CH# 10 : THE MUGHAL ECLIPSE
The killing of European prisoners outside Red Fort
...The night was warm and clear. The sky was cuddling the shinning stars but restlessness was swarming all around because of the scuffles and presence of fighters in Delhi.
Many fort servants set their
charpoys (yarn beds) in the backyard of the fort. Some luckily found a place on the roof
to enjoy the cool air of the Yamuna River above the ground. Muslim residents of
fort prostrated their heads in front of Allah to get hold of the grants of
first Taaq night of Ramzan at adjacent Moti masjid.
‘Eid shopping took my
whole day at Chatta Chowk, an adjacent market for royal ladies. I want some
fresh air out now,’ Princess Hamida Bano ordered her maids to put her silk
dresses and ornaments in her room.
‘Chatta chowk was barren
today, princess. Everyone is anxious otherwise all noble ladies of town reached here to shop every year,’ one of her maids turned to her room at Mumtaz
Mahal.
‘Yes, it was…,’
Princess Hamida Bano came out to Hayat Bakhsh
garden and walked along the Nehr e Bihishti.
The water level
was low that she turned her trouser up from bottom and sat along the water
channel. She was feeling the sanity of Taaq Raat(odd number of nights in the last
decade of the holy month of Ramzan) while hoping to spot the signs of Laila tul Qadar. Suddenly
she saw a shadow approaching Delhi gate hurriedly.
‘Who’s there?’ she
called and followed the shadow but then she stopped after hearing the
whispering from behind the bushes.
‘Here are the keys. Complete your task after the Fajr prayer,
as most of the fort’s residents would be in deep sleep after holy night’s prayers,’
the shadow was in a great hurry.
‘You’re wise lady
to hold and run this sultanate. I’ll support you to snatch this throne for your
son, Prince Jawan Bakhat. Lets those prisoners enjoy their last breaths,’ the
parallel shadow took the keys and ran back to the gate.
‘I should talk to Aba
huzoor,’ Princess hurriedly turned back but her long veil stuck to bushes.
‘Who’s there? Oh!
Princess Hamida…,’ Zeenat approached her at once and put her handkerchief on
her mouth.
16th MAY,
1857
The Sehri was a mouthful.
There were Parathas, yogurt, organic eggs, Lassi, and Mughlai qorma from locals
for their survivors; the freedom fighters.
Muslim freedom fighters
were passing most of their time at yards of mosques. Hindu fighters, as
significantly greater in number were staying at desolated British Havelis and
apartments.
Most of them were
unhappy with their Commander Mirza Mughal’s visit. They were fuming at the king and
his son’s indecisive approach. 'Once the matineer is always a mutineer' was apparent at that time. Freedom fighters started to gather at the large
ground near Red Fort in the early morning.
The sun hid him behind
clouds on that day. The cold breeze was boosting up the energies. They were
clear on what they were about to do. After all, they were mutineers so it
doesn’t matter who was the master right now.
A big faction of freedom fighters reached Red
Fort and entered the Delhi gate by dawn.
They opened the Lahori
gate and walked straight to underground Mughal prisons without any resistance.
It seemed that all fort residents were taking nap after the pre-dawn Ramzan meal.
Prince Khizar Sultan
came out in the Mehtab Bagh after reciting the Quran when he witnessed the
entrance of fighters as relentless flood water.
‘Just alert the guards.
Call the king. Inform Commander Prince Mirza Mughal.’ Though cradling grudges
for whites too, he yelled at his personal servants but he was late as most of the servants were snoring at the time.
‘Help, help… Jesus...
Mercy, mercy…,’ the screams of prisoner women and children woke the fort
residents up in a while. Freedom fighters dragged the European prisoners out of
the basement to the wide lawns of Red Fort.
‘Where are you going,
mom?’ Angeline saw her mother
approaching the door of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan’s house wearing a burqa(a gown to cover body and face).
‘Haven’t, you observed
that the sun is more red than usual? There is mysterious quietness all around
the atmosphere. I’m going to Red Fort, to plea the king Bahadur Shah about my
prisoner sister and her kids. I know the Mughal’s legacy is always been kind to
women and children,’ Katharine was restless.
‘Rebellion sepoys are
roaming all around. They’ll cramp you before you reached the king,’ Angeline
tried to stop her mother.
‘No, I’ll go. I have to
go. I can’t abandon my sister in a snag. There is not any news about your father either’ she left the door and came in the
street.
‘Wait a minute!
I can’t let you go alone,’ Angeline followed her mother by covering herself in a big chador.
Umer saw them left Syed
Ahmed’s house in hurry and got worried.
‘Being a Commander I
order you all to stop at once and keep away your feet away from prisoners,’
Prince Mirza Mughal came outside the Mumtaz Mahal.
‘We just want to have
them in our custody. Let us take these with us, commander,’ Aneel came in front
wickedly.
‘Just wait for the king to decide for it. Where is Prime
Minister Ehsanullah? Call him,’ Prince Mirza Mughal got apprehensive.
King Bahadur Shah Zafar
was hard tired after last night’s supplication. He overheard the uprising and then
a knock at his door.
‘What else this older
soul has to witness?’ he hardly managed to come outside holding his stick.
‘Hurry up, write it
clearly that king himself ordered to kill the prisoners and pass this to your
loyal servant for the record,’ Queen Zeenat Mahal helped Ehsanullah to maintain the
daily castle diary before the king was there.
‘Although I had
reservations to set my back on rented soldiers, you insisted me to do so. I
don’t build you. I don’t pay you but I have a right to save these innocent
women and children in my territory. Leave them at once if you really think me
as an authority,’ Bahadur Shah started the reasonable spat after conceiving the
situation. There was silence for while amid fighters only the roar of the twittering of fallen leaves all around the garden. Fighters looked at each
other.
‘Then your territory
ends after the walls of Red Fort zil e subhani and ours started,’ Ranbeer towed
the group of shivering prisoners towards the Lahori gate and hundreds of
freedom fighters followed him with furious slogans.
‘Christen, Christen,
Anaa, John…,’ Katherine saw opening up the giant gate of Lahori gate and a mob
following the prisoners. The wind became more furious and faster blurring the
images while playing with soil.
‘Mom please, someone
will spot us too,’ Angeline holds her shawl tight. It was at about 8 am.
Freedom fighters
gathered all 56 prisoners under a Peepal tree outside Red Fort. Many leaves
left their branches after surrendering against the apparent storm.
‘Kill them, slaughter
them. Ban British existence on our land,’ the fighters were
shattering.
‘Don’t you have fear of God? Please
give respect to this holy month at least,’ Prince Mirza Mughal yelled but then stopped and continued
thoughtfully,
‘I assure you, not a single decision about prisoners will
make its way without your consent,’ he tried to calm that mob down.
‘We don’t believe in
you. You may handover them to white monsters or may grant them
freedom on Eid,’ Niaz Din lined all prisoners under a tree.
Bahadur Shah and Princes
were helpless to stop that rage of their so-called Mughal sepoys.
‘Kill them,
kill them…,’ a roar overwhelmed the atmosphere from freedom fighters.
‘These outraged emotions
can only be soothed after drinking a bottle of red wine. For our valiant martyr Mangle
Panday and for all the people who laid their lives amid British slavery,’ Ranbir
opened the fire and others followed him. Prince Khizar Sultan was stopped by the gate.
Just in seconds the air filled in with the noise of fires and the yellow daisies on green grass dyed red with the blood of British and European prisoners.
‘No…,’ Angeline wiped
her tears and hardly held her crying mother from going on. She was afraid
of her end if someone recognized them there. Many more locals were also
gathered there to witness the massacre.
The fighters moved
forward leaving shattered dead bodies in the way. The rain made its way after
breaching tough black clouds. The green grass under the Peepal tree drowned under the red
stream.
King Bahadur Shah Zafar
was witnessing his helplessness from his balcony. Princes and fort servants
waited for the callous rain to stop. After rain gave the break, servants from the fort came out to show their responsibility and buried the bodies near the Christian graveyard before evening.
Princess Hamida Bano was
found unconscious in the room. She told everyone about Zeenat Mahal’s role but no
one believed. Umer held Katherine and Angeline out of the rush and brought them
back to Syed Ahmed’s house safely.
‘East India Company will
not leave you…I bet they will terminate Mughal sultanate for forever...every
white soldier’s life is not worth breathing until the revenge of these
innocent…every Muslim will pay for this bloodshed,’ Katherine mourned at the graveyard for the night.
Syed Ahmed Khan arranged
a cart for her. Umer stayed with them until they were back.
‘Muslims!’ Umer listened
at her mourning and rolled back his memory for the sake of clearance.
All natives of Hindustan
were out in that fight for freedom against the slavery of the British irrespective
of any religion. Hindus were not only greater in number but more
provoked and focused throughout the movement.
‘You have written the
end of this empire with your hands. You’ll have to pay for assassinating
our people. Mughal king and princes will not find escape on this land for this
act,’ Angeline came to Umer who was resting in the balcony. He was
feeling better and already requested Syed Ahmed Khan to let him leave.
‘Mughal king and princes
tried to stop the mob but freedom fighters were not ready to listen at anyone.
Actually, it’s not their fault. We’ve observed a long harsh rule from your
people and it was just a reaction,’ Umer got up and tried to focus his eyes in shrill sunrays. The sun was
shining in a clear blue sky after two days of rain.
‘What! Freedom fighters…reaction... they are just mutineers…rebellious goose who have forgotten their status. That Prince Jawan Bakhat was offering me to stay in Red Fort. How much disgusting!
I knew this…I told you…you’re dumb
browns…without brains…you all are same…these Mughals will pay for it…I’m not
afraid of you…kill me too if you want…my father will soon reach here to destroy
you…you better tell it to your comrades,’ Angeline shed in tears but was
yelling out. Syed Ahmed Khan and Princess Hamida Bano approached there and
controlled her.
‘Red Fort will pay
monetary compensation to families of those killed assassinated,’ Princess
Hamida Bano tried to console Angeline.
‘Oh…the people who were
feeding on our pension will pay us compensation…and you Syed Ahmed…you worked
in British offices for long…clear your mates about their backward and outdated
status,’ Angeline turned to Syed Ahmed discounting Princess Hamida Bano.
‘Angeline…my girl…please
calm down…every Muslim will pay for it…just come with me,’ Katherine whispered and took her out at sides.
‘Have you observed, how much frightened these British are from Muslims?'
'They should be as they’ve snatched this
rule from them and are scared of losing it in their hands. Still, I’m regretful,
I couldn’t save those prisoners that why I came here to assure right security at your house,’ Princess Hamida Bano
turned to Syed Ahmed Khan.
‘Angeline is right. We’re far
behind modern development of world but British don’t understand that the real
cause of mutiny is British themselves…their harsh rules…taxes…,’ Syed Ahmed
thought.
Days cut down to Eid fast after the incident.
The triumph of apparent victory and freedom from the British hyped the victory of
occasion at the walled city of Delhi.
‘Ba ADAB BAMULAISHA
HOSHIAR (stay alert n respected)
THE KING OF HINDUSTAN
THE KING OF KINGS
EMPEROR BAHADUR SHAH
ZAFAR IS APPEARING IN WHILE
The echoes of slogans,
joy and announcements were adding the triumph among the public. The last Mughal
Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar accompanied with his princes were publicizing him
out. It was probably first and last time whoen last Mughal King was on roads with full royal grace after offering the
Eid prayers reviving the long-ago tradition of Mughal emperors.
A radiant, royal elephant covered with silk and velvet, whose ivory tusk was dazzling with silver and gold, was depicting the king’s strength and regain of Mughal power over the British. The freedom fighters had taken the control of the walled city of Delhi first and then spread out at four sides of the city to overtook the British.
The roads were decorated with mughal flags, and paper buntings.
‘It’s really crushing to
wave the bowing subjects, courtiers, and stimulated public running behind you. Now
I know why people kill their blood for this highest status,’ Prince Jawan
Bakhat waved to the general public. He was constantly trying to balance himself
on a giant wooden couch set at the back of an elephant. His brothers Prince Khizar, Prince Mirza Mughal, and nephew Prince Abu Bakar (the son of Mirza
Mughal) wore expensive royal ornaments and sparkling gowns on this occasion
were also sit there. The route for the king’s convoy was decorated with brocade
pieces of marvelous colors and designs. The people were rowed on both sides of
the road from far, just to see the glimpses of their king and princess.
‘At last, the people of Hindustan are
breathing free and content under the magnificent Mughal rule,’ Prince Khizar Sultan
observed thoughtfully.
‘I wish I could rain
gold upon my people like Mughal King Shah Jahan and King Aurangzeb,’ Bahadur
Shah Zafar stood up and showered the coins embedded with Bahadur Shah’s picture
upon the people. Other princes also followed him.
‘Long live the Mughal
king,’
Long live the crown
prince,’
People around responded merrily
and the air filled with Mughal slogans. Everyone at Shahjhanabad (Delhi) was pleased with the Mughal restoration and was thinking it to sustain forever but the uprising was spreading all around. East India Company was round on tables to meet the situation... TO BE CONTINUED
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Disclaimer: all characters of the story are imaginary. They bear no
resemblance to anyone living or dead.
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