REVELATIONS OF LIFE IN THE ZENĀNA.
1831.—Pedigree of the Kings of Oude—Lucnow Mohurs—Anniversary
of the Coronation—The Prime Minister—Khema-jah—Feredooa
Buckht—Evil omens—Mossem-ood-Dowla—Largesse—Hārs,
Pān, and Atr—The Zenāna—Sultana Boa—Mulka
Zumanee—Gosseina—Tajmahŭl—Plurality of wives.
Saadut Khan, known at first under the name of Meer Muhammad Ameen,
descended in a direct line from the Imām Mousa Kasim, of the family of
Ali, esteemed in Persia as of the highest and most noble extraction.
During the civil wars, he quitted Khorasān, his native province, and
repaired to Lahore, where he took the name of Saadut Khan. On the
accession of Mahmud Shāh, he was created a noble of the empire, and
Soobadar of Oude, with the titles of “Pillar of the empire, confident
support of the state, Meer Muhammad Ameen Khan, the Glory of War.”
Fortune having proved favourable, he sent for his only sister, the widow
of a nobleman, Jaafer Beg, and her two sons, and bestowed his only
daughter in marriage on the elder brother, the young Nawāb Munsoor Ulee
Khan, commonly called Sefdar Jung, who on the death of his uncle was
confirmed by the king in his government of Oude. He died in 1756, leaving
Soojah-ood-Dowla his son and successor.
Soojah-ood-Dowla, the first prince of the race, died leaving two sons,
Ussuf-ood-Dowla and Saadut Ulee Khan. Ussuf-ood-Dowla ascended the
masnud; he built Lucnow, and most of the palaces around the city, also
the Roomee Durwazah, and the Imām-Bārā; in the latter he was buried.
[Illustration: Pedigree of the Kings of Oude.
فاني پارکس]
The Daulut Khāna was also built by him; in it is his picture, by Zoffani.
In fact, whenever you ask who built this or that place, the answer is
sure to be Ussuf-ood-Dowla.
He died, leaving no issue, and was succeeded by Wuzeer Ulee Khan, an
adopted son, but whom he declared to be his own. Mr. Cherry was at this
time Resident of Lucnow. Sir John Shore deposed Wuzeer Ulee Khan, on
account of his not being the real son of the late king, and raised Saadut
Ulee Khan to the throne, the brother of Ussuf-ood-Dowla.
The deposed Wuzeer went to Benares, and attempted to rouse the natives to
murder all the English. In pursuance of which plan, Ulee Khan came to Mr.
Cherry’s house, he being at that time Resident at Benares, and murdered
him, while sitting at breakfast. The house of Mr. and Mrs. Davis, of
the Civil Service, was attacked. Mr. Davis and his wife ran up a narrow
winding staircase to the roof of the house, where, with a hog-spear, he
defended the door of the staircase, and kept his pursuers at bay until
the arrival of the military from cantonments. The roof of the house
being flat, as is the custom in India, and the narrowness of the winding
stair admitting only one person at a time, Mr. Davis was able to defend
himself, and killed several of the assailants. Wuzeer Ulee Khan was
confined for life in the Fort, in Calcutta, and died a few years ago.
Saadut Ulee Khan, the brother of Ussuf-ood-Dowla, amassed thirteen
millions of money, and left the throne to his son, Ghazee-ood-Deen.
The Nawāb Wuzeer, Ghazee-ood-Deen Hydur, assumed the sceptre by the
advice of his minister, Āghā Meer. He cast off allegiance to Delhi, and
stamped coins in his own name.
The gold mohurs struck by him, bear the following inscription in the
Persian character:—
“Coined in the Royal Treasury of Lucnow, Soubah Oude, in the
3rd year of the great and auspicious reign. Struck in silver
and gold, by the grace of God, the giver of all good, by
Ghazee-ood-Deen Hydur, the Great Lord, the King of Time.”
The crown is placed between two standards, on each of which is a fish:
the standards are supported by leopards: beneath the crown is the
double-handled dagger, a most formidable weapon; and at the base of the
whole are two large fish.
Ghazee-ood-Deen Hydur had no son, and one only daughter, who married her
cousin, and had issue Mossem-ood-Dowla, the true heir to the throne; a
man whom you may see constantly at the present king’s table.
Ghazee-ood-Deen, instead of leaving the throne to his true heir and
grandson Mossem-ood-Dowla, left it to Nusseer-ood-Deen Hydur, a boy
whom the king declared to be his own son by a slave girl; but who, they
say, is in reality the son of a dhobee (washerman) belonging to the
palace. This man is the present king of Lucnow. The English are aware of
these facts. On the decease of the present king, the succession will be
disputed, as he wishes to place a boy, named Khema-jah, on the masnud,
instead of his own son, Feredooa Buckht Moona-jah: but for the history of
these two boys, I refer you to the lives of the wives of the king.
The Muhammadan law allows an adopted son to take the place
of a legitimate son at the pleasure of the parent, by which
law Nusseer-ood-Deen Hydur claimed the throne, and put aside
Mossem-ood-Dowla, the grandson of Ghazee-ood-Deen Hydur.
_29th._—We drove to Barouda, a palace built in the French style; I saw
there nothing worthy of remark, but two marble tables, inlaid in the most
delicate and beautiful manner with flowers of the convolvulus.
_30th._—The Resident and all his party breakfasted with the King on the
anniversary of his coronation, which takes place in any month, and on any
day, according to his Majesty’s pleasure.
During breakfast my attention was deeply engrossed by the prime minister,
the Nawāb Mootuzim-ul-Dowla, Mehndee Ulee Khan Bahadur, commonly called
Nawāb Hakīm Mehndi. I conversed with him at times, and eyed him well as
he was seated next to me, and opposite the King, telling his beads the
whole time, for good luck perhaps; his rosary was composed of enormous
pearls.
His majesty’s hooqŭ was presented to the Nawāb; Lord William Bentinck and
the Resident were honoured with the same: it is a great distinction; no
subject can smoke, unless by permission, in the royal presence. Hooqŭs
are only presented to the Governor-general, the Commander-in-chief, the
Resident, and the Bishop of Calcutta—if he likes a pipe.
Numerous histories respecting the prime minister were current in the
bazār, far too romantic and extraordinary to be believed, of which the
following is a specimen:
“The truth or falsehood of the story rests on the head of the
narrator[64].”
“The dagger in his bosom and salutation in his mouth[65].”
The hakīm (physician or learned man) was formerly employed on a salary
of about twenty rupees a month. The commencement of his enormous fortune
began thus:—He was in tents in the district; a very rich Hindoo was with
him, within the (kanāts) canvass walls, with which tents are surrounded.
This man was said to have died during the night; his corpse was given to
his relations, who were in the camp, to be burned according to Hindoo
custom. There were two black marks round the neck of the corpse. It is a
custom amongst Hindoos to put sweetmeats into the mouth of a dead body.
When they opened the mouth of the corpse for this purpose, within it was
found a finger, bitten off at the second joint. On that very night the
_confidential servant_ of the hakīm lost his finger! The hakīm seized
the man’s treasure, which laid the foundation of his fortune. He next
took into pay a number of thieves and murderers, who made excursions, and
shared the booty with the hakīm. They say the man’s art is such that he
keeps in favour both with natives and Europeans, in spite of his crimes.
Having been unable to bring the Resident over to his views, he is his
sworn enemy, and would give thousands to any one who would poison him.
Many of the servants now standing behind the Resident’s chair know the
reward they might obtain. They would not poison any dish from which many
might eat, the most likely thing in which it would be administered would
be coffee or ice!
After breakfast, the King went into the next apartment, where the
Resident, with all due form, having taken off the King’s turban, placed
the crown upon his head, and he ascended the masnud.
Khema-jah, the eldest boy, about fourteen years of age, is an ill-looking
low caste wretch, with long, straight, lank hair, coarse, falling lips,
and bad teeth. The manners and looks of the boy proclaim his caste. He
was the first person presented to his Majesty, and received four or five
dresses of honour, made of thick Benares gold and silver kimkhwāb, which
were _all_ put upon his person one over the other. A jewelled turban
was put on his head, and a necklace of pearls and precious stones round
his neck; and over all these dresses of honour were placed four or five
pairs of Cashmere shawls. A sword, dagger, and shield were given him; an
elephant, a horse, and a palanquin. Having made his sālām to his majesty,
and offered some gold mohurs, he retired.
The younger boy, Feredooa Buckht, a bold and independent child, then came
forward and received the same presents in the same style.
The khil’ats (dresses of honour) are sometimes given away to dependents
on the same day; this, if known, would be considered an insult.
Then appeared the minister, the Nawāb Hakīm Mehndi: when the first dress
of honour was put on him, it being too small, he could only put in one
arm; and there he stood shaking, perhaps from an idea of its being a bad
omen. The Nawāb prostrated himself before the King, and took off his own
turban; his Majesty himself immediately placed a jewelled one on the
uncovered head of the minister. Imagine the old man, sinking beneath the
weight of years, his head totally bald, and his person overwhelmed with
dresses of honour, shawls, and presents, like those before given to the
young princes: he trembled so much, the elephant-goad fell from his
hand, a sign of his own fall; and the gold mohurs he attempted to retain
in his hands fell at the foot of the throne. The people say there is a
prophecy he will come to an untimely end next February:—“A bad omen ought
not to be mentioned[66].”
When Mossem-ood-Dowla (the true heir) approached, he was coldly received,
and a deep cloud for some time darkened his countenance. Mossem-ood-Dowla
is a fine, handsome man, with a keen eye, and a very intelligent,
good-natured countenance. It was a painful sight to see him do homage to
one who had no right to the throne, but through the power of an unjust
law.
I was standing next to the Resident and the Prime Minister, when, during
a part of the ceremony, a shower of precious stones was thrown over us; I
looked at the Resident, and saw him move his arm to allow the valuables
that had fallen upon him to drop to the ground; I imitated his example
by moving my scarf, on which some were caught; it would have been _infra
dig._ to have retained them; they fell to the ground, and were scrambled
for by the natives; the shower consisted of emeralds, rubies, pearls,
&c., &c.
A magnifique style of largesse!
After all the dresses of honour had been presented to the different
persons, a hār (a necklace of gold and silver tinsel, very elegantly
made,) was placed around the neck of each of the visitors; atr of
roses was put on my hands, and on the hands of some other visitors, in
compliment to the Resident, by his Majesty himself. Pān was presented,
and rose water was sprinkled over us; after which ceremonies, we all
made our bohut bohut udūb sālām[67] to the King of Oude, and took our
departure. The gold and silver tinsel hārs have been substituted for
strings of pearl, which it was customary to present to visitors, until an
order of government, promulgated four years ago, forbade the acceptance
of presents.
THE ZENĀNA.
“LOVE AND MUSK DO NOT REMAIN CONCEALED[68].”
“WHEREVER THERE IS A FAIRY-FACED DAMSEL, SHE IS ATTENDED BY A DEMON[69].”
The following account of the Begams was given me by one whose life would
have paid the forfeit, had it been known he had revealed the secrets of
the zenāna; he desired me not to mention it at the time, or he should be
murdered on quitting Oude.
SULTANA BOA.
“_The_ Queen is the daughter of his Royal Highness Mirza Muhammad Sulimān
Shekō, the own brother of the present Emperor of Delhi, Akbar Shāh.
“From the first day after marriage, neglected and ill-treated, she was
only allowed, until lately, twenty rupees a day; she has now 2000 rupees
a month, but is not permitted to leave her apartments; the servants of
her family have all been discharged, and she is in fact a prisoner.
Neither the King nor any of his family ever visit her, and no other
person is permitted to approach her apartments.
“The lady of the Resident told me, ‘She is a great beauty, the handsomest
woman she ever saw;’ I have seen her sister, and can easily believe she
has not exaggerated. The Queen is now about sixteen or seventeen years
old (1830), and has been married, I believe, about five years.
“Mirza Sulimān Shekō, the father, lived at Lucnow since the time of
Ussuf-ood-Dowla, and was forced by the late King of Oude to give him his
daughter in marriage. The _mehn_ (dower) of the Princess was settled at
five crores[70], and the father had a grant of 5000 rupees a month, which
is not paid; and in June, 1828, the Prince was insulted, and obliged to
quit Lucnow with every sort of indignity.”
MULKA ZUMANEE.
“The second begam is the wife of Ramzānee, a cherkut or elephant
servant, who is now pensioned on thirty rupees a month, and kept in
surveillance at Sandee; some time after her marriage the lady proved
naughty, and was next acknowledged as the _chère amie_ of an itinerant
barber; she left him, and took service with Mirza Jewad Ali Beg’s family
as a servant-of-all-work, on eight anās a month and her food. She was
next heard of as a gram-grinder at ⸺serai, where her eldest son, by name
Tillooah, was born; her next child was a daughter.
“At this time Moonah Jāh (Feredooa Buckht) was born in the palace;
and, amongst others who sought the situation of nurse, Ramzanee’s wife
attended; she was approved of by the hākims, and was installed nurse to
the heir-apparent.
“Her age was then near forty, her size immoderate, her complexion the
darkest; but she soon obtained such influence over the King, that he
married her, and gave her the title of—(the daughter of the Emperor
Furrukshere, and the wife of the Emperor Mohummud Shāh,)—Mulka Zumanee!
Well may she exclaim, ‘Oh Father! I have got into a strange difficulty, I
have left off picking up cow-dung, and am employed in embroidery[71]!’
“She has a jagheer of 50,000 rupees a month, and the power of expending
50,000 rupees more from the treasury monthly. Her son Tillooah was about
three years of age when she was entertained as nurse, but such was her
power, that his Majesty publicly declared himself the father of the boy,
and he was in consequence recognised as heir to the crown, with the title
of Khema Jāh!”
The King has five queens, although by Muhammadan law he ought only to
have four. His Majesty of Oude possesses, to a considerable extent, that
peculiarly masculine faculty of retaining the _passion_, and changing the
_object_.
He heeds not the proverb, “Do not put your beard into the hands of
another[72].”
As far as I recollect the history of his last and favourite wife, it is
this:
The Nawāb Hakīm Mehndi, finding his influence less than usual, adopted
a Nāch girl as his daughter, because the King admired her, and induced
his Majesty to marry her. Her name is Gosseina; she is not pretty, but
possesses great influence over her royal lover. This girl, some fourteen
months ago, was dancing at the Residency for twenty-five rupees a night:
and a woman of such low caste not even a sā’īs would have married her.
The King now calls the hakīm his father-in-law, and says, “I have married
your daughter, but you have not married her mother; I insist on your
marrying her mother.” The hakīm tries to fight off, and says he is too
old; but the King often annoys him by asking when the marriage is to take
place.
“There is no bird like a man[73],” _i.e._ so volatile and unsteady.
The beautiful Tajmahŭl, whom I mentioned in Chapter X., is entirely
superseded by this Gosseina, the present reigning favourite; Tajmahŭl has
taken to drinking, and all the King’s drunken bouts are held at her house.
When he marched to Cawnpore, he took Tajmahŭl and Gosseina with him, and
their retinue was immense. It is said, that the beautiful Timoorian,
Sultana Boa, the Princess of Delhi, was so much disgusted at her father’s
being forced to give her in marriage to Nusseer-ood-Deen Hydur, and
looked upon him as a man of such low caste, in comparison with herself,
that she never allowed him to enter her palace,—a virgin queen.
Her sister, Mulka Begam, married her first cousin, Mirza Selim, the son
of the emperor, Akbār Shah; from whom she eloped with Mr. James Gardner,
and to the latter she was afterwards married. This elopement was the
cause of the greatest annoyance and distress to Col. Gardner, nor did he
grant his forgiveness to his son for years afterwards.
Affairs being in so unpleasant a state at the Court of Lucnow, was the
cause of Lady Wm. Bentinck’s being unable to visit the zenāna; and after
her ladyship’s departure, I was prevented going there by the same reason.
One cannot be surprised at a Musulmān’s taking advantage of the
permission given him by his lawgiver with respect to a plurality of
wives.
The Prophet himself did not set the best possible example in his own
domestic circle, having had eighteen wives! Nevertheless, his code of
laws respecting marriage restricted his followers to four wives, besides
concubines.
In a book published in England, it is observed, “there are some instances
of remarkable generosity in the conduct of good wives, which would hardly
gain credit with females differently educated.” This, being interpreted,
means, a good wife provides new wives for her husband!
The King is very anxious the Resident should patronize Khema Jāh,
his adopted son, and is much annoyed he can gain no control over so
independent and noble-minded a man.