Coffin of Sakina Begum( Inset) of Rampur -Courtesy Google
Dr. Mazhar Naqvi
Burial in the sacred land of Najaf-E-Ashraf and
Karbala guarantees a sure passage to Jannat (Heaven).This is a common belief
among Imamis. Nawabs of Rampur State also had total faith in the popular belief
and they wished to be buried at Najaf after their death. They even purchased
land in Najaf and bodies of royal households were carried to Najaf for last
rites. However, Her highness Nawab Aftab Dulhan Sakina-Uz-Zamni Begum had to
wait for more than 18 years for her burial at Karbala Moella. She had signed a
will in 1993 from the deathbed, expressing her desire to be buried at Karbala
where the holy shrines of Imam Hussain, Ghazi Abbas and other martyrs are
located. However due to legal complexities her body could not be taken to Iraq.
Her family embalmed her body in sandalwood, camphor, oils,
herbs and henna, doubled-sealed in a casket which hanged two feet above the
ground by an iron chain in a room that probably remained sealed for more than
18 years.
The waiting finally ended in February 2012
following permission from the concerned government.Her coffin was taken out of
her Kothi Rampur Khas to be taken to
Karbala. As the old coffin in which her body was preserved after her passing
away had worn out during the years in waiting, a new Tabut (Coffin) was
arranged and her body was kept in it for public viewing in the Zenana( Women)
Imambara before being taken to Delhi Airport in an ambulance.
An Imami scholar
from Delhi performed the necessary rites and her close relatives bade a
silent goodbye to Sakina Begum sharp at 6 AM .Her daughter’s son and
grandchildren accompanied the late begum's to Iraq where she was laid to rest
on the same day in Karbala. Sakina Begum belonged to Pirpur state and carried
with her charms of a queen. She had great affection for Imam Hussain and other
martyrs of Karbala and her active participation in Azadari still remains a
topic of discussion during Muharram in Rampur. It was this love for
Ahlebait-E-Athar that propelled her to prepare a will to explicitly put in
black and white her desire to be buried at Karbala.
Begum was a strong lady and the last ruler of
Rampur was believed to be at her command. She led a dignified life betting her status and and
rarely stepped out of her residence. Much to the bewilderment of Rampur
residents, she had come out of her 320 room Kothi Khas in the summer of 1984
to contest Lok Sabha elections. She defied all resistance and old timers
describe her as an iron lady who never changed her decision after making up her
mind. She had prepared her will with grit and determination but had to wait for
a very long period for two reasons- Delay in permission from Iraqi embassy and
lack of sincere efforts who were entrusted with the responsibility to take her
body to Karbala.
While Sakina Begum was lucky enough to be at
Karbala at least after 18 years, a similar woman of eminence Hadi Begum Sahiba
of Kanpur was not that fortunate. Her desire to be buried at Karbala remained
unfulfilled. She had donated her property currently valued at Rs.2000 Crore in
Colonelganj area for Marasim-E-Azadari. She too had willed to be buried in
Iraq. After death, her body was kept in a coffin and waited like Sakina begum
for over a decade. As the property donated by her became a bone of contention
and several managers changed, nobody took interest in the fulfillment of her
last wish. She was finally laid to rest in her own Imambara much to the
heart-burning of local Imamis. Imamis still remember her contribution to
preservation of Muharram rituals but fail to muster courage to criticize those
responsible for the non-fulfillment of great azadar Hadi Begum’s last wish. Her
Imambara however has surely been blessed by Masoomeen. It attracts maximum
crowd of devotees during Muharram. The Chehlum procession of Hadi Begum
Imambara is also historic and most popular in and around Kanpur. A new Mutwalli
(Managing trustee) has recently been appointed by Wakf Board and he is
promising to renovate Imambara at a grand scale. May Allah fulfill his desire
so that the soul of Hadi Begum could find some peace at least.At present, there is not even a sign boared requesting the devotees to recite Sur-E-Fatiha for her. (References
available on request)
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