Gauhar Ara Begum (Persian: گوہر آرا بیگم, lit. 'Adorned in Gems'; 17 June 1631 – c. 1706) was a Mughal princess and the fourteenth and youngest child of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal.[1]
Her mother died giving birth to her in 1631. Gauhar Ara, however, survived the childbirth and lived for another three quarters of a century. Little is known about her and whether she was involved in the war of succession for her father's throne.
Born on 17 June 1631, the day her mother Mumtaz Mahal died, Gauhar Ara Begum appears to have kept a fairly low profile throughout the reigns of her father and brother.[2] Evidence vaguely indicates that she may have supported her fourth brother Murad Bakhsh's bid for the throne during the War of Succession. Were this to be true, this role was unlikely to have been particularly active since, unlike her father and sister Jahanara, she was not imprisoned afterwards by her victorious brother Aurangzeb.[3]
She, following her father's downfall, involve herself in the organising of the marriages of her relations. When Sipihr Shikoh, son of her eldest brother Dara married Aurangzeb's daughter Zubdat-un-Nissa in 1673, Gauhar Ara and her maternal cousin Hamida Banu Begum arranged the wedding ceremony. She had taken a greater role in 1672 with the marriage of Dara's granddaughter Salima Banu Begum (whom Gauhar Ara had adopted and raised) and Aurangzeb's fourth son Prince Muhammad Akbar. She took the place of the bride's mother, with the wedding being described as a gala event: "On both sides of the road from the Delhi gate to the mansion of the Begum (i.e. Gauhar Ara) wooden structures were set up for illumination."[2]
Death
Gauhar Ara Begum died in Shahjahanabad in 1706. Aurangzeb, who was stationed in the Deccan at the time, was stricken by the death. He was reported to have continuously repeated "Of all the children of Shah Jahan, she and I alone were left."[2]
^ abcSarker, Kobita (2007). Shah Jahan and his paradise on earth: the story of Shah Jahan's creations in Agra and Shahjahanabad in the golden days of the Mughals. K.P. Bagchi & Co. p. 191. ISBN978-81-7074-300-2.
^Waldemar Hansen (1986). The Peacock Throne: The Drama of Mogul India. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 394. ISBN978-81-208-0225-4.
^ abMehta, Jaswant Lal (1984). Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 418. ISBN978-81-207-1015-3.
^ abThackeray, Frank W.; Findling, John E. (2012). Events That Formed the Modern World: From the European Renaissance through the War on Terror [5 volumes]: From the European Renaissance through the War on Terror. ABC-CLIO. p. 254. ISBN978-1-59884-902-8.
^ abBhargava, Visheshwar Sarup (1966). Marwar and the Mughal Emperors (A. D. 1526–1748). Munshiram Manoharlal. p. 58. ISBN9788121504003.
^Parihar, Subhash (1999). Some Aspects of Indo-Islamic Architecture. Abhinav Publications. p. 149. ISBN978-81-7017-381-6.
^Shujauddin, Mohammad; Shujauddin, Razia (1967). The Life and Times of Noor Jahan. Caravan Book House. p. 1.
^Ahmad, Moin-ud-din (1924). The Taj and Its Environments: With 8 Illus. from Photos., 1 Map, and 4 Plans. R. G. Bansal. p. 101.
January 06, 2023
gauhar, begum, persian, گوہر, آرا, بیگم, adorned, gems, june, 1631, 1706, mughal, princess, fourteenth, youngest, child, mughal, emperor, shah, jahan, wife, mumtaz, mahal, shahzadi, mughal, empireborn17, june, 1631burhanpur, mughal, empiredied1706, aged, delhi. Gauhar Ara Begum Persian گوہر آرا بیگم lit Adorned in Gems 17 June 1631 c 1706 was a Mughal princess and the fourteenth and youngest child of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal 1 Gauhar Ara BegumShahzadi of the Mughal EmpireBorn17 June 1631Burhanpur Mughal EmpireDied1706 aged 74 75 Delhi Mughal EmpireHouseTimuridFatherShah JahanMotherMumtaz MahalReligionSunni IslamHer mother died giving birth to her in 1631 Gauhar Ara however survived the childbirth and lived for another three quarters of a century Little is known about her and whether she was involved in the war of succession for her father s throne Gauhar Ara died in 1706 aged about 75 Contents 1 Life 2 Death 3 Ancestry 4 In popular culture 5 ReferencesLife EditBorn on 17 June 1631 the day her mother Mumtaz Mahal died Gauhar Ara Begum appears to have kept a fairly low profile throughout the reigns of her father and brother 2 Evidence vaguely indicates that she may have supported her fourth brother Murad Bakhsh s bid for the throne during the War of Succession Were this to be true this role was unlikely to have been particularly active since unlike her father and sister Jahanara she was not imprisoned afterwards by her victorious brother Aurangzeb 3 She following her father s downfall involve herself in the organising of the marriages of her relations When Sipihr Shikoh son of her eldest brother Dara married Aurangzeb s daughter Zubdat un Nissa in 1673 Gauhar Ara and her maternal cousin Hamida Banu Begum arranged the wedding ceremony She had taken a greater role in 1672 with the marriage of Dara s granddaughter Salima Banu Begum whom Gauhar Ara had adopted and raised and Aurangzeb s fourth son Prince Muhammad Akbar She took the place of the bride s mother with the wedding being described as a gala event On both sides of the road from the Delhi gate to the mansion of the Begum i e Gauhar Ara wooden structures were set up for illumination 2 Death EditGauhar Ara Begum died in Shahjahanabad in 1706 Aurangzeb who was stationed in the Deccan at the time was stricken by the death He was reported to have continuously repeated Of all the children of Shah Jahan she and I alone were left 2 Ancestry EditAncestors of Gauhar Ara Begum8 Jalal ud din Muhammad Akbar Mughal Emperor 7 4 Nur ud din Muhammad Jahangir Mughal Emperor 5 9 Mariam uz Zamani 7 2 Shahab ud din Muhammad Shah Jahan I Mughal Emperor 4 10 Udai Singh Raja of Marwar 8 5 Jagat Gosain 5 11 Manrang Devi of Gwalior 8 1 Gauhar Ara Begum12 I timad ud Daulah 9 6 Abu l Hasan Asaf Khan 6 13 Asmat Begam 10 3 Mumtaz Mahal 4 14 Ghias ud din Ali Asaf Khan 11 7 Diwanji Begum 6 In popular culture EditGauhar Ara Begum is a principal character in Ruchir Gupta s novel Mistress of the Throne 2014 References Edit Tillotson Giles 2010 Taj Mahal Profile Books p 31 ISBN 978 1 84765 247 8 a b c Sarker Kobita 2007 Shah Jahan and his paradise on earth the story of Shah Jahan s creations in Agra and Shahjahanabad in the golden days of the Mughals K P Bagchi amp Co p 191 ISBN 978 81 7074 300 2 Waldemar Hansen 1986 The Peacock Throne The Drama of Mogul India Motilal Banarsidass Publ p 394 ISBN 978 81 208 0225 4 a b Sarker 2007 p 187 a b Mehta Jaswant Lal 1984 Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India Sterling Publishers Pvt Ltd p 418 ISBN 978 81 207 1015 3 a b Thackeray Frank W Findling John E 2012 Events That Formed the Modern World From the European Renaissance through the War on Terror 5 volumes From the European Renaissance through the War on Terror ABC CLIO p 254 ISBN 978 1 59884 902 8 a b Mehta 1984 p 374 a b Bhargava Visheshwar Sarup 1966 Marwar and the Mughal Emperors A D 1526 1748 Munshiram Manoharlal p 58 ISBN 9788121504003 Parihar Subhash 1999 Some Aspects of Indo Islamic Architecture Abhinav Publications p 149 ISBN 978 81 7017 381 6 Shujauddin Mohammad Shujauddin Razia 1967 The Life and Times of Noor Jahan Caravan Book House p 1 Ahmad Moin ud din 1924 The Taj and Its Environments With 8 Illus from Photos 1 Map and 4 Plans R G Bansal p 101 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gauhar Ara Begum amp oldid 1116210036, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
