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Thursday, September 4, 2014

The Mughal Culture Connection


 

As famous artists, musicians, poets left the Capital for a better life, Delhi ended up giving birth to the culture of Awadh, Hyderabad and Bengal

Delhi gave birth to the Mughal culture of Awadh, Hyderabad and Bengal. Though the latter emperors had little control over these important subas of the empire, their patronage was still sought by them. Awadh of Burhan-ul-Mulk began to flourish and so also the Nizam’s Hyderabad and Murshid Quli Khan’s Bengal. Artists, musicians, poets, soldiers of fortune, dancing girls and eunuchs, besides artisans, merchants and clerics were glad to leave Delhi and make their new abode in the three distant principalities. The greatest Urdu poet of that time, Mir Taqi Mir, who had witnessed the sack of Delhi by Nadir Shah in 1739 and its aftermath, also went away to Lucknow, where his decadent Mughal nobleman’s dress, manners and un-Awadh-like appearance became a matter of ridicule until Mir put his foot down at a mushaira and berated the “Sakins of Purab” or the custodians of the East with the famous eulogy: “Dilli jo ek shahr tha/Alam mein Inqiqab/Rehte jahan muntakhab rozgar ke/Jis ko falak ne loot ke bezaar kar diya/Hum rehne wale hain us ujde dyaar ke,” (Delhi the premier city of the world, which was devastated by heaven’s wrath and made into a desolate garden, I’m a resident of that ruined place). His critics realised who he really was and they bowed to the great “shayar”. 

However the artists who had left for Lucknow, with a population much more than that of the Mughal capital, found good pastures.

In her latest treatise, “The Last King in India — Wajid Ali Shah,” the noted writer Dr. Rosie Llewellyn Jones has mentioned the lifestyle of Khas Mahal who, though five years older than the king, was married to him and became Malika Muqqadra-i-Azma Nawab Alam Ara. After giving birth to sons she came to be known as Begum Padshah Mahal Sahiba.” Khas Mahal was the niece of Ali Naqi Khan, whose own daughter was to become Wajid Ali Shah’s second official wife. The attraction of the Minister’s niece and then daughter, as first and second wives, was that Ali Naqi Khan himself was the great-grandson of the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II, which gave him enormous status in Awadh. Curiously this is something of which British officials seemed unaware, often referring to him (Ali Naqi) in detrimental terms, and failing to appreciate the importance of the Mughal bloodline and its connectivity with that of the Awadh royal family.”

As for Hyderabad, though many a poet and poet-taster hurried there, Ghalib stayed put in Ballimaran and so also Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq in Paharganj, with the latter commenting, “Kaun jaye Zauq par Dilli ki gallian chor ke” (Who, oh Zauq dare leave the lanes of Delhi). Incidentally, Hyderabad State too had been created by a Mughal nobleman, Asaf Jah, whose father Ghaziuddin Khan lies buried near the Madarasa he established at Ajmere Gate and happens to be an ancestor of Delhi’s present Lt-Governor. Chawri Bazaar is not far from the gate and dancing girls from it went to Hyderabad too to make the nights of the new State as redolent as those of the city of Mir and Ghalib and thus sustain the Golden Quadrangle of Delhi, Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad.




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18 comments:

  1. Abhay


    I have one doubt here.


    It is mentioned that Hyderabad state was created by Asif Jah. Is it that he was the first independent ruler after breaking away from Mughal dominion?


    Hyderabad has been around for much longer. The fort of Golcond was constructed by the Kakatiya king Raja Pratap Rudra Dev in 1143 AD.


    Hyderabad / Golconda Fort passed into Aurangzeb's hands in 1687 AD and the first Mughal Governor of Hyderabad was Rustum Dil Khan (?). He was there for 23 years!


    Emperor Farrukhsiyar appointed Nizamul Mulk Asif Jah as the governor in 1725 AD. During the reign of Mohammad Shah, Asif Jah became an independent ruler, as the emperor's grip loosened.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Koh-i-noor diamond was found during the time of Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah.


    (Aurangzeb had invaded Hyderabad for the first time during this ruler's reign only in 1656 AD. The latter lost the war but retained his kingdom by giving away his daughter to Aurangzeb's son, Mohammad Sultan.) Mohammad Sayeed Meer Jumla presented this diamond to Emperor Shah Jahan.

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  3. Your mention of Aurangzeb wrt Golconda made me remember one incident. Aurangzeb had imprisoned his son Mirza Muazzam in 1686. He charged his son of conspiring with the ruler of Golconda.!!

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  4. Radhika,

    It is said that the "name" Hyderabad was given to this place on name of a Begum Haider Mahal, around late 16th century.
    Also, it is said it was on named so after the name of a ruler/prince. I could not distinguish what is the fact in these tales.!

    But, about Asaf Jah, i can write. :)

    As per many accounts i have read, the language used is that - "The STATE of Hyderabad was founded by Asaf Jah in 1724."

    He was a very able officer. But due to the "ill-activities" of the Mughal ruler Muhammed Shah Rangila, he left his service in 1724 and went to South..

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  5. Radhika,


    Thanks for these details. I am also adding few words. :)

    The girl got properly married with the eldest son of Aurangzeb - Mohammad Sultan Mirza in 1656. The name of this daughter was Padshah Bibi Sahiba. She was his second daughter.

    As a "dowry", the king of Golconda, Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah announced his son-in-law Mohmmad Sultan, as the heir of his kingdom.

    Later, Aurangzeb got his eldest son imprisoned where he died in captivity.

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  6. Abhay


    Can you pls confirm if he "left" service in 1724 because I read (not on the internet) that he was sent as Governor of Hyderabad by Farrukhsiyar and broke free during the reign of Mohammad Shah Rangila and became an independent ruler? :)

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  7. I am not sure how the city got its name. There is one version which says Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah had a favorite concubine, possibly a local Banjara girl, called Bhagmati. In 1587, he laid the foundation of a city around the Golconda Fort and named it Bhagyanagaram or Bhagnagar. This girl later converted to Islam and was named Hyder Mahal. And the city got another name, Hyderabad.

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  8. Abhay


    Is this Mohammad Sultan Mirza same as Mirza Muazzam that you mentioned in your comment below?


    Aurangzeb imprisoned his own son? I didn't know this! Thanks for the details. :)

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  9. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that he had imprisoned one of his daughters also for supporting one of his sons in rebelling against him, even though she was his favorite daughter. Is this true or just a story?

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  10. Radhika,


    Yes, you are right. Nizam was sent to Deccan as a governor by Farukh Siyar only, in 1712.



    After Farukh Siyar, we had next Mughal ruler - Mohammad Shah Rangila. Nizam served as his Wazir from 1722 to 1724. And after getting frustrated by the means of "Rangila" Emperor, he left him and went back to Deccan and founded the STATE of Hyderabad in 1724. :)


    But, he never proclaimed his independence. He and his successors ruled in the name of Delhi's Mughal Emperor only. :)

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  11. Abhay,


    Thanks for the clarification. :)


    May be that's why Hyderabad rulers came to be known as Nizams after this Nizamul Mulk Asif Jah.

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  12. Radhika,

    I have some ready made material on Aurangzeb. I am posting it in few minutes, we can discuss Aurangzeb there. This seems to be a nice topic for discussion. :D

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  13. Does this mean he got 2 sons imprisoned? I am sorry I am confused here. Pls clarify. :)

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  14. ok, that's great! :)

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  15. Here is the link to the new Post. :)
    http://mariam-uz-zamani.blogspot.in/2014/12/aurangzeb-sucession-to-throne-alternate-story.html

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  16. Yes, he got these 2 sons imprisoned. They are different.

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  17. Radhika,


    There are many tales popular here.
    It is said that the "name" Hyderabad was given to this place on name of a Begum Haider Mahal, around late 16th century.
    Also, it is said it was on named so after the name of a ruler/prince. I could not distinguish what is the fact.!


    But, about Asaf Jah, i can write. :)


    As per many accounts i have read, the language used is that - "The STATE of Hyderabad was founded by Asaf Jah in 1724."



    He was a very able officer. But due to the "ill-activities" of the Mughal ruler Muhammed Shah Rangila, he left his service in 1724 and went to South. ;p

    ReplyDelete