Role Of Hazrat Mehal

Begum Hazrat Mahal​: Important leader of the ​Revolt of 1857​. ​Begum Hazrat Mahal​ was one of the important leaders of
the ​Revolt of 1857​ which shook the very foundation of the British rule in India. She was the wife of Nawab Wajid Ali
Shah who was deposed by the British in 1856 and sent to exile in Calcutta.​ Begum Hazrat Mahal​: was the wife of
Nawab Wajid Ali Shah who was deposed by the British in 1856 and sent to exile in Calcutta.​ she took charge of the
affairs in the state of Awadh and seized control of Lucknow. She also arranged for her son, Prince ​Birjis Qadr​, to
become ​Wali​ (ruler) of Awadh; However, she was forced to abandon this role after a short reign. She rebelled against the British
East India Company during the ​Indian Mutiny of 1857​. She finally found asylum in Nepal where she died in 1879.​[2]​ she took
charge of the affairs in the state of Awadh and seized control of Lucknow. She also arranged
for her son, Prince ​Birjis Qadr​, to become ​Wali​ (ruler) of Awadh; However, she was forced to
abandon this role after a short reign. She rebelled against the British East India Company
during the ​Indian Mutiny of 1857​. She finally found asylum in Nepal where she died in 1879.​[2]

Biography​[​edit​]
Mahal's name was Muhammadi Khanum, and she was born at Faizabad, Awadh, India. She was a courtesan by profession and had been
taken into the royal harem as a ​khawasin​ after being sold by her parents. She was then sold to Royal agents, and later promoted to
a ​pari,​ [3]​
​ and was known as Mahak Pari.​[4]​[​self-published source?​]​ She became a ​begum​ after being accepted as a royal concubine of the King of
Awadh,​[5]​ and the title 'Hazrat Mahal' was bestowed on her after the birth of their son, ​Birjis Qadar​.

Indian Mutiny of 1857​[​edit​]

During the ​Indian Mutiny​, from 1857 to 1858, Begum Hazrat Mahal's band of supporters, led by Raja Jailal Singh, rebelled against the forces
of the British; later, they seized control of ​Lucknow​ and she declared her son, Birjis Qadra, as the ruler (​Wali​) of Oudh.​[3]
One of the principal complaints of Begum Hazrat Mahal was that the East India Company had casually demolished temples and mosques to
make way for roads.​[8]​ In a proclamation issued during the final days of the revolt, she mocked the British claim to allow freedom of worship:​[8]
To eat pigs and drink wine, to bite greased cartridges and to mix pig's fat with sweetmeats, to destroy Hindu and Mussalman temples on
pretense of making roads, to build churches, to send clergymen into the streets to preach the Christian religion, to institute English schools,
and pay people a monthly stipend for learning the English sciences, while the places of worship of Hindus and Mussalmans are to this day
entirely neglected; with all this, how can people believe that religion will not be interfered with?​[8]
When the forces under the command of the British ​re-captured Lucknow​ and most of Oudh, she was forced to retreat. Hazrat Mahal worked
in association with ​Nana Saheb​, but later joined the Maulavi of ​Faizabad​ in the attack on ​Shahjahanpur​.

Later life​[​edit​]
Ultimately, she had to retreat to ​Nepal​, where she was initially refused asylum by the Rana prime minister ​Jang Bahadur​,​[9]​ but was later
allowed to stay.​[10]​ She died there in 1879 and was buried in a nameless grave in the grounds of Kathmandu's Jama Masjid.​[11]​ After her death,
on the occasion of the jubilee of Queen Victoria (1887), the British Government pardoned Birjis Qadar and he was allowed to return home.​[12]

Memorials
Begum Hazrat Mahal's tomb is located in central part of Kathmandu near Jama Masjid, Ghantaghar, nor far away from the famous Darbar
Marg. It is looked after by the Jama Masjid Central Committee.
Memorial of Begum Hazrat Mahal in Begum Hazrat Mahal Park, ​Lucknow

On 15 August 1962, Mahal was honoured at the Old Victoria Park in ​Hazratganj​, Lucknow for her role in the Great Revolt.​[13]​[14]​[15]​ Along with
the renaming of the park, a marble memorial was constructed, which includes a marble tablet with four round brass plaques bearing the Coat
of Arms of the Awadh royal family. The park has been used for ​Ramlilas​ and bonfires during ​Dusshera​, as well as Lucknow Mahotsava
(Lucknow Exposition).​[16]​[​better source needed​]
On 10 May 1984, the ​Government of India​ issued a commemorative stamp in honour of Mahal. The first day cover was designed by C.R.
Pakrashi, and the cancellation was done by Alka Sharma. 15,00,000 stamps were issued.​[17]​[13]
The ​Ministry of Minority Affairs​, ​Government of India​ has started the Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship for Meritorious Girls
belonging to minority communities in ​India​. This scholarship is implemented through the ​Maulana Azad​ Education Foundation.​[18]​[19]
Vs

 The First War of Independence 

(1857-58) was the first general 
widespread uprising against the rule 
of the British East India Company. 
The Doctrine of Lapse, issue of 
cartridges greased with animal fat to 
Indian soldiers, introduction of 
British system of education and a 
number of social reforms had 
infuriated a very wide section of the 
Indian people, who rose in revolt at a 
number of places all over India. The 
East India Company was brought 
under the direct rule of the British 
Crown as a result of this uprising. 

        Of the very large number of freedom fighters, who led the 
struggle, four are being commemorated through the present series, 
which is a part of the larger series on India's Struggle for Freedom. 

Tuesday September 11, 2018 About Internship Contact NewsGram HOME WORLD U.S.A. INDIA HISTORY & CULTURE
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Indian History & Culture Unsung hero of 1857 revolt: Begum Hazrat Mahal By Munish.Raizada - May 27, 20150 //2111
Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Republish Reprint By Harshmeet Singh India’s struggle for freedom was a long and
painful process. While most history books term ‘India’s freedom struggle’ as an era which began after Congress came into
being in 1885, the significance of the epic battle of 1857 can’t be undermined either. Several experts have given different
names to the 1857 battle. While some call it ‘India’s first war for Independence’ and ‘an uprising’, some call it a ‘sepoy
mutiny’ and ‘an unorganized rebellion destined to fail’. While the jury will always be out on the after effects and nature of
the 1857 battle, the fact remains that it gave India its first ever war heroes, most of who have been confined to a small
paragraph in school history books. One of those unsung heroes of the 1857 battle was the erstwhile begum of Awadh,
Begum Hazrat Mahal. Along with Rani of Jhansi, she remains one of the first women war heroes of India. After her
husband, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was exiled to Calcutta, Begum took over the realm of Awadh and exhibited her knack for
leadership. Her first major achievement was taking back the control of Lucknow from the British with the help of her
accomplices including Nana Saheb, Sarafad-daulah and Raja Jai Lal. In 1856, the British had taken control of the Awadh
and forcefully exiled the King (Begum’s husband) to Calcutta. Seeing the demeaning treatment offered to their Nawab, the
local population and the Awadh army initiated a rebellion against the British. Keeping an eye on the situation, the Begum
consulted Nana Saheb and decided to attack the British, with the entire Awadh army at her command. The surprise attack
forced the British to back down and accept defeat. With Lucknow under her control, she proclaimed her son, Prince Birjis
Qadr as the King of Awadh. The British, stunned by the actions of the Awadh army under the Begum, took refuge in The
Residency. Built between 1780 and 1800 in the heart of Lucknow, The Residency was the residence of the British officer
who lived in Awadh and represented the company’s views. The resources at Residency allowed the British to beef up their
forces and attack the Awadh forces again. The Residency thus became the site of the epic ‘Siege of Lucknow’ – the battle
between the British and the Awadh forces. The battle in Lucknow was perhaps the most hard fought of all regional battles
in the 1857 revolt. Although her son’s rule at the throne was short-lived as the British forces re-captured most parts of
Awadh, the Begum didn’t agree to surrender. She was particularly critical of the British about their claim of allowing
freedom of worship to others. In one of her proclamations about the British, she said – “To eat pigs and drink wine, to bite
greased cartridges and to mix pig’s fat with sweetmeats, to destroy Hindu and Mussalman temples on pretense of making
roads, to build churches, to send clergymen into the streets to preach the Christian religion, to institute English schools,
and pay people a monthly stipend for learning the English sciences, while the places of worship of Hindus and Mussalmans
are to this day entirely neglected; with all this, how can people believe that religion will not be interfered with?” After the
British successfully struck down the revolt, Queen Victoria issued a proclamation to the Indian people, which read – “We
hereby announce to the Native Princes of India that all treaties, engagements made with them by or under the authority of
the Honorable East India Company are by us accepted, and will be scrupulously maintained, and We look for a like
observance on their part. We desire no extensions of Our present territorial possessions ; and while We will permit no
aggression upon Our dominions or Our Rights to be attempted with impunity, We shall sanction no encroachment on those
of others, We shall respect the rights, dignity, and honor of Native Princes as Our own ; and we desire that they—as well
as our own subjects—should enjoy prosperity, and that social advancement, which can only be secured by internal peace
and good government. We hold ourselves bound to the Natives of Our Indian territories by the same obligations of duty,
which bind us to all Our other subjects, and those obligations by the Blessing of God, we shall faithfully and conscientiously
fulfil.” In response, the Begum issued a counter proclamation in her son’s name and asked, “If the Queen has assumed the
government, why does Her Majesty not restore our country to us when our people wish it?” With the British recovering
from early jolts and crushing the rebellion, Begum had to seek asylum in Nepal under the patronage of Prime Minister Jang
Bahadur. Her last days were spent in Kathmandu, where she was buried at the local Jama Masjid after her death in 1879.
In 1962, Lucknow’s Victoria Park was renamed as ‘Begum Hazrat Mahal Park’, to honour her contribution towards India’s
freedom struggle. But during BJP’s rule in UP in 1992, the park was renamed again as ‘Urmila Vatika’, highlighting
Government’s disregard towards the valiant queen. The Indian Government, in 1984, came out with a commemorative
stamp in her honour. Begum Hazrat Mahal’s grave in Nepal is in a deplorable condition. Governments of both the countries
have turned a blind eye towards the grave of the lady who proved 150 years ago that women are second to none!
  ​Notable Quotes on the Queen of Oudh - Begum Hazrat Mahal
“​

"Hazrat Mahal, Begum of Oudh, during the national liberation uprising of 1857-59 in I
KARL MARX​ headed the rebels."​

"... The Begum has excited all Oudh to take up the interest of her son, and the Chiefs
SIR W. H. RUSSEL
sworn to be faithful..."
...more​

"The Begums of Oudh have left an abiding mark on history of Oudh ...towards the clo
the dynasty came ..... Hazrat Mahal, Judith of the Sepoy Mutiny, the ever more heroic
Sir Jadunath Sarkar consort of the still softer Wajid Ali Shah."

​...more

S. N. Sen "She was a better man than her husband and lord."
​...more​

"That the resolute and capable Begum still maintained, in spite of all these disorders,
Veer Savarkar whole administration in tact is a sure indication of her grit."

"Begum Hazrat Mahal of Oudh was the last of the breed of able queens and generals. T
queen led her kingdom's army into battle during the revolt of 1857. Even after she was
Qurratulain Hyder defeated she defied Queen Victoria's famous Proclamation and issued a counter
Proclamation...."

"She wiped out the blot of cowardice from the face of the ruling fami
Prince Anjum Quder Avadh."

Roshan Taqui 
"Lucknow 1857:  "Begum Hazrat Mahal, Raja Jia Lal ....they were the lodestar of the fir
The Two Wars" war of independence."
 "..who like Joan of Arc of 15th century France had challenged the
hegemony of the British, fired hope in the sunken hearts, appeared fr
M. Kaukab Qadr the unknown like a meteor and spread the flame of freedom in the le
and breadth of Oudh."

Art and culture of begum hazrat mehal

She had humble origins, being born into a poor Syed family in Faizabad, Awadh, under the name Muhammadi Khanum. 
A courtesan by profession, she was eventually sold into the royal harem by her family, wherein she swiftly changed her fortune: moving 
from a lowly ‘khawasin’ to a ‘pari’, and finally, to a ‘begum’, once the King of Awadh accepted her as his royal concubine. 
The title ‘Hazrat Mahal’, however, wasn't bequeathed to her until 1845, when she gave birth to her son and the royal heir, Birjis 
QadraRelentless in her pursuit, Begum Hazrat Mahal appealed to the rural folks of Awadh herself, and urged them to join her in the fight. 
With their support, she singlehandedly led her troops to victory, and seized control over Lucknow once again. On 5th July, 1857, she 
triumphantly reinstated Indian rule in Awadh, handing over the throne to her 14 year old son.​ Begum Hazrat Mahal lost control over 
Lucknow and most of Awadh once the British troops returned on 16th March 1858; she fled the state with her army. Her failure to save the 
kingdom, however, did not deter her from attempting to organize soldiers again at other places. 
By the end of 1859, after a brief residential stay in Terai, Begum Hazrat Mahal had lost most of her adherents, and was forced to seek 
asylum outside the country. 
he migrated to Nepal, and persuaded the Himalayan Kingdom to let her stay, in spite of the British Government’s demands for her 
handover. She spent her entire wealth in the country, attempting to provide for the one hundred thousand people that had, in their loyalty, 
followed her.​ The British offered her a hefty pension to return to Awadh and work under them, but she turned it down, and continued to 
resist the British rule till she breathed her last in 1879. 
She was buried on the grounds of Jama Masjid in Kathmandu. In an attempt to recognise her pivotal role in India’s first freedom struggle, 
she was duly honored at the Old Victoria Park in Hazratganj, Lucknow on 15th August, 1962, and was commemorated with a marble 
memorial, bearing the coat of arms of the Awadh family. 

How Begum Hazrat Mahal built her army

and recaptured Lucknow from the British
Begum Hazrat Mahal was one of the prominent women freedom fighters who went on to fight the British and
recaptured her kingdom

Begum Hazrat Mahal also popularly known as the Begum of Awadh was the wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of
Lucknow and​ one of the most prominent figures of the Indian independence movement. She was one of the many
courageous women who helped India break free from the colonial rule. Widely known for her immense contribution in the
first war of independence in 1857, Hazrat Mahal bravely stood up to the British forces.

After her victory, she crowned her son Birjis Qadar as the King of Awadh. The people across the city decided to support her
and put their faith on her due to which she was able to recapture Awadh.

“This Begam exhibits great energy and ability. She has excited all Oudh to take up the interests of her son, and the Chiefs
have sworn to be faithful to him. The Begum declares undying war against us,” William Howard Russell wrote in his memoir
My Indian Mutiny Diary.
She continued to make efforts in keeping an army on the field throughout and raised her voice against British oppression by
demanding the rights of her family as the rulers of the state. She failed to recapture Awadh and migrated to Nepal. She is
believed to spend all her wealth in providing and supporting the thousands of refugees of 1857 who followed her to Nepal.
She refused to accept the pension that was offered to her by the British who had urged her to come back to her kingdom
and work under the East India Company.

Photo: Supriya Bhardwaj | Twitter

Death