Where did the girls come from in Nawab Wajid Ali’s harem? whose addiction took away his power

Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh. Image Credit source: AI Picture/ChatGPT

He called love as worship and also religion. Beauty is said to be God’s handiwork. Made a test room. Where he made young girls proficient in dance, song and music and then made them a part of his harem. Performed fifty marriages by the age of twenty-six. For the rest of their lives, this number fulfilled the calendar dates. Lost his kingdom due to this addiction. Babul Mora left Lucknow singing ‘Naihar chhoota jaaye’ and shedding tears.

Of course Awadh was lost to the British. But did not succumb in the battle of love. Want to stay young all your life. There was pension amount in Matiyaburj. Relying on that, the gatherings kept happening. The beauties kept getting spoiled. He was the colorful Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh.

Married everyone from princesses to vegetable vendors.

He ruled Awadh from 1847 to 1856. There was more interest in the gatherings of songs, music and dance than in the arrangements of the government. Was a good poet. Was knowledgeable in Urdu-Persian. Respected artists. He was the wife of Husn. From princesses to courtesans and courtesans, he loved and arranged marriages without any discrimination.

In the first two years of his rule, he had only one wife, Khas Mahal Ara Begum. In 1851, he got married for the second time to his 11 year old sister-in-law Raunak Ara. Gave the title ‘Malak-e-Awadh Nawab Akhtar Mahal Sahiba.’ Interestingly, four years after the declaration of Wali Ahad in 1843, he had given the status of Begum or Mahal to about 25 fairies. By 1849 this number had reached around fifty. Only four marriages are permissible in Islam. If we proceed beyond this, we take the help of Mutah rituals. Wajid Ali took great advantage of this custom to legitimize his marriages.

This is how young girls were made part of the harem.

When the number of Nawab’s marriages reached the total count of the year’s calendar, the story of what and how happened to them, some of it is written by him and most of it is narrated by others. But when the matter was of half a hundred, he himself has recorded the story in “Ishqnaama”. In reality, at the age of only twenty-six, Nawab had penned down his stories related to love, dance and music and the lessons learned from it in Persian.

While translating it into Urdu, Tehseen Sarwari named the book “Parikhana”. The Nawab had also built a magnificent building named “Parikhana” in Lucknow. In this, masters used to give training in singing and dancing to beautiful young girls and courtesans. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah himself also participated in it. The Nawab was also in love with many girls and courtesans of “Parikhana”. Marriages also took place and the Nawab used to bestow rewards and titles on them and make them a part of his harem.

there is a river of fire

But this passion of love was not easy. This is a river of fire and one has to drown in it. Only spring flowers did not bloom in the harem. The sweetness of tone and voice was not always mixed. It is not that Begums should always remain devoted to the Nawab. There was a lot of discord and tussle. If there is one or two, then Nawab should share some time and some love. The line was long. The Nawab had options. If you were kind to one, then a platoon of begums came forward for the war.

Sometimes these begums would fight among themselves and the next moment they would hiss at the Nawab. According to him, “Every human being has been given the temperament to love by God. It should be a spring garden but for me it has become an expensive forest. The purpose of writing Ishqnaama (Parikhana) Nawab told that the readers of this book should be careful with women. Do not trust them and do not waste your money on them. However, Nawab himself could not follow his advice throughout his life.

Love made eating and drinking haram

He has honestly described what the Nawab went through in this disease of love. The kind-hearted angel was deeply in love with him. The fire was equal. Nawab wrote, “It was so bad that even eating and drinking without her became prohibited. I would often sleep with my head on her thighs. But when my beloved and Sarfaraz became the captive of the fairy’s hair, my inclination towards the kind-hearted fairy diminished. Then her complaints started. She was not ready to free me from her love.

Crying she said – You are completely unaware of my condition. I said I don’t know my own condition. She said, O kind hearted man – in the intensity of my love for you, I got a burn mark on my thigh from the ring and you did not know about it. At least apply some ointment with grace. She was telling the truth. I said why did you do this? Despite this, no special interest was generated in it.

Then the Nawab started crying loudly!

The Nawab’s heart was filled with the kind hearted angel. But there was a lot of uproar when they flirted with Mashook-e-Khas and Sarfaraz Pari together. The Nawab was not ready to leave either of them and on the other hand both the devils were determined to deal with each other. On the other hand, Nawab was more inclined towards his beloved, while on the other hand, Sarfaraz Pari received news from the informers and received a threat. The braids of both were in each other’s hands. Slaps and punches were going on. The two started fighting from morning to afternoon.

Then why did it become necessary for the Nawab to intervene, he wrote to him, “When I saw that Sarfaraz was hurting due to the kicks of the fairy, I came running and intervened and separated the two.” Of course, the Nawab saved his beloved from being beaten but she lashed out at the Nawab. He grabbed her by the collar and said that now the time has come that you will make me get insulted by your favorite women. I will definitely not stay here. Didn’t stop even after stopping. The Nawab’s heart was filled with joy. Started crying loudly. He was very much in love with his beloved. But soon there was news of relief for the Nawab. An employee came and told that Maashuk-e-Khas had gone to the hen house and returned and had gone to her party room on the brothel.

Love made Ghalib useless

But the Nawab had respite only for a few moments. Now it was Sarfaraz Pari’s turn. The news of Mashuk-e-Khas coming back halfway sent Sarfaraz Pari’s anger sky high. He headed straight towards the well. But some people stopped him. The Nawab explained a lot to him. Still did not agree. In the last attempt, the Nawab said, why get scared, if you want then go!

The further story is in the words of the Nawab, “She went away sitting in a cruel carriage. After she left, I hung her photograph around my neck and closed the door of the room and sat down. I was confident that she would not come unfaithful. I felt like crying uncontrollably. Sometimes I would look at the marks of my wounds, sometimes I would kiss her photograph. The thunder is that the entire four hours passed like this. Suddenly I saw that she was walking from the front. I was in despair with She ran to him and sat there in silence. After she started talking about love, she got angry again.

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