Beyond the Harem: Mughal Begum and Princesses as architect of the imperial capital Shahjahanabad

Shahjahanabad, now known as Old Delhi or Purani Delhi, is one of the most visited and overcrowded places in Delhi. In the 17th century it was the capital of the Mogul Empire of India and the newly planned capital of Kaiser Shahjahan. At that time, Shahjahanabad was one of the richest and most fabulous cities in the world. It was the planned Walls City and is famous all over the world for its great architectural works.

Scholar Stephen Blake in his work “Shahjahanabad: The sovereign city in Mogul-India 1639-1739” mentioned the uniqueness by the Persian manuscript of a Mogul-Adligen, Chandar Bhan Brahman; He composed lines in the Persian manuscript via Shahjahanabad; “Its towers are the resting place of the sun, its paths are so full that their alleys like the streets of paradise are, his climate is nice and pleasant.” This great imperial capital took shape between 1639 and 1648 under the vision of the emperor Shahjahan.

The new capital was named after Emperor Shahjahan. However, Shahjahanabad was not the vision of a single man, but the creation of numerous imperial women from Mogulharem or Zenana (private sphere for women in the royal palace) who contributed to his production and patronage. Like the author and historian Ira Mukhoty in her book “Daughters of the Sun: Kaiser, Queens & Begum of the Mughal Empire” mentioned that there were nineteen large structures that were built by the Wives and daughters by Emperor Shahanabad until 1650.

In 1650 Shahjahanabad was shaped by the ambition and the imagination of powerful women in the Mogulharem. The historian Rana Safvi in ​​her book “Shahjahanabad: The Living City of Old Delhi” also wrote that imperial women played a key role in the imagination and patronage of Shahjhanabad. These forgotten women were strongly cultivated and trained.

Akbarabadi Begum

Shahjahanabads Akbarabadi Masjid, Faiz Bazar (now Darya Ganj), Bagh Aizzabad (now Delhis Shalimar Bagh) etc. were built under the supervision of Akbarabadi Begum. Akbarabadi Begum’s actual name was Izz-Un-Risha. She was the third wife of Emperor Shahjahan. It was common for Moguln to give a Begum called the name of the place to which it belonged.

Source: Vicipedia

After Jahanara, Akbarabadi Begum was the second most powerful female farmer in the imperial city. She built Akabarabadi Masjid, a large mosque in 1650 AD in Shahjahanabad, which was south of the Qila-e-Mubarak (Red Fort). In the 17th century she laid the basis of Faiz Bazar in Shahjahanabad and after his construction it became a moving of commercial activities and trade in the imperial city. After Faiz Bazar and Akbarabadi Mosque, Sarai also built her in her Bagh Aizzabad or Shalimar Bagh, who was presented by her husband, Kaiser Shahjahan. She built a Sarai in the Bagh with her own money; This garden was designed at some distance from Shahjahanabad in the northwest. She also built a Caravanserai (City Hotel) and a Hammam (public bath). Her buildings all concentrate in the area around the Akbarabadi goal near Jama Masjid by Shahjahanabad. The Akbarabadi mosque was demolished by the British after the uprising of 1857 AD. Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan described the beauty of the Akbarabadi mosque in Asar-US-Sanadid. In 1911 the foundation and the platform of the mosque were completely demolished when Edward Park was built, and later renamed Netaji Subhash Park. Faiz Bazar in the contemporary period is part of the Dariya Ganj market of the old Delhi.

Princess Jahanara

Ira Mukhoty writes that 19 structures in Shahjahanabad were built by imperial women, five of whom were individually built by Princess Jahanara. After his father and the Emperor Shahjahan, she was the most powerful woman in the imperial city. As an unmarried princess, she stood at the climax of glory and power in the 17th century, who is known as the richest woman in the world and is simply known as Begum Sahib. Jahanara Begum was the youngest Padhah Begum (the first lady) of the Hindustan Mogul Empire.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

It was one of the main personalities in the commissioning of numerous architectural works in Shahjahanabad. The most important thing was the great place known as Chandni Chowk. The then Chowk was a lively public and commercial space in today’s world, in which the famous Chandni Chowk Market from Old Delhi is part of this great place. At the end of the Chandni Chowk Jahanara, a wonderful two -story Caravansera (Stadthotel) also commissioned. According to Bernier, Caravanserai was in splendor after Jama Masjid, later demolished by the British, after the British that the Rebbad from 1857 dismantled. 180 feet long in the city. Jahanara Begum also commissioned the construction of a bag in the center of the walled city and north of Chandni Chowk, ie Bagh Shahibad or Begum Ka Bagh. Today the Old Delhi train station is on the spot of Jahanaras Bagh. Part of the architecture, such as the Bazar and Bagh, still survives, but in distorted or changed form. She also commissioned the garden outside the walled city of Shahjahanabad, known as TIS Hazari Bagh. These gardens offered a perfect short vacation during the hot summer in Delhi.

Fatehpuri Begum and Servindi Begum

Mosques had an important place in the architecture of the city of Shahjahanabad from the famous Jama Masjid like the Fatehpuri Masjid, Sirhindi Masjid etc. Fatehpuri Masjid was built by the fifth wife of Emperor Shahjahan, Fatehpuri Begum, while the creation of Shahjahanab. It was named after their title. The mosque was at the western end of the Chandni Chowk Street, which led to the Red Fort. Fatehpuri Masjid, also known as Nawab Fatehpuri Mahal Begum Masjid. Fatehpuri Masjid is the second largest mosque in Shahjahanabad after the famous Jama Masjid.

The Sirhindi Masjid is another Masjid, which is located outside the walls of Shahjahanabad, was built to the west side and another woman by Emperor Shahjhan, Sirhindi Begum.

Mogul Princess Roshanara

Roshanara Bagh from Shahjahanabad was built in 1650 AD by the royal princess and daughter of Shahjhan Roshanara Begum. As for Roshanara, the only structure she built in Shahjahahanabad was a garden and a pavilion in the bagh. It was four kilometers away, outside the walls of Shahjahanabad. The garden contains a typical architecture in the Mogul Char Bagh or four garden style architecture, which includes gateways, pavilions and fountains.

After the death of Roshanara Begum in 1671 AD, their remains were buried in one of the Bagh pavilions. In 1922, 22 hectares of the west side of the garden were rented to the club, which was appointed Roshanara Club. Today Roshanara Bagh is a peaceful green spot in North -Delhis overcrowded subzi mandi.

Mogul princess Zeenat-un-NiSa

The Princess Zeenat-Un-Nissa was in 1700 AD of the builders of a large mosque next to the Yamuna River and south of the red fortress in Shahjahanabad. It was known as Zeenat Ul Masjid and is now popular as a Ghata Masjid. She also had a key role like other imperial women in the patronage and creation of Shahjahanabad. They patronized the imperial city during the reign of their father Aurangzeb in the 18th century. After the death of Princess Zeenat-UN-Risha, her grave was built in the north of Zeenat Ul Masjid, but later the grave was demolished by the British consequences of the uprising of 1857 AD.

Source: X (Twitter)

Zafar Hasan mentioned in her work “Delhi monuments: permanent splendor of the great mogula and the other” that the Zeenat Ul Masjid was used as a bakery for troops for many years even after the uprising of 1857.

These financially independent, rich and highly qualified imperial women showed their agency through their cultural work and became one of the great builders and patrons of the medieval city of Shahjahanabad. We can find your great interest and skills in the architecture Shahjahanabad (now old Delhi). These were the women who worked outside the Mogulharem and Zenana (household), left their timeless legacy and added their name to the great builders of their time in history. Some historians regarded Shahjahanabad as a subversion of powerful Mogul women between the time of Shahjahan and Aurangzeb when the Aurangzeb mainly spent their time outside the capital.

References:

1. Blake, S. (1991). Shahjahanabad: The sovereign city in Mogul-India, 1639-1739. Cambridge University Press. Shahjahanabad: The sovereign city in Mughal India, 1639-1739: Blake, Stephen P: Free download, borrowing and streaming: Internet archive
2. Mukhoty, Ira (2018). Daughters of the sun: Emperor, Queens & Begums of the Mogul Empire. Aleph Book Company. Daughters of the sun: Ira Mukhoty: Free download, borrow and streaming: Internet archive
3. Paradise City | Eye News – The Indian Express
4. (146) Book discussion of ‘Shahjahanabad: Mapping of a Mogulstadt’ | Swapna Liddle | Roli books – YouTube

She has completed her master’s history in history of Lady Shri Ram
College for Women, University of Delhi with a specialization in old history. She has an enthusiastic
Interest in old texts and with their help, she would like to examine the role and status of women in women
Old households and society. Therefore, their interest lies in ancient literature, gender, in the old literature, gender,
Caste and society. With all these old texts, such as Brahmanical, Buddhist and Jain, she wants
To understand the actual rights and status of women in old households, like being a woman,
Daughter and others. What was her role in old civilization and culture and its
Unpaid post that these texts did not correctly mentioned.