Though the Mughal king was largely a symbolic figurehead during the 1857 revolt, his association with India’s first war of independence elevated him to a figure of national significance
NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by Sultana Begum, the widow of the great-grandson of Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, who sought possession of what she described as her “ancestral home.” The court on Monday rejected the plea with a hint of disbelief, effectively ending a long-standing legal and emotional pursuit for recognition and justice.
The case, rooted in India’s colonial past, brought attention to the last vestiges of the Mughal dynasty. However, Sultana Begum’s request was not just about property, but a symbolic struggle to reclaim lost dignity.
Sultana Begum had approached the Supreme Court to challenge the earlier decision of the Delhi High Court, which had denied her request for possession of property she believes belongs to her family. She claimed it was the home of her ancestor, Bahadur Shah Zafar — the last Mughal emperor, who was exiled by the British after the 1857 revolt.
“I did not even mention the Red Fort,” Sultana Begum told reporters, visibly emotional. “I only asked for possession of Bahadur Shah Zafar’s house. I don’t even know if that means the Red Fort, Zafar Mahal, or Fatehpur Sikri.”
Her petition, however, was rejected by a bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna. According to court observers, the petition was dismissed summarily, with the bench even refusing to admit it for hearing.
Speaking to ANI after the verdict, a distraught Sultana Begum said, “I was hoping that I would get justice from the Supreme Court. That hope ended today. Now, where should I go? Should I go and beg? What should I do?”
She further added, “The Supreme Court broke me today. My heart is shattered. I did not ask for much — just what is rightfully mine.”
Her comments reflect not only personal sorrow but also the broader story of the Mughal dynasty’s decline and disappearance from public memory, surviving only in names and nostalgia.
Sultana Begum, who currently lives modestly in Kolkata, is one of the few known surviving descendants of Bahadur Shah Zafar. Her late husband, Prince Mirza Bedar Bukht, was said to be the great-grandson of the emperor. According to her, they lived a simple life, far from the opulence typically associated with royalty.
She said that she had received help offers from foreign governments and organisations, but chose to decline them out of pride and faith in Indian justice. “Other countries extended help,” she said, “but I refused. I believed my own country would recognise the bloodline of its own last emperor. That belief has now died.”
Bahadur Shah Zafar was the titular head of the 1857 rebellion against British rule, after which he was exiled to Rangoon (now Yangon, Myanmar). He died there in 1862 in obscurity. His poetry, which captured the pain of betrayal and exile, continues to be quoted in Indian literature and politics alike.
Bahadur Shah Zafar’s reign marked the end of a 300-year-old empire and the beginning of direct British rule. Though he was largely a symbolic figurehead during the revolt, his association with India’s first war of independence elevated him to a figure of national significance.
Sultana Begum expressed frustration that her attempt to claim ancestral property led to unnecessary speculation and ridicule. “People say I wanted the Red Fort. I never said that. I only wanted my family’s house,” she explained. “We never claimed the throne or the crown — only our home.”
The narrative around her case has been misrepresented in sections of the media, she alleged. “I got defamed for no reason. The truth is something else,” she insisted.
The rejection of Sultana Begum’s petition raises questions about how India treats its royal legacies. While other dynasties — such as those of Rajasthan and Hyderabad — continue to maintain cultural and economic clout, the Mughal descendants seem to have been reduced to footnotes.
Historian Prof Irfan Habib once commented, “While the Mughals shaped much of India’s architecture, cuisine, and court culture, their memory is increasingly being erased or politicised.”
Legal experts argue that any claim over national monuments or public heritage buildings, including the Red Fort or Zafar Mahal, is untenable under Indian law. These properties are either under the ownership of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or listed as protected monuments.
Advocate Rajiv Sinha, speaking on the matter, said, “There is no scope in Indian law for private claims on ASI-protected properties, especially those with historical significance. The petitioner’s sentiments may be valid, but they hold no legal ground.”
Though her legal battle may be over, Sultana Begum has vowed not to give up on preserving her family’s story. “My battle is not just for land — it’s to keep the name of Bahadur Shah Zafar alive. He was not just a king; he was a poet, a patriot. He gave everything for this country.”
She says she will now explore other avenues, including writing to the President of India, seeking at least symbolic recognition and support.
As she wiped her tears during the interview, Sultana Begum recited a line often attributed to Bahadur Shah Zafar during his exile:
“Kitna hai badnaseeb Zafar, dafan ke liye
Do gaz zameen bhi na mili, ku-e-yaar mein…”
(“How unfortunate is Zafar, for burial even
Two yards of land weren’t granted, in the land of the beloved…”)
Over 160 years since the fall of the Mughal throne, it seems his descendants still wander, seeking justice, not for empire, but for dignity.
