Make way for the Emperor

William Dalrymple made him famous with the book - "The Last Mughal". The protagonist, last in the illustrative line of Mughals, a hen-pecked, bedraggled, old man. Crowned with a worthless beggar's bowl, ruled an empire that included most of the Red Fort and little else, Lived a life of expensive misery at the mercy of Company Sarkar. A victim of his time, birth and place the man found solace in poetry.


Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar's an excuse of a court was not marshalled by great statesmen, fierce army generals or noted administrators. But his court could boast of hosting some of the greatest names of Urdu Poetry including Ghalib, Zauq and Momin.


The emperor is not remembered for his statecraft, his legacy is his poetry. Frustrated by his misfortune and hopelessness, he wrote an epitaph for himself which probably is his most famous ghazal.


लगता नहीं है दिल मेरा उजडे दायर में
किसकी बनी है आलम-इ-नापैदर में

Lagta Nahin Hai Dil Mera Ujde Dayar Mein
Kiski Bani Hai Aalam-e-Napaidar Mein

This devastated place (the world) does not interest me. Nobody has profited in this ungainly world.

कहदो इन हसरतों से कहीं और जा बसें

इतनी जगह कहाँ है दिल-इ-दागदार में

Kehdo In Hasraton Se Kahin Aur Ja Basen
Itni Jagah Kahan Hai Dil-e-Daagdaar Mein
Ask these dreams and desires to find a new abode, my broken and burdened house can not afford them anymore.


उम्र-इ-दराज़ मांग के लाये थे चार दिन
दो आरजू में कट गए दो इन्तेज़ार में
Umr-e-Daraz Mang Ke Laye The Chaar Din
Do Aarzoo Mein Kat Gaye Do Intezaar Mein
From the long life I had requested four days (refers to the common phrase "life is made of four days" "char din ki zindagani") two were wasted in putting the words to my desires and the other two were wasted in awaiting the fulfillment of those desires.

इतना है बदनसीब "ज़फर" दफन के लिए
दो गज ज़मीन भी न मिली कू-इ-यार में
Itna Hai Badnaseeb "Zafar" Dafn Ke Liye
Do Gaz Zameen Bhi Na Mili Koo-e-Yaar Mein
(He belongs to the line of most illustratious emperors India has had. He had lost everything but the name. He doesn't decry that loss of kingdoms and wealth. He believes the epitome of his misfortune in this-) What a misfortune it is Zafar that you aren't granted even a small piece of land for your burial in the land of beloved!!!

The emperor died and was buried in Burma. Away from his country, his empire, his city. The last Mughal could not find even do-gaz-zameen in burial grounds of his erstwhile empire.