Indian Antiquary Vol 43

SR No.: 032535
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 344
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 14 MB

Page 247

NOVEMBER, 1914.)
BOOK-NOTICE.
243
greatly, may, too well beloved by her father.is was crowned. With this end in view, she employed That vogue statement, probably, is merely an echo all her cleverness and energy to satisfy her father, of Bernier, without independent value.
she served him with the greatest love and diligence The evidence of Tavernier, such as it is, appears
in order that Shahjahan should accede to her to be based upon rumours beard by him, personally,
petitions. It was from this cause that the common and not derived from Bernier. After relating the
people hinted that she had intercourse with her death of Shahjahan in 1666, Tavernier proceeds:
father, and this has given occasion to Monsieur As soon as Aurangzeb had news of it he came to
Bernier to write many things about this princess, Agra and seized all the jewels of the late king his
founded entirely on the talk of low people. Therefather, which he had not touched during his life.
fore, it is incumbent on me, begging his pardon, to Bêgum Sahib also had a quantity of precious
say that what he writes is untrue'.? stones, which he had not taken from her when
The foregoing extracts give, so far as I can he placed her in the fortress, being at that time
ascertain, the whole of the evidence concerning satisfied with securing the gold and silver with
the disgraceful charge against Shahjahan and his which her chests were full. These jewels afforded
daughter. Little weight need 'be attached to the certain evidence to Aurangzeb's sense of propriety,
rumours repeated by Bernier, Tavernier, and Va. 8 for other reasons the Princess, his sister, had
lentyn. As against them, if they stood alone, the already been suspected of having had improper
contradiction by Manusci might perhaps be accepted relations with Shahjahån, and he found means to
as a sufficient counterpoise. But the extremely obtain them which appeared honest and far from
positive assertion of De Laët stands on a different criminal, by treating the Begum Sahib with much
footing. It was published, as has been shown, most honour and attention; but he removed her to
probably in 1632, and certainly not later than 1634, Jahânâbâd scil. Delhi], and I saw the elephant
during the lifetime of Shahjahân, who did not die pass upon which she was mounted when she left
until 1666. The accusation as set forth in De Agra with the court, as I was entering it on my
Lost's pages is peculiarly horrible, because it rereturn from Bengal. In a short time after, news
presents Shanjahånas forming the incestuous was spread of the death of this Princess, and all
connexion with his daughter immediately after the world believed that it had been hastened by
the death of her mother, who had borne him poison's
thirteen other children and beyond doubt was As a matter of fact. Begam Sahib did not die ardently loved by him, as her unique monument until Sept. 16. 1681 (Ramzan 3, A. H. 1092), 18 testifies to this day. Although it is undeniable stated by Irvine., Storia do Mogor, II, 256 n., that Shahjahan was excessively devoted to sensual quoting the Tarikh-i-Muhammadi. She was then
pleasures, and there is reason to believe that his an old woman of 67, and the story about her being
daughter engaged in various illicit amours, it seems poisoned is ridiculous.
almost incredible at first sight that both father and
daughter could have been so utterly depraved as Manucol states that the first daughter whom
they are alleged to have bee . Yet similar prac. Shahjahân haut was · Begom Saeb (Begam Sahib),
tices prevail, or prevailed a few years ago, among the eldest of all, whom her father loved to an
the puritan Boers of South Africa, who are said to extraordinary degree, as most lovely, discreet,
have adduced scriptural warrant for their conduct, loving, generous, open-minded, and charitable.
just as Shahjaha, according to Bernier, found She was loved by all, and lived in state and mag.
Mullahs complaisant enough to provide an excuse nificence ..... She exerted herself a great
for him. deal to secure the throne to her brother Dark; this was due to her eagerness to marry, Dard My conelusion is that the unpleasant accusation having promised to give his consent as soon as he against Shahjahan and his daughter, even if it be
Bernier's Travels, ed. Constable (1891), p. 11. Bernier goes on to relate two stories of amours of the prino88, both ending in tragedy. Manuoci. while expressing disbelief in Bernier's stories, gives others of his own, equally scandaloue.
5 Tavernier, Travels in India, transl. V. Ball (1891) I. p. 344.
6 Do Thevenot has the same story that Begam Sahib's death was hastened by poison (English transl., 1686, Part III, p. 36). Although he censures the crimes by which shåhjahan cloared his way to the throne this author does not mention the accusation of incest.
7 Irvine, Storia do Mogor, I, 216.