Post by prashna on Mar 16, 2011 21:12:26 GMT
The final scenes in the life of Princess Jehan Ara were truly tragic.
Shah Jehan’s favourite was his eldest son, Dara Shiko. But Dara admired Christianity, which did not make him popular among Muslims. Worse still, he had sponsored the translation into Persian of some fifty Upanishads, the religious scriptures of Hindu’s. A Mughal Crown Prince acknowledging the religion of idol-worshippers and non-believers! A sure way to lose popularity and credence in Muslim society! And make it easier for his brothers to bid for the Peacock throne!
Thus it was that when Shah Jehan fell ill, his second son felt confident enough to advance towards the capital Delhi with his troops. But he didn’t get far! He was defeated in battle near Varanasi by the Crown Prince, Dara Shiko. The third son, Aurangazeb saw his chance, but realised that alone he was no match for Dara. So he got together with the youngest son, Murad Baksh and told him that he had no material ambitions in this transient and treacherous world! He offered to combine forces with Murad, to defeat Dara together. Then if by Allah’s grace father recovered, Murad would become Crown Prince! And if not, Murad could ascend the peacock throne, with the Koh-i-noor diamond!
Murad was easily convinced; after all Aurangazeb was well known for his devoutness. Perhaps he wanted to be convinced, to make a bid for the coveted peacock throne. Together they defeated Dara, who fled to Punjab. At the end of the night of celebrations, the inebriate Murad was taken prisoner. Aurangazeb declared himself as Samrat (Emperor) and imprisoned his father Shah Zehan in a tiny cell in Agra fort!
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/71/Uttar-Pradesh-Agra-Agra-Fort-Jahangiri-mahal-Apr-2004-00.JPG/798px-Uttar-Pradesh-Agra-Agra-Fort-Jahangiri-mahal-Apr-2004-00.JPG
Visitors to Agra fort even today can see that tiny cell, with intricate stonework decorating its white marble walls. They can still see the tiny concave mirror (about 1/2 inch diameter) which provided the only view of Taj Mahal to Shah Jehan from his cell. So near, yet so far!
Perhaps that tiny sight of that last resting place of Mumtaj Mahal, his beloved wife and mother of his 14 children, gave hime solace in those dark years!
Aurangazeb offered his eldest sister, Jehan Ara the position of Padshah Begum. Jehan Ara declined and volunteered for co-prisonership with her father, to nurse him through his illness.
For a more prosaic account of that tragic story, please see:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shah_Jehan#Fate
Surrounded by cruel treachery, amidst the deep darkness of limitless betrayal, only one ray of light remained. Jehan Ara, a bright lamp of love and hope lit that darkness like an unwavering flame, steady, faithful, resolute.
The second daughter of Shah Zehan, Roshan Ara Begum was immediately elder to Aurangazeb. She sided with him and became his favourite. To commemorate her, Aurangazeb created the Roshan Ara Gardens in the Civil Lines of Delhi. In more recent times, the Roshan Ara Club, well known as the Monte Carlo of Delhi was named after her. Its reputation carried across North India as the Bridge Club where the stake was Rs10/point (a fortune in the 1940’s).
Day followed day, month followed month. The six seasons took their turn like the spokes of wheel. Summer passed with its scorching heat and dessicating winds. The cloud darkened days of Barshaa (the rainy season) cast their long shadow across the dark waters of the Yamuna (river flowing past Delhi and Agra). The blackness of the rain-filled nights lit up with the momentary flash of forked lightning.
Inspired by that magnificent orchestra, the peacocks in the Imperial Gardens spread their gorgeous tail fan in a spontaneous dance past the marble corridors of the Palace.
The reed forests on the river’s edge quivered in the semi-bright mornings of Sharat (mid-season). Followed by the sighs of lost hope whispered across the bare branches of Winter. As it passed, the undulating tips of the lofty Shirish (an Acer like tree) began to show the new blossoms of Spring .
Behind the forbidding walls of Agra Fort, Princess Jehan Ara’s incarceration increased year by year; as her life span reduced inexorably; year after hapless year. Shahzadi(Princess) filled her enforced idleness with her compositions in poetry!
One night, Shah Zehan received a splendid package from Aurangzeb; a gift from the son, perhaps the first token of repentance from a son seeking forgiveness! With eager anticipation, the old Shah Jehan began to unwrap the package. Layer after layer the package unwrapped to reach the innermost box at last. With trembling hands, the old father lifted the lid. Out rolled the severed head of his eldest and favourite son, Dara Shikoh!
The emperor fell unconscious on to the lap of his daughter and fellow-prisoner, Jehan Ara. To the last day of her father’s life, Jehan Ara stayed by his side. She nursed her faltering father with patience without end and compassion without compare. Only after his death, did she return to Delhi.
On one holy night of Ramadan, her tortured soul achieved its final release in the cool quiet lap of death. By her final wish, her mortal remains were placed beside the final resting place of Fakir Nizamuddin Aulia. No royal canopy covered that tomb, no elaborate carving marked that grave, not the slightest hint of an once lavish life remained in that site! Only a short poem in her own composition was carved over her simple grave:
Let nothing but grass remain over my final resting place.
___ What finer cover can decor a poor unworthy like me?
++++++++++++++++++
As the setting sun cast its orange glow in the quiet stillness, we three visitors stood without speech, heart heavy with grief.
Fine blades of fresh green grass covered that tomb, plain, tiny, unimposing. At night, the clear blue skies drench it drop by drop with their dew-filled tears. In the morning, the first rays of the morning sun warms it and dries the tears. At night the stars keep vigil over that simple tomb.
Do they feel the fragrance of that body buried here over a century past?
Do they hear the faint beat of that devotion filled heart?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Prashna
Shah Jehan’s favourite was his eldest son, Dara Shiko. But Dara admired Christianity, which did not make him popular among Muslims. Worse still, he had sponsored the translation into Persian of some fifty Upanishads, the religious scriptures of Hindu’s. A Mughal Crown Prince acknowledging the religion of idol-worshippers and non-believers! A sure way to lose popularity and credence in Muslim society! And make it easier for his brothers to bid for the Peacock throne!
Thus it was that when Shah Jehan fell ill, his second son felt confident enough to advance towards the capital Delhi with his troops. But he didn’t get far! He was defeated in battle near Varanasi by the Crown Prince, Dara Shiko. The third son, Aurangazeb saw his chance, but realised that alone he was no match for Dara. So he got together with the youngest son, Murad Baksh and told him that he had no material ambitions in this transient and treacherous world! He offered to combine forces with Murad, to defeat Dara together. Then if by Allah’s grace father recovered, Murad would become Crown Prince! And if not, Murad could ascend the peacock throne, with the Koh-i-noor diamond!
Murad was easily convinced; after all Aurangazeb was well known for his devoutness. Perhaps he wanted to be convinced, to make a bid for the coveted peacock throne. Together they defeated Dara, who fled to Punjab. At the end of the night of celebrations, the inebriate Murad was taken prisoner. Aurangazeb declared himself as Samrat (Emperor) and imprisoned his father Shah Zehan in a tiny cell in Agra fort!
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/71/Uttar-Pradesh-Agra-Agra-Fort-Jahangiri-mahal-Apr-2004-00.JPG/798px-Uttar-Pradesh-Agra-Agra-Fort-Jahangiri-mahal-Apr-2004-00.JPG
Visitors to Agra fort even today can see that tiny cell, with intricate stonework decorating its white marble walls. They can still see the tiny concave mirror (about 1/2 inch diameter) which provided the only view of Taj Mahal to Shah Jehan from his cell. So near, yet so far!
Perhaps that tiny sight of that last resting place of Mumtaj Mahal, his beloved wife and mother of his 14 children, gave hime solace in those dark years!
Aurangazeb offered his eldest sister, Jehan Ara the position of Padshah Begum. Jehan Ara declined and volunteered for co-prisonership with her father, to nurse him through his illness.
For a more prosaic account of that tragic story, please see:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shah_Jehan#Fate
Surrounded by cruel treachery, amidst the deep darkness of limitless betrayal, only one ray of light remained. Jehan Ara, a bright lamp of love and hope lit that darkness like an unwavering flame, steady, faithful, resolute.
The second daughter of Shah Zehan, Roshan Ara Begum was immediately elder to Aurangazeb. She sided with him and became his favourite. To commemorate her, Aurangazeb created the Roshan Ara Gardens in the Civil Lines of Delhi. In more recent times, the Roshan Ara Club, well known as the Monte Carlo of Delhi was named after her. Its reputation carried across North India as the Bridge Club where the stake was Rs10/point (a fortune in the 1940’s).
Day followed day, month followed month. The six seasons took their turn like the spokes of wheel. Summer passed with its scorching heat and dessicating winds. The cloud darkened days of Barshaa (the rainy season) cast their long shadow across the dark waters of the Yamuna (river flowing past Delhi and Agra). The blackness of the rain-filled nights lit up with the momentary flash of forked lightning.
Inspired by that magnificent orchestra, the peacocks in the Imperial Gardens spread their gorgeous tail fan in a spontaneous dance past the marble corridors of the Palace.
The reed forests on the river’s edge quivered in the semi-bright mornings of Sharat (mid-season). Followed by the sighs of lost hope whispered across the bare branches of Winter. As it passed, the undulating tips of the lofty Shirish (an Acer like tree) began to show the new blossoms of Spring .
Behind the forbidding walls of Agra Fort, Princess Jehan Ara’s incarceration increased year by year; as her life span reduced inexorably; year after hapless year. Shahzadi(Princess) filled her enforced idleness with her compositions in poetry!
One night, Shah Zehan received a splendid package from Aurangzeb; a gift from the son, perhaps the first token of repentance from a son seeking forgiveness! With eager anticipation, the old Shah Jehan began to unwrap the package. Layer after layer the package unwrapped to reach the innermost box at last. With trembling hands, the old father lifted the lid. Out rolled the severed head of his eldest and favourite son, Dara Shikoh!
The emperor fell unconscious on to the lap of his daughter and fellow-prisoner, Jehan Ara. To the last day of her father’s life, Jehan Ara stayed by his side. She nursed her faltering father with patience without end and compassion without compare. Only after his death, did she return to Delhi.
On one holy night of Ramadan, her tortured soul achieved its final release in the cool quiet lap of death. By her final wish, her mortal remains were placed beside the final resting place of Fakir Nizamuddin Aulia. No royal canopy covered that tomb, no elaborate carving marked that grave, not the slightest hint of an once lavish life remained in that site! Only a short poem in her own composition was carved over her simple grave:
Let nothing but grass remain over my final resting place.
___ What finer cover can decor a poor unworthy like me?
++++++++++++++++++
As the setting sun cast its orange glow in the quiet stillness, we three visitors stood without speech, heart heavy with grief.
Fine blades of fresh green grass covered that tomb, plain, tiny, unimposing. At night, the clear blue skies drench it drop by drop with their dew-filled tears. In the morning, the first rays of the morning sun warms it and dries the tears. At night the stars keep vigil over that simple tomb.
Do they feel the fragrance of that body buried here over a century past?
Do they hear the faint beat of that devotion filled heart?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Prashna