Zafar Mahal - In memory of the exiled Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar

Zafar Mahal in Mehrauli village, South Delhi, India is regarded as the last monumental structure built as a summer palace during the fading years of the Mughal era. The building has two components namely, the Mahal or the palace, and the entrance gate that was reconstructed in the mid-Nineteenth century. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) says the building was built in the early Nineteenth Century by Akbar Shah II and the entrance gate called Hathi Gate was built by Bahadur Shah Zafar II, who was popularly known as "Zafar" meaning 'Victory'.

It has a sad history because Bahadur Shah Zafar who wished to be buried at a selected burial ground, precincts of the Zafar Mahal (palace) in Delhi and the famous Dargha of Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, was deported by the British to Rangoon, after the 1857 First War of Indian Independence called the Sepoy Mutiny or Upraising, where he died of old age 150 years ago without any honour. Bahadaur Shah Zafar penned his couplet known by the title "do gaz zameen" meaning two yards of land, lamenting for his fate of not finding a place for his burial (at his chosen place of burial) in his home country. The couplet reads in Urdu language as:

"Kitna hai badnaseeb Zafar
Dafn ke liye
Do gaz zameen bhi
Mil na saki kuye yaar mein"

When translated in English it says "How unlucky is Zafar! For burial, even two yards of land were not to be had in the land of his beloved."

Bahadur Shah ascended the throne in 1837 at the age of 62 and his life coincided with the most creative period of Urdu literature with its centre in Delhi. He was associated with literary figures like Ghalib, Momin and Zauq. Emperor Bahdaur Shah Zafar II (1837--1857) was tried for treason by the British and deported to Rangoon, Burma, now Myanmar from the imperial city of Delhi. His trial was conducted by a military commission which began on January 27 till March 9, 1858. According to historian Percival Spear, there were four charges levelled against Bahadur Shah Zafar pertaining to aiding and abetting the soldiers during the revolt of 1857, for allegedly proclaiming himself as the sovereign of India, for waging war against the Government and for being responsible for the deaths of many Europeans, including women and children.

The irony of this history is also that he travelled in a bullock cart, with a group of British Lancers escorting him towards Yangon (Rangoon). The exiled emperor died in November 1862. He was buried with great urgency in the night itself with "lantern light" in presence of his few family members under the direction of a British officer. The grave was initially unmarked but later a Tablet was erected at the location but only in the 20th century. His mazar (grave) has at last become a shrine and the local Burmese and also visitors from India and Pakistan consider him a Pir (saint). It is also said that the nationalist leader of India, founder of the Indian National Army, Subhas Chandra Bose took a formal oath at this grave to free India from foreign rule.

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