The Resilient Begums of Bhopal

laosnuk&2020 Vol. II Issue-2 ISSN 2581-9917 The Resilient Begums of Bhopal

Aradhana Singh*

Seldom in history do we come across Qudsia Begum (1819-1837), the first in narratives of women’s lives, especially the line of these female rulers, took over tales associated with their quest for power the reins of the empire upon her husband, and challenge to the patriarchal set-up. It the young Nawab Nazar Muhammad Khan’s is more because of this abandonment and assassination. The rise to power of this obliviousness that stories like that of the woman who was illiterate and had strictly enigmatic Begums of Bhopal still surprise observed purdah from her youth, didn’t go and inspire us. Bhopal State, the second unnoticed and was in fact initially opposed largest Muslim state of India (Hyderabad, by the English East India Company. But was the first) during the British Raj, was Qudsia was not someone to be budged one amongst more than 500 princely so easily and she soon emerged as a states which enjoyed autonomy in lieu of headstrong ruler who ultimately gave up loyalty towards British Crown. Founded in purdah (this action of hers obviously met the early 18th century by an Afghan, Dost with astonishment, given the times). She Mohammad Khan, Bhopal gained the status took over the empire at the young age of of a princely state around March 1818. 18 and justified her rule by quoting Queen This was followed by an unprecedented and Victoria as her inspiration and model. exceptional turn of events which ultimately Soon after assuming political supremacy, brought women to the helm of the power Qudsia Begum declared that her 15-month structure in Bhopal. For more than a old daughter Sikandar will succeed her hundred years, between 1819 and 1926, to the throne. Her declaration, in front Bhopal came to be ruled by four progressive of the male members of the royal family, and influential women or “Nawab Begums” at her husband’s post-death ritual, was (as they preferred to call themselves after a powerful challenge to prejudice and been granted the male elite appellation patriarchy. She displayed her diplomatic “Nawab”, by the British). The significance skills in ultimately managing to convince of the successful disposition of power by the State Qazi (judge) and Mufti (one who these women rulers can be gauged from was entitled to give legal opinion), and the fact that this was a time when political powerful men in the family, to issue a legal organizations in India were completely document recognizing women’s right to male centric. Qudsia Begum (1819-1837), power, thereby becoming the first woman Sikander Begum (1843-1868), Shah Jahan in South Asia to assert the right of Muslim Begum (1868-1901) and Sultan Jahan women to rule. Begum (1901-1926) governed the State with remarkable strength, administrative * Doctoral Candidate at Centre for Historical capability and audacity. Studies, JNU

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Throughout her reign, Qudsia Begum decision to side with the British during was engaged in a constant struggle to this troublesome time earned the status prove her mettle as a ruler capable of of a favored and valued loyalist State for handling the State in times of political Bhopal. Lord Canning credited her entirely instability and war, to her enemies within for this, in a speech delivered in a durbar the ruling family. Personally, she was a held in 1861 he extends his gratitude in strict adherent of Islam and adopted a the following words, “when the State was very simple lifestyle. She indulged in a lot beset and threatened by our enemies, you, of public and charitable work, including a woman, guided its affairs with a courage, the construction of Bhopal waterworks an ability, and a success that would have and laying of pipelines throughout her done honour to any statesman or soldier.” State, and issued a number of religious Destined to be a ruler, Sikandar benefactions. She trained in horse-riding Begum was trained in martial arts since and military techniques and is known to childhood, and defying gender norms, she have frequently participated in hunting also indulged in playing polo, practicing and other martial activities. archery and went hunting. She is believed Although Sikandar Begum (1847- to have inherited the headstrongness of 1868) was declared the successor to the her mother as she decided to leave the throne, the deal was that she would soon Nawab after he disagreed with her giving be married, after which her husband would up of purdah and inflicted a sword wound take control over the empire. Qudsia Begum on her hand. She went to Islamnagar fort enjoyed the authority of a decision-maker and it was here that she gave birth to here and wanted to keep the affairs of the her daughter Shah Jehan Begum. Apart State in her control. She went to the extent from being an able ruler and tough army of issuing a warning to her future son-in- commander, Sikandar Begum believed law to always please and obey her. But call that there should be progress in culture, it fate or ‘veiled opportunity’, Sikandar’s education and administration, too, and husband Nawab Jahangir Muhammad worked towards women’s education and Khan Bahadur died after ruling for six health reforms. She founded the Victoria years in 1844, and she came to the throne, School where girls were taught basic playing a pivotal role in the First War of academic subjects and were also trained Indian Independence (1857-1858). In this in vocations such as handicrafts. Sikander battle, she chose to ally with the British Begum is known to have performed the (even though most members of the royal Haj to Mecca and also maintained a diary family were against it), and it was in lieu of to record events during this pilgrimage, her assistance and claim to be invested as which was later translated and published Ruling Chief of the State that the British as ‘A Pilgrimage to Mecca.’ government declared her a sovereign Shah Jehan Begum (1868-1901) in her own right and made her the only succeeded to the throne after her mother female knight besides Queen Victoria Sikandar Begum’s death. The archival in the British Empire. Furthermore, her evidence suggests that unlike her

32 laosnuk&2020 Vol. II Issue-2 ISSN 2581-9917 predecessors, Shah Jehan Begum was Begum educated her and instilled strict distinctly feminine. She repulsed training discipline from the very beginning. Her in the martial arts and in fact wanted to daily timetable included morning exercise, be a poetess. She was fluent in Arabic and reading of the Quran, practicing writing and Persian language and had also acquired learning languages like English, Persian, formal training in handling account and etc., practicing arithmetic and physical state affairs. Further, her strong inclination training in the form of horse riding and towards art and literature transformed the fencing. Thus, the routine was similar to State of Bhopal into a cultural and literary any male member of the royal household, center, with her reign still regarded as a both physically and academically. ‘Golden Period’ in the State’s literary and Like her predecessors, Sultan Jahan is poetic history. Shah Jehan is credited with acknowledged for her contribution to the the composition of several Urdu poems field of education and modernization of (under the penname Shirin) and also the the Bhopal State. She presided over the text ‘Tahzib un-Niswan wa Tarbiyat ul- All Women’s Conference on Educational Insan’, a reformist manual dedicated to Reform and was the founder and first women, containing a range of topics from Chancellor (and till today the only female women’s work to their status in Islam. Chancellor) of Aligarh Muslim University. Her competence and capability as a ruler She organized several social and educational were in no way impacted by the fact that campaigns for women’s emancipation she chose to embrace purdah. She was and worked towards the reformation of a strong administrator and contributed other sectors too, for example, the police, towards the improvement of education, judiciary, army, taxation, agriculture and health, housing and technology. Following health and sanitation. her mother, she took special interest in the propagation of education, spending However, Sultan Jahan’s most enormous funds on schools and Madrasa. noteworthy contribution can be seen in the restoration work at Sanchi, an important Her daughter and successor, Sultan ancient Buddhist site of ancient India, Jahan Begum (1901-1926) is undoubtedly situated in Raisen District of Madhya one of the most interesting and audacious Pradesh. Her interest in antiquities can be female personalities of the 20th century. traced back to 1903 when on her return She ascended the throne at the age of 43, from a pilgrimage to Mecca, she brought three weeks after her mother’s death. From religious relics and organized a ceremonial the beginning of her reign, she had to face display of the same at the Moti Masjid. As a lot of difficulties (an empty treasury, for Sanchi, it had figured prominently in instances of maladministration, etc.) but her public life. Repair efforts at Sanchi overcoming all obstacles she ultimately started in 1904 under the supervision of H managed to establish a successful B Cook, whose manner of execution proved administration. As a child, Sultan Jahan extremely destructive. John Marshall, had been well prepared to assume the the DirectorGeneral of the Archaeological role of a ruler. Her grandmother Sikandar Survey of India at that time, instead

33 laosnuk&2020 Vol. II Issue-2 ISSN 2581-9917 shifted the blame on Muslim chowkidars, by benevolence and a pioneering reformist who in his opinion were unable to look zeal, which brought radical changes in after Buddhist monuments and therefore the cultural, educational, and political suggested to employ Buddhist chowkidars structure of Bhopal for centuries to come. in their place. The Begum however strongly refuted Marshall’s suggestion and felt that References: by raising alarm in this manner Marshall • Lahiri, Nayanjot. Finding Forgotten was questioning her capacity to look after Cities: How the Indus Civilization was Bhopal’s monuments. Discovered. Hachette Book Group, 2012. UK. Thus, their association started on a ‘sour note’, but it was to go a long way, • Metcalf, Barbara. “Islam and Power as in due course the Begum became in Colonial India: The Making and Marshall’s chief benefactor and his Sanchi Unmaking of a Muslim Princess.” The volumes are dedicated to her memory. American Historical Review, Volume This however remains the classic case of 116, Issue 1, February 2011, pp. 1–30. historical neglect till date, as although the https://academic.oup.com/ahr/ Begum provided all necessary financial article/116/1/1/41579 and logistical support for the restoration • Naik, Priya. “The remarkable Begums work, she is not at all acknowledged for her who defied patriarchal norms contribution. The museum at the foot of the to rule Bhopal for more than a Sanchi hill, which was in fact sanctioned century.” Scroll.in. https://scroll.in/ by her, contains nothing to remind visitors magazine/917529/the-remarkable- of her contribution. A photo exhibition begums-who-defied-patriarchal- organized as late as in 2006 ‘remembered’ norms-to-rule-bhopal-for-more-than-a- a range of people associated with the site, century but there was no mention of the Begum’s • Preckel, Claudia. Begums of Bhopal. patronage to Sanchi. Lotus Collections, 2000, New Delhi. Despite such neglects and attempted • Schwarb-Akhoun, Dominique. erasures, the memory of these “Sikandar Begum, Nawab of Bhopal.” independentminded and strong-willed Women History Month 2020. Begums of Bhopal, who fought for and SOAS Library Special Collections. inspired thousands of women during and https://blogs.soas.ac.uk/ after their lifetime, has survived. All four archives/2020/03/08/sikandar_ of them practiced Islam, but their religion begum_nawab_of_bhopal/ and gender never came in the way of their vehement rejection of the constrains • Sharma, Jyoti Pandey. “Sacralizing imposed by a patriarchal society. We find the City: The Begums of Bhopal and a lot of instances when they invoked their Mosques.” Creative Space, Vol 1 Tradition or interpreted the tenets of their No 2, 2014, pp. 145-165. https://doi. faith according to their suitability and org/10.15415/cs.2014.12002 desire. Their long rule was characterized ***** 34