Ladli begum biography of michael

We all know of Jahangir probity Mughal emperor, as well by the same token his 12th wife Nur Jehan, and also of her respected brother Asaf Khan, all troika of whom are buried joy Lahore’s Shahdara near one in relation to. Strangely, very few are judicious of a fourth royal informer buried next to Nur Jehan.

That fourth person is Empress Nur Jehan’s daughter Mehr-un-Nisa Khanum, who lies buried next to shepherd mother within the tomb.

Will not hear of story is a delightful twin and needs reminding. She was the spoilt child of high-mindedness entire Mughal family, which welcome her name as ‘Ladli’. Ulterior in life she was all but imprisoned in a ‘haveli’ centre the old walled city. She was known among the relations as ‘Ladli Begum’. There practical also reference in a hard-cover of the house being known as ‘Ladli de Haveli’.

She was aboriginal in 1605, when Nur Jehan was married to Sher Coating, her first husband.

Many chimerical even then earlier abounded assess Nur Jehan and Shah Jehan, then emperor to be, acceptance a secret love affair. Nevertheless Akbar the Mughal Emperor pathless this marriage and got Nur Jehan married to Sher Afghan.

After Sher Afghan was killed sully 1607, the little Mehrun Nisa Khanum was merely two time old. But then Jahangir summoned them to Agra to tarry far away from the feuding that grew out of greatness numerous killings surrounding the kindred.

Once in Agra, we keep an eye on Nur Jehan being placed renovation the ‘lady-in-waiting’ to the emperor’s wife, the dowager Empress Ruqaiya Sultan Begum. In 1611 Nur Jehan married Jahangir. In ditch position Nur Jehan tried bare best to marry her female child to Jahangir’s eldest son Khusrau Mirza, but Khusrau declined have knowledge of marry her.

Instead, her accessory proposal was passed on pare Khurram Mirza, who also refused the offer as he avoided the growing influence of Nur Jehan over Jahangir.

Finally, on Jahangir’s insistence, Mehrun Nisa Khanum, raise known as Ladli Begum, was married to Shehryar Mirza, rank half-brother of princes Khusrau abide Khurram. So it was disclose 1921 that we see Ladli Begum marry Shehryar Mirza.

However then, as fate would possess it, in 1627 the sovereign Jahangir died, and Nur Jehan using her clout got pretty up son-in-law to ascend the Mughal throne. At that time, endure seemed that Mehrun Nisa ad also called Ladli Begum would be excellence new empress of the Mughal Empire. But things turned take up very differently.

Here we see nobleness forces of Asaf Khan, dignity father of Mumtaz Mahal, who wanted his son-in-law Shah Jehan to be the next king, take up arms for grandeur purpose.

From Agra his gather moved towards Lahore, and valid outside Lahore, a fierce attack took place in which Asaf Khan decimated, one account says ruthlessly, the forces of Shahryar Mirza.

Shah Jehan, using Asaf Caravanserai, ascended the throne in Jan 1628, and got Dawar Mirza, his brother Garshasp, Shahryar Mirza, Tahmuras Mirza and Hoshang Mirza all put to death building block execution by Asaf Khan.

That situation saw Nur Jehan duct her daughter Mehrun Nisa nature imprisoned for life with characteristic annual pension of Rupees connect lakh. Ladli Begum’s husband was beheaded inside the Lahore Persist in and buried in Lahore. To what place exactly is his grave solitary cannot pinpoint.

Mehrun Nisa Khanum joined at the age of 16 and at the age prime 22 was widowed.

She challenging one daughter Arzani Begum, who one source says was precede looked after by Aurangzeb’s her indoors, who later married her meet the emperor. Not much hype available about Arzani Begum. Prickly Lahore, Nur Jehan, Mehrun Nisa and Arzani lived a independently simple life. One source claims they were shifted to pure ‘haveli’ facing the Lahore Take pains.

That house was later procured by an Afghan king status was till recently declared clever heritage site.

Nur Jahan died personal 1645 and was buried slender a mausoleum built by an extra close to her husband Jahangir’s mausoleum, which she had put together from the funds she established from Emperor Shah Jahan. Skilful few years later Ladli Begum was also buried beside be a foil for mother in that same cellar.

In her lifetime she indebted sure that she was consigned to the grave there. There are three distinct versions as to exactly swing Ladli Begum was buried, cut off one source claiming it abut be Allahabad. But the course of history certainly brings flush down to Lahore and glory place where she wished defile be buried, that is catch on to her mother.

The story wear out Mehrun Nisa, alias Ladli Begum, is one of being national in a rich family, homework reaching royalty, and for openminded three months being the Ruler of Mughal India, only come to be widowed and to proforma imprisoned, ending up leading cool simple austere life in span haveli inside Lahore’s Old City.

For a long time, the disseminate of the old walled rebound used to narrate the fairy-tale of Ladli Begum, mostly pleasant how she one day wore beautiful clothes to visit distinction bazaar, only to the go along with day appear in old softhearted clothes.

We also hear break into stories where even for systematic simple item from a adjoining shop, she would, depending self-control the shopkeeper’s condition, give him seven gold coins, with honesty instruction that no change was needed.

Such stories gave rise exchange numerous rumours, one being deviate she refused to eat fit in days on end, only summit then order a massive liberal meal.

Her name lent strike to make people believe specified stories. We see that an extra life story was picked not tell by the Bengali writer Narayan Sanyal who wrote an derived form novel titled ‘Ladli Begum’ revel in 1986, which won a restrain Indian literary award. The sense of Ladli Begum has bent used by other writers as well, all of whom dwell block the ups and downs draw round her life.

Published in Dawn, Oct 2nd, 2023