Wajid Ali Shah (1822-1887) was the tenth and last
nawabA Nawab or Nawaab was originally the subedar or viceroy of a subah or region of the Mughal empire. It became a high title for Muslim nobles.-History:...
of the princely kingdom of
AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh, Oundh, or Oude, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before Independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
(Oudh) in present day
Uttar PradeshUttar Pradesh , [often referred to as U.P.] is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 190 million people,...
in
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
. He ascended the throne of Awadh in 1847 and ruled for nine years. His kingdom, long protected by the British under treaty, was eventually annexed peacefully on February 7, 1856 - days before the ninth anniversary of his coronation. The Nawab was exiled to Garden Reach in
MetiabruzMetiabruz is a neighbourhood on the southern fringe of Kolkata , the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal.-History:Matiaburj has a rich history. The Nawab of Sonargachhi, Wajid Ali Shah, took refuge here when he was ousted by the British from his throne, and attempted to build a replica of...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metiabruz, then a suburb of
Kolkata, formerly , is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in eastern India on the east bank of the River Hooghly. When referred to as Calcutta, it usually includes the suburbs, and thus its population exceeds 15 million, making it India's third-largest metropolitan area and...
, where he lived out the rest of his life off a generous pension. He was a poet, playwright, dancer and great patron of the arts. He is widely credited with the revival of
KathakKathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from northern India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or story tellers...
as a major form of classical Indian dance.
As a Nawab
Wajid Ali Shah succeeded to the throne of Awadh when its glory days were already past it. The British had annexed much of the kingdom under the treaty of 1801, and had impoverished Awadh by imposing a hugely expensive, British-run army and repeated demands for loans. The independence of Awadh in name was tolerated by the British only because they still needed a buffer state between their presence in the East and South, and the remnants of the Mughal Empire to the North.
Wajid Ali Shah was most unfortunate to have ascended the throne of Awadh at a time when the
British East India CompanyThe East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
was determined to grab the coveted throne of prosperous
AwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh, Oundh, or Oude, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before Independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
(Oudh), which was "the garden, granary, and queen-province of India."
In different circumstances perhaps, he might have succeeded as a ruler because he had many qualities that make a good administrator. He was generous, kind and compassionate towards his subjects, besides being one of the most magnanimous and passionate patrons of the Fine Arts. When he ascended the throne, he took keen interest in the administration of justice, introduced reforms, and reorganised the military department, but gradually sank into a life of pleasures surrounded by courtesans, singers, dancers, and eunuchs.
Wajid Ali Shah was widely regarded as a debauched and detached ruler, but some of his notoriety seems to have been misplaced. The main case for condemnation comes from the British Resident of
LucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division...
, General Sleeman who submitted a report highlighting maladministration and lawlessness supposed to be prevailing there. This proved to be the trigger the British were looking for, and formed the official basis for their annexation. Recent studies have, however, suggested that Awadh was neither as bankrupt nor as lawless as the British had claimed. In fact, Awadh was for all practical purposes under British rule well before the annexation, with the Nawab playing little more than a titular role. The army was composed mostly of British officers, while the purse strings were firmly under the control of the East India Company.
In his book
"Awadh Under Wajid Ali Shah", Dr. G.D. Bhatnagar gives the following assessment of this ill-starred prince:
"Cast by providence for the role of an accomplished dilettante, he found himself a misfit for the high office to which he was elevated by chance. Wajid Ali Shah's character was complex. Though he was a man of pleasure, he was neither an unscrupulous knave nor a brainless libertine. He was a lovable and generous gentleman. He was a voluptuary, still he never touched wine, and though sunk in pleasure, he never missed his five daily prayers. It was the literary and artistic attainments of Wajid Ali Shah which distinguished him from his contemporaries."
Contribution to music
A large number of composers who thrived under the lavish patronage of the
NawabA Nawab or Nawaab was originally the subedar or viceroy of a subah or region of the Mughal empire. It became a high title for Muslim nobles.-History:...
rulers of
LucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division...
enriched the light classical form of
thumriThumri is a common genre of semi-classical Indian music.The text is romantic or devotional in nature, and usually revolves around a girl's love for Krishna. The language is a dialect of Hindi called Braj bhasha...
; most prominent among these was Wajid Ali Shah. He was not only a munificent patron of music, dance, drama, and poetry, but was himself a gifted composer. He had received vocal training under great
UstadsMaestro is a title of extreme respect given to a master musician. The term is most commonly used in the context of Western classical music and opera. This is associated with the ubiquitous use of Italian vocabulary for classical music terms...
like Basit Khan, Pyar Khan and Jaffar Khan. Although his pen-name was Qaisar, he used the pseudonym "Akhtarpiya" for his numerous compositions. Under this pen name, he wrote over forty works - poems, prose and Thumris. "Diwani-Akhtar", "Husn-i-Akhtar" contain his
GhazalThe ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
s. He is said to have composed many new
ragasRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
and named them Jogi, Juhi, Shah-Pasand, etc.
Revival of Kathak
KathakKathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from northern India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or story tellers...
dance attained new heights of popularity and glory under his expert guidance and lavish patronage. Thakur Prasadji was his Kathak guru, and the unforgettable Kalka-Binda brothers performed in his court. What with the grand pageantry of the Rahas, Jogiya Jashan, Dance dramas, and Kathak performances, Lucknow became the magnetic cultural centre where the most reputed musicians, dancers and poets of the time flourished. The greatest musicians, dancers and instrumentalists of the time enjoyed his munificent patronage and hospitality.
Hindustani Theatre
When Wajid Ali Shah was a young boy, some astrologers warned his parents that he would become a Yogi, and advised them that the boy should be dressed up as a Yogi on each birthday of his so as to counteract the effect of the evil stars. He established his famous Parikhaana (abode of fairies) in which hundreds of beautiful and talented girls were taught music and dancing by expert-teachers engaged by the royal patron. These girls were known as Paris
(fairies) with names such as Sultan pari
, Mahrukh pari
and so on. On each birthday, the Nawab would dress up as a Yogi with saffron robes, ash of pearls smeared on his face and body, necklaces of pearls around his neck, and a rosary in his hand, and walk pompously into the court with two of his paris dressed up as Jogans. Gradually he made it into a spectacular pageant or Mela known as Jogia Jashan, in which all citizens of Lucknow could participate, dressed as Yogis, irrespective of caste and creed. Later on, when his favourite venue, the Qaisarbagh Baradari was built, he began to stage his magnificent Rahas (obviously a Persianised name for Rasleela) full of sensuous poetry, his own lyrical compositions and glamorous Kathak dances.
Ranbir Singh gives details of Wajid Ali Shah's book entitled
Bani in which the author mentions 36 types of Rahas all set in Kathak style (with colourful names like
Mor-Chchatr,
Ghunghat,
Salami,
Mor Pankhi and
Mujra), and gives exhaustive notes about the costumes, jewellery, and stage- craft. Rahas, prepared at a fabulous cost of several lakhs (hundred thousands) of rupees, became very popular, and was performed at the Kaisarbagh-Rahas Manzil, (most probably the first Hindustani Theatre Hall). Many have regarded Wajid Ali Shah as "the first playwright of the Hindustani theatre", because his "Radha Kanhaiya Ka Kissa" staged in the Rahas Manzil was the first play of its kind. It featured Radha, Krishna, several sakhis, and a vidushaka-like character called "Ramchera". Songs, dances, mime, and drama were all delightfully synthesised in these Rahas performances. He dramatised many other poems such as Darya-i-Tashsq, Afsane-i-Isbaq, and Bhahar-i-Ulfat. It is said that Amanat's
Inder Sabha was inspired by these dance-dramas, written, produced and staged by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.
His exile years
In his exile in
MetiabruzMetiabruz is a neighbourhood on the southern fringe of Kolkata , the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal.-History:Matiaburj has a rich history. The Nawab of Sonargachhi, Wajid Ali Shah, took refuge here when he was ousted by the British from his throne, and attempted to build a replica of...
, he tried to keep the sweet memories of his Lucknow era alive by recreating the musical environments of his Kaisarbagh Baradari. The banished king had been given a number of fine houses with vast grounds stretching along the banks of the River Hooghly 3 or 4 miles south of Kolkata. Because of an Earthen Dome (raised platform), people called it "Matiya Burj". The king spent lavishly out of his income of 12 lakh (1.2 million) rupees per annum and before long a Second Lucknow arose in this area. "There was the same bustle and activity, same language, art, poetry, style of conversation - the same pomp and splendour, the same opulent style of living. Taking advantage of the Shia Law of Muta, he contracted temporary legal marriages with as many good-looking and talented girls as he fancied. Troupes of artistes congregated in his court, the best singers were enlisted into his service and there was a larger concourse of musicians in Matiyaburj than could be found anywhere else in India".
His legacy: "BabulBabul or is a 1950 Bollywood film directed by S.U. Sunny produced and with music direction by Naushad. The film stars Dilip Kumar and Nargis. A box-office success, the film became the second highest earning film of 1950, earning an approximate gross of Rs. 1,25,00,000 and a nett gross of Rs....
Mora" Thumri
His
BhairaviBhairavi is a fierce and terrifying aspect of the Goddess virtually indistinguishable from Kali, except for her particular identification as the consort of the Wrathful Shiva.-Symbolism:...
thumriThumri is a common genre of semi-classical Indian music.The text is romantic or devotional in nature, and usually revolves around a girl's love for Krishna. The language is a dialect of Hindi called Braj bhasha...
"
BabulBabul or is a 1950 Bollywood film directed by S.U. Sunny produced and with music direction by Naushad. The film stars Dilip Kumar and Nargis. A box-office success, the film became the second highest earning film of 1950, earning an approximate gross of Rs. 1,25,00,000 and a nett gross of Rs....
mora Naihar chhooto jaay" has been sung by several prominent singers, but the version most remembered is by
Kundan Lal SaigalKundan Lal Saigal was an Indian singer and actor who is considered the first superstar of Bollywood, the Hindi film industry which was centered in Calcutta during Saigal's time, but is currently centered in Bombay.-Early life:Kundan Lal was born at Jammu where his father Amar Chand was a...
for the 1930s movie Street Singer.
In a strange manner this sad song epitomises the pain and agony of the poet king himself when he was exiled from his beloved Lucknow.
DevanagariDevanagari , also called Nagari , is an abugida alphabet of India and Nepal. It is written from left to right, lacks distinct letter cases, and is recognizable by a distinctive horizontal line running along the tops of the letters that links them together. Devanāgarī is the main script used to...
Lyrics
बाबुल मोरा, नैहर छूटो ही जाए
बाबुल मोरा, नैहर छूटो ही जाए
चार कहार मिल, मोरी डोलिया सजावें (उठायें)
मोरा अपना बेगाना छूटो जाए | बाबुल मोरा ...
आँगना तो पर्बत भयो और देहरी भयी बिदेश
जाए बाबुल घर आपनो मैं चली पीया के देश | बाबुल मोरा ...
UrduUrdu is a Central Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-Iranian branch, belonging to the Indo-European family of languages. It is one of the two official languages of Pakistan. It is also one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of five Indian states...
Lyrics
بابُل مورا، نیہر چھُوٹو ہی جائے
بابُل مورا، نیہر چھُوٹو ہی جائے
چار کہار مِل، موری ڈولِیا سجاویں (اُٹھایّں)
مورا اَپنا بیگانا چھُوٹو جائے | بابُل مورا
۔۔۔
آںگنا تو پربت بھیو اؤر دیہری بھیی بِدیش
جائے بابُل گھر آپنو میں چلی پیّا کے دیش | بابُل مورا ۔۔۔
The thumri refers to his exile. For a translation see
BabulBabul or is a 1950 Bollywood film directed by S.U. Sunny produced and with music direction by Naushad. The film stars Dilip Kumar and Nargis. A box-office success, the film became the second highest earning film of 1950, earning an approximate gross of Rs. 1,25,00,000 and a nett gross of Rs....
.
In Popular Culture
In
Satyajit RaySatyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Calcutta into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and letters...
's Shatranj Ke Khilari, Wajid Ali Shah is shown as very enuthusiatic patron of dance and music etc. He is proud of the fact
that songs and poems composed by him are favorite of his subjects.
When it is revealed that the
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
are about to annex his throne, his chief-minister breaks down, but he himself maintains his calm because, according to him
only music and poetry can bring a real man to tears ( सिर्फ शायरी और म़ौज़िकी ही मर्द की आँख़ो में आँस़ू ला सकते हैं ). The memorable role was played by
Amjad KhanAmjad Khan was an acclaimed Indian actor and director He worked in over 130 films in his film career spanning nearly twenty years...
.
Timeline