Birth Bicentenary of Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar

Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last of the Mughal Emperors, was born Abdul Muzaffar Muhammad Sirajuddin Bahadur Shah in 1775, the son of Akbar Shah II. He ascended to the throne of Delhi in 1837, inheriting an empire that had lost much of its former glory. Despite his limited authority, confined mostly within the walls of the Red Fort, Bahadur Shah was known for his proficiency in Urdu, Persian, and Arabic, as well as his skill in calligraphy.

Bahadur Shah was also renowned as a poet and adopted the pen name Zafar. He was a man of aesthetic sensibilities, with a deep love for Indian music. He composed numerous Khiyals, thumris, dadras, and other musical forms, which became popular in Northern India. Additionally, he undertook the construction of several buildings in and around the Red Fort

During the rebellion in Meerut in 1857, rebels flocked to Delhi, proclaiming Bahadur Shah as the Emperor of Hindustan. He became the symbolic leader of the revolt, with rebel leaders rallying around him in various parts of the country. However, after the recapture of Delhi by the British later that year, Bahadur Shah was deposed, imprisoned, and tried by a military court. He was convicted of treason, conspiracy, rebellion, and murder, and subsequently exiled to Rangoon.

In exile, Bahadur Shah was accompanied by two of his wives, a son, and a grandson, the only surviving members of the Mughal Dynasty. He passed away in Rangoon in 1862, yearning for his homeland until his last breath. In one of his famous odes composed before his death, he lamented his unfortunate fate, expressing his sorrow at not being able to be buried in his beloved homeland:

“Kitna hai badnasib Zafar dafn ke liye Do gaz zamin bhi na mili ku-i-yar men”

(How unfortunate is Zafar, for a burial place Not even two yards of land were available, in the land of the beloved)