Daily Times

Jahangir was so fond of collecting manuscripts that he was always willing to pay even exorbitant amounts for them. The manuscript that Jahangir bought for 3000 Ashrafis ie 10,000 pounds, it wouldn’t have fetched even 2000 pounds had it been sold in Paris. Actually the Timurids, Mughal emperors and Nobles used to pay such high prices that are beyond our understanding. It wasn’t unusual that a famous handwritten version of the Holy Quran would have been bought for an amount equal to 1,000,000 francs of that time.

Jahangir emphasised on illustrating books so that the reader could enjoy the pictures along with the written expression. To accomplish this objective he ordered that Jahangirnama be illustrated with the pictures of those animals that Muqarab Khan had brought from the coast of Goa.”

Personally, Jahangir was a very extravagant and bighearted man. Italian traveller Niccolao Manucci writes about this in his book History of Mughal Dynasty in India, “Jahangir was essentially a compassionate and generous man. The least amount he would give someone would be Rs 100,000. He gave this huge amount away as if it meant nothing. Once he asked for 100,000 rupees to be brought to him so that he could see how much it was. The minister thought in his heart that today the Emperor will see with his own eyes how big an amount it really is and then no one would be paid that amount. The result of this exercise, however, was contrary to his speculation. The emperor said, ‘I thought that 100,000 rupees was a substantial amount but this is too meager.’ He doubled his endowments after that. The minister who wanted to curtail his spending failed miserably.”

Jahangir penned down his autobiography, Tuzk e Jahangiri in Persian. It is also called Jahangirnama and describes his reign as well as his views about arts, politics, religion and social issues. He was quite candid in his writings even about his personal life and tastes. In this regard a few excerpts from the book are being mentioned for the reader’s interest.

He writes about the festivities of the first Nauroze after his ascension to the throne, on Tuesday 11th Zeqa’d1014 A.H,

“As this was the first Nauroze after I sat on the throne, I ordered that Privy Council chamber and public audience hall should be decorated lavishly, in the ways established by my exalted father. From the first day of Nauroze to the 29th day, everyone engaged in debauchery to their heart’s content. Singers and musicians of every class and gender had flocked to the occasion, skilled dancers and beauties of Hind who could tempt even the angles with their coquetry, took the festivities to new heights. I ordered that everyone should be allowed to have their fill of alcohol and other intoxicants.”

“Prohibiting the people from wearing Royal garb, I have reserved certain apparels, their specific cut and style for myself and have decreed that commoners can’t wear this type of dress unless I grant them the dress myself.”

The passage then describes minute details of these dresses and shows the arrogance of an emperor who doesn’t even want commoners to be dressed the same as the royalty.

Tuzk also mentions the murder of the Iranian Prince Safi Mirza at the hands of his own father, “In the end of Mah Khurdad 1024 AH, we got news that the King of Iran has gotten his eldest son, Safi Mirza murdered. This was a shocking piece of news for everyone. After some investigations it was found out that the King ordered his slave Behud, to kill Safi Mirza in Dursh which is a famous city of Gillan.

On 9th Muharram, 1024 AH, as Safi Mirza was coming home from the Bath, Behud killed him two deep and fatal wounds. A large part of the day passed and his body lay in the mud. Sheikh Baha-ud-Din Muhammad, who is renowned for his wisdom and virtue and is honoured greatly by the king, took charge of the situation. He explained the whole state of affairs to the king and asked for his permission to bury the body. The body was then sent to Ardabil, the ancestral burial place of the Safavids. Although for the peace of my own mind, I asked many, who came from Iran about this incident but no one uttered a word. There has to be a reason for killing one’s own son so that the stain of this misdeed could be washed off.”

This excerpt provides a very interesting insight into his character; Jahangir wasn’t concerned with the murder of the son at the hands of a father, he was more interested in the reason to justify the killing. Maybe when he blinded Khusro he felt justified so the atrocity never weighed down on his conscience.

Jahangir possessed a keen intelligent mind. He wanted to obtain knowledge through his own observations. Some accounts mention that he made a series of experiments and recorded their results in his biography. For instance he observed his pet elephants and wrote in Tuzk-e-Jahangiri that the gestation period of an elephant is 18 months and this was confirmed later in 20th century. Jahangir kept two Saras with him for five years and observed them. He recorded all their behaviour, mating etc in such accurate detail that would make any Biologist proud.

Jahangir married Nur Jahan in 1611. She was his 20th and the last wife. A graceful woman of beauty, courage, wisdom, harm and political acumen, she soon became the centre of Jahangir’s life and was running the affairs of the kingdom. Emperor Jahangir acknowledged her pivotal role and wrote in Tuzk E Jahangiri,

‘I have sold my kingdom to my queen for a cup of wine and a dish of meat’.

Moulvi Zakaullah Dehlvi writes about the life of Noor Jahan in his book, Tareekh e Hindustan,

“Although the wives of the Emperor were daughters of influential Rajas but none could hold a candle to Noor Jahan. Gradually she started wielding all the authority and running of the affairs of the Empire came in her hands. She was the mistress of privacy and company. She had unprecedented powers in running the affairs of the empire that no other king’s wife ever had before. She had coinage struck in her name:

By the order of Emperor Jahangir, value of the gold hath increased a hundred fold

With the inscription of the name of Noor Jahan, the Badshah Begum on it.

Her seal read: With the grace of Allah, became in this world Emperor Jahangir’s consort and confidant

Personally, Jahangir was a very extravagant and bighearted man. Italian traveller Niccolao Manucci writes about this in his book History of Mughal Dynasty in India, ‘Jahangir was essentially a compassionate and generous man. The least amount he would give someone would be Rs 100,000’

Her name wasn’t read in the Khutba (religious sermon) and aside from religious edicts and rulings; she was running all the affairs of the empire. The Emperor kept her with him at all times. When he held court she used to sit behind the curtain with her hand on the Emperor’s back. When the Emperor got on the elephant she also accompanied him behind the veil. Noor Jahan was a woman of distinct deportment, an embodiment of intellect and in possession of exquisite splendour, in a few days she enslaved the Emperor in such a way that he started saying I have sold my Empire to Noor Jahan for two cups of wine and one Seekh Kebab. This intelligent and benevolent woman started trends in dresses and jewellery for the women of Hind that are still being followed in the Royal Court and Mughal nobles.’

Jahangir had developed a taste for opium and alcohol quite early in the life. He fully complied with this saying of Babur, the founder of Mughal Dynasty;

O Babur, Enjoy yourself to heart’s content

There is no chance of your coming back to this world

His drinking and English wine, gave the British an easy access to his Court. Due to his addiction and some other character traits some British historians claim that he wanted to convert to Christianity.

In his memoires he was quite open and candid about this habit of his. He mentions in his Tuzk,

“Things got so bad that in my hangovers my hands shook and trembled so badly I couldn’t drink myself but had to have others help me.”

Fransisco Pelsaert has given the following account in his book;

“When the emperor returns from the hunt he holds a meeting with his nobles in the royal bath. Only the people who have submitted special requests for meeting the Emperor are granted audience here. He stays here for as long as he likes. During this time he drinks three cups of wine. He takes these three drinks, one after another at short intervals. All those in attendance express their joy in the whole process and consider this drinking beneficial for the Emperor’s health, just like in our country it is said that there is a blessing in the drinking of the king. When the emperor sleeps after the last peg, everyone leaves. Later on the Queen comes with her maidservants and changes the Emperor’s clothes. He gets so intoxicated after these three cups that he prefers going to sleep after that instead of staying awake.”

In spite of his fondness for wine he was able to understand the dangers associated with excessive drinking. Through sheer willpower he was able to curtail and to control his drinking. He began diluting his spirits with grape wine and drank only in the evenings but he never stopped drinking.

In the declining years of Jahanagir’s life, Nur Jahan, her father Eitemad uldaula, her brother Asif Jah and Prince Khurram dominated the politics. In 1622 Jahangir sent Prince Khurram, to subdue the combined forces of Ahmednagar, Bijapur and Golconda. Khurram prevailed but soon challenged Jahangir for the throne. Jahangir was able to overcome his rebellious son and retained his throne. His health was deteriorating. He had a great liking for the cool and pleasant valley of Kashmir that was nourishing for the body and the soul. In order to regain his health he went to Kashmir but decided to come back to Lahore due to severe cold in Kashmir.

His passing is recorded by Mullah Muhammed Saleh Kamboh in ShahJahanNama;

“In 1036A.H. (1628 A.C) he was on a trip to Kashmir when his of seven years aggravated and his health kept on deteriorating. He thought it prudent to return to Lahore. When he reached Rajori, things got from bad to worse. Camp was made at Chungtarrhi. Shortness of breath made him extremely ill. On Sunday, 28th Safar 1028A.H, he passed away at noon.”

Thus ended a rule of 22 years, which was arguably one of the greatest times in the Mughal History.

Jahangir was essentially an amalgamation of contradictions.

He was compassionate enough to erect a monument in the memory of his favourite deer and hard-hearted enough to make an example of his own rebellious son.

An administrator who consolidated and expanded the empire he had inherited and a womanizer and opium addict who left the running of state affairs to his wife.

A strategist who settled long standing disputes with minimum of bloodshed and a despot who impaled 700 people alive for siding with his son in his rebellion

A man who revered Sufi saints like Hazrat Mian Mir and a man who sentenced the spiritual leader Guru Arjun to death.

Abul Fazal was assassinated on his orders in 1602 but later on he appointed his son sheikh Afzal Khan as governor of Bengal in 1608.

Verily there slumbers a beast within the hearts of men

The beast mastered, tamed

Strengthens men, exalts them to unimaginable heights

Exquisite monuments and grand empires come into being

The beast unleashed, untamed creates monster out of its master

Monster that destroys all that is sacred, obliterates all that is beautiful

And drinks blood of its own.

The area of Shahdara had a unique feature. The river Ravi flows between Shahdara and Lahore. On the river banks there was a garden of Mehdi Qasim Khan who was a noble of Akbar’s era. Nur Jahan had purchased this garden during Jahangir’s lifetime and named it Bagh e Dilkusha. Jahangir was buried in this garden. ShahJahanNama chronicles the construction of this mausoleum thus;

“At the time of death his [Jahangir’s] age was 59 years 11 months according to Lunar Calendar and according to Solar Calendar he was 58 years 1 month and 28 days old. His body was brought to Lahore. His grave was dug on the far side of River Ravi under the open skies at a heavenly place. According to the Last Will, Shah Jahan constructed a podium of Red Stone. The podium was 100 yards long and 100 yards wide. On top of this a 20 square feet raised platform of marble was constructed which was adorned with delicate Chin Kari. In its midst the tomb was built. This mausoleum cost 10 lakh rupees.”

Some accounts state that after ascending the throne, Shah Jahan started the construction of his father’s mausoleum under his own supervision. Marble, Red Stone and other precious stones were used in the construction. In order to meet the construction cost, incomes of several estates were set aside. Some other narrations suggest that Shah Jahan’s complete attention was on the Taj Mahal that was being built in Agra. The expenditure on this mausoleum in Lahore was entirely born by Nur Jahan. She had keen interest in architecture and designed this tomb on the model of the tomb of her father Itemadud Daula. She made Lahore her home after Jahanagir’s demise and was thus in a better position to oversee the construction of her husband’s tomb. The emperor was buried in Dilkusha Garden which was owned by the Empress. She not only built this mausoleum but in the adjacent garden Chahar Bagh, got her own tomb constructed as well. The architecture of the building is Mughal but there is an influence of the Safavid-style as well. This style is from Persia which may have been introduced by Noor Jahan who was also of Persian descent. Anna Suvorova, a Russian Art critic and Orientalist writes,”Kipling and Thornton wrote, on the basis of other sources, that ‘Nurjehan, his lovely and accomplished wife, devoted herself to the task of raising a monument to his memory. The tomb was raised by her piety and devotion at her own expenses.”