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Posted on: Jul 10, '07


 The lost glory (Taj Mahal)

So, here we have our glorious Taj Mahal in the seven wonders. But someone who is related to the Taj is is in a celebratory mood but can't quite celebrate, other than feel proud and happy! The last of the Moghuls, probably, the 54 year old Sultana Begum who is the great grand daughter-in-law of the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar.

The ostentatious Taj is a palace that was built in a whopping Rs 32 millions about four centuries ago, but Sultana Begum stays in a less than modest Howrah slum, in a 66 sq ft house. Her husband, late Mirza Mohd Bedar Bukht, was the direct descendant of Bahadur Shah Zafar and crown queen Zeenat Mehal.

The government will do everything it can to save the Taj because it's our ticket international name and fame - make the surrounding area a pollution free zone, no diesel/petrol vehicles allowed in the vicinity, chemical factories shut down, spend lakhs on it if need be to give it the dignified status. But, what does it do to give someone related to it a fairly decent living, even if not as dignified as an empress? NOTHING! Sultana Begum's pension is Rs 400 a month, she had a tea stall that she gave on rent to a scrap dealer. But it shut shop, after which Sultana Begum appealed to the government to grant her a higher pension and give her a piece of land. But, it has fallen on deaf ears.

She wrote a letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who wrote back saying necessary action would be taken by the concerned ministry. But, well, as was expected nothing has come out of it.

The glory of the dead is far superior than a living person's I guess!



Tags: news, taj mahal, taj, seven wonders, seven new wonders, history, government, sonia gandhi, sultana begum, shah jahan, mumtaz mahal





Comments  [ 6 Comments ] [ Post your comment | Subscribe (?) ]


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impeccabledude said:
well i seriously disagree to some points.
whosoever they are, these people from royal ancestry are so used to life of not working at all that they end up like this. they like any other citizen of this country can work and build their own fortune, why should govt help them?

August 28, '07


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BismillahKhan2001 said:
We (Neena Jha & Shivnath Jha: visit Google search) have launched a movement "Andolan Ek Pustak Se" (Monograph on Shehnai Maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan to protect such families. On July 4, 2007, with the help of Indian railway Minister Lalu Prasad, we have rehabilitated Vinayak Rao Tope, the heirs of Tatya Tope, the frontline leader of 1857 Uprising and contemporary of Bahadur Shah Zafar by prividing his daughters Pragati and Tripti employment in Indian Railway as well as Rs. 5 lakh financial support. Now we have identified Sultana Begam. We are going to Kolkata to bring the family to New Delhi for their complete rehabilitation so that she alongwith her family could lead a dignified life in the society. Please visit: www.tatyatope.blogspot.com or www.bismillahkhan.blogspot.com and send your comment "good" or "bad". We seek your support to make the movement a success.Please come forward to protect those family who sacrificed their today for our tomorrow. Neena & Shivnath Jha 09810246536

August 10, '07


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narcissist_mum said:
I disagree with the second paragraph of KBR's comment here. Just because we have other great structures in our country, it doesn't belittle what the Taj is. I do agree that the other structures too should be given a place of pride, but belittling the Taj is a very regressive approach. For that matter, when you mention the Great Wall of China, whats so glorious about that? Its just a wall...isn't it?

On topic...I don't see any reason why we should be bothered about Sultana Begum any more than we should bother about the millions of BPL families in India. The descendants of Bahadur Shah Zafar have no one but themselves to blame for their state of penury today.

And to all those who have commented here just for the heck of doing so, please don't waste cyberspace thus. Commenting with a token "ok" is actually insulting to the person who put in so much effort into penning her thoughts. Its so very condescending.

July 11, '07


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parameswaran2001 said:
QUITE INTERESTING
AGREE WITH YOU.

July 10, '07


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jdoc said:
o k give pension

July 10, '07


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King-Bulls-Ring said:
What you want us to do with the great-grand-daughter of the builder of Taj Mahal? Honor her as what? successor of the Builder of the monument? a tomb? as what? Whats so glorius about Taj, except the Marble architecture? WHy only this structure?

In the first place, India is in such a pathetic position, it has to boast a Moghul Tomb built just 350 years ago, while we have equal or more antique and more ancient enough as those like great wall of china and colloseium.

By celebrating this, I don't think India is doing justice to itself...

July 10, '07

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