a month for all of us, and I still receive that.
The Story of the Daughter of Bahadur Shah Zafar
This is the true story of a female dervish who suffered through the travails of
life. Her name was Kulsum Zamani Begum,16 and she was the pampered
daughter of Dehli’s last Emperor, Abu Zafar Bahadur Shah. Although she died a
few years ago, I have heard her story from her own mouth many times. She was
a sincere devotee of Mehboob-e-Ilahi Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya and was so
attached to his dargah that she would often go there. I would talk to her there and
listen to her tragic tale. Whatever I have written down has been told to me either
by her or her daughter, Zainab Zamani Begum, who is still alive and lives in
Pandit ka Kucha.
Her story is narrated below in her own words:
‘The night my Babajan lost his empire and the end was near, there was a
tumult in Lal Qila. The very walls seemed to be weeping. The pearly white
marble palaces had been blackened by soot from the gunfire and cannon shots in
the past four months. No one had eaten for a day and a half. Zainab, my
daughter, was a year-and-a-half old and crying for milk. Neither I nor any of the
foster mothers were lactating because of the hunger and trouble all around us.
We sat disconsolately when Hazrat Zill-e-Subhani’s special khwaja sara came to
call us. It was midnight and the pin-drop silence was broken by intermittent
cannon shots. We were terrified, but since Zill-e-Subhani had called us, we
immediately left our palace and presented ourselves before him.
‘Huzur sat on his prayer mat with a rosary in his hands. I stood before him and
presented three salutations. Huzur called me close to him with great affection
and said, “Kulsum, I entrust you to the care of Khuda. If fate permits, we will
meet again. Go away immediately with your husband. I am also leaving. I don’t
want to separate myself from my beloved children at this stage, but I don’t want
to embroil you in my problems. If you are with me, destruction is certain. Maybe
if you are alone, God will open a path of escape for you.”
‘He raised his shaking hands in prayer and cried out to Allah, “Dear God, I
entrust this orphan girl into your care. Brought up in magnificent palaces, they
now venture into the wilderness and desolate jungles. They have no friends or
protectors. Please protect the honour of these princesses of the Timurid dynasty.
Preserve their honour. The entire Hindu and Muslim population of Hindustan are
my children and trouble surrounds them all. Don’t let them suffer because of my
actions. Give them relief from all troubles.” With that, he patted my head,
embraced Zainab, gave a few jewels to my husband Mirza Ziauddin, and sent us
off along with Nur Mahal Saheba,17 who was Huzur’s begum.
‘We left the Qila before dawn. My husband, Mirza Ziauddin, and the
Badshah’s brother-in-law, Mirza Umar Sultan, accompanied the three women:
myself and two other ladies, Nawab Nur Mahal and Hafiza Sultan, whose
daughter was married to one of the Emperor’s sons.
‘When we climbed into our bullock cart, it was dawn. Only the morning star
still twinkled in the sky; all the other stars had vanished. We cast a last glance at
the royal palace. We wept and yearned for what had once been our happy abode.
Nawab Nur Mahal’s lashes were laden with tears and the morning star was
reflected in them.
‘We left the Lal Qila forever and reached Kurali village, where we rested for a
while in the house of our cart driver. We were given bajra roti and some
buttermilk. We were so hungry that the food tasted better than biryani and
mutanjan.
‘That night was spent peacefully, but the next day jats and gujjars from nearby
areas came to loot Kurali. They were accompanied by hundreds of women who
encircled us like witches. They took away all our jewellery and clothes. While
these coarse women snatched the jewellery off our necks, we got a whiff of their
breath which smelt so foul that we felt nauseous. After this, we didn’t even have
enough money to buy ourselves our next meal. We didn’t know what was in
store for us now.
‘Zainab began to howl with hunger. A zamindar was passing by and I cried
out, “Bhai, please give some water to this baby.” The blessed man brought some
water in an earthen cup and said, “From today, you are my sister and I’m your
brother.”
‘He was a well-to-do person from Kurali, and his name was Basti. He brought
his cart and said he would take us wherever we wanted to go. We asked him to
take us to Ijara, where Mir Faiz Ali, who was the shahi hakim18 and an old
association of our family, lived. But when we reached Ijara, Mir Faiz Ali was
extremely discourteous and refused to shelter us. “I am not going to destroy my
house by giving you shelter,” he told us.
‘We were heartbroken and didn’t know what to do. Penniless and homeless,
we were scared of the British forces chasing after us. Those who were eager to
follow every glance of our eyes and obey even our slightest gestures had now
turned away from us.
‘And then there was Basti, who didn’t leave our side and fulfilled his covenant
of calling me his sister. We left Ijara and set our destination as Hyderabad. The
women sat in the cart while the men walked beside it. On the third day, we
reached a river where the forces of the Nawab of Kol19 were camped. When he
heard that we were from the royal family, he afforded us great courtesy and
helped us cross the river atop his elephants. We had just crossed to the other side
when British forces arrived and started fighting the Nawab’s army.
‘My husband and Mirza Umar Sultan wanted to join his troops and fight, but
the risaldar sent us a message that we should quickly escape with the women
while they engaged the British troops.
‘Fields ripe for harvest were in front of us. We hid inside them. I don’t know
if the tyrants had seen us hide, or whether it was unintentional, but the British
fired a few shots into the fields, and soon they were ablaze. We ran from there
but it was hard work, as none of us knew how to run. We constantly stumbled in
the tall grass. Our head covers got tangled in the grain stalks and we somehow
managed to escape the burning field, bareheaded and in a state of shock. Our feet
were bleeding, our throats were parched, and our tongues were hanging out.
Zainab had fainted. The men tried to console us but it was a difficult task.
Nawab Nur Mahal fainted as soon as we escaped the British. I clasped Zainab to
my bosom and looked at my husband, wondering what was in store for us. What
did the Almighty have in mind?
‘There seemed no succour for us. From a position of royalty we had been
reduced to beggars. We didn’t even have the peace that beggars do, as British
forces and looters were hot on our heels.
‘The two armies were some distance away by now. Basti brought some water
for us from the river and we drank thirstily. We sprinkled some water on Nawab
Nur Mahal’s face. When she woke up, she started to cry. “I just saw your father
Hazrat Zill-e-Subhani in a dream. I saw him in chains and fetters, and he said to
me, ‘Today, this thorny bed is better than velvet bedding for us poor people. Nur
Mahal, please don’t panic, be strong. It was destined that we have to bear these
hardships in my old age. Please give me news of my Kulsum’s well-being. I
want to see her before going to prison.’ I started to wail loudly in my dream on
hearing the Badshah say this, and then I woke up.”
‘She asked me, “Kulsum, do you really think our Badshah will be made a
prisoner? Will he be sent to a prison like an ordinary convict?”
‘Mirza Umar Sultan replied, “It’s just a dream, no Emperor treats another
Emperor badly. Don’t worry, he must be well-looked after.”
‘Hafiz Sultan, the Emperor’s samdhin,20 said, “These accursed firangis would
never understand or appreciate the Badshah. They sell their own kings cheaply.
Bua Nur Mahal, if you saw him in fetters, I fear they may mistreat him even
further.” But my husband Mirza Ziauddin consoled everyone and told us not to
panic.
‘Basti had by now brought the bullock cart across the river on a boat and we
set off again. In the evening, we rested in a village populated by Rajput
Muslims.21 The village numbardar22 vacated a hut for us. It had a straw bedding
which the villagers used for sleeping. We were looked after very well according
to their standards and given a soft bedding of straw. I felt uneasy lying on the
dry straw, but we had no choice. We tried to rest. After a day of turmoil, at least
we still had our heads, even if temporarily.
‘We woke up with a start at midnight. The dry grass poked us like needles,
and it was full of bugs that were biting us. I can’t describe our discomfort; at that
moment, our bodies felt like they were on fire from the bug bites. We were used
to soft velvet mattresses. We were uncomfortable, but the villagers were
sleeping soundly.
‘We could hear hyenas howling in the dark. My heart sank. How quick is the
turn of fate! Nobody would have thought the children of Badshah-e-Hind would
be rolling on the ground in agony on a bed of straw.
‘With great difficulty and after extreme discomfort and trouble, we somehow
reached Hyderabad. We took a house on rent in Sita Ram Peth. My husband had
sold a ring studded with precious stones that had escaped the loot in Jabalpur.
This had helped finance our trip and initial stay in Hyderabad.
‘But soon the money finished and we had no way to sustain ourselves. My
husband was an extremely fine calligrapher. He wrote the Durood sharif23 and
took it to a few jewellers to try and earn some money from it. Whoever saw it
was astonished at the artistry and beauty of the calligraphy. He was able to get
five rupees for it. From then on, he was able to earn a steady income from his
calligraphy and we started to live comfortably.
‘But then, one of the Nizam’s employees, darogha Ahmed, who had also put
many houses on rent, suddenly switched sides to the British. News spread
rapidly that Nawab Lashkar Jung, who had given shelter to Mughal princes, had
come under the sway of the British, and would no longer offer refuge to any
Mughal prince or princess. In fact, if any Mughals were found living here they
would be arrested.
‘We were all worried and I wouldn’t let my husband go out in case someone
arrested him. Soon we began to starve as the money ran out. Left with no choice,
my husband began to teach a Nawab’s son how to read the Quran at twelve
rupees a month. But the Nawab was rude and arrogant, and treated my husband
like an ordinary servant. He would come home and cry that death was better than
this humiliation. “Till yesterday, people like this Nawab were our servants, and
today he is humiliating me,” he said.
‘Meanwhile, someone informed Miyan Nizamuddin about our presence. He
was the son of Kale Miyan Saheb Chisti Nizami Fakhri, the Pir of the Badshahe-Dehli. He came to our house in the darkness of night and started lamenting
when he saw the state we were living in. There was a time when Miyan would
be seated on velvet and satin masnads in the Qila. Badshah Begum would serve
him in person. But when he came to our house, we didn’t even have a sackcloth
that wasn’t tattered to offer him. He sat with us for some time and spoke to us
about our experiences. Then he left quietly.
‘In the morning, we received a message that he had arranged the finances for a
Hajj pilgrimage, and we should all leave immediately. We were thrilled at this
news and started preparing for our journey to Makkah-e-Moazama.24 We came
to Bombay and gave some money to our true friend Basti and sent him back
home.
‘Aboard the ship, whoever heard that we were the Shah-e-Hind’s family, was
eager to meet us. We were all dressed in the clothes of dervishes. One Hindu,
who owned a shop in Aden and had no idea who we were, asked us which sect
of fakirs we belonged to. The question inflamed our wounded hearts. I replied,
“We are the disciples of the Mazloom Shah Guru. He was our father and our
guru. Sinners have snatched away his crown and separated us from him and
exiled us into the wilderness. Now he longs for us, while we are restless and
yearn for a glimpse of his face. That is the truth of our faqeeri.”
‘The Hindu began to cry when he heard our story and said to us, “Bahadur
Shah was our father and guru but what could we do? It was Lord Ram’s will,
and an innocent man was destroyed.”
‘Allah made special arrangements for us in Mecca. I had a slave named Abdul
Qadir, whom I had freed and sent to Mecca, where he flourished and was
appointed darogha of Zamzam. As soon as he heard of our arrival, he rushed to
meet us. He fell at my feet and wept for ages. He had a very comfortable and
luxurious house, and he took us in. A few days later, the ambassador of the
Sultan of Turkey in Makkah heard that the daughter of the Emperor of Dehli was
there and that she talks to others without wearing a hijab. The ambassador
requested a meeting with me via Abdul Qadir and I accepted it without worries.
‘For after all, we are now in the durbar of the biggest Sultan. We are no longer
worried about any other Sultan.
‘The Ambassador fixed a suitable amount for our expenses and we lived there
for nine years. Thereafter, we spent a year in Baghdad sharif, and a year in Najaf
and Karbala-e-Mu’alla. But by now we were longing for Dehli, and we decided
to return to our city.
‘When we came back, the British government took pity on us and fixed a sum
of ten rupees a month for us. I laughed at this pension. They had taken away my
father’s empire and offered us ten rupees as compensation.
‘But then I remembered, this land belongs to God and He gives it to
whomever He wants and takes it as He pleases. Man can do nothing about that.’
The Grasscutter Saint
Hazrat Deen Ali Shah Qalandar was a famous and respected saint of Dehli who
had his sanctuary outside Farrashkhana, which is still famous.
Before the mutiny, as a young man intoxicated with youth, and proud of my
spiritual lineage and my wealth, I would often present myself in his service. I
was conceited about my looks and very arrogant. I was the only child of my
parents and my mother spoilt me greatly.
My father, Pir Ali, used to live in Khas Bazaar and had thousands of disciples.
Princes and princesses would come to him with their problems. The number of
tributes and gifts offered to him could not be counted. We used to live a life of
luxury.
Despite all the wealth, Abbajan lived an austere and spartan life from his
earnings as a gem cutter. He would not touch the money given to him by his
disciples. One day I asked my mother, ‘Why Bi, despite so much wealth, does
Abbajan keep cutting gems? Khuda has given us everything and yet he toils so
hard. It’s very humiliating.’
Ammajan smiled and said, ‘Beta, he believes in the principle that he is a fakir
who earns his own living and does not depend on others to provide for his needs.
He feels that whatever his rich disciples give, that is the share for his poor
disciples, not ours. We should earn our own money.’
I asked, ‘So is the money that the disciples give him haram?’
Amma said, ‘It’s not haram, but it is not our right either. It belongs to the
poor. Khuda sends it to us so that we can distribute it among the poor, and as
long as we are fit, we earn our own living.’
Durdana
Three days after this conversation, Nawab Zeenat Mahal Begum Saheba,
Begum-e-Khas of Huzur Jahanpanah Mohammad Bahadur Shah, came to meet
my father. A young girl named Durdana was with her. The minute I saw her, I
was pierced by the arrow of love. She looked at me coquettishly. However, we
were helpless and could not speak to each other. I only found out her name after
Begum Saheba called out to her, addressing her as ‘Durdana’. There was no
question of my asking for her name.
After Begum Saheba left, I was struck by pangs of love. I couldn’t sleep for
two nights and lost my appetite. I could find no way to meet Durdana. When my
agony increased, I went to Hazrat Deen Ali Shah Qalandar and told him my
troubles.
He smiled and remained quiet.
I could say nothing more and returned home hopelessly in love. On the way, I
met the patangbaz25 Hussain, who was my close friend. When he saw that I was
gloomy, he asked, ‘Is everything okay with you, my friend? Why do you look so
pale and forlorn? Why are there dark circles under your eyes?’
I replied, ‘I am hopelessly caught in the love of a young girl called Durdana.
It’s a completely new feeling for me and I don’t know how to handle it. Let us
see what twists and turns of fate are in store for me in my youth. Will you help
me meet Durdana or will I have to lose my life and end up in a graveyard,
disgraced in love?’
Hussain said, ‘Don’t worry about such a small thing, brother. You can meet
her through Naseeban the porter. She often goes to the palace and will relay your
message to Durdana.’
I was now at peace and decided to follow his advice. I went straight to the
Ghosi mohalla26 where Naseeban lived. After giving her some money, I got her
to agree to relay my message to Durdana. The next day, she returned and
brought Durdana’s message that said it was very difficult for her to come out of
the palace. She suggested a ruse, that I should sit on a spiritual retreat for forty
days outside the city, and she would bring the Begum Saheba there and thus
could meet me regularly.
I found this to be an excellent suggestion and immediately went to my mother
and said, ‘Lo Bi, you always complained that I don’t care about my father’s
heritage and don’t involve myself in religious activities, that I don’t pray or fast.
You say these are my days of learning and in case something happens to my
father, this wealth of knowledge would go to others and we would be left to
repent. Today, I am ready to obey your command. Tell Abba to teach me a few
things. I will sit on a spiritual retreat near Hazrat Din Ali Shah’s takiya.’27
Amma said, ‘Miyan, I’m not ready to let you go into the jungle. Do whatever
you want to at home. I can’t bear to let you go away even for a second.’ I tried to
persuade her otherwise but Amma wouldn’t agree.
Finally, my father heard about it and persuaded my mother to let me go. He
taught me occult incantations of the names and praises of God. A servant would
bring me food from home for every meal while I was engrossed in my work.
Two Spies
After four or five days, while I was engrossed in prayers, two strangers dressed
in old and tattered clothes came into my room. I asked them who they were.
They replied, ‘We are travellers.’
I was apprehensive that they could be thieves, so I asked them, ‘Why have
you come here?’
They said, ‘We have come to take amulets from you. Durdana Bibi gave us
your address.’
As soon as I heard Durdana’s name, a tremor shook my body. The night lamp
was flickering, and in its light I couldn’t recognize the two men and wondered
who they were and how they knew Durdana.
Finally, I asked them, ‘How do you know Durdana?’
They replied, ‘We had gone to ask Begum Saheba for travel expenses and
there we met Durdana. She is a very kind and cordial lady.’
I asked them, ‘What kind of an amulet do you want?’
They replied, ‘To captivate someone.’28
I asked, ‘For whom?’
They said, ‘It’s for Prince Jawan Bakht.’
I was amazed to hear this. Prince Jawan Bakht was the beloved son of Begum
Zeenat Mahal. After the death of the crown prince Mirza Dara Bakht, the British
had made Mirza Fakhru the crown prince, but Begum Zeenat Mahal wanted to
make Mirza Jawan Bakht the crown prince.
I asked, ‘Who does Jawan Bakht want to captivate with his charms?’
At this, the travellers suddenly brandished pistols and pointed them at me.
‘Don’t reveal this to anyone. We are Jawan Bakht’s spies. We want you to get
the secret papers of Shah Alam that are now with your father which contains the
details of a hidden treasure.. If you refuse to obey us we will kill you.’
I got scared when I saw the pistols, but I stayed calm. ‘I don’t have any
problem as long as Durdana is ready to meet me. It seems that she is with you
and that’s how you came to know of these papers.’
‘Yes, this is true. Durdana will come to meet you. We found out that Shah
Alam Badshah had made your father his confidant and given him all the papers
relating to the hidden treasure. He had instructed your father to give it to his
worthy successors if the need ever arose.’
I asked, ‘So does Durdana stay in the mahal even at night?’
‘No,’ they replied, ‘she goes to her house near Kashmiri Darwaza at midnight.
We live there too.’
I asked them the address of the house and said, ‘I don’t have any problems
getting you the papers but I have no idea where my father has kept them. I have
never heard of them in my life.’
The spies said, ‘Don’t tell lies. The papers were being talked about the day
you saw Durdana.’
I was worried, but said firmly, ‘Saheb, I can’t do this.’
As soon I said that, they aimed the pistols at me again. But I was young,
strong and agile. I leapt and snatched the pistols and began beating them up.
Both of them fell as a result of my blows and I quickly tied them up. I locked
them in my room and raced off towards Kashmiri Darwaza. It must have been
around 11 p.m. I went to the house they had told me about and called out.
Durdana called back, ‘Who is it?’
I replied, ‘Come to the door.’
When Durdana appeared, I said, ‘I have been sent by the two men who had
gone to the Shah Saheb near the takiya. They have reached an agreement. They
have called you there so that you can get the papers immediately.’
Durdana said, ‘Get me a palanquin and I will come with you.’
I went into a mohalla and got a palanquin and told the porters to take her to
Khas Bazaar. I returned to my house after her and got her palanquin put down in
a separate hall. Amma was fast asleep and Abba was on the roof. I woke Amma
up and told her everything. She was scared but stayed calm on my request.
I took Durdana to another hall and lit the lamp. As soon as Durdana saw me,
she was shocked. ‘Where have you brought me?’
I replied, ‘See, this is now your house. If you scream, you aren’t safe. I have
imprisoned your spies and you are my captive as well. But my heart is your
captive. I know everything now. If you are quiet, I will keep you here with your
consent as my wife, or else I will kill all three of you.’
Durdana replied, ‘I have no problem living with you. My heart also wants the
same. But release those spies or all hell will break loose if they suffer even a
small scratch.’
I said, ‘If I release them, they will kill me.’
Durdana said, ‘Tell them that you can’t get them the original papers but can
bring them copies. But you have to do it on condition that no one knows you are
in love with me.’
I said, ‘I can’t betray my Emperor like this. He trusted our family and I can
never betray that trust.’
Durdana said, ‘Don’t worry about that. Just write some false leads on the
papers. They have not seen the real papers and will not suspect anything. There
are hidden treasures inside the Qila that they can’t even dig up. They just want
information in case they need it later.’
I agreed with this scheme. It was 1 a.m. and I went back to the takiya. I untied
the spies and told them the whole story as instructed by Durdana. They said that
if I give them the copies, they would help me meet Durdana. As they left for
their homes, I told them they would get it by the next afternoon.
The next day, I wrote something down, just as Durdana had told me, detailing
false locations from her memory.
Suddenly, Abbajan entered. I went to my mother in fear. Durdana respectfully
greeted him. Amma told him everything. Abba was shocked and exclaimed,
‘This is terrible. We are not safe anymore. Our son had gone for a spiritual
retreat, where did he catch this fancy bird? All right, I will end their story.’
Amma pleaded with him and somehow managed to pacify him. Abba saw the
false maps and said, ‘Bhai, you have really given them the slip. But that’s good.’
The next day, I went to the house of the spies and gave them the maps. They
were very happy when they saw them, and said, ‘If Jawan Bakht gets the throne,
you will be covered in gold.’
I returned home, married Durdana and started living happily with her.
Mutiny
A few days after the above incident, the mutiny started. My respected father had
gone to a disciples house in Ambala. Durdana and I were with him too. While
the mutiny spread, my father died in Ambala and we returned to Dehli.
We found that Khas Bazaar had been levelled to the ground while we were
away. I took a house on rent and started living in it. All the disciples of my
father had been hanged, exiled, or reduced to penury. I had no one to turn to for
help and had no ability to earn money myself. For some days I spent what I had,
but soon our circumstances grew worse and we began to starve. We had two
children, and Durdana was a spendthrift. Finally, she suggested that I sit on a
spiritual retreat in my old quarters.
A few days later, Hindu women started coming to me for amulets and charms.
I would earn a rupee or more every day. I would provide them a protection
amulet for five paise and an exorcising charm for five annas.
One afternoon, as I slept, I dreamt that my father and Deen Ali Shah Qalandar
were talking to each other. My father was saying, ‘I spent my whole life cutting
gems, while my son is living off others.’
I woke up and started to cry. I told Durdana everything, and she said, ‘It was a
dream. If you don’t do this, what else will you do? You don’t know any trade.’
I told her, ‘I will take up some employment.’ I started looking for a job. I
finally found a job for ten rupees a month in a dispensary. Meanwhile, Durdana
fell sick and despite every possible kind of treatment, she didn’t recover. When
she passed away, I was grief-stricken at her loss, and I now had to bring up two
motherless children alone. I took them with me whenever I went to work. I
would buy food and, somehow, we managed to get through a year.
The Maidservant
After I was promoted in the dispensary, I started earning twenty rupees a month.
In the evening, I would tutor two children and the thirty rupees I received every
month was enough for the three of us. I then decided to keep a maid to cook us
food as I was finding it difficult. As I was searching for someone, a poor woman
wearing a burqa came to beg. I asked her, ‘Why don’t you start working?
Begging is demeaning.’
She started crying. ‘Miyan, why don’t you employ me? Everyone asks me for
a guarantee, but where can I get someone to give me a testimonial?’
I asked her, ‘Who are you? Do you have any protector?’
She started wailing and in between sobs said, ‘I don’t have anyone except for
Khuda. Please don’t ask me anything more as I don’t have the strength to tell
you.’
‘Why don’t you cook at my house?’ I asked her.
She agreed and started to cook for us. However, she always observed the
purdah and never came in front of me. One day, by chance, I saw her face. She
was an attractive young girl. I told her, ‘This is difficult, as I feel suffocated by
your purdah. Why don’t you marry me so that there is no need for this hijab?’
She agreed and we got our nikah read. After the nikah, I found her to be
familiar, but I couldn’t place where I had seen her earlier.
Finally, she told me, ‘Perhaps you don’t remember, but as a child I used to
come to your house with my Ammajan. I am the maternal granddaughter of
Bahadur Shah Badshah. My name is Gauhar Begum.’
I started to cry when I heard her name. The Lord works in strange ways! This
was the same girl who had been pampered so much. She was an only child and
would come to our house with great pomp and ceremony. I asked her to tell me
about her trials during the mutiny and where she had been. The following story
is narrated in her words.
A Princess Tells Her Story
‘I was thirteen at the time of the mutiny. My mother died during the mutiny, and
I was living with my nursemaid. When the Badshah left Dehli, my wet-nurse
took me to a British general and told him everything about me. He kept me
affectionately in his camp and, the next day, handed me over to a Punjabi
Muslim officer, who took me to Lucknow where the revolt was still going on.
The officer was killed in the uprising, and I escaped to Unnao, where a Hindu
gave me refuge. I, however, suspected his intentions and ran away. On the way, I
met a villager who took me to his house and married me off to his son. However,
I found it difficult to stay with uncultured villagers, and life was hell. But God’s
grace was such that the villagers fought over a paddy field and their enemies
killed my husband and father-in-law.
‘I escaped and came to Kanpur, where I took up a servant’s job at a trader’s
house. This trader’s character was suspect, and though he didn’t say anything to
me, there was always a steady flow of women of loose morals in his house. I was
horrified and wanted to leave for Dehli. I reached the train station and pleaded
with the stationmaster to take me to Dehli. He entrusted me to a guard in a goods
train that brought me to Dehli.
‘Back in Dehli, I was once more in a quandary about what to do and where to
go. There were no familiar faces anywhere. I finally came to the Kucha Chelan
where a porter known to me lived. Although the porter had died, his wife gave
me shelter after she recognized me. Her sons used to catch fish but had stopped
bearing palanquins. I used to cook roti in their house.
‘One night the porter’s son said, “These rich people have all the comforts of
life. We catch fish in the hot sun and they live in ease.”
‘I replied, “You get paid for your efforts. I’m sure those who pay you for the
fish must be earning their money by putting in an equal amount of hard work.”
‘The son got angry and said, “Get out. Who are you to interfere in our
conversation?” He hit me with a stick and I fainted.
‘When I came to my senses, I was lying all alone on the sand in the river
bank. I didn’t have the strength to move. Hindu women were going for their
ritual bath to the Jamuna. I pleaded with them to take me to a hospital as I was
injured. They took pity on me and sent me to the hospital in a palanquin, where I
was treated. Once I recovered, I went to Sadar Bazaar, where I cooked rotis in a
Punjabi’s house. But I finally left his house too as I realized he had designs on
me. Then I started to beg.
‘One day, while I was begging, a boy came to give me some food. I found him
to be familiar and looked at him affectionately. I asked him, “Who are you?” He
said his mother cooked rotis. I asked him her name and he replied, “Ruqaiyya.”
‘As soon as I heard the name, I suspected she could be my paternal aunt and I
asked him to take me to her. I entered the house and found that it was indeed my
phupijaan, who recognized me and clasped me to her bosom and started to cry.
She kept me with her in the house. I lived with her and helped her out for a few
days.
‘Unfortunately, there was a robbery one day in that house, and the owner
complained to the police that since I was a stranger who had come recently to
the house, I was responsible for it. The police took me to the kotwali and
punished me. One pulled me by my hair, and I looked at the sky and cried in my
heart, “I am the maternal granddaughter of Hindustan’s Shahenshah. I am not a
thief. Why are you tormenting me? I have no one to vouch for me in this world.”
‘The constable started beating me with a shoe. I fainted from this humiliation.
I was finally let go by the thanedar29 and started to beg once more – and that is
when I met you.’
The Grasscutter Saint
When I heard my wife’s account, I sighed and wondered about the twists and
turns of fate. We continued to live without thinking of the good times or the bad.
Time stood for no one, and we should not become arrogant in our good times or
distressed during the bad times.
We lived happily for a few months, but during this time, I lost my job at the
dispensary. I was fired over a small fault. The children stopped coming to study.
Once again, our condition grew worse. I started looking for a job but could not
find one. People began to tell me that folks with a B.A. degree were also not
getting a job these days and were roaming the streets.
I went to the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya for pilgrimage. On my
return, I saw a grasscutter walking past with a horse laden with grass. I asked
him, ‘For how much do you think this grass will sell?’
He replied, ‘Three or three-and-a-half rupees.’
I was surprised. ‘Wah, there is much profit in it.’
The grasscutter exclaimed, ‘But see the amount of hard work involved. I set
off at 4 a.m. and have only collected this much by 4 p.m.’
I asked him, ‘Do you have to pay someone for this or do you bring it from the
jungle free of cost?’
He said, ‘I have taken a jungle on a contract of forty rupees and I cut the grass
there. One jungle is enough to cut the grass for six months. I cut from different
sides on alternative days. In eight days, new grass shoots break out, and then I go
back to that area to cut. I spend eight annas on my horse daily, I have rented a
house for three rupees, and the rest I use for my expenses. I don’t have children,
it’s just me. Had I had children they could have helped me cut the grass too.’
I came home and told my wife about this. She said there’s no harm in the
profession as respected saints had also done it in the past.
I sold my wife’s jewellery and bought a mule. I took a parcel of land on
contract in the jungle, bought three shovels and, taking my children with me,
started to dig up grass.
The first few days were hard, but I got used to it slowly. Now we can dig up a
horse-load of grass before noon and sell it in the wholesale market for three
rupees. I then go to the mosque and spend my time remembering Allah.
Thousands of people still come to me for amulets and charms, and I give them
away for free. They benefit from the charms and have started believing that I am
a saint of a high status who digs grass as a legitimate means of income, and they
respect me greatly for it. I now earn seventy-five rupees a month and I enjoy a
better life than people with a graduate degree who can’t even get a job for
twenty-five rupees!
The Cart Driver Prince
Dilli Durbar, 1911.30 A new city was planned and maps were made. Famous
engineers stared working their magic. Many brick kilns were set up near the
pride of Awadh, Mansoor Ali Khan Safdarjung’s tomb, where the poor got
employment. Once the bricks were ready, they would be sent on carts and trains
to be used in the construction of the imperial city of Dehli.
On 11 May 1917, in the heat of the midday sun, an old man was carrying
bricks from the kiln of Khan Bahadur Seth Mohammad Harron towards Dehli.
As he drove his cart in the hot sun, his grey beard and moustache covered in dust
and perspiration on his forehead mixing with the red clay of the bricks, a
motorcar came from Qutub Saheb. The driver honked his bugle, but the old man
was hard of hearing and couldn’t hear the horn. He didn’t move aside, and the
car came closer. At the last moment, the driver swerved and somehow managed
to avoid hitting the cart.
A fat Punjabi trader, intoxicated by his youth and alcohol, was sitting with a
professional woman in the car. He saw the old, helpless man driving the cart and
lost control. He carried a whip, which was a fashion among young sprigs then.
He got down from the car and started whipping the poor man.
The cart-pusher was alone, old, feeble, and, above all, poor. But he had selfrespect. After four lashes, he picked up the whip he used on his bulls and swung
around and hit the drunk Punjabi with the wooden handle so hard that his head
split open. The car’s driver stepped out and tried to stop the old man, but was
himself hit with the whip and began to bleed. The prostitute inside the car cried
out in panic, ‘Please come inside the car, else this villager will kill you.’
Both of them got inside and started abusing the cart driver. The old man stood
at the side smiling, and kept repeating, ‘You are running away after one attack.
It’s not easy to face up to a Timurid slap, is it?’ He was hard of hearing, so he
paid no attention to their abuses and returned to his cart. The car went off, and
the cart delivered the bricks to Raisina (where Nai Dehli was being built).
The next day, two injured men and a few cart pushers were gathered at the
Raisina police station. The old man was also present. The darogha asked, ‘Have
you injured these people?’
The old man stood quietly. The darogha angrily repeated his question, ‘Why
don’t you speak, old man?’
A second cart-pusher informed him, ‘Huzur, he is deaf.’
A policeman went next to the old man and repeated the question loudly next
to his ear. The old man replied, ‘Yes, I have hit them. They attacked me and hit
me four times with a whip and I gave back as good as I got. These rich people
think they can trample us under their heels. Sixty years ago, their ancestors were
my servants. In fact, I ruled over all of Hindustan.’
The darogha started laughing. ‘He’s a mad man. Put him in jail and present
him in court. He should be sent to the mental asylum.’
On the third day of custody, the old man was presented before the city
magistrate. The two complainants were also present. The court inspector read
out the charges. The court wanted to take the defendant’s statement. Since
everyone knew he was deaf, the orderly screamed all the charges loudly.
‘My name is Zafar Sultan. I am the son of Mirza Babar and Bahadur Shah
Badshah. My grandfather was the Shahenshah of Hindustan, Moinuddin Akbar
Shah II. After the mutiny, I roamed all over the world before coming back to
Dehli and driving a bullock cart. When this incident occurred, it was 11 May
1917, as hot as it was on 11 May 1857. I am deaf and could not hear the horn of
the vehicle behind mine. The driver and his passenger both did not take into
consideration my age or my condition in the heat of the day and started to whip
me. The blood that runs inside me has now become used to being abused,
oppressed and beaten up, but it was not always so. Where the judge sits today, I
have ordered the punishment of several rebels and criminals. My heart and my
mind haven’t forgotten those days, even though my eyes have not seen them for
an eternity. How could I tolerate being whipped? Yes, I took my revenge and hit
these two brave young men on their heads. If you are ready to give justice to the
gentlemen, I am ready to accept with a bowed head.’
When the old man stopped speaking, there was pin-drop silence in the court.
The European magistrate stared at him. A Muslim officer present in the court
started crying. Both complainants were stupefied. The court discharged him
honourably, and instead fined the complainants ten rupees each as they had
attacked the old man first, while in a state of intoxication.
When the case was over, the magistrate asked the old man via the chaprasi,
‘Don’t you get a pension from the government? Why do you do such demeaning
work?’
The prince replied, ‘I know that the British government gives a pension of five
rupees a month to my family members, but I had been away from Dehli for long.
It is also incumbent on me to earn my own living through hard work, at least as
long as I can. I earn three to four rupees every day by carting bricks and spend
two rupees on my bulls, my rent, and other expenses. What will I do with the
pension? I am happy, I am content. There’s no humiliation in being a cart driver.
In fact, I am better off than those who wander around your courts looking for a
job or spend a lifetime chasing degrees. I rule over my animals and am not
anyone’s slave.’
When the cart-driving prince finished his namaz at the Paharganj Mosque, a
man came to him and said, ‘I was in the court today and heard a discussion about
your statement. Can you tell me about the events of the mutiny? What did you
go through?’
The cart driver smiled and said, ‘Do you have the fortitude to hear them? And
can you believe the lies? I believe that whatever has passed, whether good or
bad, is false.
‘Narrating them again is like telling lies. What is to come is just a superstition,
what has passed is false, and only the present is truth. I have come to think we
should simply believe in the present and spend our time happily and in
contentment. We should not mourn or remember the past or worry about the
future, but live in the present, which you can see and breathe in, and be happy.’
The person who had come to him said, ‘These are your personal experiences.
The trials and tribulations you have gone through have made your heart
sorrowful. I am asking you to recall your past so that I can note down the events
of the mutiny. I have collected many such accounts and have written down the
personal recollections of princes and princesses.’
The prince started laughing loudly. ‘Perhaps you are a journalist. I am fed up
with them. They tell lies. But in any case, come with me to my house. I will not
hurt my guest’s feelings and will tell you whatever you want to know.’
The prince took the questioner to his house, a thatched cottage with two bulls
and a cow tied in the courtyard. Inside the cottage, a wooden bench was in the
hallway with a bed beside it. A white chandni31 was spread out on both. One
could see the prince’s refinement even in penury.
The prince made the questioner sit on the wooden settee and went into the
kitchen to get some food. He invited him to eat, before asking his questions. The
food was enough for one person, but there were two different types of curries,
dal, chutney and a sweet. It showed that the prince was living a refined life even
in these difficult circumstances. The questioner tried to excuse himself, but the
prince would not take no for an answer, and they ate the food.
The prince then filled a hookah and placed it in front of the questioner. Once
again, he excused himself. But the hookah remained there as the prince started
his story.
‘I am the son of Mirza Babar, Bahadur Shah’s brother. Even though Bahadur
Shah was just a titular head before the mutiny, he was greatly respected in every
city, district and locality. In Dehli everyone gave him the same respect and status
that was given to Shah Jahan and Alamgir. I was a pampered son, and even
though my father had other children I was my mother’s only child. My father
died before the mutiny. When I recall the rebellion and rebel forces entering
Dehli, the memories of their cruelty towards British women and children still
make me tremble in revulsion. When the British came to Dehli with help from
the Punjab and re-conquered it, everyone including the Badshah fled. But my
mother was blind and very frail. It was impossible for her to even get on an oxcart, but I somehow managed it with the help of two women. We left Dehli on
the cart. The Badshah and some members of his family had gone to Humayun’s
tomb, but I set off towards Karnal, as a friend of mine lived there. A big
landlord, whom I would often meet in Dehli.
‘Though she wanted to leave from Lahori Darwaza, the British forces were
patrolling the gate. So, we left from Ajmeri Darwaza behind Fatehpuri Masjid.
We saw thousands of children, women, men, old and young both, leaving in a
state of turmoil with boxes on their heads. The cart owner said we should leave
via Gurgaon so that we could avoid British soldiers. Even though we met some
gujjars, we pleaded with them and reached Gurgaon safely. But we had only
gone around 2 kos from Gurgaon towards Karnal when a crowd of gujjars
surrounded our ox-cart and wanted to loot us. At that moment, a British Army
regiment came towards us. The gujjars fled on seeing them. The soldiers came to
our cart and started saying something in English, which I couldn’t understand,
but it sounded like sarcasm.
‘A gora then lifted the cart’s purdah on the side where my mother was sitting
and, seeing the frail and blind woman, laughed uproariously. He said something
to his companions and they all rode away without harming us. We progressed
steadily till the evening. We rested near a village, where thieves stole our
animals, and the cart-driver also disappeared. I was worried and tried to hire a
cart from the village. The villagers were jats. Their chaudhry told us they didn’t
have a spare carriage but they would call for one from the next village. My
mother could, in the meanwhile, stay in their house.
‘I agreed and took my mother to the chaudhry’s house. We had two small
boxes with us, filled with gold coins and jewellery. The chaudhry settled us
down in his house and sent someone to get a carriage for us. But, after a while,
the villagers raised an alarm that the British army was approaching. The
chaudhry hurriedly came to me and told us to run, else they would be killed as
well.
‘I was agitated and said, “How can I run with my blind and frail mother?
Please have some mercy on us.”
‘The jat punched me hard and said, “Should we also die for you then?”
‘I slapped him back. The other jats gathered and beat me to a pulp till I
became unconscious. When I came to my senses, I was in a jungle and my
mother was crying near me. She said, “Those jats put both of us on a charpoy
and left us here in the jungle. I don’t think there was any British army. It was
just a ploy to loot our money and jewellery.”
‘We were in the middle of a jungle in the midday sun, and there was no one
around who could help us. We had no idea where to go, and feared being
apprehended the British. My mother said, “Son, gather your courage and let’s go
forward. There’s more danger if we stay in this jungle.”
‘I stood up, and even though I was badly injured, I held her by the hand and
began to walk ahead. The jungle was full of thorny bushes and our clothes were
soon torn and our feet began to bleed. I somehow tried to prop up my stumbling
mother but I couldn’t do a good job as I was injured and weary. We hadn’t eaten
for the past two days. May no enemy also have to go through such times!
‘Then my head injuries flared up under the midday sun, and I stumbled to the
ground, unable to get up. My mother put my head on her lap and started praying
loudly, “Ilaahi, have mercy on me, forgive my transgressions and save my son’s
life. O Khuda, this blind princess is entreating You, please don’t disappoint her.
We have no one except You in this difficult time. The sky and the earth have
both become our enemies, and I have no one to call upon but You. You can give
respect or humiliate as You please. Till yesterday, we were owners of lands,
elephants, horses and slaves. Today, we have nothing. I don’t know why anyone
wants to live in this fickle and transient land! Forgive my sins. Forgive my sins.
Mercy, O Lord, mercy.”
‘My mother was still praying when a villager came towards her and said, “Old
lady, give me whatever you have.”
‘My mother said, “I only have this injured son.”
‘The villager hit my mother with a stick and she screamed out, “O cruel man,
don’t hit my child.”
‘I somehow got up but couldn’t stand for long and fell down once again.
When I came to, I realized the villager had stripped us of our clothes and I was
lying naked. My mother was badly injured, and in the last stages of her life. I
asked her, “Amma, how are you?”
‘She said faintly, “Miyan, I am dying. I entrust you to God. I am sister-in-law
to the Shahenshah-e-Hind, yet I won’t get a grave. Woe that I won’t even get a
shroud for my burial.” Reciting the kalima, ‘La Ilaha Illallaah Mohammad-ur
rasool Allah’ she passed away.
‘I was in no position to dig a grave. I hid her corpse in the mud. I dragged
myself to a tree and lay down beneath it, helpless. After some time, a sawaar32
passed by and, on seeing me, came close. I told him everything. He had mercy
on me and gave me his sash. I tied it around my waist to cover my nakedness.
‘The sawaar put me on his horse and took me to his cantonment where he got
my wounds attended to. Once I recovered, I started looking after his needs. He
was a pious Muslim. He was from Patiala and took me there. I lived with him for
some time. After that I became a mendicant and started wandering through
various villages and cities. When I reached Bombay, I met a charitable group
and left for Makkah-e-Moazama with them, where I lived for ten years. Then I
went to Medina sharif and lived there for five years. After that, I visited Syria
and Bait-ul-Muqaddas,33 and after visiting the blessed shrines went to Baghdad
via Aleppo, where I lived for two years. I came to Karachi with a Memon, and
from there to Dehli. I had been yearning for Dehli all these years and had
decided to return.
‘Once I returned, I began working as a labourer at the construction site for the
railway line. I earned enough to look after my needs and saved some money too.
In two years, I saved about three hundred. I then bought an ox-cart in partnership
with another man. I was able to repay him slowly and eventually bought him out.
Now I earn my living through it.’
The questioner asked him, ‘When did you turn deaf? It must be very difficult
for you as you live alone.’
The prince laughingly replied, ‘Due to God’s grace, I have no trouble. In fact,
I don’t have to hear all the malice around me because I am hard of hearing. I lost
my powers of hearing when I was thrashed by the jats. I can still hear faintly
from my left ear. The right is totally deaf.’
The questioner said, ‘Can I write this down in my book?’
The prince replied, ‘Please do. But also add that everything that happens in
this world, whether the passing of time, the mercies shown to you, or the
troubles that oppress you, are all transient. They are all a warning sent to us by
the Almighty.’
Notes
Foreword
1. This story is a part of the collection of eyewitness accounts in Begamat ke Aansu, a part of which is
contained in this volume.
2. Akbar introduced this custom, where his subjects would gather under a designated balcony of the palace
for a glimpse of the Emperor, who would also listen to petitions and dispense quick justice. Except for a
period of time when Aurangzeb was emperor, all succeeding Mughal emperors followed this custom.
3. Fans.
4. The terrace of the Chandni Chowk police station.
5. These are oral stories of the fictional adventures of Amir Hamza, the Prophet’s uncle who fought evil
kings, magicians and jinns. His hair-raising, romantic exploits were very popular with storytellers.
‘Gulistan’ is the famous prose work by Sheikh Sa’di and is a sort of handbook of instruction for the
upbringing and conduct of kings, nobles and gentlemen. It became a classic because of its elegant prose
mixed with poetry, along with a reputation of being full of necessary wisdom. ‘Bostan’, again by Sheikh
Sa’di, is a masnavi poem containing short tales of a moral and didactic nature. These two texts have long
been widely studied in Persianate schools and colleges.
Preface
1. The Origins: From Indraprastha to Dhilli published in Delhi: Through the Ages, Indian History
Congress, Department of History, University of Delhi, sixty-eighth session, 28–30 December, 2007.
2. Anangpal III, the last Tomar ruler, only had daughters and no sons. He appointed his younger daughter’s
son Prithviraj Chauhan as his successor.
3. ‘Capital of the Sultans, Delhi during the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries’, Prof. Athar Ali, published
in Delhi: Through the Ages, Indian History Congress, Department of History, University of Delhi, sixtyeighth session, 28–30 December, 2007.
4. As per Islamic belief, heaven has streams running through it, and the Nahre-Bahist in emulation of that
was a water channel that ran throughout the buildings and gardens of the Red Fort and had beautiful silver
fountains and ornamental basins at various points. It was lit up at night with oil lamps that were placed in
the niches of the buildings. During the day, the niches were decorated with floral bouquets to give an
impression of ethereal water streams.
5. Tasbihkhana was on the same terrace as the Diwan-e-Khas, and lay towards the south. It was at the rear
portion of the royal khwaabgah. In the middle of this hall there is a weighing scale engraved in marble
called Mizaan-e-Adl (Scales of Justice). It led into the royal apartments of the Emperor and the harem.
Though it literally means ‘rosary room’, the Emperor would hold daily durbar here, sometimes twice a day,
with the emperor seated in the covered area under the Scales of Justice.
6. Khwaabgah was also the name given to the set of private apartments in the seraglio used by him for
sleeping.
7. Choti Baithak was a beautiful building to the south of Imtiaz Mahal, or Rang Mahal as it is called today.
It was an annex to the khwaabgah, famous as the Badi Baithak. The British destroyed it after the uprising of
1857.
Dilli ka Aakhiri Deedar
1. ‘Ganga–Jamuna tehzeeb is a name given to syncretic culture wherein two strains meet and mingle yet
retain their identity.
2. Here, the Red Fort, popularly known as the Lal Haveli (red mansion) or Lal Qila because of its red
sandstone walls and buildings.
3. An address expressive of kindness or respect, meaning sir, used for Muslims.
4. A term of respect for Hindus.
5. Shab-e-Barat is the night between the fourteenth and fifteenth months of the Islamic month of Shaban.
According to Islamic belief, it is the night of salvation, when God forgives sinners who repent sincerely,
when fortunes are written for the coming year and a time when people also pray for the deliverance of their
deceased ancestors.
6. These are names of buildings inside the fort. Of these, the British demolished Moti Mahal, while the rest
still stand.
7. The balcony overlooking the river Yamuna in the Musamman Burj of the Qila. Today there’s a garden
under it, with the building of Mahatma Gandhi Road having displaced the Yamuna farther to the east.
8. Embroidery with thin metal strips, usually made of silver.
9. The royalty and the employees.
10. James Ferguson (1808–1886), a Scottish architect who has written many books on Indian architecture.
11. The Peacock Throne. The original that was made for Shah Jahan was taken away by Nadir Shah, the
Persian invader, and later dismantled and probably sold in pieces for its gold and precious stones. The later
Mughals used a replica.
12. Panegyric poems.
13. A brocade ribbon with a gem fitted in the front and tied round the turban.
14. The cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, who was the fourth caliph of Islam and acknowledged as the
first imam of the Shias.
15. This is a custom which continues to date. On particular days in the month of Muharram, men of all ages
dress up in green clothes and ask for alms. They are called Imam Hasan’s and Imam Hussain’s fakirs,
commemorating the brothers’ great sacrifice for the religion.
16. During the battle of Karbala, the family of Imam Hussain was deprived of water. During Muharram
people put up stalls or stations to distribute water and sherbet as a pious duty.
17. Congregations to describe the martyrdom of Imam Hussain.
18. Elegies recited to honour the martyrs of Karbala, describing their tribulations and sacrifice.
19. The standard used by Hazrat Abbas, the commander of Imam Hussain’s army, at the Battle of Karbala.
20. Replica of the shrine of Imam Hussain.
21. The Persian week starts with Saturday and the names for the days are: Saturday – Shamba; Sunday –
Yekshamba; Monday – Doshamba; Tuesday – Sehshamba; Wednesday – Chaharshamba; Thursday –
Panjshamba; and Friday – Juma.
22. As per belief, it was on this day that the Prophet recovered from a prolonged illness and found himself
well enough to walk. It is also the day on which Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya was born. Even now, his
birthday celebrations start on the last Wednesday of the month, irrespective of the Hijri date.
23. The Prophet walked on the thirteenth day of Safar after an illness, which lasted the first twelve days of
Safar. This is celebrated as Terah (thirteen) Tezi. The first twelve days of Safar are said to be very
inauspicious.
24. The rulers of Dilli referred to the Islamic months by the names of the festivals that were celebrated in it.
Thus, the month of Safar became Terah Tezi, while Rabi-ul Awwal was Barawafat (the Prophet’s birthday),
Rabi-us Sani was Meeranji (the urs ceremony of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani), Jamadi-ul Awwal was Madar
(the urs of Syed Badiuddin Zinda Shah Madar whose dargah is in Kanpur), Jamadi-us Sani was Khwaja
Moinuddin (the urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti of Ajmer), Shabaan was Shab-e-Barat, Shawaal was Eid
(Eid ul Fitr), Zil Qada was Khali (khali, or empty, as no festivals are celebrated), and Zil Hijja was BakrEid.
25. Musical concerts.
26. Sufi saints.
27. Rabi-ul Awwal.
28. Urs literally means ‘wedding’ in Arabic and is the term given to the death anniversary of a Sufi saint in
South Asia. The concept of death as a urs or a wedding anniversary has been taken from the Hadith. A
Hadith (Mishkat) says, ‘The angels say to the pious in the grave, “Sleep with restfulness and comfort, just
like a bride”.’
29. The peroration of the Quran.
30. The seventeenth day of the Islamic month of Rabi-us Sani.
31. The name given to the occasion when decorated poles are taken by mendicants to Ajmer for the urs of
Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti.
32. A sweet made by mixing cooked flour breads with ghee and sugar.
33. The word meidini means one who walks with a swinging gait and refers to all the pilgrims who gather to
go to Ajmer Sharif for the urs. This custom continues to date.
34. Flagpoles with banners.
35. Near Jama Masjid in Shahjahanabad.
36. A floral or brocade cover (when made as an offering) or a shawl or cloak (when part of the raiment).
37. The Prophet’s uncle, martyred in the battle of Uhud.
38. The Prophet’s daughter.
39. Drum.
40. Kettledrum.
41. A congregation hall or building for holding assemblies where Imam Hussain is mourned. The Awadh
nawabs built very large and beautiful imambara complexes in Lucknow, but it can be just a room in a
house. Imambaras are decorated for the first ten days of Muharram with alams and taziyas and are usually
used for holding majlis (assemblies) during the months of Muharram and Safar.
42. While fasting, the people have a morning meal before sunrise (sehri) following which they eat only after
sunset (iftari). No water or food is allowed in between.
43. Tablecloths.
44. A cooling drink made from the seed of the holy basil.
45. A dish prepared from pea flour made into balls and then fried.
46. The call to prayer by the muezzin.
47. The Mughals only drank water from the Ganga and called it Zamzam after the sacred spring in Mecca. It
is also called aab-e-hayat.
48. Supererogatory prayers recited at night during the month of Ramzan.
49. Farewell.
50. An open-air enclosure used only for Eid prayers. Prayers are not offered here on any other occasion.
51. Sermon.
52. Superintendent.
53. The department of armoury.
54. A royal litter with two canopies (burjis) on the back of the elephant.
55. The third section of the tasbihkhana and khwaabgah complex, called the Baithak or Badi Baithak.
56. A takht was a formal throne that was built or kept in a fixed place, usually in the areas open to the
public. A shah nasheen was a seat used by the Emperor in non-public areas. It could be a chair or a couch
that was given the central position in the room. Thus, the two words have been used separately. When the
Emperor was moving, his palanquin would be called the takht-e-ra’van, or the moving throne.
57. A seraglio within the Qila is known as ‘mahal’ (palace).
58. Even today the residents of Shahjahanabad buy most of their sweets, savouries and other delicacies
from shops instead of cooking them at home.
59. Mews where the royal falcons are kept.
60. A neelkanth (Indian roller bird), which signified victory and success in Hindu traditions, would be set
free in front of the Emperor. It is called the Dussehra bird in folklore. In addition to this practice, a falcon
was brought to perch on the Emperor’s hand. According to Timurid traditions, the falcon symbolized
victory and success. This is a classic instance of a ruling dynasty adopting and adapting to local customs.
61. A musical ensemble that played and walked alongside the Badshah’s carriage. The main instruments
were the shehnai or nafiri (popular oboes in North India) and the tabla.
62. The two days preceding Diwali are known as pehla (first) and doosra (second) diya. The day Diwali is
celebrated is called teesra (third) diya.
63. Tambourine.
64. Cymbals.
65. Water-squirters.
66. The festival at the famous Kalka Devi temple in Delhi.
67. An annual month-long fair, which continues till date. It starts on the second Sunday after Holi.
68. Urs of Alauddin Ali Ahmed Kaliyari also known as Sabir Kaliyari whose dargah is in Kaliyar village,
near Haridwar. His urs is on thirteenth day of Rabi-ul Awwal.
69. Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti of Ajmer whose urs is on sixth day of Rajab.
70. In old Urdu and Persian texts the word ‘Hindi’ was used to refer to Indian.
71. Long-necked earthen jugs.
72. Spanish cherry.
73. A type of mynah.
74. Pyramid-crested lark.
75. A cloak-like dress of cotton, worn in summer.
76. A type of cotton fabric.
77. Woven cotton.
78. Cotton fabric with figures a flowers in the design.
79. A fine soft-cotton cloth.
80. Handcrafted shoes with curled-up tips.
81. Four-cornered caps.
82. Two-cornered caps.
83. One of the most famous calligraphers (khush navez) of the nineteenth century. He was equally adept at
arm-wrestling and so was given the title of Mir Panjakash (hand-wrestler).
84. Famous musicians of their time.
85. An extract from the pandanus plant.
86. Seed of the holy basil.
87. Indian magnolia.
88. Yellow flowers, possibly marigold.
89. Hawkers selling roasted chickpeas.
90. Present-day Jorbagh area.
91. Sesame laddoos and flat cakes.
92. Sweet made from sesame seeds, sugar or honey pressed into small flat circles.
93. A type of kheer made with fresh sugar cane juice.
94. A sweet confection made from leftover flatbread, of wheat, barley, or pearl millet as in this case.
95. A game of cards.
96. One who doesn’t have a teacher.
97. A verse from a famous ghazal by Ghalib: ‘Zikr us parivash ka aur phir bayan apna.’ Ghalib’s poetry
was mostly metaphysical and not easy for everyone to understand.
98. Mir Ali Ahmed, with whom the author is in conversation here, was one of the friends of Momin Khan
Momin. His entire family was killed in the mutiny of 1857 and he was the lone survivor. He was a living
example of Delhi’s genteel and learned society. His expertise in astronomy was unparalleled. He had
opened a small grocery store in front of Syed Rafae’s mosque near Chitli Qabr. His shop was where seekers
and lovers of knowledge gathered and engaged in constant discussions on various aspects of logic and
reason and at times for games of chess. He died 10 years before the writing of the present book.
99. Qutub Minar.
100. The collection of poems by one poet; his mètier.
101. The beauty of love.
102. Player of biin, the Indian lute.
103. An area in Chandni Chowk.
104. This is a reference to Mirza Ghalib’s statement after the events of 1857: ‘The existence of Dilli is
dependent on many tumultuous events: the Fort, Chandni Chowk, the daily crowds at Jama Masjid, the
weekly jaunts to the Jamuna bridge, and the annual fair at the Phoolwaalo’n ki Sair. Now that these five
things are not there, Dilli isn’t Dilli.’
105. Attendants in the Mughal harem who were usually seamstresses or needlewomen.
106. Imprisonment in the Andaman Islands.
107. A full Quran sharif that is read by people and then offered as a blessing for the forgiveness of the
departed soul.
108. Abul Mansur Mirza Muhammad Muqim Ali Khan, the Subedar Nawab or Governor of Awadh, was
given the title of ‘Safdarjung’. Safdarjung’s tomb was called ‘Mansur ka Madrasa’, or simply Madrasa as a
school was run on the premises. Even today there are old signboards in Delhi that read ‘Mansur ka
Madrasa’.
109. These are the names of the three pavilions on the three corners of the garden. They were used as guest
houses till 1947. Now they function as offices and museums for the Archaeological Survey of India. The
fourth corner is the grand entrance.
110. The Nawab of Awadh and son of Safdarjung.
111. The architect of the mausoleum.
112. Pool.
113. Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyaar Kaki.
114. Refers to Akbar Shah II.
115. Imadul Mulk, the prime minister of Alamgir II.
116. Allegedly, Ram Kumari.
117. The Zafar Mahal was the last palace built by the Mughals in Mehrauli, adjoining Khwaja Qutbuddin
Bakhtiyar Kaki’s dargah. It was built as a summer palace by Akbar Shah II and expanded by Bahadur Shah
Zafar. Apart from the celebration of The Phoolwaalo’n ki Sair, the two emperors spent monsoons in the
more salubrious climate of Mehrauli.
118. Excursion or parade.
119. An affectionate way to address a young girl.
120. A children’s game, similar to guess-if-you-can.
121. A term of respect by which nursemaids were addressed.
122. The royal colour.
123. Missi was a very popular part of make up for ladies till the late nineteenth century. It was made from a
powder (composed of yellow myrobalan, gall-nut, iron-filings, vitriol, etc.) used to tinge the teeth and lips
with black.
124. A red dye for the lips.
125. Unlike the English idiom in which salt is sprinkled on wounds, in the Urdu idiom salt is sprinkled on
burns.
126. Wet-nurse.
127. Maidservant.
128. Islamic creed.
129. The ladies move to another room or behind a screen.
130. The dispensary attendants.
131. Traditionally used as a body-scouring agent.
132. Body-cleansing paste.
133. Body scrub.
134. This is a description of the hammam complex in the Red Fort.
135. Reference to the lehenga.
136. A pair of wide-legged pyjamas with gathers at the knee, from where it flares out. It is worn with a
kurta and a dupatta.
137. A wide red cotton curtain hung on the door of the Diwan-e-Khas. This was called the third station for
salutations to the Emperor. The first station for salutation was the naqqarkhana and the second was the
screen door in the Diwan-e-Aam which had a heavy iron chain hanging from it.
138. Sepoys who walked alongside the royal carriage and hit anyone who was discourteous to the Emperor.
139. Paymaster and accountant.
140. The chief judge.
141. The head of scribes.
142. Marshal or master of ceremonies.
143. Both are ornaments worn on the forehead.
144. Angiya was a bodice worn under a gauze or some other light shirt (kurti). Phulkari is a style of
embroidery from Punjab.
145. The chief consort of the Emperor.
146. To show obeisance by bending the upper body and presenting salutations by lifting the hand to the
forehead.
147. Zeenat Mahal, the chief consort of Bahadur Shah Zafar.
148. A covered box used to store betel leaves prepared for consumption.
149. The throne verse.
150. Long live the Emperor. In keeping with the secular traditions of the Mughals, the Emperor was called
both Badshah (in Persian) and Mahabali (in Sanskrit).
151. Bailiff.
152. Usher.
153. Amen.
154. Meatsafe made of wood.
155. A thin canopy of fine netting would be erected over this to protect the diners from flies.
156. The chief consort, also called Padshah Begum.
157. This is to denote that it is no longer their beloved Dilli but the Dehli (Delhi) of the British. Even today,
when speaking in Hindustani, locals pronounce Delhi as Dehli.
158. This is a political and social comment on the policies adopted by the British in India that drained
India’s wealth.
159. Shahjahanabad.
160. Shamsi Talab, a water reservoir, built by Sultan Iltutmish in the thirteenth century. Though it is now
much smaller than it was originally, it still exists in Mehrauli village.
161. A waterfall close to the Shamsi Talab.
162. This was a garden built by Roz Afzun Nazir in 1748 and is the present-day Ashoka Mission.
163. Mango orchads.
164. An overgrown area used as a shortcut from the Zafar Mahal to Nazir ka bagh.
165. Young boys who were being trained as soldiers. They were killed or disbanded after the uprising of
1857.
166. A bowl-shaped frying pan with two handles used in Indian cooking.
167. Women making kebabs.
168. Black plums.
169. The fruit of the Grewia asiatica.
170. Caqui or golden yellow berries.
171. Cluster figs.
172. The royal tent; literally, ‘reflection of the world’.
173. The name for Adham Khan’s tomb in Mehrauli which contained a labyrinth.
174. ‘Shauq’ was the pseudonym that Bahadur Shah Zafar used while writing songs in Braj Bhasha, Punjabi
and other dialects. This song is set in Raga Malkaus.
175. A famous khyal singer who established the Delhi school of Hindustani music.
176. There was a hierarchy among courtesans. The courtesans at the highest level were called derawalis.
They had their own tents, marking their independence.
177. Pahar is an ancient unit of time under which the twenty-four hour day was divided into eight watches
of three hours each. Night and day have four pahars each with specific names. The first pahar of the
morning starts at dawn, the second pahar or dopahar is afternoon and evening is seh pahar. Dedh pahar
that is 7.30 p.m., is the point between evening and the last pahar of the day.
178. Stories, orally narrated.
179. Slide-like stone.
180. A kakkarwala is one who supplies travellers and passers-by with a huqqa.
181. Hussaini Brahmins are a community of Brahmins whose ancestor Rahab Sidh Dutt, a trader in Iraq,
sacrificed his seven sons for Imam Hussain in the battle of Karbala in 680 CE.
182. One hundred soldiers in each platoon.
183. Maula Baksh was the Emperor’s personal and exclusive elephant.
184. The title given to the royal mahout.
185. The iron hook used to prod the elephant.
186. Embroidered vest, inspired by Western clothes.
187. Jewelled pin worn in the turban.
188. An aigrette which was screwed onto the turban, hence the use of the word ‘pech’ which means ‘screw’.
189. A kind of aigrette.
190. Short coats.
191. One kos is equivalent to 3.07 kilometres.
192. In English yards, 55; in Hindustani yards, 60.
193. It used to be carried at the front of the procession.
194. Chaplet.
195. Rose water sprinklers.
196. Bahadur Shah Zafar composed both poems and songs in the local dialect for many festivals. His Hori
(songs Holi) were very popular.
197. It is not clear which year is being referred to here. It is probably after the fall of Delhi in 1857 and the
Badshah’s exile to Rangoon.
198. White men, that is, the British.
199. Get-together.
200. Emperor Mohammad Shah who wrote poetry under the pen name of Rangeela.
201. Churidars.
202. Aurangzeb’s daughter.
203. Living in a state of ease and comfort with liberty to come and go as they willed.
204. Innocence, guilelessness.
205. Simplicity, purity and loftiness of mind.
Bazm-e-Aakhir
1. The Mughals referred to themselves as ‘Gurkani’ which means son-in-law. This was a reference to Timur
who had married a Chingizid woman. Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, was extremely proud of
his Timurid lineage.
2. The palace refers to the private quarters of the Emperor that included the seraglio inside the Red Fort
where he lived. Only his wives, daughters, female relatives, female attendants and guards were allowed
entry in the seraglio. Often, the Emperor would use another building in the palace complex, outside the
seraglio complex. The Shah Burj in the Qila was one such royal apartment. Female bodyguards and female
Turkish and Cossack soldiers guarded these areas, while female attendants carried out errands. If the
Emperor called in a male physician or minister, all the women except the soldiers and guards would leave
and the female guards would escort the man in, a handkerchief covering his face so that he could not see
anything inside. If a physician had to attend to a lady then he would be blindfolded and could only feel her
pulse. Hakims or physicians of yore could diagnose illnesses just by feeling the pulse.
3. Female attendants who press hands and feet.
4. Male storytellers.
5. Wardrobe department.
6. This was to ensure that the Emperor was not poisoned as palace intrigues were very common.
7. The Emperor had obviously spent the night not inside the seraglio but in one of his other private
apartments, possibly the Shah Burj.
8. Armed female attendants in a harem.
9. A wooden staff with an iron point.
10. Fly whisk.
11. Till 1857 there was a dargah inside the Red Fort, where relics of the Prophet were kept. When Bahadur
Shah Zafar escaped after the failed ‘mutiny’, he took the relics and handed them over to the hereditary
caretakers of the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, where they are kept safely till date and displayed
every year on the Prophet’s birthday.
12. According to Observations on the Mussulmauns of India written by Meer Hassan Ali at the beginning of
the nineteenth century, there was no provision for breakfast during Mughal times. The first substantial meal
was served at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. The second meal was dinner. Before and between them, only betel leaf and
hookah were enjoyed. Until the adoption of British food habits by Indians only two meals were eaten.
13. Meals were eaten sitting on the floor on either side of beautifully embroidered dastarkhwans or
tablecloths that were spread on dhurries and chandnis.
14. This table was put on the dastarkhwan and from its size it would seem that only the Emperor could be
seated at it. The rest of his retinue probably sat on the dastarkhwan as they ate.
15. Since the Emperor appears in public in an open palanquin, that becomes his travelling or moving throne
or takht-e-ra’wan.
16. Aigrette.
17. Nobles of high rank, grandees.
18. Lawyers.
19. Clerks.
20. Scribes.
21. Department of scribes.
22. Royal orders.
23. The fish emblem.
24. Camel-borne soldiers with small muskets that are fired intermittently during the royal procession.
25. Bards.
26. Ornaments worn on the arm.
27. A durban is a gatekeeper but here the author uses the word to mean a member of the royal staff.
28. The anniversary of the coronation.
29. Ornamental lace hemming.
30. Gold and silver lace or brocade.
31. Heeled shoes.
32. Descriptions of clothes, jewellery and footwear are given in the Glossary.
33. This is an Indian custom, particularly strong in Rajasthan, and undivided Uttar Pradesh where these
lentil balls (baras) are fried to signal the start of a celebration.
34. A broad, flat dish.
35. Copper and brass utensils with tin plating.
36. A low seat.
37. Balls of wheat flour, sugar and dahi, with anise and cardamom seeds.
38. The wake.
39. Jewellery department.
40. A long coat with sleeves.
41. Turban.
42. Bracelets.
43. Offering to Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter.
44. Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter is said to have been very particular about veiling herself from the gaze of
unrelated males. Any oblation or offering made to her only involves women. Men are excluded.
45. For lighting candles and lamps.
46. At the gate of Diwan-e-Aam.
47. Celebration.
48. Which, presumably, was to act as a halting point.
49. The phoenix being a mythical bird, this was probably made using yak-tail hair.
50. Units of Islamic prayer.
51. A dress of honour bestowed by the ruler or superior authority to an inferior as a mark of distinction.
52. The first salutation is the ceremonial one upon coming into the presence of the Emperor. The second
one is for being given ceremonial robes (khil’at) or aigrettes by the Emperor. On both occasions the process
is the same and the prince or noble who is honoured must make an offering to the Emperor.
53. The area just outside the seraglio after which no males were allowed inside.
54. Cover.
55. Quilted and embroidered carpets.
56. Eunuchs.
57. The wives of the Badshah and princes.
58. Mica.
59. A specially made dress in the colour that had been chosen for that year’s Nauroz by the astrologers.
60. Offerings.
61. Seven is an auspicious number in Islam and though only seven items are served here, it is still called by
the generic name of ‘nauratan’, ‘nau’ meaning ‘nine’.
62. Offering.
63. Hazrat Ali Ibn Abu Talib was the fourth Caliph of Islam. He was given the Caliphate on the day of
Nauroz, and the day is commemorated as khilafat.
64. Ladies of the harem.
65. Salateen was the name given to the direct male descendants of the previous emperors. They mostly
lived inside the Red Fort in separate quarters and received fixed salaries from the reigning monarch.
According to Prof. Saiyid Zaheer Husain Jafri of the Department of History, Delhi University, though the
ruling elite kept them under strict supervision and surveillance as they were considered potential rivals, they
were not kept under house arrest as some later accounts make it out to be. As Arsh Taimuri writes, the
seclusion of the salateen was abolished in the reign of Shah Alam II.
66. These were eggs from a special breed of fowls and were specially prized for egg fighting owing to their
hard tips.
67. On the tenth day of the Islamic month of Muharram, Imam Hussain and all the healthy male members of
his family and friends were martyred by Yazid’s army in Karbala. Yazid had assumed the temporal
leadership of Muslims after the death of his father Muawiya, the first caliph of the Umayyad caliphate, but
till he received an oath of allegiance from Hussain, his spiritual leadership was in doubt. Imam Hussain,
however said, ‘A person like me will not give the oath of allegiance to a person like Yazid who has violated
all tenets of Islam.’
68. Representation of a shroud.
69. Cloth banners tied to the standards.
70. Direct descendants of the Prophet.
71. Qasim, the thirteen-year-old nephew of Imam Hussain was married to the Imam’s daughter on the eve
of the battle. This was done as his daughter Kubra had attained puberty and, as per Arab laws of warfare,
any girl who had attained puberty could be taken into slavery by the victorious army. Widows, however,
were exempt. Imam Hussain and his sister Zainab knew that they would be defeated by the superior might
of Yazid the next day and so a simple nikah was read of the two to prevent such an eventuality. The henna
is a symbol of Qasim’s marriage to Kubra and is still carried in processions during Muharram, on the
seventh of the month.
72. Yazid’s army had stopped water from reaching the camp of Imam Hussain on the sixth day of
Muharram. Soon their store of water was over, and as it could not be replenished, children were crying from
thirst. Imam Hussain’s intention was to fight oppression in a non-violent way and he did not allow his
brother Abbas, the commander of his army, to go out to battle. Abbas was a famed warrior and in the days
of one-on-one combat he would have caused serious damage to the enemy. But Abbas was only allowed to
go to the Euphrates River to bring water for the children in a waterskin. He was killed by enemy hordes
who surrounded him while he was bringing back water. He is thus known as the saqqa or water carrier, and
till date a small waterskin is tied to the alams in every imambara.
73. Waterskin.
74. Noon prayers.
75. An offering of food to a saint or departed spirit.
76. Dust from the Karbala of Imam Hussain, said to have curative powers.
77. Those who recite the elegies.
78. A gold coin.
79. This term is derived from the fact that the Prophet’s birth date is the twelfth of the month.
80. A small drum.
81. A kind of dervish, with dishevelled, long, knotted hair who goes into a state of religious ecstasy.
82. Arabic coffee.
83. Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani is a revered Sufi saint and popularly known as Ghaus-ul-Azam. He is the
founder of the Qadriya order of Sufis. His shrine is in Baghdad.
84. Blessed food or oblation.
85. Candy.
86. There is no reference in any source to a maze in Humayun’s tomb. Visitors are no longer allowed inside
the grave complex under the main tomb on the ground level. The complex houses over 150 graves of men
and women from the Mughal family and has been referred to as the dormitory of the Mughals. It is likely
that with its many rooms it may have felt like a maze.
87. The fifth month of the Islamic calendar.
88. The Sufi saint Sayed Badiuddin Zinda Shah Madar (d. 1434 CE), also known as Qutb-ul-Madar.
89. Singers accompanying the chharhi.
90. Trays of sesame seeds, rice and raw sugar.
91. The sixty-seventh surah of the Quran also known as Surah Mulk.
92. A tree whose young shoots and stems were used as toothbrushes.
93. Consecration of food in a saint’s name in earthen bowls. It is still observed in Shia homes in the Indian
Subcontinent but the consecration is now done in the name of the sixth Shia Imam, Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq.
94. Shaban.
95. Resin stick.
96. Drum house
97. Lamp.
98. Magistrate.
99. To announce Eid-ul-Fitr.
100. Fasting.
101. Dawn.
102. One who is not keeping a fast.
103. ‘One who does not fast is a culprit in Allah’s eyes.’
104. ‘Whoever has betel leaf in their hand during fasting is bound to have tooth worm.’ Tooth-worm was
considered to be the cause of tooth decay.
105. ‘Those who do not keep the fast are cursed; their slippers will snap and their blankets will tear.’
106. Late afternoon.
107. Messengers.
108. Superintendent of the armoury.
109. A small enclosure where the relics of the Prophet are housed. It still exists in one of the galleries of the
Jama Masjid.
110. The twelfth month of the Islamic calendar
111. Reigned from 2 June 1754–29 November 1759.
112. Feroz Shah Kotla.
113. Some Urdu books, namely Bahadur Shah Aur Phool Walon Ki Sair by Mirza Farhatullah Beg
(published by Mehbubul Matabe Barqi Press, Delhi, 1943), identify her as Ram Kumari, a Brahmin lady.
114. When he eventually became the Emperor.
115. This custom was to emphasize the co-existence of Hindu and Mughal traditions.
116. To prevent anyone from putting a hex. Apparently, sorcery charms could be hidden in vegetables.
117. A propitiatory offering; a sacrifice to avert misfortune.
118. The living quarters of the salateen.
119. Today it is known as Zafar Mahal after Bahadur Shah Zafar who got it built. The tank is now dry.
120. Balsam.
121. Rose.
122. Tuberose.
123. Peacock flower.
124. A type of jasmine.
125. Citron.
126. Caqui fruit.
127. Peach.
128. Plum.
129. A sour fruit.
130. Called gol-andaz.
131. ‘The first to eat and last to do any work.’
132. The fly whisk is made of yak-tail hair but referred to as the mythical huma, or phoenix feathers.
133. Nurse.
134. As this event was one of the highlights of the royal calendar, it has been described by both Syed Wazir
Hasan Dehlvi and Munshi Faizuddin.
135. Canopy.
136. Zafar Mahal.
137. A tonjon exclusively for royalty.
138. Twelve-arched pavilion.
139. This verse has been sung by various artistes and used in films without mentioning the poet’s name.
According Prof. Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, since the takhallus or nom de plume Shauq is mentioned, it is
conclusively proved to be Bahadur Shah Zafar’s verse. Apart from that, amriyaan was a mango orchard in
Mehrauli and used for picnics and fun during the Phoolwaalo’n ki Sair. The reference to Bhool Bhulaiyya
also dates it as Adham Khan’s tomb in Mehrauli whose labyrinth was a popular spot.
140. The name given to Adham Khan’s tomb in Mehrauli, as it had a labyrinth.
141. Common hawk cuckoo.
142. Mehrauli used to be a hilly and wooded area and that is why it was the summer residence of the later
Mughals. Now some of it survives inside the Sanjay Van.
143. Thursday is traditionally associated with dargahs and Islamic religious events. Earlier a chatr or floral
umbrella was offered at Jogmaya temple on Wednesday. As per an account by Mirza Farhatullah Beg, if the
Emperor could not go to the temple, he would not visit the dargah either, in order to not hurt the sentiments
of his Hindu subjects. At present, the chatr is offered on Friday.
144. Those who give out hookahs on rent.
145. Street theatre.
146. Bailiffs or agents.
147. Ushers or attendants.
148. ‘Today the ghee lamp has been extinguished.’ It is very similar to ‘The King is dead, long live the
King.’
149. There is a mention of a talaqi darwaza in Purana Qila in Delhi, but this is the first reference of such a
gate in the Red Fort. Superstition meant that there was a separate door for carrying out corpses.
150. Funeral prayers.
151. Funeral procession.
152. Consecration.
153. This is a typically Hindu custom which was adapted by the Mughals.
154. A custom still followed today.
155. Widows’ attire.
156. Bear up.
157. A ceremony to mark fortieth day of the death. It is usually held anytime between thirty to forty days
after the death. Again, this is a custom still followed in pretty much the same format, with food and clothes
distributed to the poor, recitation of the Quran and prayers said for the deceased’s soul.
158. Superintendent of buildings.
159. Food tray with a multitude of items.
160. A special Kashmiri double shawl.
161. This is a description of the chaliswan ceremony.
162. The patron of the Timurid family.
Qila-e-Mu’alla ki Jhalkiya’n
1. ‘Arsh Taimuri’ was his nom de plume.
2. Syed Yusuf Bukhari was born in 1907, into the family of the hereditary imams of Jama Masjid, Delhi.
His father was the imam when he was born. Bukhari was an acclaimed poet and writer. His book, Yeh Dilli
Hai (This is Delhi), was a collection of his broadcasts from All India Radio’s Delhi station. He migrated to
Pakistan after Partition and died in Karachi in 1991. His book, Moti, a collection of words of wisdom in the
shape of proverbs and quotations, was published as Muraqqa-i-aqwaal-o-amsaal by Anjuman Taraqqi-eUrdu, Pakistan after his death.
3. The word ‘ghadar’ or mutiny was the word used by the British to describe the popular uprising of 1857.
Later, Veer Savarkar termed it the First War of Indian Independence. But given its limited reach and the
fact that it ws confined to the regions of Delhi, Awadh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, a more correct
description would be the uprising of 1857.
4. Stories from the Revolt in Delhi.
5. Farewell Zafar.
6. The word means ‘foreigner’ and was the term by which the British were generally referred to.
7. Hereditary caretakers of the dargah and descendants of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. Abdul Qadir Jilani
(1077–1166) is a famous Sunni Hanabali preacher, orator, writer, jurist and saint. He is the founder of the
Sufi order of Qadriyya.
8. Indian laburnum or golden shower cassia.
9. Munshi Faizuddin in Bazm-e-Aakhir and Nasir Nazir Firaq in Lal Qile ki ek Jhalak have mentioned this
custom, but whereas they say ‘ghee ka kuppa lund gaya’, Arsh Taimuri says ‘kuppa ludhak gaya’ and
doesn’t mention ghee.
10. Husband or blood relative.
11. They were also kept in seclusion.
12. This is a reference to Syed Abdullah Khan Barha (1666–1722) and Syed Hasan Ali Khan Barha (1628–
1720). They were powerful Mughal generals who became extremely influential after the death of
Aurangzeb and helped many Mughal emperors ascend the throne. They helped the Aurangzeb’s son,
Bahadur Shah I (r. 1707–12) in the war of succession. After his death, they helped Bahadur Shah I’s
grandson, Farrukhsiyar (1713–19) assassinate and depose his uncle Jahandar Shah (r. 1712–13), from the
throne. When Farrukhsiyar tried to curtail their influence, the brothers attacked and imprisoned him and put
one of his cousins, Rafi-us Darajat (r. Feb–June 1719), on the throne. When Rafi-us Darajat, who was a
sickly boy, died of tuberculosis, they put his elder brother Rafi-ud Daula on the throne as Shah Jahan II (r.
June–Sept 1719). The new king also died in a few months. They then chose another cousin of Farrukhsiyar,
Roshan Akhtar, who ruled as Muhammad Shah (1719–48).
13. Followers of the ultra-conservative religious doctrine founded by Abdul Wahab.
14. A direct descendant of the Prophet.
15. Hazrat Ghulam Nasiruddin, the Emperor’s spiritual master, popularly known as Kale Saheb.
16. Mentor and guide.
17. A sect of mendicants so wholly absorbed in devotions of Allah and affinity to the divine that they were
permanently in a state of ecstasy. They roamed around uncaring of the world, sometimes nude or in
minimal clothing.
18. Sergeant
19. Iranians from west and south west Iran.
20. The heir apparent.
21. The courtyard in the Red Fort.
22. Arsh Taimuri adds a bracket: according to Mirza Ghiyasuddin, writer of Masnavi Bagh Shadab.
23. Also known as.
24. This was a lofty building with three archways or gates, standing opposite the kotwali in Chandni
Chowk. It was probably demolished after 1857.
25. Female attendants.
26. There are several mentions of Akbar Shah II’s displeasure with his son Abu Zafar and his preference for
Mirza Jahangir, but no plausible reasons are given. Abu Zafar, who ascended the throne as Bahadur Shah II
(Zafar), was quite inclined towards the East India Company and, in fact, was their preferred choice, while
Akbar Shah II had started chafing at the diktats of the British. It is likely that the Emperor preferred his
more spirited sons who shared his dislike for the British.
27. Hindu mendicants who have given up worldly attachments.
28. Percival Spears writes in Twilight of the Mughals that in 1852 Bahadur Shah fell prey to a disease. This
is four years after the death of Dara Bakht. Dastan-e-Ghadar too mentions his illness. According to Prof.
Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, this is an unreliable account as Arsh Taimuri himself was not a contemporary of
the princes and no contemporary writer mentions this incident. Nevertheless, the Emperor’s illness set off a
tussle for the position of the heir apparent, with the British appointing Mirza Fakhru as heir apparent in the
end, despite the Badshah’s opposition.
29. 24 October 1775.
30. 18 November 1806.
31. The author gives only Hijri dates and his age is given according to that.
32. 29 September 1837.
33. This is apparently a mistake, as his age should be sixty-two.
34. 1856–57.
35. 1858.
36. The dates of the Emperor’s removal are given by Arsh as 1273 AH. 1273 AH started on 1 September
1856 and ended on 22 August 1857. Technically the siege of Delhi ended in September 1857 and the
Emperor surrendered on 21 September 1857, so it would correspond to 1274 AH. Since the Emperor was
born in 1775 he would be eighty-two years of age at the time.
37. The chronogram, said when the Emperor was being exiled to Rangoon, reveals the date as 1275 AH,
which would correspond to 1858.
38. The word Turkey or Turki in the original text refers to the Ottomon Caliphate. The Mughals were said
to be representatives of the Caliph in India. Here the poet laments not only the end of the Mughal dynasty
but the rule of the Caliphate in India.
39. A halwa made in winter and considered a delicacy. It is still very popular in Delhi. Ghantewala Sweet
Shop, established in Chandni Chowk in 1790 was famous for its sohan halwa. It shut down in 2015.
40. Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq (1789–1854), was a famous poet and the poet laureate of the Mughal court. He
was also the Emperor’s poetry teacher.
41. 7 November 1862.
42. There are two chronograms in this verse. As translated and explained by Ajmal Siddiqui: The first is
‘charagh-e-dehli’ (lamp of Dehli) which commemorates his coronation and corresponds to 1253 AH or
1837, and the other for his death is ‘bujha hai charagh-e-dehli’ (‘The lamp of Dehli has been extinguished’)
which corresponds to 1279 AH or 1862. The writer has connected the coronation chronogram to the death
chronogram.
43. Modern-day polo.
44. In colloquial language the word means ‘idiot’ but in Arabic it means ‘pearl’.
45. There is a grave enclosure in Hazrat Nizamuddin’s dargah which contains a tomb said to be Mirza
Jahangir’s, according to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in his Asar-us-Sanadid, Volume I. His mother Nawab
Mumtaz Mahal, who loved him greatly, sent Nawab Mukhtar-ud-Daula Khwaja Wahidudin Ahmed Khan
Bahadur, son of Akbar Wazir-e-Azam Dastoor Moazzam Nawab Dabir-ud-Daula Amin-ul-Mulk Khwaja
Faridudin Ahmed Khan Bahadur, to Allahabad to bring back the body of her son and had it buried here.
46. Akbar Shah II.
47. This was during the reign of Akbr Shah II.
48. This tank was filled with kewra and roses during the reign of Mohammad Shah and small barges would
float on it.
49. Mohammed Shah had filled up these apartments with the professional women (prostitutes) whom he
patronized.
50. You, my beloved, fought with me in the night.
51. The Governor of Bengal.
52. A city named after him.
53. A footnote given in the book says that Mirza Jawan Bakht’s family is still living in Varanasi. However,
I have not been able to verify this information.
54. Estate.
55. Affidavit.
56. I have not been able to find modern-day names for these regions, except Karachi.
57. The noble of nobles.
Begamat ke Aansu
1. The spot where the headstone is placed.
2. Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
3. The person in charge.
4. This is the author’s imaginary account of the arrest of the Mughal Emperor.
5. Bahadur Shah Zafar’s daughter, who was born in 1819.
6. ‘Please bring one paisa worth of flour my way’.
7. Prince of Wales at the time of writing Begamat ke Aansu, later ascended the throne as King George V.
8. Prayer.
9. This verse was written by Mirza Ghalib on the occasion of Bahadur Shah Zafar’s birthday when he was
the Emperor.
10. ‘Dearer than life to Zafar.’
11. The British appointed him the crown prince in 1856, over the claims of Zeenat Mahal’s son Mirza
Jawan Bakht.
12. His Exalted Presence.
13. The Shadow of God.
14. His Exalted Presence.
15. Father’s younger brother.
16. Born in 1832 and died in 1902. She was married to her cousin Mirza Ziauddin Muhammad Bahadur.
17. The Emperor’s sixth wife, also known as Pyari Bai.
18. The royal physician.
19. Modern-day Aligarh.
20. Relative through marriage.
21. Rajputs who had converted to Islam.
22. The revenue collector of the village, normally from the family of local landowners.
23. Invocations complimenting Prophet Muhammad and his family.
24. The glorious and holy city of Makkah (Mecca).
25. Kite flyer.
26. Neighbourhood.
27. Dwelling of an ascetic.
28. It was believed that with such an amulet the wearer would be able to woo or seduce the lady he desires.
29. Police officer.
30. A royal court or durbar was held in Delhi in 1911 to commemorate the coronation of King George V
and Queen Mary. They were proclaimed the Emperor and Empress of India. It was in this durbar that an
announcement was made to shift the capital of British India from Calcutta to Delhi. It was held in the
Coronation Park where an earlier Delhi Durbar of 1877 had been held to proclaim Queen Victoria as
Empress of India. The park now houses the statues of many British monarchs and nobles.
31. Sheet.
32. Indian cavalryman in British army.
33. Al Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem.
Appendix 1
1
Food
The traditional seating while having food was on the floor (and it is still
followed in many families). Pristine white chandnis were spread on the floor
with the occasional carpets and bolsters kept on top. The dastarkhwan, which
would be beautifully embroidered with prayers to bless the household and
increase prosperity, would be laid out on this. The families would sit on either
side of it with the head of the family sitting at its head. As read in the accounts in
this book, a low, wooden table was laid out for the emperor on this dastarkhwan
and, that too was covered with a cloth.
To prevent flies from sitting on the food, the food would be covered with
netting.
To keep food from spoiling a ni’matkhana was used (in place of the modern
refrigerator). Its legs would be kept in stone bowls that were filled with water in
summer to keep it cool.
There were only two meals in a day. The men and women would eat betel
leaves and smoke hookah till 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. when the first meal would be
served. The second meal was around 7.30 p.m.
The spread was very elaborate with many dishes being served.
Meat Curries
Korma: Braised meat curry in a thick gravy
The kormas mentioned in the book are made of mutton, chicken, and venison.
Qaliya: A meat curry with thin gravy and added vegetables. The difference
between the korma and qaliya was that while turmeric and vegetables were used
the in the latter, the former used a base of curds and fried onion paste.
Keema: Cooked minced meat in which vegetables may be added.
Kebabs: Meat patties which can be made from raw keema which has been
tenderized using raw papaya (galawati kebab) or cooked with chickpeas (shami
kebab) or raw, marinated meat pieces and mince cooked over coals on skewers.
The ones mentioned in the books are:
Seekh ke kebab: Kebabs made by grilling seasoned mince on skewers.
Shaami kebab: Kebabs made by boiling mincemeat with spices and gram.
Goliyon ke kebab: Round shaped kebabs.
Teetar ke kebab: Partridge kebabs.
Bater ke kebab: Quail kebabs.
Nuqti kebab: Sweet kebab.
Pasanda: Fried or grilled slivers of very tender meat, usually kid.
Meat dishes were usually dependent on the weather, with paya (trotters) being
slow cooked in winter and eaten with naan.
Do piyaza: A mutton curry made with onions, in which the quantity of onions is
twice the weight of the meat.
Game meat such as venison and gamebirds such as quail and pheasant were
very popular.
Whole goat, game meat was also roasted on a barbeque fire
Various types of Flatbreads
Indian food is accompanied by various kinds of flatbread which is made mainly
of wheat flour but millet, corn, chickpeas and barley flour are also used.
Chapati: A thin unleavened flatbread made on a tawa. The thicker versions are
referred to as roti.
Phulka: A puffed up wheat roti. The difference between chapati and phulka is
the consistency of the dough. The chapati dough is looser and therefore more
elastic.
Paratha: An unleavened flatbread, made in layers of dough and shallow fried.
Roghni roti: An unleavened roti made from dough in which milk and cream
are added.
Biri roti: An unleavened roti stuffed with ground chickpeas.
Besani roti: An unleavened roti made from chickpeas flour.
Khamiri roti: A flatbread made from dough leavened with yeast.
Naan: A leavened flatbread made in a tandoor or oven.
Sheermal: A saffron-flavoured, slightly sweet, leavened flatbread made from
refined flour.
Khankadiya’n: Crisp puris.
Gao zaban: Roti shaped like a cow’s tongue.
Gao deeda: White flour roti which is elongated in shape.
Kulcha: A variation of a naan, but slightly leavened.
Baqar khani: A thick spiced flatbread with a hard crust, made from semolina and
milk.
Badam ki roti: Roti with almond stuffing.
Piste ki roti: Roti with pistachio stuffing.
Chaval ki roti: Roti made from rice flour.
Gajar ki roti: Roti with carrot stuffing.
Misri ki roti: Roti with sugar stuffing.
Mande: Thin roti made of refined white flour.
Various types of naans
Nan-e-panabba: Wilayti roti (probably bread).
Naan tinki: Elongated thin roti.
Nan-e-qimash: Wilayati roti (probably bread).
Rice dishes
There are two main rice dishes cooked in India: pulao and biryani. Pulao is rice
cooked in a meat or vegetable broth with various kinds of meat or vegetables
added to it. Biryani is layered rice and the layers could be of different meats,
vegetables or even fruits and dry fruits. The royal cooks had invented many
different dishes which were called by the colour or main ingredient in it. Many
of them are no longer made, or if they are they have changed from the original.
Yakhni pulao: Rice dish made from a meat stock.
Moti pulao: Egg white is poached and then pounded with silver foil. It is then
stuffed in chicken gullet and boiled. It comes out looking like pearls hence the
name. Nowadays we just make meatballs and wrap them in silver foil.
Nur Mahli pulao: Said to be invented by Nur Jahan.
Nuqti pulao: A kind of sweet rice dish.
Nargisi pulao: Boiled eggs are stuffed in cooked mince cases and then cut in half
to resemble an eye. These are layered in cooked rice.
Kishmish pulao: Rice and raisins.
Zamaruddi pulao: Green rice (possibly using natural colours).
Lal pulao: Red rice.
Muzafar pulao: Saffron is the principal ingredient of this sweet rice dish.
Phalsaayi pulao: Probably the fruit phalsa must have been used to give the rice a
purple colour.
Aabi pulao: Aab is water and aabi means light as water. I have not come across
this pulao.
Sunheri pulao: Golden coloured pulao.
Rupahli pulao: Silver coloured pulao (some ingredient must have been used to
give it the colour).
Murgh pulao: Chicken pulao.
Baiza pulao: Egg pulao.
Ananas pulao: Pineapple pulao.
Kofta pulao: Mince ball pulao.
Biryani pulao: Layered rice with meat.
Chulao: Fried rice.
Saare bakre ka pulao: Pulao made with a full goat.
Boot pulao: Pulao made with green grams.
Shoala: Khichri with meat in it.
Kabuli: An Afghani dish made with meat and raisins.
Taheri: A seasoned rice dish with vegetables and sometimes meat.
Mutanjan: A combination of rice, mutton, and yoghurt.
Zarda muzafar: Sweet saffron flavoured rice.
Biscuits
Nankhatai: A shortbread.
Badam ki nankhatai: Almond-flavoured short bread.
Pista ki nankhatai: Pistachio-flavoured short bread.
Chuware ki nankhatai: Date-flavoured shortbread.
Snacks
Badam ki nuql: A kind of almond-flavoured sweetmeat served with wine.
Piste ki nuql: A kind of pistachio-flavoured sweetmeat served with wine.
Khushkhush ki nuql: A kind of sweetmeat made from poppy seeds served
with wine.
Saunf ki nuql: A kind of sweetmeat made from fennel served with wine.
Samosa: A triangular-shaped, fried savoury made with a thin rolled out leaf of
refined flour stuffed with potatoes, mincemeat, peas etc.
Salona meetha: Sweet and salty.
Shaakhein: A savoury.
Khajla: A kind of sweet made like a pie crust.
Qatle: Diamond-shaped namak para.
Yoghurt accompaniments
Yoghurt was used an accompaniment to the rich foods consumed at meal times
as it not only diluted the oiliness but was also considered a digestive. In summer,
yogurt was an essential part of the meal and was consumed as lassi, buttermilk
etc.
Buraani: An accompaniment made from the eggplant fried and soaked in sour
milk.
Raita: Curd mixed with some vegetable or spices.
Kheere ki dogh: In buttermilk/curd.
Kakdi ki dogh: Cucumber raita.
Side dishes
Paneer ki chutney: Cottage cheese chutney.
Samni ki chutney: Chutney made of chironji seeds.
Aash: Broth of meat or jelly.
Dahi bare: Fried lentil dumplings in curd.
Baigan ka bhurta: Sautéed and mashed eggplant.
Aloo ka bhurta: Sautéed, boiled, and mashed potatoes.
Chane ki dal ka bhurta: Sautéed chickpeas.
Dulma: A stuffed vegetable dish from Indian squash, bitter gourd, and
aubergine.
Aloo ka dolma: Potatoes stuffed in vine leaves.
Baigan ka dolma: Brinjal stuffed in vine leaves.
Karele ka dolma: Bitter gourd stuffed in vine leaves.
Badshah pasand karele: A bitter gourd preparation.
Badshah pasand dal: A lentil preparation.
Relish and Conserves
Aam ka murabba: Sweet pickled mango.
Seb ka murabba: Sweet pickled apple.
Bihi ka murabba: Sweet pickled quince.
Turanj ka murabba: Sweet pickled orange
Karele ka murabba: Sweet pickled bitter gourd.
Limu ka murabba: Sweet pickled lemons.
Ananas ka murabba: Sweet pickled pineapple.
Gurhal ka murabba: Sweet pickled shoe flower.
Badam ka murabba: Sweet pickled almonds.
Karonde ka murabba: Sweet pickled berries.
Baans ka murabba: Sweet pickled bamboo shoots.
Pickles were made of all the above items too.
Kapde ka achar: Cloth pickle
Fruits
Rangtera: Orange (this was named after Emperor Muhammad Shah whose pen
name was Rangeela).
Shareefa: Custard apple
Amrood: Guava
Anar: Pomegranate
Desert
Halwa is an Arabic term for a thick sweet dish which is dairy based. Various
fruits, vegetables and dry fruits can be used as the main ingredient.
Rave ka halwa: Semolina halwa.
Gajar ka halwa: Carrot halwa.
Kaddoo ka halwa: Pumpkin halwa.
Malai ka halwa: Cream halwa.
Badam ka halwa: Almond halwa.
Piste ka halwa: Pistachio halwa.
Rangtare ka halwa: Orange halwa.
Miqarazi halwa: A halwa which is set in trays and then cut into diamond shapes
with scissors (miqraz means scissors).
Lauziyat: Almond confections, almond shaped sweetmeats, made of yogurt etc.
Gehun ki bale mithai ki bani huyi: Sweet made from wheat ears.
Halwa sohan gari: Made with coconut kernels (sohan is named after Sohan Lal).
Papdi ka, gonde ka halwa: Halwa made of gum.
Habshi halwa: Halwa made from wheat sprouts.
Lauziyat ke laddoo: Diamond shaped square sweets made from cooking milk
and ghee with pista (pistachio), badam (almond), jamun (black plum), rangtare
(orange), phalsa (grewia asiatica fruit), paithe (ash gourd).
Imarti: A sweet made by deep frying black matpe bean flour batter in a circular
flower shape and soaking it in sugar syrup.
Jalebi: Deep fried refined flour in pretzel shapes soaked in sugar syrup.
Barfi: A dense milk-based sweet.
Qalaqand: A sweet made from solidified sweetened milk and cottage cheese.
Moti paak: A sweet made from chickpea flour.
Durr-e-bahist: A kind of sweet (durr means pearl so perhaps white in colour).
Balushahi: Deep-fried sweet made from flour, soaked in sugar syrup.
Andarsa ki goliya’n: Deep-fried rice sweets soaked in water and garnished with
sesame seeds.
Siwain: Vermicelli.
Mann-o salwa: A name given to a type of sweet. Mann-o-salwa was the sweet
gum and quails sent down by God for the children of Israel during Moses’
prophet hood, as described in the Bible and Quran.
Firni: Rice pudding with ground rice.
Kheer: Rice pudding with whole rice.
Badam ki kheer: Almond and milk pudding.
Kaddu ki kheer: Pumpkin and milk pudding.
Gajar ki kheer: Carrot pudding.
Kangani ki kheer: Pudding made from a kind of small grain.
Yaquti: A herb-based paste for healthy life.
Namish: A sweet made from milk froth which is famous as daulat ki chat and is
sold on winter mornings.
Doodh ka dulma: A kind of sweet (dulma is fresh cheese).
Badam ka dulma: Almond sweet.
2
Clothes
I remember my grandmother talking of many of the fabrics and garments
mentioned in these books. I have inherited many old dupattas and ghararas from
my mother and mother-in-law and can identify most of them. Some are no
longer manufactured, so I couldn’t get their particulars.
Dupatta: A mantle of two folds
Banarsi zari booti: Banarsi silk with gold thread embroidery.
Mukaish: Embroidery with gold and silver strips.
Gulshan: A type of fabric.
Baberlet: A type of fabric.
Aab-e-ravan: A very fine kind of muslin.
Shabnam: A type of fabric.
Gulbadan: Gold cloth.
Kimkhwab: Brocade.
Zar baf: Gold tissue.
Masruh: A striped silk from Banaras.
Atlas: Satin.
Choli: Blouse.
Radha nagri ki tah-poshiya’n: Lenhga.
Jamdani: Embroidered floral material.
Lahi phulkari: Type of silk cloth.
Colours
These colours may be achieved using natural dyes and thus are named after the
flower/plant from which the colour was extracted.
Gul-e-anar: Colour of pomegranate flowers.
Naranji: Orange.
Gaindayi: Colour of marigold flowers.
Pistayi: Light green-pistachio colour.
Sardayi: Greenish yellow, colour of a melon named sarda.
Phalsayi: Purple.
Unabi: Carnation colour.
Kakerezi: Purple colour with dark tinge.
Surmayi: Grey.
Ooda: Purple.
Nafarmani: Purple (name of a purple-coloured flower, a species of poppy).
Gul-e-shiftalu: Peach.
Sebi: Apple-coloured.
Fakhtayi: Fawn.
Kokayi: Lotus-coloured.
Aabi: Aquatic.
Basanti: Yellow.
Dhaani: Green.
Kafuri: Transparent white (like camphor).
Kakrezi: Blackish purple colour.
Gulabi: Pink.
Gurhali: Red (colour of shoe flower).
Badami: Almond-coloured.
Sherbati: Pale yellow.
Jewellery
As per Indian mythology the 16 phases of the moon have a negative effect on the
woman’s menstrual cycle. Traditionally the solah sringaar, which includes
jewellery and make up, corresponds to the 16 phases of the moon and when
donned, nullify the negative effects.
Thus, the bindi or maang teeka represents the third eye and is said to empower
the spiritual energies and intuitive power. A nath or a nose ring symbolizes
spirituality, royalty, bravery, and rite of passage. The jhumar is triangular and
inspired by the design of a temple, and thus auspicious. Ear jewellery is
connected to a woman’s spiritual and physical well-being. Long earlobes are
considered a sign of spiritual development and as such occupy an important role
in mythology. Earrings are thus a sign of a woman’s prosperity and status. The
longer the earlobes (heavy earrings cause elongation of earlobes) the higher her
status. Bangles and bracelets with their tinkling sound, signify the mood of the
girl or woman wearing it. The armlet wards off the evil eye and very often
contains a talisman. Anklets announce a girl’s entry.
Most of these ornaments can still be found with old families. I have quite a
few of them.
Ankle jewellery
Teep: Toe-rings.
Chutki challe: Bands for wearing on toes.
Toda: Thick solid anklet with no sound.
Gajre ka toda: Thick anklet with flower shaped attachments.
Motya ka toda: Thick anklet with motiya flower.
Challo’n ka toda: Gold or silver circles held together with a clasp.
Chharhei’n: Gold or silver rings held together with a clasp.
Lachhe: Thin anklets worn in a bunch held together by a clasp.
Jha’njhan: Hollow tinkling anklet chain links between the uncut diamonds.
Pazeb: An anklet with loose silver or gold chain links set with precious stones.
Chaurasi: As the name means 84, it must be having 84 bells or chain links.
Head ornaments
Teeka: An ornament worn along the parting of her hair (by a woman).
Jhumar: An ornament worn on the forehead.
Sara sari: An ornament worn on the head (could be made of pearls or gold)
normally stitched on the part of the dupatta that will fall on the forehead.
Nath: Nose ring.
Earrings
Patte-baliya’n: Circular hoop earrings with attachments.
Baale: Small hoop shaped earrings.
Haale: Crescent-shaped earrings.
Karan-phool: Earrings shaped like a flower on top with a bell-shaped pendant.
Jhumka: Earring with a pendant.
Khatke: Jewelled clasps.
Jhakke ke bale: A type of earrings.
Bijli ke bale: Earrings with a hook and a pendant in the shape of the kernel of a
mango-seed.
Magar: An alligator-shaped ornament worn as a pendant earring.
Necklaces
Chau-dani: A necklace having four beads (precious stones).
Chand guluband: A type of necklace with crescent shaped pendants hanging
from it.
Champakali: A jasmine bud necklace.
Jugni: A necklace with a pendant.
Kanthi: A small necklace with seed-shaped attachments.
Do ladi: Double-stringed necklace.
Satlada: Seven-stringed pearl necklace.
Dhukdhuki: A type of pendant.
Hainkal: Necklace.
Chandan haar: A necklace composed of moon-shaped pieces of gold and silver.
Kairee: A necklace with unripe mango shaped pendant.
Zanjeer: Chain.
Ik-lara: Single-string necklace.
Nauratan: Any jewellery with nine gems.
Bracelets and Hand jewellery
Joshan nunge: Armlet.
Bhujband: Armband.
Muthi: A type of hand ornament.
Pahunchi: A kind of bracelet.
Kangan: A kind of bracelet.
Chuhe datti: Bracelet with spikes that resemble rat’s teeth.
Naugari: A bracelet consisting of nine precious stones set in gold or silver.
Chudiya’n: Bangles.
Jahangiri: A kind of bracelet.
Kada: Bracelet.
Angoothi: Rings.
Challe: Bands.
Aarsi: A small mirror set in a ring worn by ladies on the thumb.
Footwear
Ghaitli: A long shoe, with its toe-area shaped like an elephant’s trunk curling
back over the feet in a huge spiral.
Anidar: A sharp pointed shoe.
Kafsh: Sandals with heel shod with iron. It had a leather piping with a velvet top.
Zer pai: Slippers made with brown leather and sometimes had yellow velvet
tops.
Kaf-e-pai: Heeled shoes.
Salim shahi: A shoe probably designed during the reign of Jahangir, whose name
was Salim. It had a toe cap which curled up at the end and was decorated with
gold and silver thread.
Copyright Acknowledgements
Dilli ka Aakhiri Deedar by Syed Wasir Hasan Dehlvi, edited by Shahid Ahmed
Dehlavi, Delhi: Dilli Printing Press, 1934.
Edition used for translation: Dilli ka Aakhiri Deedar, edited by Syed Zameer
Hasan Dehlavi, Delhi: Urdu Academy, 2006.
Bazm-e-Aakhir by Munshi Faizuddin, Delhi: Armaghan, 1885.
Edition used for translation: Bazm-e-Aakhir by Munshi Faizuddin, edited by
Dr Kamil Quraishi, Delhi: Urdu Academy, 2009.
Qila-e-Mu’alla ki Jhalkiya’n by Mirza Ahmad Salim ‘Arsh’ Taimuri, Delhi:
Maktaba Jahannuma, 1937.
Edition used for translation: Qila-e-Moalla ki Jhalkiya’n by Arsh Taimuri,
edited by Dr Aslam Parvez, Delhi: Urdu Academy, 2009.
Begamat ke Aansu, edited by Khwaja Hasan Sani Nizami, Delhi: Khwaja Hasan
Sani Nizami, 1922.
Translated with permission of Syed Mohammad Nizami, the legal heir and
grandson of Hazrat Khwaja Hasan Nizami, Basti Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin
Auliya, Delhi, 2008.
Acknowledgements
While I was living in the Gulf, I used Delhi only as a transit point, and it never
struck me then that one day Delhi would tug at my heartstrings and make me its
chronicler. I believe there is some divine force at work here that has made this
happen.
I have since settled in Delhi–NCR and find myself spending most of my
waking hours either researching its alleys, lanes, mosques, temples, tombs and
forts, or writing about them.
My journey with Delhi began with one Dilliwala, Asif Khan Dehlvi – with his
Delhi Karavan and a walk with the Karavan in Mehrauli. That walk compelled
me to write about Delhi and its monuments, and the work quickly became a
trilogy, of which two parts have been published. While I was researching for that
project (published as Where Stones Speak) I came upon various monographs on
Delhi that were reprinted by the Urdu Academy in the city. I had never thought
of exploring translation as a genre, but I found myself translating not one but
several books from Urdu to English. The four narratives in this book are a result
of that exploration.
I am greatly indebted to Prof. Shamsur Rahman Faruqi whose encouragement
and support mean the world to me. His generous praise and help have always got
me out of whatever rut I felt I was in.
I was familiar with the history, language and culture of the city, but there were
many words and idioms that have fallen into disuse and thus were difficult to
translate. I am indebted to Ajmal Siddiqui who, as with all my Urdu-related
work, helped me out here too. He polished my translations of verses, and many a
time provided me with translations and meanings of verses, words and
chronograms. He is one Dilliwala for whom no praise can be enough.
I feel very privileged to have another Dilliwala, Kanishka Gupta, as my
literary agent. He is just a phone call or message away when there’s any problem
to be sorted out. Whatever time of night or day, he unfailingly advises me,
motivates me and encourages me to go out on a limb.
A writer is only as good or bad as their editor, and Nandakumar K. has been
the best. He pushed me to my limits to ensure that not a single ‘t’ was left
uncrossed or ‘i’ left undotted. Thank you.
I have been an admirer of yet another Dilliwala, Shiraz Husain Usmani, and
his graphic art initiative, the Khwaab Tanha Collective. To have him illustrate
the cover of this book is a dream come true.
Above all, I would like to thank Poulomi Chatterjee for her warmth, love and
support. I don’t think I could have asked for a better publisher and editor. She
was always there to guide me, hold my hand or just ease my mind about any
doubts or niggles that I had.
It’s been a dream team and this book is the realization of a dream.
Rana Safvi is a renowned writer, scholar and translator. She is the author of
Tales from the Quran and Hadith, Where Stones Speak: Historical Trails in
Mehrauli, the first City of Delhi and The Forgotten Cities of Delhi. She has also
translated both the editions of Asar us Sanadeed, the seminal work on Delhi’s
monuments, written by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. She runs the popular blog
‘Hazrat-e-Dilli’ on her site ranasafvi.com, and is passionate about documenting
India’s syncretic culture through her writings.
CITY OF MY HEART
Accounts of Love,
Loss and Betrayal in
Nineteenth-Century Delhi
Dilli,
Hindustan ka Dil…
Through nuanced translations of four Urdu narratives spanning the period of
turmoil that led to the Revolt of 1857, and culminated in the fall of the Mughal
Empire, this compelling volume reveals the tragic and affecting story of a
royalty in decline.
Vividly documenting the twilight years of not just a historical era but also an
entire way of life, these first-hand accounts – gleaned from princes and paupers
alike – provide rare insight into how the royals and their subjects experienced
life on either side of the cataclysm. Tales of suffering describe the perfidy of the
British and the plight of the last royals as they are disbanded and pushed into
dire poverty; livelier accounts of fealty and treachery detail palace intrigues; and
nostalgic reminiscences recreate the days of past glory and communal comity –
of feasting and festivals, and shared faith and devotion.
An intimate chronicle of a crucial era in India’s history, City of My Heart is the
saga of a changing city and a people experiencing the end of life as they know it.
www.hachetteindia.com
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Foreword
Translator
Preface
Dilli ka Aakhiri Deedar
Bazm-e-Aakhir
Qila-e-Mu’alla ki Jhalkiya’n
Begamat ke Aansu
Appendix
Copyright Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements