The last Mughal emperor of India, Bahadur Shah Zafar II (1775-1862) was born Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar and was a very famous Urdu poet in his times. His poems are still read with much enthusiasm and admiration among the numerous Urdu poetry fans. The life history of Bahadur Shah Zafar is very interesting and is read with much enthusiasm by all. Read on further about Bahadur Shah Zafar biography and learn more about this Mughal emperor who was a genius poet.
Regarded as one of the greatest Urdu poets in the history of India, Bahadur Shah Zafar wrote a large number of Urdu Ghazals most of which were lost during wars fought in the year 1857. Yet, many of them were saved and were later on compiled as Kulliyat-I-Zafar. His Ghazals are a beautiful collection of words that spell magic and are read with awe and admiration even today.
Bahadur Shah Zafar was the last and the weakest Mughal emperor. Even then he was considered a hero and was portrayed like one in many Hindi films. A road has been named in his honor in New Delhi, India. His valuable contribution in the Indian freedom struggle is very much acknowledged and he is known as a nationalist in modern India.
He was not a very able emperor and his empire had a lot of chaos and unrest. He was defeated and was sent on an exile in Rangoon. He died over there in the year 1862 and a tomb was built in his honor, which exists even today.
Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar, also known as Bahadur Shah or Bahadur Shah II was the last of the Mughal emperors in India, as well as the last ruler of the Timurid Dynasty. He was the son of Akbar Shah II and Lalbai, who was a Hindu Rajput. He became the Mughal Emperor upon his father's death on 28 September 1837. Zafar ,meaning “victory” was his 'nom de plume' (takhallus) as an Urdu poet.
He has written many Urdu ghazals. After the Indian Rebellion of 1857 the British Administration exiled him from Delhi.
Ascent to the Throne / Masnad
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Zafar's father, Akbar Shah Saani II, ruled over a rapidly disintegrating empire between 1806 to 1837. It was during his time that the East India Company dispensed with even the fig leaf of ruling in the name of the Mughal monarch and removed his name from the Persian texts that appeared on the coins struck by the company in the areas under their control.
Bahadur Shah Zafar who succeeded him was not Akbar Shah Saani’s choice as his successor. Akbar Shah was, in fact, under great pressure by one of his queens, Mumtaz Begum to declare her son Mirza Jahangir as the successor. Akbar Shah would have probably accepted this demand but Mirza Jahangir had fallen afoul of the British and they would have none of this.
Bahadur Shah Zafar who succeeded him was not Akbar Shah Saani’s choice as his successor. Akbar Shah was, in fact, under great pressure by one of his queens, Mumtaz Begum to declare her son Mirza Jahangir as the successor. Akbar Shah would have probably accepted this demand but Mirza Jahangir had fallen afoul of the British and they would have none of this.
As Emperor
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Bahadur Shah Zafar presided over a Mughal empire that barely extended beyond Delhi's Red Fort. The East India Company were the dominant political and military power in mid 19th-century India. Outside British India, hundreds of kingdoms and principalities, from the large to the small, fragmented the land. The emperor in Delhi was paid some respect by the Company and allowed a pension, the authority to collect some taxes, and to maintain a small military force in Delhi, but he posed no threat to any power in India. Bahadur Shah II himself did not take an interest in statecraft or possess any imperial ambitions. After the Indian Rebellion of 1857 the British Administration exiled him from Delhi.
Emperor Bahadur Shah is seen by some in India as a freedom fighter (he was Commander-In-Chief of the mutiny army), fighting for India's independence from the Company. As the last ruling member of the imperial Timurid Dynasty he was surprisingly composed and calm when Major Hodson presented decapitated heads of his own sons to him as Nowruz gifts. He is famously remembered to have said.
"Praise be to Allah, that descendents of Timur always come in front of their fathers in this way."
As Poet
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Emperor Bahadur Shah is seen by some in India as a freedom fighter (he was Commander-In-Chief of the mutiny army), fighting for India's independence from the Company. As the last ruling member of the imperial Timurid Dynasty he was surprisingly composed and calm when Major Hodson presented decapitated heads of his own sons to him as Nowruz gifts. He is famously remembered to have said.
"Praise be to Allah, that descendents of Timur always come in front of their fathers in this way."
As Poet
--------------
Bahadur Shah Zafar was a noted Urdu poet, and wrote a large number of Urdu ghazals. While some part of his opus was lost or destroyed during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, a large collection did survive, and was later compiled into the Kulliyyat-i-Zafar. The court that he maintained, although somewhat decadent and arguably pretentious for someone who was effectively a pensioner of the British East India Company, was home to several Urdu writers of high standing, including Ghalib, Dagh, Mumin, and Zauq.
Religious Attitudes
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Religious Attitudes
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Bahadur Shah Zafar was a devout Sufi. Zafar was himself regarded as a Sufi Pir and used to accept murids or pupils.The loyalist newspaper Delhi Urdu Akhbaar once called him one of the leading saints of the age, approved of by the divine court. Prior to his accession, in his youth he made it a point to live and look like a poor scholar and dervish, in stark contrast to his three well dressed dandy brothers, Mirza Jahangir, Salim and Babur. In 1828, when Zafar was 53 and a decade before he succeeded the throne, Major Archer reported, "Zafar is a man of spare figure and stature, plainly apparelled, almost approaching to meanness. His appearance is that of an indigent munshi or teacher of languages".
As a poet and dervish, Zafar imbibed the highest subtleties of mystical Sufi teachings.At the same time, he was deeply susceptible to the magical and superstitious side of Orthodox Sufism. Like many of his followers, he believed that his position as both a Sufi pir and emperor gave him tangible spiritual powers. In an incident in which one of his followers was bitten by a snake, Zafar attempted to cure him by sending a "seal of Bezoar" (a stone antidote to poison) and some water on which he had breathed, and giving it to the man to drink.
As a poet and dervish, Zafar imbibed the highest subtleties of mystical Sufi teachings.At the same time, he was deeply susceptible to the magical and superstitious side of Orthodox Sufism. Like many of his followers, he believed that his position as both a Sufi pir and emperor gave him tangible spiritual powers. In an incident in which one of his followers was bitten by a snake, Zafar attempted to cure him by sending a "seal of Bezoar" (a stone antidote to poison) and some water on which he had breathed, and giving it to the man to drink.
Death
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Bahadur Shah died in exile on 7 November 1862. He was buried near the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, at the site that later became known as Bahadur Shah Zafar Dargah. His wife Zeenat Mahal died in 1886.
In a marble enclosure adjoining the dargah of Sufi saint, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki at Mehrauli, an empty grave or Sardgah marks the site where he had willed to be buried along with some of his Mughal predecessors, Akbar Shah II, Bahadur Shah I (also known as Shah Alam I) and Shah Alam II.
In a marble enclosure adjoining the dargah of Sufi saint, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki at Mehrauli, an empty grave or Sardgah marks the site where he had willed to be buried along with some of his Mughal predecessors, Akbar Shah II, Bahadur Shah I (also known as Shah Alam I) and Shah Alam II.
lagtā nahīń hé jī mérā ūjař'é dayār méń
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Lagta nahi hai ji mera ujre dayar men
kiskī banī hé ālam-e-nā-pāyedār méń
būlbūl ko pāsbāń se na saiyyād se gilā
qismet méń qaid likhī tthī fasl-e-bahār méń
kaeh do in hassretoń se kahīń aur jā bas'
éńitnī jageh kahāń hé dil-e-dāGhdār méń
ik shāKh-e-gūl pe baiTh ke būlbūl hé shādmāń
kānTe bichā diye héń dil-e-lālāzār méń
umr-e-darāz māńg ke lāye tthe chār din
do ārzū méń kaT gayé do intezār méń
din zindagī ke Khatm hué shām ho gayī
p'hailā ke pāoń soyeń-ge kūńj-e-mazaar méń
kitnā hé bad-naseeb zafar dafn ke liye
do gaz zamīn bhī na milī kū-e-yār méń
baat karanii mujhe mushkil kabhii aisii to na thii
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baat karanii mujhe mushkil kabhii aisii to na thii
jaisii ab hai terii mahafil kabhii aisii to na thii
le gayaa chhiin ke kaun aaj teraa sabr-o-qarar
beqaraarii tujhe ai dil kabhii aisii to na thii
chashm-e-qaatil merii dushman thii hameshaa lekin
jaise ab ho ga_ii qaatil kabhii aisii to na thii
un kii aa.Nkho.n ne Khudaa jaane kiyaa kyaa jaaduu
ke tabiiyat merii maa_il kabhii aisii to na thii
aks-e-ruKh-e-yaar ne kis se hai tujhe chamakaayaa
taab tujh me.n maah-e-kaamil kabhii aisii to na thii
kyaa sabab tuu jo biga.Dataa hai "Zafar" se har baar
Khuu terii huur-e-shamaa_il kabhii aisii to na thii
jaisii ab hai terii mahafil kabhii aisii to na thii
le gayaa chhiin ke kaun aaj teraa sabr-o-qarar
beqaraarii tujhe ai dil kabhii aisii to na thii
chashm-e-qaatil merii dushman thii hameshaa lekin
jaise ab ho ga_ii qaatil kabhii aisii to na thii
un kii aa.Nkho.n ne Khudaa jaane kiyaa kyaa jaaduu
ke tabiiyat merii maa_il kabhii aisii to na thii
aks-e-ruKh-e-yaar ne kis se hai tujhe chamakaayaa
taab tujh me.n maah-e-kaamil kabhii aisii to na thii
kyaa sabab tuu jo biga.Dataa hai "Zafar" se har baar
Khuu terii huur-e-shamaa_il kabhii aisii to na thii
biich me.n pardaa du_ii kaa thaa jo haayal uTh gayaa
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biich me.n pardaa du_ii kaa thaa jo haayal uTh gayaa
aisaa kuchh dekhaa ke duniyaa se meraa dil uTh gayaa
shamaa ne ro ro ke kaaTii raat suulii par tamaam
shab ko jo mahafil se terii ai zeb-e-mahafil uTh gayaa
merii aa.Nkho.n me.n samaayaa us kaa aisaa nuur-e-haq
shauq-e-nazzaaraa ai badr-e-kaamil uTh gayaa
ai Zafar kyaa puuchhataa hai begunaah-o-bar-gunah
uTh gayaa ab jidhar ko vaaste qaatil uTh gayaa
aisaa kuchh dekhaa ke duniyaa se meraa dil uTh gayaa
shamaa ne ro ro ke kaaTii raat suulii par tamaam
shab ko jo mahafil se terii ai zeb-e-mahafil uTh gayaa
merii aa.Nkho.n me.n samaayaa us kaa aisaa nuur-e-haq
shauq-e-nazzaaraa ai badr-e-kaamil uTh gayaa
ai Zafar kyaa puuchhataa hai begunaah-o-bar-gunah
uTh gayaa ab jidhar ko vaaste qaatil uTh gayaa
hamane duniyaa me.n aake kyaa dekhaa
------------------------------------------
hamane duniyaa me.n aake kyaa dekhaa
dekhaa jo kuchh so Khvaab-saa dekhaa
hai to insaan Khaak kaa putalaa
lek paanii kaa bul-bulaa dekhaa
Khuub dekhaa jahaa.N ke Khuubaa.N ko
ek tujh saa na duusaraa dekhaa
ek dam par havaa na baa.Ndh habaab
dam ko dam bhar me.n yaa.N havaa dekhaa
na huye terii Khaak-e-paa ham ne
Khaak me.n aap ko milaa dekhaa
ab na diije "Zafar" kisii ko dil
ki jise dekhaa bevafaa dekhaa
dekhaa jo kuchh so Khvaab-saa dekhaa
hai to insaan Khaak kaa putalaa
lek paanii kaa bul-bulaa dekhaa
Khuub dekhaa jahaa.N ke Khuubaa.N ko
ek tujh saa na duusaraa dekhaa
ek dam par havaa na baa.Ndh habaab
dam ko dam bhar me.n yaa.N havaa dekhaa
na huye terii Khaak-e-paa ham ne
Khaak me.n aap ko milaa dekhaa
ab na diije "Zafar" kisii ko dil
ki jise dekhaa bevafaa dekhaa
khulataa nahii.n hai haal kisii par kahe baGair
---------------------------------------------
khulataa nahii.n hai haal kisii par kahe baGair
par dil kii jaan lete hai.n dil_bar kahe baGair
mai.n kyuu.Nkar kahuu.N tum aao ki dil kii kashish se
par dil kii jaan lete hai.n dil_bar kahe baGair
mai.n kyuu.Nkar kahuu.N tum aao ki dil kii kashish se
vo aayeNge dau.De aap mere ghar kahe baGair
kyaa taab kyaa majaal hamaarii ki bosaa le.n
lab ko tumhaare lab se milaakar kahe baGair
bedard tuu sune naa sune lek dard-e-dil
rahataa nahii.n hai aashiq-e-muztar kahe baGair
taqdiir ke sivaa nahii.n milataa kahii.n se bhii
dilavaataa ai "Zafar" hai muqaddar kahe baGair
kyaa taab kyaa majaal hamaarii ki bosaa le.n
lab ko tumhaare lab se milaakar kahe baGair
bedard tuu sune naa sune lek dard-e-dil
rahataa nahii.n hai aashiq-e-muztar kahe baGair
taqdiir ke sivaa nahii.n milataa kahii.n se bhii
dilavaataa ai "Zafar" hai muqaddar kahe baGair
na kisii kii aa.Nkh kaa nuur huu.N na kisii ke dil kaa qaraar huu.N
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na kisii kii aa.Nkh kaa nuur huu.N na kisii ke dil kaa qaraar huu.N
jo kisii ke kaam na aa sake mai.n vo ek musht-e-Gubaar huu.N
na to mai.n kisii kaa habiib huu.N na to mai.n kisii kaa raqiib huu.N
jo biga.D gayaa vo nasiib huu.N jo uja.D gayaa vo dayaar huu.N
meraa rang-ruup biga.D gayaa meraa yaar mujh se bichha.D gayaa
jo chaman fizaa.N me.n uja.D gayaa mai.n usii kii fasl-e-bahaar huu.N
paye faatehaa ko_ii aaye kyuu.N ko_ii chaar phuul cha.Daaye kyuu.N
ko_ii aake shammaa jalaaye kyuu.N mai.n vo bekasii kaa mazaar huu.N
mai.n nahii.n huu.N naGmaa-e-jaa.N_fishaa.N mujhe sun ke ko_ii karegaa kyaa
mai.n ba.De barog kii huu.N sadaa main ba.De dukh kii pukaar huu.N
jo kisii ke kaam na aa sake mai.n vo ek musht-e-Gubaar huu.N
na to mai.n kisii kaa habiib huu.N na to mai.n kisii kaa raqiib huu.N
jo biga.D gayaa vo nasiib huu.N jo uja.D gayaa vo dayaar huu.N
meraa rang-ruup biga.D gayaa meraa yaar mujh se bichha.D gayaa
jo chaman fizaa.N me.n uja.D gayaa mai.n usii kii fasl-e-bahaar huu.N
paye faatehaa ko_ii aaye kyuu.N ko_ii chaar phuul cha.Daaye kyuu.N
ko_ii aake shammaa jalaaye kyuu.N mai.n vo bekasii kaa mazaar huu.N
mai.n nahii.n huu.N naGmaa-e-jaa.N_fishaa.N mujhe sun ke ko_ii karegaa kyaa
mai.n ba.De barog kii huu.N sadaa main ba.De dukh kii pukaar huu.N
subah ro ro ke shaam hotii hai
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subah ro ro ke shaam hotii hai
shab ta.Dap kar tamaam hotii hai
saamane chashm-e-mast ke saaqii
kis ko parvaah-e-jaam hotii hai
ko_ii Gunchaa khilaa ke bul-bul ko
bekalii zar-e-daam hotii hai
ham jo kahate hai.n kuchh ishaaro.n se
ye Khataa laa-kalaam hotii hai
shab ta.Dap kar tamaam hotii hai
saamane chashm-e-mast ke saaqii
kis ko parvaah-e-jaam hotii hai
ko_ii Gunchaa khilaa ke bul-bul ko
bekalii zar-e-daam hotii hai
ham jo kahate hai.n kuchh ishaaro.n se
ye Khataa laa-kalaam hotii hai
