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Tears of the Begums: Stories of Survivors of the Uprising of 1857
Apart from the fifteen years that Sher Shah Suri snatched upon defeating Humayun, the flag of the grand Mughal Empire flew over Delhi undefeated for over 300 years. But then, 1857 arrived and the mighty sword fell helpless in the face of a mightier British force. After the fall of Delhi and Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar's tragic departure from the Red Fort in 1857, members of the royal Mughal court had to flee to safer places. Driven out from their palaces and palanquins onto the streets in search of food and shelter, the dethroned royals scrambled to survive. Some bore their fate with a bitter pride, others succumbed to the adversity. Through twenty-nine accounts of the survivors of the Uprising of 1857, Khwaja Hasan Nizami documents the devastating tale of the erstwhile glorious royalty's struggle with the hardships thrust upon them by a ruthless new enemy. In vivid and tragic stories drawn from the recollection of true events, Nizami paints a picture of a crumbling historical era and another charging forward to take its place.With the reminiscence of past glory contrasted against the drudgery of everyday survival, Tears of the Begums - the first ever English translation of Nizami's invaluable Urdu book Begumat ke Aansoo - chronicles the turning of the wheel of fortune in the aftermath of India's first war of independence.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 1930
About the author
Khwaja Hasan Nizami
11 books33 followersOne of the few, and certainly the most prominent, of twentieth-century writers to
have once again articulated the claim of Baba Nanak's Muslim identity was the
noted Delhi-based Muslim scholar, Khwaja Hasan Nizami (1879-1955). A learned
Sufi and a prolific writer, Nizami hailed from a family of hereditary custodians of
the shine of the renowned and widely-venerated Chishti mystic, Khwaja
Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi. Nizami's principal biographer, Mulla Wahidi, writes
that he had over five hundred books on an amazing variety of subjects to his
credit (quoted in Naqvi, 1978). A major concern in his writings was the defence
as well as the spread of Islam. With inter-communal relations rapidly
degenerating into ****** rioting all across north India in the second decade of
the twentieth century, Nizami increasingly turned his attention to staving off what
he saw as the growing threats aimed at Islam and the Muslims, emerging largely
from the fast escalation in aggressive Hindu communalism.
It was in this period that Nizami wrote some of his most noted works. Of these,
the most prominent and controversial and one that attracted the attention of large
numbers of Hindus, Muslims as well as the British colonial authorities, was his
Dai-i-Islam ('The Missionary of Islam') (Nizami, 1923). In this little tract Nizami
argued for a well-organized and community-wide programme of
tabligh or Islamic missionary work among non-Muslims. Tabligh was, he stressed, the crying need of the hour, not simply an Islamic obligation but also the only effective check against the onslaught of Hindu militancy, in particular the aggressive
shuddhi movement launched by the Hindu revivalist Arya Samaj in 1923 to convert
Muslims and other non-Hindus to 'Hinduism'.
It is against this backdrop of a deep concern for the future of Islam and the
political fate of Muslims in a Hindu-dominated India increasingly moving towards
independence from British rule that Nizami's attempt to prove that Nanak was
actually a Muslim must be viewed. Published probably in late 1922 or early 1923,
this slim book, Sikh Qaum aur Uske Bani ke Nisbat Mussalmano ki Muhabbat Amez Rai ('The Love-filled Views of Muslims about the Sikh Community and its Founder') was directed at both a Muslim as well as a Sikh readership, seeking to convince both of the fundamental unity of Islam and Sikhism. Aware that the motives behind his writing of such a book might be suspect, he hastened to declare early in his Introduction that it was a work simply of "love of the heart" (dilli muhabbat) and that it had nothing to do with political or personal interests (Nizami, Sikh Qaum). Given the surcharged political climate in which this work was written, Nizami's leading role in Muslim tabligh efforts as well as veiled references in this work itself to the political wisdom of a united Sikh-Muslim plank that he was proposing, this assertion may well be questioned. This should not, however, detract from what was obviously a deeply-held conviction on Nizami's part of the divine nature of Guru Nanak's mission and his closeness with Islam, reflecting a strand in Punjabi Sufi, particularly Chishtiyya, thought to which we referred above.
The tract under discussion is a collection of three of several articles that Nizami
penned on the Sikh community. As its title suggests, it deals with broadly two
aspects of the Sikh-Muslim relationship. Firstly, the nature and identity of the
Sikh community of Nizami' s own time. Secondly, the message, teachings and
personality of Guru Nanak. These two themes are not discussed separately or in
any strictly coherent fashion. Rather, since Nizami's fundamental objective is to
put forward the claim that since the teachings of Baba Nanak and the doctrines
of the Sikhs are in basic conformity with Islam, Sikhs are actually Muslims, he
simply draws parallels between the two peoples and the two religions to prove
his point.
Nizami's desc
have once again articulated the claim of Baba Nanak's Muslim identity was the
noted Delhi-based Muslim scholar, Khwaja Hasan Nizami (1879-1955). A learned
Sufi and a prolific writer, Nizami hailed from a family of hereditary custodians of
the shine of the renowned and widely-venerated Chishti mystic, Khwaja
Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi. Nizami's principal biographer, Mulla Wahidi, writes
that he had over five hundred books on an amazing variety of subjects to his
credit (quoted in Naqvi, 1978). A major concern in his writings was the defence
as well as the spread of Islam. With inter-communal relations rapidly
degenerating into ****** rioting all across north India in the second decade of
the twentieth century, Nizami increasingly turned his attention to staving off what
he saw as the growing threats aimed at Islam and the Muslims, emerging largely
from the fast escalation in aggressive Hindu communalism.
It was in this period that Nizami wrote some of his most noted works. Of these,
the most prominent and controversial and one that attracted the attention of large
numbers of Hindus, Muslims as well as the British colonial authorities, was his
Dai-i-Islam ('The Missionary of Islam') (Nizami, 1923). In this little tract Nizami
argued for a well-organized and community-wide programme of
tabligh or Islamic missionary work among non-Muslims. Tabligh was, he stressed, the crying need of the hour, not simply an Islamic obligation but also the only effective check against the onslaught of Hindu militancy, in particular the aggressive
shuddhi movement launched by the Hindu revivalist Arya Samaj in 1923 to convert
Muslims and other non-Hindus to 'Hinduism'.
It is against this backdrop of a deep concern for the future of Islam and the
political fate of Muslims in a Hindu-dominated India increasingly moving towards
independence from British rule that Nizami's attempt to prove that Nanak was
actually a Muslim must be viewed. Published probably in late 1922 or early 1923,
this slim book, Sikh Qaum aur Uske Bani ke Nisbat Mussalmano ki Muhabbat Amez Rai ('The Love-filled Views of Muslims about the Sikh Community and its Founder') was directed at both a Muslim as well as a Sikh readership, seeking to convince both of the fundamental unity of Islam and Sikhism. Aware that the motives behind his writing of such a book might be suspect, he hastened to declare early in his Introduction that it was a work simply of "love of the heart" (dilli muhabbat) and that it had nothing to do with political or personal interests (Nizami, Sikh Qaum). Given the surcharged political climate in which this work was written, Nizami's leading role in Muslim tabligh efforts as well as veiled references in this work itself to the political wisdom of a united Sikh-Muslim plank that he was proposing, this assertion may well be questioned. This should not, however, detract from what was obviously a deeply-held conviction on Nizami's part of the divine nature of Guru Nanak's mission and his closeness with Islam, reflecting a strand in Punjabi Sufi, particularly Chishtiyya, thought to which we referred above.
The tract under discussion is a collection of three of several articles that Nizami
penned on the Sikh community. As its title suggests, it deals with broadly two
aspects of the Sikh-Muslim relationship. Firstly, the nature and identity of the
Sikh community of Nizami' s own time. Secondly, the message, teachings and
personality of Guru Nanak. These two themes are not discussed separately or in
any strictly coherent fashion. Rather, since Nizami's fundamental objective is to
put forward the claim that since the teachings of Baba Nanak and the doctrines
of the Sikhs are in basic conformity with Islam, Sikhs are actually Muslims, he
simply draws parallels between the two peoples and the two religions to prove
his point.
Nizami's desc
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 8, 2022
Written sometime around 1922, Khwaja Hasan Nizami’s Begumaat ke Aansoo is a collection of reminiscences by the people who survived the ghadar, the Uprising of 1857, in Delhi. Nizami, who was born well after 1857, went about interviewing people, nearly all of them once members of the royal family, and collected their stories in this volume, which has been published in renewed editions many times over the past century.
Most of the people whose stories are recounted here are women, though there are several men too. The stories are, almost all, heartbreaking: the helplessness and the sense of utter confusion that hit these people, who had lived such sheltered and pampered lives so far, only to find themselves suddenly flung out into the bad, brutal world—I couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. On the other hand, there are a few who seemed to have fought back as well as they could: people who took up work and managed to at least live a life of dignity, as is apparent in the story of the cart-driver, or the chef at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay. It all made me realize how much our own attitude, our resilience, can help us tide over hard times: inspiring. Also, of course, it reminded me all over again how ephemeral everything around us can be. How privilege can be here today, gone tomorrow, quite literally.
A haunting, poignant collection of stories, and one which shows in stark detail the aftermath of the Uprising, the brutality with which punishment was meted out, even to those who did not deserve to be punished. Rana Safvi’s translation is very good, and I liked that she retained several of the original words (like rath, kafni, all the titles—with only occasional footnotes to explain a meaning of a word that might be unfamiliar to the average reader). Plus, because Safvi is a historian, she is able to provide interesting notes on context, or where Nizami might have either misinterpreted a historical fact (or someone might have misremembered it).
Highly recommended.
Most of the people whose stories are recounted here are women, though there are several men too. The stories are, almost all, heartbreaking: the helplessness and the sense of utter confusion that hit these people, who had lived such sheltered and pampered lives so far, only to find themselves suddenly flung out into the bad, brutal world—I couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. On the other hand, there are a few who seemed to have fought back as well as they could: people who took up work and managed to at least live a life of dignity, as is apparent in the story of the cart-driver, or the chef at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay. It all made me realize how much our own attitude, our resilience, can help us tide over hard times: inspiring. Also, of course, it reminded me all over again how ephemeral everything around us can be. How privilege can be here today, gone tomorrow, quite literally.
A haunting, poignant collection of stories, and one which shows in stark detail the aftermath of the Uprising, the brutality with which punishment was meted out, even to those who did not deserve to be punished. Rana Safvi’s translation is very good, and I liked that she retained several of the original words (like rath, kafni, all the titles—with only occasional footnotes to explain a meaning of a word that might be unfamiliar to the average reader). Plus, because Safvi is a historian, she is able to provide interesting notes on context, or where Nizami might have either misinterpreted a historical fact (or someone might have misremembered it).
Highly recommended.
July 9, 2018
بیگمات کے آنسو آخری مغل بادشاہ بہادر شاہ ظفر کے عیال اور رشتہ داروں پر بیتے کرب ناک و عبرت ناک حالات کا افسانوی مجموعہ ہے۔ خواجہ حسن نظامی نے انتہائی سادہ اور روز مرہ کی بول چال میں یہ حالات و واقعات قلمبند کیے ہیں جس سے بعض اوقات ایسا محسوس ہوتا ہے کے وہ افسانہ نہیں بلکہ آنکھوں دیکھی حقیقت جو وہ اپنے کسی بے تکلف دوست کو سنا رہے ہیں۔
شہزادوں، شہزادیوں اور اْنکے والدین پر تو غدر 1957 میں قیامت صغری بیتی ہے، کہاں وہ نرم و نازک اندا�� کلیاں جنہوں نے کبھی غیر مرد سے بات تک نہ کی تھی، کبھی گھر سے باہر نا نکلی تھی، کبھی بے پردہ نہ ہوئی تھی، جن کو محل کے اندر ہی دنیا کی ہر آسائش و سہولت میسر تھی، جنکی خدمت کے لیے خادمائیں، کنیزیں ہمہ وقت تیار رہتی تھیں، جو غریبوں میں ہیرے و جوہرات تقسیم کرتیں تھی، جن کے در سے مساکین کو کھانا جاتا تھا، جن کو صبح ہلکے سروں میں گانا بجا کر جگایا جاتا تھا اور جو چھپر کھٹ میں سویا کرتی تھیں، سیج پر انگڑائیاں لیتی تھیں، طشت چوقی استعمال کرتی تھیں، باغ کی سیر کرے کے جی بہلاتی تھیں، اْن پر یہ وقت آیا کے گھر سے بے گھر ہوئیں، در بدر ہوئیں، محل سے نکل کر جھونپڑی میں پہنچیں، پیٹ کی آگ بجھانے کے لیے نوکرانی بنیں، بھیک مانگی اور کئی تو بھوک کی وجہ سے ہی اجل کو پیاری ہوئیں، جو غیر مرد سے کلام نہ کرتی تھیں اْنکی ردائیں کھینچی گئیں، جو اْنکے وفادار تھے چھوڑ کر بھاگ گئے اور جو گھر کے مرد تھے اٌنکے سامنے زبح کیے گئے، اْنکے لخت جگر اْنکے سامنے گولیوں سے چھلنی کیے گئے اور وہ اپنے لعل سے لپٹ کر رو بھی نہ سکتی تھیں،،،غرض بادشاہ غلام بن گئے اور اْنکی ملکہ نوکرانیاں بن گئی اور اْنکی شہزادیاں مامائیں بن گئیں اور اْنکے گھر و محل تباہ و برباد ہوگئے اور وہ جانوروں سے بدتر زندگی گزارنے لگے۔ وہ اللہ سے زبان حال سے گلے شکوے کرتیں تھی کے مالک ہم تو ہندوستان کی زمین کے مالک تھے اور اب ہمیں دو گز زمین کیوں نہیں ملتی، ہم تو لوگوں کو دیتے تھے تو نے ہمیں بکھاری کیوں بنا دیا، ایسا کون سا بڑا گناہ کر دیا ہم نے کے ہمارے لیے یہ زمین تنگ ہوگئی اور ہماری رعایہ ہم سے برگشتہ ہو گئی اور ہم زلیل و خوار ہو گئے اور مرنے کے لیے زہر بھی میسر نہیں، ہم تیمور کی اولاد میں سے ہیں ، تیری رھمت کے چرچے ہر سو ہ��ں تو پھر ہم سے اتنی لاپرواہی کیوں، دلی شہر کے کوّے تو پیٹ بھر کر کھانا کھاتے ہیں لیکن ہندوستان ایسے ملک کے مالک بھوکے سوتے ہیں۔ کیا ہم تیرے بندوں میں شامل نہیں ہیں؟؟
یہ افسانے زوال بیان کرتے ہیں بادشاہ وقت اور اْنکے خاندان کا کے شائد کوئی پڑھے تو عبرت پکڑے،، ایک چھوٹا سا اقتباس حاضر خدمت ہے۔
"تقدیر ان کو ٹھوکریں کھلاتی ہے جو تاج وروں کو ٹھوکریں مارتے تھے۔قسمت نے ان کو بے بس کر دیا جو بے کسوں کے کام آتے تھے۔ ہم چنگیز کی نسل سے جسکی تلوار سے زمین کانپتی تھی۔ ہم تیمور کی اولاد ہیں جو ملکوں کا اور شہر یاروں کا شاہ تھا۔ہم شاہجاں کے گھر والے ہیں جس نے ایک قبر پر جواہر نگار بہار دکھا دی اور دنیا میں بے نظیر مسجد دہلی کے اندر بنا دی۔ ہم ہندوستان کے شہنشاہ کے کنبے میں ہیں۔ ہم عزت والے تھے اور زمین میں ہمیں کیوں ٹھکانا نہیں ملتا، وہ کیوں سر کشی کرتی ہے۔ آج ہم پر مصیبت ہے آج ہم پر آسمان روتا ہے" ۔
بادشاہ بہادر شاہ ظفر کی بیٹی کلثوم زمانی بیگم کا ظاہری حلیہ غدر میں ایسا ہوا کے کسی نے پوچھا کے 'تم کس پنتھ کے فقیر ہو؟"۔۔۔۔۔۔!! زخمی دل سے وہ گویا ہوئیں
" ہم مظلوم شاہ گرو کے چیلے ہیں- وہی ہمارا باپ تھا وہی ہمارا گرو۔ پاپی لوگوں نے اس کا گھر بار چھین لیا اور ہم کو اْس سے جدا کر کے جنگلوں میں نکال دیا۔ اب وہ ہماری صورت کو ترستا ہے اور ہم اس کے درشنوں بغیر بے چین ہیں"۔
اْونچے مکاں تھے جن کے بڑے آج وہ تنگ گور میں ہیں پڑے
عطر مٹی کا جو نہ ملتے تھے نہ کھبی دھوپ میں نکلتے تھے
گردش چرخ سے ہلاک ہوئے استخواں تک بھی ان کے خاک ہوئے
زات معبود جادوانی ہے
باقی جو کچھ کہ ہے وہ فانی ہے
شہزادوں، شہزادیوں اور اْنکے والدین پر تو غدر 1957 میں قیامت صغری بیتی ہے، کہاں وہ نرم و نازک اندا�� کلیاں جنہوں نے کبھی غیر مرد سے بات تک نہ کی تھی، کبھی گھر سے باہر نا نکلی تھی، کبھی بے پردہ نہ ہوئی تھی، جن کو محل کے اندر ہی دنیا کی ہر آسائش و سہولت میسر تھی، جنکی خدمت کے لیے خادمائیں، کنیزیں ہمہ وقت تیار رہتی تھیں، جو غریبوں میں ہیرے و جوہرات تقسیم کرتیں تھی، جن کے در سے مساکین کو کھانا جاتا تھا، جن کو صبح ہلکے سروں میں گانا بجا کر جگایا جاتا تھا اور جو چھپر کھٹ میں سویا کرتی تھیں، سیج پر انگڑائیاں لیتی تھیں، طشت چوقی استعمال کرتی تھیں، باغ کی سیر کرے کے جی بہلاتی تھیں، اْن پر یہ وقت آیا کے گھر سے بے گھر ہوئیں، در بدر ہوئیں، محل سے نکل کر جھونپڑی میں پہنچیں، پیٹ کی آگ بجھانے کے لیے نوکرانی بنیں، بھیک مانگی اور کئی تو بھوک کی وجہ سے ہی اجل کو پیاری ہوئیں، جو غیر مرد سے کلام نہ کرتی تھیں اْنکی ردائیں کھینچی گئیں، جو اْنکے وفادار تھے چھوڑ کر بھاگ گئے اور جو گھر کے مرد تھے اٌنکے سامنے زبح کیے گئے، اْنکے لخت جگر اْنکے سامنے گولیوں سے چھلنی کیے گئے اور وہ اپنے لعل سے لپٹ کر رو بھی نہ سکتی تھیں،،،غرض بادشاہ غلام بن گئے اور اْنکی ملکہ نوکرانیاں بن گئی اور اْنکی شہزادیاں مامائیں بن گئیں اور اْنکے گھر و محل تباہ و برباد ہوگئے اور وہ جانوروں سے بدتر زندگی گزارنے لگے۔ وہ اللہ سے زبان حال سے گلے شکوے کرتیں تھی کے مالک ہم تو ہندوستان کی زمین کے مالک تھے اور اب ہمیں دو گز زمین کیوں نہیں ملتی، ہم تو لوگوں کو دیتے تھے تو نے ہمیں بکھاری کیوں بنا دیا، ایسا کون سا بڑا گناہ کر دیا ہم نے کے ہمارے لیے یہ زمین تنگ ہوگئی اور ہماری رعایہ ہم سے برگشتہ ہو گئی اور ہم زلیل و خوار ہو گئے اور مرنے کے لیے زہر بھی میسر نہیں، ہم تیمور کی اولاد میں سے ہیں ، تیری رھمت کے چرچے ہر سو ہ��ں تو پھر ہم سے اتنی لاپرواہی کیوں، دلی شہر کے کوّے تو پیٹ بھر کر کھانا کھاتے ہیں لیکن ہندوستان ایسے ملک کے مالک بھوکے سوتے ہیں۔ کیا ہم تیرے بندوں میں شامل نہیں ہیں؟؟
یہ افسانے زوال بیان کرتے ہیں بادشاہ وقت اور اْنکے خاندان کا کے شائد کوئی پڑھے تو عبرت پکڑے،، ایک چھوٹا سا اقتباس حاضر خدمت ہے۔
"تقدیر ان کو ٹھوکریں کھلاتی ہے جو تاج وروں کو ٹھوکریں مارتے تھے۔قسمت نے ان کو بے بس کر دیا جو بے کسوں کے کام آتے تھے۔ ہم چنگیز کی نسل سے جسکی تلوار سے زمین کانپتی تھی۔ ہم تیمور کی اولاد ہیں جو ملکوں کا اور شہر یاروں کا شاہ تھا۔ہم شاہجاں کے گھر والے ہیں جس نے ایک قبر پر جواہر نگار بہار دکھا دی اور دنیا میں بے نظیر مسجد دہلی کے اندر بنا دی۔ ہم ہندوستان کے شہنشاہ کے کنبے میں ہیں۔ ہم عزت والے تھے اور زمین میں ہمیں کیوں ٹھکانا نہیں ملتا، وہ کیوں سر کشی کرتی ہے۔ آج ہم پر مصیبت ہے آج ہم پر آسمان روتا ہے" ۔
بادشاہ بہادر شاہ ظفر کی بیٹی کلثوم زمانی بیگم کا ظاہری حلیہ غدر میں ایسا ہوا کے کسی نے پوچھا کے 'تم کس پنتھ کے فقیر ہو؟"۔۔۔۔۔۔!! زخمی دل سے وہ گویا ہوئیں
" ہم مظلوم شاہ گرو کے چیلے ہیں- وہی ہمارا باپ تھا وہی ہمارا گرو۔ پاپی لوگوں نے اس کا گھر بار چھین لیا اور ہم کو اْس سے جدا کر کے جنگلوں میں نکال دیا۔ اب وہ ہماری صورت کو ترستا ہے اور ہم اس کے درشنوں بغیر بے چین ہیں"۔
اْونچے مکاں تھے جن کے بڑے آج وہ تنگ گور میں ہیں پڑے
عطر مٹی کا جو نہ ملتے تھے نہ کھبی دھوپ میں نکلتے تھے
گردش چرخ سے ہلاک ہوئے استخواں تک بھی ان کے خاک ہوئے
زات معبود جادوانی ہے
باقی جو کچھ کہ ہے وہ فانی ہے
August 19, 2022
Khwaja Hasan Nizami (who lived from 1878 to 1955) is a prominent man of letters of his time with a vast and diverse output. Though he didn't directly witness the tragic events of 1857 he was proximate enough to trace many stories, observe those whose lives were ravaged by it and even interview quite a few who suffered the most during those tumultuous and lawless times. This particular anthology of seventeen interviews, sketches, and retellings focuses particularly on the family and extended family of the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. Further, while male royalty also appears, he highlights specifically the plight of young princesses and ladies of the royal family who found their old world suddenly and completely collapse all around them - rudely flinging them out of a refined, privileged and luxurious existence into a life of grave risk, destitution, indignity and suffering. The contrast is stark and deeply tragic. These are highly moving stories and underline the fickleness of human fate and sense of well-being as well as the constant turmoil of history and civilizations. Particularly poignant in these stories are mass betrayals by those who once served and benefited the royalty; but also others who remained loyal, steadfast and kind and often paid a heavy price for extending refuge to the hounded Mughals.
The narratives are particularly elegant as they capture the chaste and cultured Delhi Urdu as well as the norms and etiquette/adab o adab of the Mughal high culture. What emerges also is the vast number of people who were part of the royal family and lived in the Purana Qila, dependent on the largesse of the Emperor - ladies of the court, multiple children from wives, concubines ,and then their relatives and kin. The men, as it turns out, were invariably without any skills other than in warfare and the women confined to palace living, utterly unused to working with their hands and any physical exertion. Hence when times changed they found it incredibly hard going to survive and those who avoided the executions, murder and pillage, invariably lived off a pittance of a stipend granted by the British. Once the rebellion was crushed and Bahadur Shah Zafar had sought refuge in Humayun's tomb, the British descended from the ridge and went after the members of the royal family with a vengeance, raiding their houses, killing anyone who resisted, executing many by hanging or firing squads, through summary trials (often on flimsy evidence of collaboration with the rebels or the self-serving or vindictive testimonies of native spies). At the same time the people of Delhi was also thrown to the mercy of looters and thieves, till order eventually prevailed.
Those escaping the British forces frequently fell into the hands of marauding Gujjars and Jats who looted everything, including the clothes of those escaping, or other bands of predatory people and criminals making the most of the mayhem. Some of the escapees found refuge in villages (invariably women as the men died fighting or were executed) amongst the more kind hearted or with old retainers and beneficiaries who remained loyal. A deeply melancholic fatalism permeates the accounts of many whose stories are documented here as they compare the glorious times gone by with the atrocious lives they led post 1857; though some also wonder whether their decline was inevitable given that the latter Mughals had become lax and negligent in their rule and too indulgent in pursuit of luxury. However, the devastating shock of the fall and the stark contrast of pre and post 1857 lifestyles resonates in every account.
The events after 1857 displayed the unforgiving face of a cruel and vindictive occupier who was intent on weeding out any semblance and symbol of the old order. Certain acts of brutality by the increasingly undisciplined, leaderless and desperate, native rebels (those who advised them restraint were marginalized, such as General Mirza Mughal) provoked even more brutal reactions. These narratives sensitively capture the debilitating fear and uncertainty of the time and are a moving lament for the end of an era, a culture and a civilization. Khwaja Hasan Nizami is particularly powerful and compelling when he adopts the persona of a sufferer and recreates the experience of the cataclysmic events, while faithfully reproducing the mannerisms and diction of those displaced and the sequence of events that led to their displacement. These stories and certain additional ones left out here have appeared in multiple editions and garnered tremendous interest and feeling over the years. The current volume is one which the author and compiler deems to be the one with the most moving stories. It was produced at the great persuasion of Sir. Ross Masood - Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's Grandson, a great literary and intellectual figure of his time and the person to whom E .M. Forster's A Passage to India is dedicated. A new English translation by Rana Safvi has also recently come out which should make them accessible to those who can't experience them in the original.
The narratives are particularly elegant as they capture the chaste and cultured Delhi Urdu as well as the norms and etiquette/adab o adab of the Mughal high culture. What emerges also is the vast number of people who were part of the royal family and lived in the Purana Qila, dependent on the largesse of the Emperor - ladies of the court, multiple children from wives, concubines ,and then their relatives and kin. The men, as it turns out, were invariably without any skills other than in warfare and the women confined to palace living, utterly unused to working with their hands and any physical exertion. Hence when times changed they found it incredibly hard going to survive and those who avoided the executions, murder and pillage, invariably lived off a pittance of a stipend granted by the British. Once the rebellion was crushed and Bahadur Shah Zafar had sought refuge in Humayun's tomb, the British descended from the ridge and went after the members of the royal family with a vengeance, raiding their houses, killing anyone who resisted, executing many by hanging or firing squads, through summary trials (often on flimsy evidence of collaboration with the rebels or the self-serving or vindictive testimonies of native spies). At the same time the people of Delhi was also thrown to the mercy of looters and thieves, till order eventually prevailed.
Those escaping the British forces frequently fell into the hands of marauding Gujjars and Jats who looted everything, including the clothes of those escaping, or other bands of predatory people and criminals making the most of the mayhem. Some of the escapees found refuge in villages (invariably women as the men died fighting or were executed) amongst the more kind hearted or with old retainers and beneficiaries who remained loyal. A deeply melancholic fatalism permeates the accounts of many whose stories are documented here as they compare the glorious times gone by with the atrocious lives they led post 1857; though some also wonder whether their decline was inevitable given that the latter Mughals had become lax and negligent in their rule and too indulgent in pursuit of luxury. However, the devastating shock of the fall and the stark contrast of pre and post 1857 lifestyles resonates in every account.
The events after 1857 displayed the unforgiving face of a cruel and vindictive occupier who was intent on weeding out any semblance and symbol of the old order. Certain acts of brutality by the increasingly undisciplined, leaderless and desperate, native rebels (those who advised them restraint were marginalized, such as General Mirza Mughal) provoked even more brutal reactions. These narratives sensitively capture the debilitating fear and uncertainty of the time and are a moving lament for the end of an era, a culture and a civilization. Khwaja Hasan Nizami is particularly powerful and compelling when he adopts the persona of a sufferer and recreates the experience of the cataclysmic events, while faithfully reproducing the mannerisms and diction of those displaced and the sequence of events that led to their displacement. These stories and certain additional ones left out here have appeared in multiple editions and garnered tremendous interest and feeling over the years. The current volume is one which the author and compiler deems to be the one with the most moving stories. It was produced at the great persuasion of Sir. Ross Masood - Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's Grandson, a great literary and intellectual figure of his time and the person to whom E .M. Forster's A Passage to India is dedicated. A new English translation by Rana Safvi has also recently come out which should make them accessible to those who can't experience them in the original.
February 23, 2017
: ہندی کے شاعر ' بھوشن ' نے مرہٹہ گردی کا بیان ان الفاظ میں کیا تھا
اونچے گھور مندر میں رہن والی ، اونچے گھور مندر میں رہتی ہے
تین بیر کھاتی تھی ، سو تین بیر کھاتی ہے
: ترجمہ
اونچے محلوں(مندر) میں رہنے والی بیگمات اب اونچے گہرے غاروں (مندر) میں رہتی ہیں
تین بیر ( بار ، تین وقت کا کھانا ) کھانے والی اب تین بیر ( پھل) پر گزر کرتی ہیں
١٨٥٧ کی دلّی میں مرہٹوں کی جگہ انگریزوں اور انکے دیسی سپاہیوں نے لے لی . انگریز گردی نے پیر و جوان ، مرد و زن ، بادشاہ و فقیر کسی کو نہیں بخشا . دھلی کے ' اوراق مصوّر ' ہر چہار سو بکھر گئے یا خاک میں پنہاں ہو گئے . اس تاخت و تاراج سے جو بچ گئے وہ سینوں میں غم اور آنکھوں میں آنسو لئے جیتے رہے
کتاب ' بیگمات کے آنسو ' کو صرف داستان نہیں ، ایک اہم دستاویز مانیں تو بیجا نہ ہوگا . غدر نے آنے والی نسلوں کو کس طرح متاثر کیا ؟ ان نسلوں نے غدرکے 'نوسٹالجیا ' کو کہاں تک اپنایا یا ٹھکرایا ؟ غدر کا خواتین پر کیا اثر ہوا ؟ انیسویں صدی کی دھلی میں زوال شدہ مغل خاندان کی شہزادیوں اور بیگمات کو کس طرح کے اختیارات حاصل ہوے؟ اس معا��رے میں خیرات کی کیا اہمیت تھی ؟ ایسے کئی سوالوں کے جوابات 'بیگمات کے آنسو ' میں درج ہیں
اونچے گھور مندر میں رہن والی ، اونچے گھور مندر میں رہتی ہے
تین بیر کھاتی تھی ، سو تین بیر کھاتی ہے
: ترجمہ
اونچے محلوں(مندر) میں رہنے والی بیگمات اب اونچے گہرے غاروں (مندر) میں رہتی ہیں
تین بیر ( بار ، تین وقت کا کھانا ) کھانے والی اب تین بیر ( پھل) پر گزر کرتی ہیں
١٨٥٧ کی دلّی میں مرہٹوں کی جگہ انگریزوں اور انکے دیسی سپاہیوں نے لے لی . انگریز گردی نے پیر و جوان ، مرد و زن ، بادشاہ و فقیر کسی کو نہیں بخشا . دھلی کے ' اوراق مصوّر ' ہر چہار سو بکھر گئے یا خاک میں پنہاں ہو گئے . اس تاخت و تاراج سے جو بچ گئے وہ سینوں میں غم اور آنکھوں میں آنسو لئے جیتے رہے
کتاب ' بیگمات کے آنسو ' کو صرف داستان نہیں ، ایک اہم دستاویز مانیں تو بیجا نہ ہوگا . غدر نے آنے والی نسلوں کو کس طرح متاثر کیا ؟ ان نسلوں نے غدرکے 'نوسٹالجیا ' کو کہاں تک اپنایا یا ٹھکرایا ؟ غدر کا خواتین پر کیا اثر ہوا ؟ انیسویں صدی کی دھلی میں زوال شدہ مغل خاندان کی شہزادیوں اور بیگمات کو کس طرح کے اختیارات حاصل ہوے؟ اس معا��رے میں خیرات کی کیا اہمیت تھی ؟ ایسے کئی سوالوں کے جوابات 'بیگمات کے آنسو ' میں درج ہیں
Read
June 17, 2018Afsaanay!
This book has some very heart-breaking tales(make me nearly cry). It is weird how life can change in such a short time. From being the richest to a lowly beggar. To this date, I haven't found a book similar to this. Maybe I love this book because its part of my history, my country's history. Its been years I have read this, but i still think about it from time to time, and every time I do I feel really sad. I will recommend this book to everyone from Pakistan/India.
This book has some very heart-breaking tales(make me nearly cry). It is weird how life can change in such a short time. From being the richest to a lowly beggar. To this date, I haven't found a book similar to this. Maybe I love this book because its part of my history, my country's history. Its been years I have read this, but i still think about it from time to time, and every time I do I feel really sad. I will recommend this book to everyone from Pakistan/India.
October 16, 2020
A historic collection of essays, detailing the life of Mughal Royal family of Delhi, after the first Indian 1857 War of Independence. The title of the book shows the painful reality of the life of Princes and princesses after the end of a historic chapter of Mughal Dynasty; as Meer said:
دِلّی میں آج بھیک بھی ملتی نہیں اُنھیں
تھا کل تلک دماغ جنہیں تخت و تاج کا
Khwaja Hassan Nizami wrote these stories after encountering firsthand with the unfortunate victims of the revolt. Muslims have a history of revolutions, painful ones, which brought along destruction, death and extreme states of adversity; but the revolt of Delhi was one of a kind; full of misfortune and affliction. End of an era.
The poets, the life of Delhi, wrote mourning poetry to lament the great tragedy that befell:
دِلّی جو ایک شہر تھا عالم میں انتخاب
رہتے تھے منتخب ہی جہاں روزگار کے
اُس کو فلک نے لُوٹ کے ویران کر دیا
ہم رہنے والے ہیں اِسی اُجڑے دیار کے
دِلّی میں آج بھیک بھی ملتی نہیں اُنھیں
تھا کل تلک دماغ جنہیں تخت و تاج کا
Khwaja Hassan Nizami wrote these stories after encountering firsthand with the unfortunate victims of the revolt. Muslims have a history of revolutions, painful ones, which brought along destruction, death and extreme states of adversity; but the revolt of Delhi was one of a kind; full of misfortune and affliction. End of an era.
The poets, the life of Delhi, wrote mourning poetry to lament the great tragedy that befell:
دِلّی جو ایک شہر تھا عالم میں انتخاب
رہتے تھے منتخب ہی جہاں روزگار کے
اُس کو فلک نے لُوٹ کے ویران کر دیا
ہم رہنے والے ہیں اِسی اُجڑے دیار کے
December 2, 2023
خواجہ حسن نظامی کی کتاب بیگما�� کے آنسو
خواجہ حسن نظامی سلسلہ چشتیہ کے صوفی اور اردو زبان کے ادیب تھے۔ آپ نظام الدین اولیاء کے عقیدت مند تھے اور پیری مریدی کا سلسلہ بھی رکھتے تھے۔ حضرت نظام الدین اولیاء کی درگاہ میں دہلی میں پیدا ہوئے۔ کہا جاتا ہے خواجہ کی تصانیف کی تعداد چالیس ہے. خواجہ صاحب کی اس کتاب کا عنوان پڑھ کے جانے کیوں لگتا تھا یہ کتاب مزاح یونرا کی ہوگی. میرے اس خیال کو خواجہ نے تمہید میں ہی یہ بول کر دھواں کی طرح اڑا دیا
"میں نے تو درحقیقت یہ کتاب مرنے والی تہذیب اور تاریخ کا نوحہ لکھنے کے لیے تیار کی تھی، مرثیہ کو لائبریری سے کیا تعلق"
یہ کتاب غدر کے بعد دلی کی شہزادیوں کی کسمپرسی کی داستانوں پر مبنی ہے
داستانیں ہیں بادشاہوں کی جو فقیر ہو کر رسوا ہوگئے
یہ آہیں ہیں ماں بہن بیٹیوں کی جن کے مردوں کو ان کے سامنے زبح کیا گیا اور ان کی عصمتوں کو پارہ پارہ کیا گیا
بین ہیں شہزادیوں کے جن کے جوانوں کے لاشے ان کے سامنے تڑپتے رہے اور خاکی ان کا اسباب لوٹتے رہے
کہانی کیا ہے درد ہیں جسے سوچ کر غیر انسانی ہونے کا احساس ہو
تاریخ ہے ہماری، کرب ناک تاریخ
دکھ ہی دکھ ہیں، درد ہی درد ہیں
خواجہ چونکہ خود دہلی سے ہیں تو یہ گویا ان کے گھر کا دکھ محسوس ہوتا ہے چونکہ اچھے ادیب ہیں تو ایسے دلسوز انداز میں واقعات لکھیں ہیں کہ قابل داد ہے
بین پرھ پڑھ دل پٹتا محسوس ہوتا ہے، رونگٹے کھڑے ہوتے ہیں، آنکھیں مسلسل نم
نازک دل ہیں تو بےشک نہ پڑھیں یہ کتاب
خواجہ کہتے ہیں پہلے اس کتاب کا نام "آنسو کی بوندیں" تھا میرا خیال تو یہ ہے کہ اس کتاب کا نام ہر ایک کے آنسو ہونا چاہیے کیونکہ اس کتاب کے پڑھنے سے ہر ایک ناظر کے آنسو آجاتے ہیں
بعض اوقات ہوتا ہے نہ انسان خود اذیتی موڈ میں چل رہا ہوتا، یا شغل میں چاہ رہا ہوتا کہ کچھ ایسا دیکھوں، سنوں، پڑھ لوں کہ رویا جائے تو یہ کتاب آپ کے لیے اس وقت میں بہترین ہے کہ آپ کو کتنی بھی دفعہ پڑھیں گے آپ کو رولانے کا کام کرے گی
خواجہ حسن نظامی سلسلہ چشتیہ کے صوفی اور اردو زبان کے ادیب تھے۔ آپ نظام الدین اولیاء کے عقیدت مند تھے اور پیری مریدی کا سلسلہ بھی رکھتے تھے۔ حضرت نظام الدین اولیاء کی درگاہ میں دہلی میں پیدا ہوئے۔ کہا جاتا ہے خواجہ کی تصانیف کی تعداد چالیس ہے. خواجہ صاحب کی اس کتاب کا عنوان پڑھ کے جانے کیوں لگتا تھا یہ کتاب مزاح یونرا کی ہوگی. میرے اس خیال کو خواجہ نے تمہید میں ہی یہ بول کر دھواں کی طرح اڑا دیا
"میں نے تو درحقیقت یہ کتاب مرنے والی تہذیب اور تاریخ کا نوحہ لکھنے کے لیے تیار کی تھی، مرثیہ کو لائبریری سے کیا تعلق"
یہ کتاب غدر کے بعد دلی کی شہزادیوں کی کسمپرسی کی داستانوں پر مبنی ہے
داستانیں ہیں بادشاہوں کی جو فقیر ہو کر رسوا ہوگئے
یہ آہیں ہیں ماں بہن بیٹیوں کی جن کے مردوں کو ان کے سامنے زبح کیا گیا اور ان کی عصمتوں کو پارہ پارہ کیا گیا
بین ہیں شہزادیوں کے جن کے جوانوں کے لاشے ان کے سامنے تڑپتے رہے اور خاکی ان کا اسباب لوٹتے رہے
کہانی کیا ہے درد ہیں جسے سوچ کر غیر انسانی ہونے کا احساس ہو
تاریخ ہے ہماری، کرب ناک تاریخ
دکھ ہی دکھ ہیں، درد ہی درد ہیں
خواجہ چونکہ خود دہلی سے ہیں تو یہ گویا ان کے گھر کا دکھ محسوس ہوتا ہے چونکہ اچھے ادیب ہیں تو ایسے دلسوز انداز میں واقعات لکھیں ہیں کہ قابل داد ہے
بین پرھ پڑھ دل پٹتا محسوس ہوتا ہے، رونگٹے کھڑے ہوتے ہیں، آنکھیں مسلسل نم
نازک دل ہیں تو بےشک نہ پڑھیں یہ کتاب
خواجہ کہتے ہیں پہلے اس کتاب کا نام "آنسو کی بوندیں" تھا میرا خیال تو یہ ہے کہ اس کتاب کا نام ہر ایک کے آنسو ہونا چاہیے کیونکہ اس کتاب کے پڑھنے سے ہر ایک ناظر کے آنسو آجاتے ہیں
بعض اوقات ہوتا ہے نہ انسان خود اذیتی موڈ میں چل رہا ہوتا، یا شغل میں چاہ رہا ہوتا کہ کچھ ایسا دیکھوں، سنوں، پڑھ لوں کہ رویا جائے تو یہ کتاب آپ کے لیے اس وقت میں بہترین ہے کہ آپ کو کتنی بھی دفعہ پڑھیں گے آپ کو رولانے کا کام کرے گی
November 21, 2022
Such an important part of history that never was documented the way it should have been.
1857 and 1947 - 2 major displacements that led to ruins of a lot of families while 1947 is largely document, this aprt of history needs more visibility - as it was the emperor of India - though namesake but largely ignored and only recently has the author Rana Safvi been bringing many a books to mass public.
I've read quite a few of her books and this is by far one of the best translations she has authored because it's such an important piece of our Indian History lost under British.
The stories in this book will move you.
1857 and 1947 - 2 major displacements that led to ruins of a lot of families while 1947 is largely document, this aprt of history needs more visibility - as it was the emperor of India - though namesake but largely ignored and only recently has the author Rana Safvi been bringing many a books to mass public.
I've read quite a few of her books and this is by far one of the best translations she has authored because it's such an important piece of our Indian History lost under British.
The stories in this book will move you.
September 2, 2013
A good easy read. I started reading it as it was referenced by Dalrympele in "Last Mughal".
The stories are heart breaking, sad to see how Britishers ruined , that too in a highly uncivilized way, one of the most secular and civilized empire of the world.
I wonder if history has other examples of a foreign invasion as unjust and uncivilized as the British Invasion of India was.
The stories are heart breaking, sad to see how Britishers ruined , that too in a highly uncivilized way, one of the most secular and civilized empire of the world.
I wonder if history has other examples of a foreign invasion as unjust and uncivilized as the British Invasion of India was.
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January 8, 2019A book of Heart-wrenching tales that has completely changed my perspective on Jang-e Ghadar.
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January 24, 2020اندوہناک تاریخ کے اشک ح
پرو کر ہار کی صورت محفوظ کر دیا گیا ہے.
پرو کر ہار کی صورت محفوظ کر دیا گیا ہے.
November 21, 2022
For over 300 years, almost uninterrupted, the Mughal emperors ruled upon India, till the Mutiny of 1857, when the empire fell into the hands of British. For good or for bad, this change in fate of country brought about the change in fate of hundreds of bloodlines of royal family, that scrambled to survive. Many were hanged in retribution of killing the British, several were left to perish on their own. But then there were few who survived to tell the tale. This is the recollection of such true events wherein Khawaja Nizami (born circa 1878) took elaborate pain to find these survivors and put their eyewitness testimony into ‘Begumat ke Aansoo’ first published in 1922.
First time translated into English, at the onset, polite applause to Rana Safvi for such beautiful translation which balanced the language with the order of the day. She has stayed very close to the narrative and it comes across in the way the flow has been kept through out the book. Her writing has elegance and maturity to handle such complex topic. I, for example, may not side with the Temurian rule but her style of writing made me read from a distance, without getting judgmental about the subject. Which I think is beautiful.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to know more about Delhi, it’s last days as Mughal capital and after effects of 1857 mutiny.
First time translated into English, at the onset, polite applause to Rana Safvi for such beautiful translation which balanced the language with the order of the day. She has stayed very close to the narrative and it comes across in the way the flow has been kept through out the book. Her writing has elegance and maturity to handle such complex topic. I, for example, may not side with the Temurian rule but her style of writing made me read from a distance, without getting judgmental about the subject. Which I think is beautiful.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to know more about Delhi, it’s last days as Mughal capital and after effects of 1857 mutiny.
August 31, 2022
A must read for the one who has always wondered about what happened to the survivors ( Mughal descendants)of the Siege of Delhi in 1857. Rana Safvi has done a tremendous job of translating the original text and engaging the reader.
All of us should be grateful to Khwaja Hasan Nizami for documenting the original stories of the Mughal prince and princesses. It's all because of his efforts that we now know, how they (Mughals) tried to survive in the real world.
These stories will satisfy ones curiosity, aches ones heart and compels one to think about the transient nature of the world. Your world can turn upside down in the blink of an eye. So, be kind to every being.
All of us should be grateful to Khwaja Hasan Nizami for documenting the original stories of the Mughal prince and princesses. It's all because of his efforts that we now know, how they (Mughals) tried to survive in the real world.
These stories will satisfy ones curiosity, aches ones heart and compels one to think about the transient nature of the world. Your world can turn upside down in the blink of an eye. So, be kind to every being.
September 19, 2024
This book offers journey into the lives of Mughal princes and princesses after the ghadar, capturing the transient essence of the great Mughal dynasty. The narrative prompts reflection on the impermanence of worldly pursuits.The profound message of humility resonates throughout the book.While the book becomes somewhat repetitive towards the end, its overall storytelling makes it an engaging and thought-provoking read.
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December 21, 2018Read this, albeit in a Hindi translation (and if ever there was an over-translation, it was here!) Very moving stories, with great insights in the decades after 1857, and the minutiae of lives and events surrounding the great 'gadar'.
March 17, 2019
"Life is unpredictable" this is what I learned from this book. Such an easy read and heart touching book.
December 23, 2023
The book, written by khwaja Hasan Nijami and translated recently by Rana Safvi tells the story of the Mughal royal family after the gadar of 1857. It was an eye opener as firstly one was not aware that so many members of the royal family survived after 1857, I always believed all the male heirs of Bahadur Shah were executed but apparently there were other family members including many women who survived. This book is noteworthy on this account itself.
The book tells the poignant story of the survivors whose world crashed in a matter of days. For some reason, it reminded me of the reversal of the fortunes of the southerners in Gone With the Wind.
Even at the time of the mutiny, the king was only a figurehead with limited means and fortune. It is difficult to imagine whether the royal family could have done something differently to escape their fate (they were under Marathas and then British, could they have predicted that their world could have come crashing like this). Their fall was sudden and extreme, still many of them bore it with fortitude. I wonder how many of (the descendants) stayed in Delhi or moved to Pakistan after the riots of 1947. Also, noteworthy is how most of them were looted and roughed up by neighboring villagers.
Is there a lesson in it for all of us. I am not sure as the world has changed a lot since the times of the Kings and the Queens and everybody’s survival instincts are much sharper. Full marks to Rana Safvi for putting together this piece of history.
The book tells the poignant story of the survivors whose world crashed in a matter of days. For some reason, it reminded me of the reversal of the fortunes of the southerners in Gone With the Wind.
Even at the time of the mutiny, the king was only a figurehead with limited means and fortune. It is difficult to imagine whether the royal family could have done something differently to escape their fate (they were under Marathas and then British, could they have predicted that their world could have come crashing like this). Their fall was sudden and extreme, still many of them bore it with fortitude. I wonder how many of (the descendants) stayed in Delhi or moved to Pakistan after the riots of 1947. Also, noteworthy is how most of them were looted and roughed up by neighboring villagers.
Is there a lesson in it for all of us. I am not sure as the world has changed a lot since the times of the Kings and the Queens and everybody’s survival instincts are much sharper. Full marks to Rana Safvi for putting together this piece of history.
June 15, 2024
I don't think there is much to be said here other than, how beautiful it is to hear the accounts of native Indians impacted by the 1857 Uprising. I have read various accounts of 1857, but most of the accounts I have come across have been from the white inhabitants of India at the time. Of course, given the time, most of the accounts I had previously read were very colonial... hard to read the accounts of people who not only stole from your ancestors but looked down on them in the way they did. It was as late as 2018 when an English pub had the skull of an Indian soldier who had rebelled against the British, it gives a good visual idea of what was faced. Seeing the uprising through the eyes of the royals and those linked to them was very interesting to me, there's an air of acceptance, humbleness almost that this was ultimately their destiny. The Mughals go from serving multiple platters of food on an almost daily basis to their descendants going hungry. This book is amazing for those who want an insight into the Uprising through the eyes of Indians but who may not necessarily have access to previously published accounts/unable to read these accounts in the native language, for that alone, I give this book 5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2021
Definitely painful and thought provoking. Since time immemorial women and children are the ultimate victims of wars, dont understand why none of the women reported as abused, or raped during the mutiny or English occupation. All the men who get hold of these women were very 'noble' that they kept these women only as "domestic help" to their wives. How come. Second what was the importance of Ghazaiabad at that time that every one was heading towards Ghaziabad. Later all the Muslim Tawwaifs were also from Ghaziabad .. is there any relation between the two ..!
May 25, 2024
This book recounts the sobering tale of the survivors of the 1857 sepoy mutiny. Once living in comfort within the Qila, the royal family's world is upended by the ghadar, leaving them homeless and bereft of means. Facing destitution and loss, the book serves as a stark reminder of life's unpredictability and the importance of humility and gratitude in adversity. It's a powerful testament to resilience and the human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds.
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February 1, 2024Refraining from rating because while I loved the stories, and the slice of history I genuinely think is missing from the discourse, the writing was a little too reminiscent of the literature I read as compulsory reading in high school.
November 19, 2018
its good book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 20, 2021Hindi
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2023
Part of history which we are all aware is the uprising of 1857 which is also called as the First war of Indian Independence. There were lot of aftermath actions to it, one was the British East India Company was liquidated and the control went to the British Monarchy, likewise a separate army was set-up to curb incidents like this.
Apart from this, there was certain reciprocation from the British which is not covered by school history subjects.
To understand it even better, the during the year of 1857 May 11th, the Indian soldiers in the British army revolted against them, during the revolt, British nationals who resided in India along with their families were also killed by those rebel soldiers. During the rebellion, the Indian sepoys were looking for a leader to head them, their natural choice was Bahadur Shah II who was the last Mughal emperor living in Delhi’s Redfort. The rebel sepoys from Meerut captured Delhi and asked Bahadur Shah to be their leader. He also accepted that reluctantly.
The rebellion lasted only for few days; the British were able to re-capture Delhi by mobilizing the Punjab regiment. Also, the rebel sepoys were no-match to the British soldiers. Once they re-captured Delhi, the British came hard on the rebel sepoys and more importantly on Bahadur Shah and his descendants.
On knowing his fate, Bahadur Shah II fled to the Humayun’s tomb and his sons, daughter and grand children from his wife and other maids also started to flee from the Redfort. Bahadur Shah II was captured and exiled to Rangoon and there he died. But the descendants, mostly the women from the Mughal families suffered a lot after that.
The prince and princess who were grown up in a royal way had to go-through a lot of turmoil. Their lives got uprooted overnight. A prince who used to sleep in Golden bed, was seen begging the streets of Delhi after the Ghadar (that’s how the rebellion is being called). Innocent children who knew nothing of this were orphaned.
This book records several accounts of the lives of the Mughal families after the Ghadar. One will be moved by reading those accounts and will conclude that life is always fragile and futile beyond a point.
Apart from this, there was certain reciprocation from the British which is not covered by school history subjects.
To understand it even better, the during the year of 1857 May 11th, the Indian soldiers in the British army revolted against them, during the revolt, British nationals who resided in India along with their families were also killed by those rebel soldiers. During the rebellion, the Indian sepoys were looking for a leader to head them, their natural choice was Bahadur Shah II who was the last Mughal emperor living in Delhi’s Redfort. The rebel sepoys from Meerut captured Delhi and asked Bahadur Shah to be their leader. He also accepted that reluctantly.
The rebellion lasted only for few days; the British were able to re-capture Delhi by mobilizing the Punjab regiment. Also, the rebel sepoys were no-match to the British soldiers. Once they re-captured Delhi, the British came hard on the rebel sepoys and more importantly on Bahadur Shah and his descendants.
On knowing his fate, Bahadur Shah II fled to the Humayun’s tomb and his sons, daughter and grand children from his wife and other maids also started to flee from the Redfort. Bahadur Shah II was captured and exiled to Rangoon and there he died. But the descendants, mostly the women from the Mughal families suffered a lot after that.
The prince and princess who were grown up in a royal way had to go-through a lot of turmoil. Their lives got uprooted overnight. A prince who used to sleep in Golden bed, was seen begging the streets of Delhi after the Ghadar (that’s how the rebellion is being called). Innocent children who knew nothing of this were orphaned.
This book records several accounts of the lives of the Mughal families after the Ghadar. One will be moved by reading those accounts and will conclude that life is always fragile and futile beyond a point.
August 31, 2022
TEARS OF THE BEGUMS (originally in Urdu as BEGUMAT KE AANSOO by KHWAJA HASAN NIZAMI) translated by RANA SAFVI
What do you think is the lamest and most disgusting use of power? From all the historical fiction or biographical books that I have come across, I think exploiting women and children have been the foremost and regular show of strength by every one who had been in power. Women for ages have been treated like a piece of merchandise who without a custodian and a roof above her head, can be taken into captivity or do as you please to her. And why is always sexual exploitation considered as a means of establishing power or punishment?? I guess we’ll never know.!!
For someone like me who adores historical fiction and translated works, this book is a great asset.
This book is a compilation of 29 chronicles of the survivors of the uprising, after which Delhi was sieged by the British army. The year 1857 marked the start of the revolt against the British army by the rebel forces along with the Mughal emperors. It is said that the mutiny started based on rumours eventually leading to the downfall of the Mughal empire. This book presents the story of how the mighty rulers of the past had to bite the dust and the twists of fortune of their family members and their descendants. Most were hunted down and killed or sold as slaves or were looted and tortured and some were left to beg for alms for a living.
Pros: This is a wonderful combination of a perfect translated novel and a historical non fiction.
There was deep reflection and insights into life and it’s twists, of being humble and noble and many more.
The chapters were quick to read and uninterrupted.
I found the footnotes to be very useful as they provided additional information to the context.
I loved everything about this book- the cover, the narration, the lucidity, the relevance to history (though there might be errors in recall as highlighted in the book).
Cons: Not any
My review: 5/5
What do you think is the lamest and most disgusting use of power? From all the historical fiction or biographical books that I have come across, I think exploiting women and children have been the foremost and regular show of strength by every one who had been in power. Women for ages have been treated like a piece of merchandise who without a custodian and a roof above her head, can be taken into captivity or do as you please to her. And why is always sexual exploitation considered as a means of establishing power or punishment?? I guess we’ll never know.!!
For someone like me who adores historical fiction and translated works, this book is a great asset.
This book is a compilation of 29 chronicles of the survivors of the uprising, after which Delhi was sieged by the British army. The year 1857 marked the start of the revolt against the British army by the rebel forces along with the Mughal emperors. It is said that the mutiny started based on rumours eventually leading to the downfall of the Mughal empire. This book presents the story of how the mighty rulers of the past had to bite the dust and the twists of fortune of their family members and their descendants. Most were hunted down and killed or sold as slaves or were looted and tortured and some were left to beg for alms for a living.
Pros: This is a wonderful combination of a perfect translated novel and a historical non fiction.
There was deep reflection and insights into life and it’s twists, of being humble and noble and many more.
The chapters were quick to read and uninterrupted.
I found the footnotes to be very useful as they provided additional information to the context.
I loved everything about this book- the cover, the narration, the lucidity, the relevance to history (though there might be errors in recall as highlighted in the book).
Cons: Not any
My review: 5/5
August 20, 2022
I really love to read translated works more than anything. Since, childhood I have preferred reading this gene but with age and time I have started reading different genres and of late only books have become only my priority rather than genres.
When I got to know abut this book I added it to my tbr list and was looking forward to reading it. But time was something which kept me delayed and finally I read this book and here to put on my experiences with you all. Lets dive into the book directly.
The author talks on a very much deep concept moving to the fact that the book seems to be but I somewhat got something more than that which is like cheery on the top. After a long time got to read an amazing book which has blown my mind off any other things.
Mughals and their dynastic rules are very much known to all of us. They were not only great in their rules but beside, they were the precious treasures that shaped the history of India from many dimensions. Over 300 years, they were full of valour and ruled efficiently striding forward each day expanding their areas.
But, things didn’t fall int je right place as soon as the very phase of 1857 gave the major jolt by the British rule. Devastating the entire Mughal dynasty, the British empire took over the entire control.
The aftermath of this very terrible event took pace with the hardest survival of the Mughals and their families and everyone related to their them.
Not only loss of major assets, but even on the verge of losing their lives and loves ones. The recollection of true events from the survivors and many more accounts of the same made this book a must buy for all.
March 3, 2023
‘TEARS OF BEGAM’ by Khwaja Hasan Nizami, translated by @ranasafvi is a collection of tragic true incidents, mostly a recollection of the events right after 1857- The fall of Delhi’s Sultanate in which the royal Mughals were forced out of their palaces into streets, unsheltered and hungry. The stories mostly revolved around the Begums, the Mughal women and their struggles. Accounts of the lives of the Mughal prince and princesses right after Ghadar, when their golden spoon and soft beds got replaced by humiliations, misery and often death, are recorded in a flawless manner. The begums were mostly killed or sold as slaves. They were tortured ruthlessly such that even the children were not spared. Meanwhile, there were the others who stood back and worked, although at a very minimum wage but managed a living out of their hard times. This book is so far the best work of translations I’ve read and the author did an amazing job in immensely portraying the images of the era, their lives and sufferings through his writing in this book. Highly recommended. Thankyou so much @hachette_india and @ranasafvi for providing me an opportunity of reading this book by sending me an ARC copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.
June 5, 2023
The Mutiny of 1857 was a watershed moment in India’s political history. It is called the First War of Independence and is claimed to have paved the way for the final war for independence 90 years later. However, a grim aspect of the rebellion - the violence that ensued, the atrocities that were committed on both sides - has a legacy of its own. Tears of the Begums, in its entirety, talks about the suffering and harassment the Mughals were subjected to in the aftermath of the mutiny.
Sensing the impending danger, Bahadur Shah Zafar left for Humayun’s tomb as the British army got near the Red Fort. The remaining members of the royal family were left to fend for themselves. Those suspected of involvement in the massacre of British nationals were captured and executed. Those who escaped or were let go lived the rest of their lives surrounded by abject destitution.
Personal accounts of the post-rebellion life of these unfortunate royals exist but only in paucity. One such document, containing real-life accounts by survivors and eye-witnesses, was written by Khwaja Hasan Nizami. Originally written in Urdu and translated in English for the first time by @ranasafvi this book attempts to bring untold stories of Mughal princes and princesses to a larger audience.
Fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time.
Sensing the impending danger, Bahadur Shah Zafar left for Humayun’s tomb as the British army got near the Red Fort. The remaining members of the royal family were left to fend for themselves. Those suspected of involvement in the massacre of British nationals were captured and executed. Those who escaped or were let go lived the rest of their lives surrounded by abject destitution.
Personal accounts of the post-rebellion life of these unfortunate royals exist but only in paucity. One such document, containing real-life accounts by survivors and eye-witnesses, was written by Khwaja Hasan Nizami. Originally written in Urdu and translated in English for the first time by @ranasafvi this book attempts to bring untold stories of Mughal princes and princesses to a larger audience.
Fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time.
August 14, 2022
It was originally written in Urdu as Begumat Ke Aanso and later translated by Rana Safvi.
The rich history of Mughal Empire is a prime part of our Indian history and most of us are well aware about it but the history of the dynasty since the entry of British force is not available easily.
This life of the members of royal court of the Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar after his departure from the Red Fort in 1857 is being presented in this book. In the process of translation, it definitely didn't loose the beauty as the book takes you back in pre-independence era and highlights a part of history that isn't quite potraited well usually. The reflection of the downfall of a dynasty and its subsequent affects on the survivors of it is well captured in this book. The stories of the survivors' hardship is penned down in its raw form highlighting the actions and rule of the British force.
The rich history of Mughal Empire is a prime part of our Indian history and most of us are well aware about it but the history of the dynasty since the entry of British force is not available easily.
This life of the members of royal court of the Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar after his departure from the Red Fort in 1857 is being presented in this book. In the process of translation, it definitely didn't loose the beauty as the book takes you back in pre-independence era and highlights a part of history that isn't quite potraited well usually. The reflection of the downfall of a dynasty and its subsequent affects on the survivors of it is well captured in this book. The stories of the survivors' hardship is penned down in its raw form highlighting the actions and rule of the British force.
July 23, 2023
It's a depressing book. But it does humanise history. But it's interesting how every single story ends on a sad note. I think the point they were trying to make with the stories (the larger lessons about human beings, resilience etc) could have been driven home more strongly. I feel the narrator didn't leave room for the reader to come to their own conclusions or even have their own thoughts. But because this book was really depressing, I wouldn't suggest you read this unless you really want to know a bit more about what happened to the last Mughals.
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