Jahanara Begum
Encyclopedia
Shahzadi Jahanara Begum Sahib (April 2, 1614 – September 16, 1681) was the eldest daughter of Shah Jahan
and Mumtaz Mahal
.
One of her tasks after the death of her mother was to oversee the betrothal and wedding of her brother, Dara Shikoh, to a begum, Nadira Banu
which had been originally planned by Mumtaz Mahal but postponed by her death. Jahanara's mother Arjumand Banu Begum, Empress Mumtaz Muhal died while giving birth.
Mumtaz Mahal's personal fortune valued at 10,000,000 rupees was divided by Shah Jahan between Jahanara Begum, who received half and the rest of her surviving children.
Her father frequently took her advice and entrusted her with charge of the imperial seal. Shah Jahan's fondness for his daughter was reflected in the multiple titles he bestowed upon her, which include Sahibat al-Zamani (Lady of the Age) and Padishah Begum (Lady Emperor) or Begum Sahib (Princess of Princesses).
Her power was such that, unlike the other royal princesses, she was allowed to live in her own palace, outside the confines of the Agra Fort.
After her recovery Shah Jahan gifted her rare gems and jewellery and bestowed upon her the revenues of the port of Surat. Later she had visited Ajmer
, following the example set by her great-grandfather Akbar.
, unlike the cool politeness that existed between Aurangzeb
and herself. Jahanara had referred to Aurangzeb as the "white serpent" in a kind of diary she had written also calling him a tiger and panther. Legend says that once when Aurangzeb was severely sick, Jahanara took care of him. Later when he asked her whether she would support him for the throne, she said that he would not be emperor due to which Aurangzeb became very angry with her. When Aurangzeb fell out of favour with his father during the time of Jahanara's convalescence she is credited with using the celebrations of her recovery to encourage her father to restore Aurangzeb to his former positions.
There is record of tensions with her sister Roshanara Begum
, three years her junior who resented her elder sister's position as first lady of the empire.Jahanara took the side of Dara Shikoh in the struggle for the throne. Dara had promised her to lift the ban on marriage for Mughal princesses, which Akbar had introduced. Had he triumphed, her power would likely have continued. On Aurangzeb
's ascent to the throne, Jahanara joined her father in imprisonment at the Agra Fort
where she devoted herself to his care until his death.
After the death of their father Jahanara and Aurangzeb were reconciled. He gave her the title, 'Empress of Princesses' and she replaced Roshanara as first lady. Jahanara's sister Roshanara Begum
was reportedly very jealous of her sister's return to power.
Jahanara was soon secure enough in her position to occasionally argue with Aurangzeb and have certain special privileges which other women did not possess. She argued against Aurangzeb's strict regulation of public life in accordance with his conservative religious beliefs and his decision in 1679 to restore the poll tax on non-Muslims, which she said would alienate his Hindu subjects.
Upon her death Aurangzeb gave her the posthumous title 'Sahibat-uz-Zamani' ('Mistress of the Age'). Jahanara is buried in a tomb in the Nizamuddin Dargah
complex in New Delhi
which is remarkable for its simplicity. The inscription on the tomb reads as follows:
He is the Living, the Sustaining.
Let no one cover my grave except with greenery,
for this very grass suffices as a tomb cover for the poor.
The annihilated fakir Lady Jahanara,
Disciple of the lords of Chisht,
Daughter of Shah Jahan the Warrior
(may God illuminate his proof).
She was highly educated and well versed in Persian and Arabic, as well as a poet of some repute. She was very kind and helped poor people.
, who initiated her into the Qadiriyya
Sufi order in 1641. Jahanara Begum made such progress on the Sufi path that Mullah Shah would have named her his successor in the Qadiriyya, but the rules of the order did not allow this.
She wrote a biography of Moinuddin Chishti
, the founder of the Chishtiyah order, titled Mu’nis al-Arwāḥ, as well as a biography of Mullah Shah, titled Risālah-i Ṣāḥibīyah, in which she also described her initiation by him. Her biography of Moinuddin Chishti is highly regarded for its judgment and literary quality. In it she regarded him as having initiated her spiritually four centuries after his death, described her pilgrimage to Ajmer
, and spoke of herself as a faqīrah to signify her vocation as a Sufi woman.
Jahanara Begum stated that she and her brother Dārā were the only descendants of Timur
to embrace Sufism.. However, Aurangzeb was also an ardent follower of sufism.seeAurangzeb#Following Sufism As a patron of Sufi literature, she commissioned translations of and commentaries on many works of classical literature.
She also made a significant impact on the landscape of the capital city of Shahjahanabad. Of the eighteen buildings in the city of Shahjahanabad commissioned by women, Jahanara commissioned five of them. All of Jahanara's building projects were completed around the year 1650 inside the city walls of Shahjahanabad. The best known of her projects is Chandni Chowk
, the central bazaar
.
“The story behind the book, The Life of a Mogul Princess: Jahanara Begum (daughter of Shahjahan), is in itself interesting. Andrea Butenschon found a unique handwritten copy in Persian of Jahanara’s book by accident. While she was visiting the Jasmine Tower of the Agra Fort, the manuscript fell into her hands from behind a marble slab which was on the verge of breaking. She translated the manuscript into English and the book was finally published in 1931, almost 300 years after Jahanara had written it.”
book series as Jahanara: Princess of Princesses, India - 1627 by Kathryn Lasky
.
Jahanara is the protagonist
of the novel Beneath a Marble Sky, by John Shors.
Jahanara is the main character in the novel Shadow Princess by Indu Sundaresan
, published March 23, 2010.
She is also the main character in Jean Bothwell's "An Omen for a Princess" (1963).
Actresses Mala Sinha
and Manisha Koirala
have portrayed the role of Jahanara in their respective films namely Jahan Ara
(1964) and Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story(2005). In 'Jahan Ara' the role of Shahjahan was played by Prithvi Raj Kapoor.
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
and Mumtaz Mahal
Mumtaz Mahal
Mumtaz Mahal born as Arjumand Banu Begum was a Mughal Empress and chief consort of emperor Shah Jahan...
.
Influence at Court
Upon the death of Mumtaz Mahal in 1631, Jahanara, who was just 17, took the place of her mother as first lady in the country, despite her father having three other wives. As well as caring for her younger brothers and sisters, she is also credited with bringing her father out of mourning and restoring normality to a court darkened by her mother's death and her father's grief.One of her tasks after the death of her mother was to oversee the betrothal and wedding of her brother, Dara Shikoh, to a begum, Nadira Banu
Nadira Banu
Nadira Banu was the wife of Dara Shikoh, the heir to Shah Jahan's throne and the crown prince of the Mughal Empire. After his brother’s rise to power, Prince Dara’s immediate family and all of his supporters were in grave danger...
which had been originally planned by Mumtaz Mahal but postponed by her death. Jahanara's mother Arjumand Banu Begum, Empress Mumtaz Muhal died while giving birth.
Mumtaz Mahal's personal fortune valued at 10,000,000 rupees was divided by Shah Jahan between Jahanara Begum, who received half and the rest of her surviving children.
Her father frequently took her advice and entrusted her with charge of the imperial seal. Shah Jahan's fondness for his daughter was reflected in the multiple titles he bestowed upon her, which include Sahibat al-Zamani (Lady of the Age) and Padishah Begum (Lady Emperor) or Begum Sahib (Princess of Princesses).
Her power was such that, unlike the other royal princesses, she was allowed to live in her own palace, outside the confines of the Agra Fort.
Accident
She was in her wardrobe when the chemicals in her perfume got close to a lamp so that Jahanara was engulfed in flame. Her father nursed her back to health. She was cured by a mendicant named Hanum, who was richly rewarded by Shah Jahan.After her recovery Shah Jahan gifted her rare gems and jewellery and bestowed upon her the revenues of the port of Surat. Later she had visited Ajmer
Ajmer
Ajmer , formerly written as Ajmere, is a city in Ajmer District in Rajasthan state in India. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 , and is located west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from...
, following the example set by her great-grandfather Akbar.
Relations with Family
Historians report a deep love and genuine liking between Jahanara and her brother Dara ShikohDara Shikoh
His Highness, The Imperial Prince Dara Shikoh was the eldest son and the heir apparent of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. His name دارا شكوه in Persian means "Darius the Magnificent"...
, unlike the cool politeness that existed between Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
and herself. Jahanara had referred to Aurangzeb as the "white serpent" in a kind of diary she had written also calling him a tiger and panther. Legend says that once when Aurangzeb was severely sick, Jahanara took care of him. Later when he asked her whether she would support him for the throne, she said that he would not be emperor due to which Aurangzeb became very angry with her. When Aurangzeb fell out of favour with his father during the time of Jahanara's convalescence she is credited with using the celebrations of her recovery to encourage her father to restore Aurangzeb to his former positions.
There is record of tensions with her sister Roshanara Begum
Roshanara Begum
Roshanara Begum was the second daughter of the Mughal ruler, Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Born on September 3, 1617, Roshanara was a brilliant woman, a talented poetess, the mastermind behind Aurangazeb's accession to the Mughal throne, and by the time of her death in 1671, one of the most...
, three years her junior who resented her elder sister's position as first lady of the empire.Jahanara took the side of Dara Shikoh in the struggle for the throne. Dara had promised her to lift the ban on marriage for Mughal princesses, which Akbar had introduced. Had he triumphed, her power would likely have continued. On Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's ascent to the throne, Jahanara joined her father in imprisonment at the Agra Fort
Agra Fort
Agra Fort, is a monument situated at Agra, is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is about 2.5 km northwest of its more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal...
where she devoted herself to his care until his death.
After the death of their father Jahanara and Aurangzeb were reconciled. He gave her the title, 'Empress of Princesses' and she replaced Roshanara as first lady. Jahanara's sister Roshanara Begum
Roshanara Begum
Roshanara Begum was the second daughter of the Mughal ruler, Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Born on September 3, 1617, Roshanara was a brilliant woman, a talented poetess, the mastermind behind Aurangazeb's accession to the Mughal throne, and by the time of her death in 1671, one of the most...
was reportedly very jealous of her sister's return to power.
Jahanara was soon secure enough in her position to occasionally argue with Aurangzeb and have certain special privileges which other women did not possess. She argued against Aurangzeb's strict regulation of public life in accordance with his conservative religious beliefs and his decision in 1679 to restore the poll tax on non-Muslims, which she said would alienate his Hindu subjects.
Burial
Nizamuddin Dargah
Nizamuddin Dargah is the dargah of one of the world's most famous Sufi saints, Nizamuddin Auliya. Situated in the Nizamuddin West area of Delhi, the dargah is visited by thousands of Muslims every week, and sees a fair share of Hindus, Christians and people from other religions...
complex in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
which is remarkable for its simplicity. The inscription on the tomb reads as follows:
He is the Living, the Sustaining.
Let no one cover my grave except with greenery,
for this very grass suffices as a tomb cover for the poor.
The annihilated fakir Lady Jahanara,
Disciple of the lords of Chisht,
Daughter of Shah Jahan the Warrior
(may God illuminate his proof).
Personal Attributes
No formally attributed likeness of her is known to exist.She was highly educated and well versed in Persian and Arabic, as well as a poet of some repute. She was very kind and helped poor people.
Sufism
Together with her brother Dara Shikoh she was a disciple of Mullah Shah BadakhshiMullah Shah Badakhshi
Mullah Shah Badakhshi, popularly known as "Mullah Shah" was a Muslim Sufi, spiritual successor of the famous Mian Mir. He belonged to the Qadiri order of Sufism. He was the spiritual mentor of the mughal prince Dara Shikoh Qadri. Dara Shikoh desired to be initiated into the Qadri order at the hands...
, who initiated her into the Qadiriyya
Qadiriyya
The Qadiriyya , are members of the Qadiri Sufi order...
Sufi order in 1641. Jahanara Begum made such progress on the Sufi path that Mullah Shah would have named her his successor in the Qadiriyya, but the rules of the order did not allow this.
She wrote a biography of Moinuddin Chishti
Moinuddin Chishti
Sultan-ul-Hind, Moinuddin Chishti was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" , he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. He introduced and established the order in South Asia...
, the founder of the Chishtiyah order, titled Mu’nis al-Arwāḥ, as well as a biography of Mullah Shah, titled Risālah-i Ṣāḥibīyah, in which she also described her initiation by him. Her biography of Moinuddin Chishti is highly regarded for its judgment and literary quality. In it she regarded him as having initiated her spiritually four centuries after his death, described her pilgrimage to Ajmer
Ajmer
Ajmer , formerly written as Ajmere, is a city in Ajmer District in Rajasthan state in India. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 , and is located west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from...
, and spoke of herself as a faqīrah to signify her vocation as a Sufi woman.
Jahanara Begum stated that she and her brother Dārā were the only descendants of Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
to embrace Sufism.. However, Aurangzeb was also an ardent follower of sufism.seeAurangzeb#Following Sufism As a patron of Sufi literature, she commissioned translations of and commentaries on many works of classical literature.
Other
Jahanara was known for her active part in looking after the poor and financing the building of mosques and gardens. In Agra she is best known for sponsoring the building of the Jami Masjid in 1648 in the heart of the old city.She also made a significant impact on the landscape of the capital city of Shahjahanabad. Of the eighteen buildings in the city of Shahjahanabad commissioned by women, Jahanara commissioned five of them. All of Jahanara's building projects were completed around the year 1650 inside the city walls of Shahjahanabad. The best known of her projects is Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk , originally meaning moonlit square or market, is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, now in central north Delhi, India...
, the central bazaar
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
.
- While reviewing the book “The Life of a Mogul Princess: Jahanara Begum (daughter of Shahjahan)” by Andrea Butenschon, it is stated by Mohsin Maqbool Elahi as follows:
“The story behind the book, The Life of a Mogul Princess: Jahanara Begum (daughter of Shahjahan), is in itself interesting. Andrea Butenschon found a unique handwritten copy in Persian of Jahanara’s book by accident. While she was visiting the Jasmine Tower of the Agra Fort, the manuscript fell into her hands from behind a marble slab which was on the verge of breaking. She translated the manuscript into English and the book was finally published in 1931, almost 300 years after Jahanara had written it.”
In popular culture
Her early life is depicted in The Royal DiariesThe Royal Diaries
The Royal Diaries is a series of twenty books published by Scholastic Press from 1999 to 2005. In each of the books, a fictional diary of a real female figure of royalty as a child throughout world history was written by the author. The Royal Diaries was a spin-off of Scholastic's popular Dear...
book series as Jahanara: Princess of Princesses, India - 1627 by Kathryn Lasky
Kathryn Lasky
Kathryn Lasky is an American author whose work includes several Dear America books, The Royal Diaries books, Sugaring Time, The Night Journey, and the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series.-Biography:...
.
Jahanara is the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the novel Beneath a Marble Sky, by John Shors.
Jahanara is the main character in the novel Shadow Princess by Indu Sundaresan
Indu Sundaresan
Indu Sundaresan is an American author of Indian origins. She was born and raised in India as a daughter of an Indian Air Force pilot who died in a crash while on duty. The family then moved to Bangalore where she collected books eagerly...
, published March 23, 2010.
She is also the main character in Jean Bothwell's "An Omen for a Princess" (1963).
Actresses Mala Sinha
Mala Sinha
Mala Sinha is an Indian actress, who has worked in Hindi, Bengali and Nepali films. Recognised for her acting talent and beauty, she went on to become a popular leading actress in Hindi films from the early fifties till late seventies...
and Manisha Koirala
Manisha Koirala
Manisha B. Koirala is a Nepali-Indian actress who works in Indian films, as well as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador and social activist. Koirala has primarily worked in Hindi cinema, though she has appeared in several Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films as well...
have portrayed the role of Jahanara in their respective films namely Jahan Ara
Jahan Ara (film)
Jahan Ara is a 1964 Indian Hindi film directed by Vinod Kumar. The film stars Mala Sinha, Bharat Bhushan, Shashikala and Prithviraj Kapoor in lead roles. The film is a historical romance based on the life of Jahanara Begum Sahib, played by Sinha...
(1964) and Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story(2005). In 'Jahan Ara' the role of Shahjahan was played by Prithvi Raj Kapoor.