Legacy of Jodha Bai or Mariam-Uz-Zamani

 

Jodha Bai, also known as Mariam-Uz-Zamani in Persian, literally means "Mary of the Age." She was Mughal Emperor Jalal ud-din Muhammad Akbar's third wife. She was born about 1542 as a member of a Hindu rajput family. Her father, Raja Bharmal of Amber (Rajasthan), proposed marriage to Akbar for her eldest daughter in 1562. Sambhar hosted this political wedding (in Jaipur district). The marriage of Akbar and Mariam-Uz-Zamani had a tremendous impact on Akbar's and his empire's adaptability to religious diversity. She gave birth to Jahangir, who would grow up to be Akbar's eldest surviving son.

Marriage with Akbar

1562, in 1562, Akbar's brother-in-law Mirza Muhammad Sharaf-ud-din Hussain was appointed Mughal governor of Mewat. Mirza stormed Amer, defeating Bihari Mal and the Kachwahas, who fled to the hills and forests. Bihari Mal pledged to pay Mirza peshkash (fixed tribute) and handed his son Jagannath and two nephews as captives for the payment, but Mirza nevertheless prepared to invade Amer again. At this time, Bihari Mal reached Akbar's courtier Chaghtai Khan and told him about the hardship of the Kachwahas, who were on their way to Ajmer to pray at the tomb of Moinuddin Chishti. Akbar called Bihari Mal to his court after learning about the incident from Chaghtai Khan.

Picture downloaded from Google

On January 20, Bihari Mal visited the Emperor Akbar in his camp in Sanganer. Bihari Mal proposed to Akbar that he marry his eldest daughter Hira Kunwari, to which the latter agreed. After Akbar arrived in Sambhar, Rajasthan, from Ajmer, Mirza surrendered Jagannath, Khangar Singh, and Raj Singh. The wedding of Akbar and Hira Kunwari took place at the royal military camp in Sambhar on February 6, 1562. The ceremony was attended by both families.

 

As Mariam-Uz-Zamani

Hira Kunwari gave birth to a boy on August 30, 1569. His father named him Salim to show his thanks and honour for the holy man Moinuddin Chishti. Salim later took over as Emperor Jahangir after his father. After Hira Kunwari gave birth to Salim, she was given the honorific title Mariam-uz-Zamani, which means "Mary of the Age." In accordance with the custom of the Mughal Empire, honorary titles were bestowed upon Muslim noblewomen who served in the imperial harem and gave birth to a son.

Pic: @NotesOnHistory

In honour of his mother, Jahangir constructed the Begum Shahi Mosque between 1611 and 1614. The mosque was formally referred to as "The Mosque of Mariam Zamani Begum." It is in the Walled City of Lahore, which is in Pakistan today.

Elevating the Status of Her Family

Her marriage to Akbar established a close relationship between the Mughal Empire and her family, which proved immensely beneficial to the latter in terms of earning both power and riches. Akbar made Bihari Mal a high-ranking noble in the court of the empire. Akbar's Kachwaha relatives, like Bhagwant Das, the eldest son of Bihari Mal, and Man Singh, who was his son, worked hard for the Mughal Empire. After succeeding Bihari Mal as Raja of Amber, Bhagwant Das joined the Mughal Empire as a commander and was given the Mansab (rank) of 5000 by Akbar in 1585. He fought in several battles for Akbar, and Akbar gave him the title of Amir-ul-Umra, which means "Chief Noble." Bhagwant Das's daughter Manbhawati Bai or Man Bai married Prince Salim, on February 13, 1585, who subsequently became Emperor Jahangir. On August 26, 1605, Man Singh, who was the son of Bhagwant Das, was promoted to the position of commander of 7,000 cavalry in the Mughal troops. Man Singh became one of Akbar's most trusted generals. Akbar declared Man Singh one of the Navaratnas (nine jewels) of the imperial court, and his daughter Manorama Bai married Shah Jahan's heir-apparent Dara Shikoh. On the list of mansabdars (commanders) compiled by Abu'l-Fazl, the Grand Vizier of Akbar, 13 out 27 were Rajputs from the Amber clan, and some of them were even elevated to positions on par with the princes.

Political Impact of Mariam-Uz-Zamani

Mariam-Uz-Zamani is thought to have been a smart businesswoman who traded silk, spices, and other goods around the world. She is thought to have made a fortune that was bigger than those of European kings. In fact, she was the owner of ships that carried Muslims to and from the holy city of Mecca. People said she was the only Mughal queen with a 12,000-strong cavalry, and every nobleman gave her a jewel on the New Year's holiday. She was given the right to sign royal "farman," or official documents, just like Nur Jahan, Hamida Banu Begum, Nadira Banu, Mumtaz Mahal, and Jahanara Begum, who were also Mughal women.

Pic: Google

Death & Legacy

On May 19, 1623, she was died in Agra. In her honour, Jahangir built a tomb in Sikandara, an Agra suburb, named the Tomb of Mariam-Uz-Zamani (1623–27). It is about half a kilometer from Akbar the Great's tomb.

Pic: Google

The Indian historical romantic film "Jodhaa Akbar," which came out on February 15, 2008, is based on the life of Mariam-uz-Zamani. The lead roles were played by Indian actors Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan. "Jodha Akbar," an Indian historical fiction-drama TV show with Paridhi Sharma and Rajat Tokas in the main roles, telecasted on Zee TV from June 18, 2013 to August 7, 2015.

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