BHOPAL HISTORY

According to folklore, Bhopal is said to have been founded by the king Bhoja of the Paramara dynasty (10001055 CE), who ruled from his capital at Dhar. This theory states that Bhopal was originally known as Bhojpal after the king and the dam ("pal") constructed by him. No available archaeological evidence, inscriptions or historical texts support the claim about an earlier settlement founded by Bhoja at the same place, although a temple complex constructed by him exists at Bhojpur, which is located 28 km from Bhopal. An alternative theory says that the name of the city was coined from the name of another king called Bhupala (or Bhupal).[7][8] (During the British Raj, the railway tickets printed in the city and the signboards on the railway station mentioned the name of the city as "Bhupal" in Hindi-Urdu and "Bhoopal" in English.) In the early 18th century, Bhopal was a small village in the local Gond kingdom. The modern Bhopal city was established by Dost Mohammad Khan (16721728), an Afghan Pashtun soldier in the Mughal army.[9] After the death of the emperor Aurangzeb, Khan started providing mercenary services to several local chieftains in the politically unstable Malwa region. In 1709, he took on the lease of Berasia estate, and later annexed several territories in the region to establish the Bhopal State.[10] Khan received the territory of Bhopal from the Gond queen Rani Kamlapati in lieu of payment for mercenary services, and usurped her kingdom after her death.[11]

Hamidullah Khan, last nawab of Bhopal During the early 1720s, Dost Mohammad Khan transformed the village of Bhopal into a fortified city, and acquired the title of Nawab.[12] Khan's support to the Sayyid Brothers earned him the enmity of the rival Mughal nobleman Nizam-ul-Mulk, who invaded Bhopal in March 1724, forcing Khan to cede much of his territory.[13] Dost Mohammad Khan and his Pathan associates brought the Islamic influence on the culture and architecture of Bhopal, the ruins of which can be found at Islamnagar near Bhopal. After Khan's death in 1728, the Bhopal state remained under the influence of the Nizam. The state also paid tribute to the Marathas, who defeated the Mughals at the Battle of Bhopal in 1737.

Nawab Faiz Muhammed Khan (17421777) moved the capital from Islamnagar to Bhopal. The state became a British protectorate in 1818. Between 1819 and 1926, it was ruled by four women Begums unique in the royalty of those days. Qudsia Begum was the first woman ruler, who was succeeded by her only daughter Sikandar Begum, who in turn was succeeded by her only daughter, Shahjehan Begum. Sultan Jahan Begum was the last woman ruler, who after 25 years of rule, abdicated in favour of her son, Hamidullah Khan. The rule of Begums gave the city its waterworks, railways, a postal system and a municipality constituted in 1907.[14] Bhopal was the second largest Muslim state in pre-independence India after Hyderabad. After the independence of India in 1947, the last Nawab expressed his wish to retain Bhopal as a separate unit in March 1948. Agitations against the Nawab broke out in December 1948, leading to the arrest of prominent leaders including Shankar Dayal Sharma. Later, the political detainees were released, and the Nawab signed the agreement for Bhopal's merger with the Union of India on 30 April 1949.[15] The Bhopal state was taken over by the Union Government of India on 1 June 1949. Sindhi refugees from Pakistan were accommodated in Bairagarh, a western suburb of Bhopal (now renamed to Sant Hirdaram Nagar). According to the States Reorganization Act of 1956, the Bhopal state was integrated into the state of Madhya Pradesh, and Bhopal was declared as its capital. The population of the city rose rapidly thereafter.

Bhopal state was an independent state of 18th century India, a princely state of India from 1818 to 1947, and an Indian state from 1949 to 1956. Its capital was the Bhopal city.

Early rulers (Nawab of Bhopal):-

S.No.
01. 02. 03. 04.

Name of the Bhopal Nawabs

Nawab Dost Muhammad Khan Bahadur Nawab Sultan Muhammad Khan Bahadur Nawab Faiz Muhammad Khan Bahadur Nawab Hayat Muhammad Khan Bahadur

Ru

ruled from 1

ruled from 1

ruled from 1

ruled from 1

05. 06. 07. 08.

Nawab Ghaus Muhammad Khan Bahadur Nawab Muiz Muhammad Khan Bahadur Nawab Jahangir Muhammad Khan Bahadur Al-Haj Nawab Sir Hafiz Muhammad Hamidullah Khan Bahadur

ruled from 1

ruled from 1

ruled from 1

ruled from 1

The rule of the Begums:-

The Begum of Bhopal who ruled the princely state of Bhopal in Central India in the 19th and 20th centuries. They include:

S.No. Name of the Bhopal Begums

01. 02. 03. 04. 05. Qudsia Begum, Regent of Bhopal Nawab Sikandar Begum Begum Sultan Shah Jehan Begum Kaikhusrau Jahan Begum Sajida Sultan

Ruled Time
ruled from 1819-1837 ruled from 1860-1868 ruled from 1844-1860 and 1868-1901 ruled from 1901-1926 ruled from 1961-1995

Establishment

The state was established in 1724 by the Afghan Sardar Dost Mohammed Khan, who was a commander in the Mughal army posted at Mangalgarh, which lies to the north of the modern city of Bhopal. Taking advantage of the disintegration of the Mughal empire, he usurped Mangalgarh and Berasia (now a tehsil of the Bhopal District). Sometime later, he helped the Gond Queen Kamalapati by executing her husband's assassins and restoring the little Gond kingdom back to her. The Queen gave him a princely sum of money and the Mouza village (which is situated near modern Bhopal city). After the death of last Gond queen, Dost Mohammed Khan took his chance and seized the little Gond Kingdom and established his capital 10 km away from modern Bhopal, at Jagdishpur. He named his capital Islamnagar, meaning the city of Islam. He built a small fort and some palaces at Islamnagar, the ruins of which can still be seen today. After few years, he built a bigger fort situated on the northern bank of the Upper Lake. He named this new fort Fatehgarh ("the fort of victory"). Later the capital was shifted to the current city of Bhopal. Early rulers Although Dost Mohammed Khan was the virtual ruler of Bhopal, he still acknowledged the suzerainty of the declining Mughal Empire. His successors however, acquired the title of "Nawab" and declared Bhopal an independent state. By the 1730s, the Marathas were expanding into the region, and Dost Mohammed Khan and his

successors fought wars with their neighbors to protect the small territory and also fought among themselves for control of the state. The Marathas conquered several nearby states, including Indore to the west and Gwalior to the north, but Bhopal remained a Muslim-ruled state under Dost Mohammed Khan's successors. Subsequently, Nawab Wazir Mohammed Khan, a general, created a truly strong state after fighting several wars. Nawab Jehangir Mohammed Khan established a cantonment at a distance of one mile from the fort. This was called Jehangirabad after him. He built gardens and barracks for British guests and soldiers in Jehangirabad. In 1778, during the First Anglo-Maratha War, when the British General Thomas Goddard campaigned across India, Bhopal was one of the few states that remained friendly to the British. In 1809, during the Second AngloMaratha War, General Close led a British expedition to Central India. The Nawab of Bhopal petitioned in vain to be received under British protection. In 1817, when the Third Anglo-Maratha War broke out, a treaty of dependence was signed between the British Government of India and the Nawab of Bhopal. Bhopal remained a friend of British Government during the British Raj in India. In February-March 1818, Bhopal became a princely state in British India as a result of the Anglo-Bhopal treaty between the East India Company and Nawab Nazar Muhammad (Nawab of Bhopal during 1816-1819). Bhopal state included the present-day Bhopal, Raisen, and Sehore districts, and was part of the

Central India Agency. It straddled the Vindhya Range, with the northern portion lying on the Malwa plateau, and the southern portion lying in the valley of the Narmada River, which formed the state's southern boundary. Bhopal Agency was formed as an administrative section of Central India, consisting the Bhopal state and some princely states to the northeast, including Khilchipur, Narsingarh, Raigarh, and after 1931 the Dewas states. It was administered by an agent to the British Governor-General of India.

The rule of the Begums

Qudsia Begum
An interesting turn came in the history of Bhopal, when in 1819, 18 year old Qudsia Begum (also known as Gohar Begum) took over the reins after the assassination of her husband. She was the first female ruler of Bhopal. Although she was illiterate, she was brave and refused to follow the purdah tradition. She declared that her 2 year old daughter Sikander will follow her as the ruler. None of the male family members dared to challenge her decision. She cared very well for her subjects and took her dinners only after receiving the news every night that all her subjects had taken meals. She built the Jama Masjid of Bhopal. She also built her beautiful palace - 'Gohar Mahal'. She ruled till 1837. Before her death, she had adequately prepared her daughter for ruling the state.

Sikander Jahan Begum

In 1844, Sikander Begum succeeded her mother as the ruler of Bhopal. Like her mother, she too never observed purdah. She was trained in the martial arts, and fought many battles during her reign (1844 1868).During the Indian rebellion of 1857, she sided with the British and crushed all those who revolted against them. She did a lot of public welfare too - she built roads and reconstructed the fort. She also built the Moti Masjid (meaning the Pearl Mosque) and Moti Mahal (the Pearl Palace).

Shah Jahan Begum

Sikander Begum's successor Shah Jahan Begum was quite passionate about architecture, like her Mughal namesake emperor Shah Jahan. She built a vast minicity, called Shahjahanabad after her. She also

built a new palace for herself - Taj Mahal (not to be confused with the famous Taj Mahal at Agra). She built a lot of other beautiful buildings as well - Ali Manzil, Amir Ganj, Barah Mahal, Ali Manzil, Be nazir Complex, Khawasoura, Mughalpura, Nematpua and Nawab Manzils. Today also, one can see the ruins of Taj Mahal and some of its glorious parts that have survived the tests of time. Barah Mahal and Nawab Manzil have also withstood the test of time..

Kaikhusrau Jahan Begum 'Sarkar Amma' ( ruled during 1901-26)

Sultan Kaikhusrau Jahan Begum, (9 July 1858-12 May 1930) daughter of Shah Jahan Begum, succeeded her in 1901, ruling to her abdication in favor of her son in 1926. She further advanced the emancipation of women and established a modern municipality in 1903[1]. She had her own palace Sadar Manzil (the present headquarters

of Bhopal Municipal Corporation). But she preferred the quiet and serene environment at the outskirts of the city. She developed her own walled mini-city, named Ahmedabad after her late husband (not to be confused with Ahmedabad, Gujarat). This city was situated at Tekri Maulvee Zai-ud-din, which was at located a distance of a mile from the fort. She built a palace called Qaser-e-Sultani (now Saifia College). This area became a posh residency as royalty and elite moved here. The Begum installed the first water pump here and developed a garden called 'Zie-up-Abser'. She also constructed a new palace called 'Noor-usSabah', which has been converted into a heritage hotel. She was the first president of the All India Conference on Education and first chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University. The peaceful rule of Begums led to the rise of a unique mixed culture in Bhopal. The Hindus were given important administrative positions in the state. This led to communal peace and a cosmopolitan culture took its roots. Sultan Kaikhusrau Jahan Begum's son, Nawab Hamidullah Khan, ascended the throne in 1926. He was Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes

After Indian independence

Nawab Hamidullah Khan, 1930

India achieved independence on August 15, 1947. Bhopal was one of the last states to sign the 'Instrument of Accession'. The ruler of Bhopal acceded to the Indian government, and Bhopal became an Indian state on 1 May 1949. Sindhi refugees from Pakistan were accommodated in Bairagarh, a western suburb of Bhopal. The eldest daughter of Nawab Hamidullah Khan and presumptive heiress, Abida Sultan, gave up her right to the throne and opted for Pakistan in 1950. She entered Pakistan's foreign service. Therefore, the Government of India excluded her from the succession and

her younger sister Begum Sajida succeeded in her stead. Abida Sultan arrived in the newly created Pakistan when she was 37 and a mother of a young son. She was to spend the greater part of her life in Pakistan, and she died in 2002. Her son, Shaharyar Khan, was to become the Foreign Secretary of Pakistan and then the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. The last ruling Nawab of Pataudi, Iftikhar Ali Khan, married Begum Sajida. Upon the demise of Begum Sajida in 1995, her only son Mansoor Ali Khan, the titular Nawab of Pataudi, is regarded by many as being the head of the royal family of Bhopal.

Chowk (Bazaar) Chowk (Bazaar) is one of the best marketplaces which are located in the heart of the Old City, Bhopal. It is a fantastic place to buy something special such as embroidered velvet cushions, tussar silk, silver jewelry, and intricate beadwork that are made up by Bhopal's warm, friendly citizens. This wonderful market offers you a wide range of unique items with great bargains and discounts. You can also get some extra discounts on any occasions like the bead work and the hand embroidery. One of the main attractions of this market is The Jama Masjid which is located in the centre of main market area which is also famous as chowk bazaar. The erstwhile ruler of Bhopal Her Majesty Qudsiya Begum was built this mosque in the year 1837. By the erstwhile ruler of Bhopal Her Majesty Qudsiya Begum. Amongst other historical sites in Bhopal, this monument is built belonging to Islamic style. This monument has a potential to pull number of worshippers and devotees from across the world. It has

fabulous structure that is raised from the ground level and access to the mosque is from the staircases on three sides. The mosque has beautiful interiors that are built out of dazzling white marble. There is a sequence of delightfully crafted white columned arches and plush interiors with loads on carvings on it.