Gulbahar Begum I Dazzling Rani of Takht-e-Lahore I Throne to Desolate Tomb I History Buried Alive 

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Gul Bahar Begum I Dazzling Rani of Takht-e-Lahore I Throne to Desolate Tomb I History Buried Alive
Videography: Muhammad Luqman Sarwar
Music: Binu Kumar, Kerala India [Sound SFX]
Gul Begum or Gulbahar Begum was the wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, whom she married in 1831 when he was 50 years old. Gul Begum had first attracted the Maharaja’s attention when he saw her performing a dance for a number of his guests. When learning she was from Amritsar, the Maharaja rode there personally and requested that the girl appear before him, which she did. Even when learning that she was a Muslim as the Maharaja was himself a Sikh, he was so captivated by her that he chose to defy social convention by marrying her. He first went to the Golden Temple at Amritsar to pray forgiveness for his actions then proceeded with his plan. He announced that Gul Begum would be his queen, but that her faith would be respected. For the next few years after their marriage Gul Begum, who was then known as Maharani Gulbahar Begum collaborated closely with the Maharaja. She did not observe purdah and was often seen on the royal elephant with the Maharaja during processions.
After their wedding, Ranjit Singh renamed her Maharani Gulbahar Begum and elevated her to a position above the other courtly women, who were now tasked with massaging her feet. She was given a haveli between Rang Mahal and Haveli Mian Khan.
When the Maharaja died in 1839 she offered herself for sati, however was advised by a courtier that this was forbidden in Islam.
Gul Begum owned a big estate during the times of the Maharaja. After the fall of the Sikh Government, the British gave her a stipend of Rs 12,380 per month. This was a large amount in those days. In addition, she would receive income from the inherited estates of Ranjit Singh.
While living in Lahore Gul Begum was provided with a detached palace between the Rang Mahal and Haveli Mian Khan, not far from the site of the garden which she had built in 1856, 17 years after the Maharaja’s death. She spent the remainder of her life in this area now known as Mozang and built a tomb-like building on the south side in which she was buried in 1865 or 1866.
Although she had no children she was cared for by her adopted son Sardar Khan. All this wealth was inherited by Sardar Khan and his descendants who still live in houses on this estate. The irony is that although all the residents benefit from living here and proudly proclaim Sardar Khan as their ancestor, nobody is willing to express any affiliation with Gul Bahar Begum.
Gul Begum Garden
Pools, fountains and corridors were built; in the midst of these an elegant mosque was constructed. If you walk down the road alongside Chauburji Crossing, you will pass the building of Surrayya Azeem Trust Hospital on your left. If you continue ahead past the hospital the road will lead to Miani Sahib Graveyard. A little way down this road the enclosure of Mirza Tahir Bandahgi’s shrine skirts the edge of the road. Behind it is the area of Gul Begum Garden. If you come from Mozang Square to Chauburji, the shrine of Wasif Ali Wasif is on roadside.
Adjacent to the tomb a street leads toward the right and after some distance there is another street on the right. As you approach the end of this street the walls of Gul Begum Garden become visible.
There is a door within these walls which has been sealed with mud bricks. Close by, on an inner street there is the main gate of the east side of the garden. The gate stretches across two storeys; the lower part has been sealed with bricks while on the upper storey, brick sun-shades can be seen.
It is incumbent upon the government to look after it. The public should have access to it, so that people can see the old building and can offer prayers for the Rani and others in buried in the mausoleum.
Curiously, although the garden was relatively small by Lahore standards, nearly a square kilometer of present-day Lahore is known as the Bagh Bul Begum neighborhood. One hopes that this now-dilapidated garden may one day be refurbished to make it an integral part of the neighborhood that has taken its name.
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