Delhi: Shahjahanabad (walled city)
Delhi: Shahjahanabad Before 1857
Title and authorship of the original article(s)
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Shahjahanabad Before 1857 By Mubarak Ali, Dawn, c.2006) |
This is a newspaper article selected for the excellence of its content. |
The Mughal Empire reached its zenith in 1639 when Emperor Shahjahan laid down the foundations of a new city.
The royal treasury was full and there were no serious internal or external threats to the empire.
The Mughal court attracted the best talents and its culture excelled in refinement and sophistication. All these characteristics were fully reflected in the buildings which were built during Shahjahan’s rule. The majesty and grandeur of Emperor Akbar’s buildings gave way to delicacy, tenderness and beauty, which was a sign of cultural maturity.
The vision of Emperor Shahjahan was to build a city that could represent both the strength and beauty of the Mughal Empire; a city which could accommodate the expanding culture and its values and traditions.
The new city was thus named Shahjahanabad. The royal residence in the city was the Red Fort, which in official documents was referred to as ‘Qila-i-Mubarak’ (the blessed fort). It was constructed in such a manner that both the common as well as nobles could visit in the presence of the Emperor. It contained halls for common audience and a separate hall for advisors. The jharoka darshan (window for public audience), naqqar khana (music room), towers, the pearl mosque, and apartments for Haram were important parts of the fort.
The fort was the symbol of royal authority and power. Life within the walls of the fort was kept secret and people outside did not know much about internal activities. However, when people did not get any inside information, they spread rumours about the royalty. Some European travellers received this gossip as true historical facts and mentioned them in their travelogues for the sake of producing juicy scandalous material for their readers.
Outside the fort was the magnificent Jama Masjid, the symbol of religious devotion and allegiance. Later in history, various Mughal nobles and princesses built a number of mosques as a sign of their piety, such as the Fatehpuri Mosque, Akbarabadi Mosque, Aurangabadi Mosque and Sonehri Mosque. Besides these a number of mosques were built in different localities and bazaars to facilitate people during prayers.
During the medieval period, bazaars were not only meant for shopping but were also entertainment settings. In Shahjahabad, some of the most famous bazaars were Faiz Bazaar, Urdu Bazaar, Khanam Ka Bazaar, Khaas Bazaar, and then there were bazaars which were specialised in certain commodities such as jewellery, shoes or bangles. However, the most fascinating bazaar was Chandni Chowk. Those who had witnessed it during its days of glory were full of admiration.
In the heart of Chandni Chowk was a paradise canal and the Chowk itself was lined with trees on both sides, which made the atmosphere cool and soothing. Sir Syed in his book Asar Al-Sanadid wrote that Chandni Chowk was such a beautiful place that one could not describe it in words. In the evening, the princes and nobles came here for walks and engaged in merrymaking.
With the passage of time, the city of Shahjahanabad acquired its characteristics and its inhabitants increased. Its streets, lanes and mohallas became famous for their special charm. Musicians, artists, poets, calligraphers, dancers, storytellers and artisans all gave the city a new life and a new culture.
In no time, Shahjahanabad became the centre of literature and culture. Officially it remained Shahjahanabad but to common people it was Dilli.
When the Mughal Empire suffered a downfall, the foreign invaders stormed the city in the hope to loot and plunder the accumulated wealth of the Mughals. Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali occupied it and not only massacred inhabitants but extorted money and went back to Afghanistan loaded with looted wealth.
However, the city and its people not only survived these catastrophes but revived its waning past glory with great spirit and enthusiasm. The city also witnessed the Marhatta domination. But even though they ruled over the city, they continued to pay respect to the Mughal Emperor.
It was when Lord Lake conquered the city in 1803 that the East India Company acquired all power and the Mughal Emperor became just a puppet in their hands. The Emperor lost his political authority and power and became financially dependant on the East India Company. This changed people’s perception about the fort, for it no longer symbolised political power but became hub of cultural activities.
To the inhabitants of the city, the fort was a repository of past heritage. The empire declined as a result of political vicissitude but its culture survived with all hues and colours and filled the vacuum of political loss by its richness.
Bahadur Shah Zafar also maintained the protocol and etiquettes of the court in spite of his limited financial income, which he got from the East India Company. Courtiers were obliged to take care of all the rituals established since the time of Akbar. The Emperor also had to perform his duties regularly. He had to take care of his exceptionally large family which, according to one estimate, had nearly 3000 members. Each family got its expenses from the royal treasury. But during the downfall, they did not get their expenses regularly and had to live in poverty. Moreover, they were not allowed to leave the fort. Therefore, they spent their time in useless hobbies.
Bereft of political power, the Emperor spent most of his time in celebrating different festivals such as Nauroz, Diwali, Holi ,Moharram, Eids, Dassehra and among them the most popular being ‘Phullon Walon ki Ser’ or the flower festival. According to Zaheer Dahlawi, the author of Dastan-i-Ghadr, he had never seen such festivals in his life.
The language of the fort became standard for literary people. Musha’iras or poetical concerts were a regular feature in which Ghalib, Momin, and Zauq participated along with other poets.
Outside the fort, there were cultural activities. The elite class had enough luxury and resources to take part in these activities. The cultural life of the city was vibrant. Even in the days of political decadence, the city produced great poets, storytellers, calligraphers, physicians, dancers, and musicians. It was a role model for the other cities of the subcontinent.
In those days, to be a Dilliwala was a matter of pride. Life was going on smoothly. Then an incident happened, an incident which no one in the city expected but which changed the course of Indian history.
