Jahan Ara The Richest Princess

Very few names of women have come to light during the Mughal rule, including Gulbadin Begum, Noor Jahan, Mumtaz Mahal, Jahan Ara, Roshan Ara, and Zeb Al-Nisa.  Two of them, namely Noor Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, were the queens and the status of the rest should not be equal to that of Ara, because no one except Roshan Ara could become the head of the harem, ie Begum Sahiba or Badshah Begum.

When Ara’s mother died, she was only 17 years old, and from that moment on, the burden of the Mughal Empire’s harem fell on her shoulders. She was not the Queen of India, but after the death of her mother Mumtaz Begum, she remained the most powerful and powerful woman of the Mughal Empire all her life. After the death of her mother, she was given the title of King Begum and the entire responsibility of the shrine fell on the shoulders of this 17-year-old. 

This title was given to her again when his father died and her brother Aurangzaib become the king of India. Although this was not the one she wanted to be the king. But Aurangzaib respected her well due to the wisdom she held. She was one of most few women in the history of the Mughal empire that held the power to issue the Royal Orders. Ara was also responsible for the ceremonies of the Royal House

 

Jahan Ara was the richest woman of her time, not only in India but in the whole world. Why not because his father was the richest king of India whose era has been called the Golden Age of India. She is known for her work to improve the status of the women and poor in the state. She tried to spread education in society. 

Jahan Ara is the first Mughal princess to create a public space for women. Shebuilt Begum’s garden in Jumna Par Sahibabad adjacent to Delhi was its own example. There was a special place for women and also special days only for women so that they could walk freely in the garden and enjoy the atmosphere there.

When Western tourists came to India, they were amazed at how influential the Mughal wives were. In contrast, British women at the time did not have such rights. Wives were doing business and instructing others on what to do and what not to do.

Ara’s wealth can be gauged from the fact that she had many estates, on the day his father was crowned, she was given one lakh nobles and four lakh rupees, while an annual stipend of six lakh was announced. This was later increased to one million rupees after the death of her mother. What happened after the death of her mother, half of all his property was given to Ara and the other half was distributed among the other children. Her estates included Achhal, Farjahra, and Bachhol, Safapur, Dohara Sarkar, and Panipat. She was also given the city of Surat where his ships sailed and traded with the British.

 

Ara Begum’s estate was very fertile. Malik Surat, which was a very prosperous province, was given as a jagir by Shah Jahan. At that time, her annual income was 7.5 million. At the same time, they were given the port of Surat, which was always used by traders from different countries. And because of this, they were earning a little over five lakh rupees. Apart from this, fertile places like Azamgarh, Ambala, etc. were also included in her estate.

She wrote two books both of which were in Persian. The subject of the books was related to spirituality.  The Jama Masjid

 in Agra has a women’s room for worship. At the President’s door like a Mughal king, Jahan Ara, her spirituality and her purity were praised. It is a kind of hymn.

Jahan Ara said to have mapped the whole of Shahjahanabad, i.e. Delhi, under his supervision. Some historians object to this, but no one objects to Chandni Chowk. This bazaar is a testament to their good taste and recognition of the needs of the city.