Tomb of Mariam-Uz-Zamani – Tomb of Jodha Bai?

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एक दूसरे को उसी में देख लेंगे
तेरे शहर का चाँद मेरे शहर में भी निकलता है..

There are some “obscure and surprising facts” about the name “Jodha Bai” which I did not know until I saw this tomb.

“Mariam-Uz-Zamani”, actual name is “unknown”  and it is a perception that her name was Jodha Bai. Some people say her actual name was Harkha Bai. She was daughter of Raja Bharmal of Amer and was married to Akbar in 1562 AD. Some people say that she was princess of Jodhpur. Fact is that chronicles like Akbarnama and autobiography of Jahangir do not mention names like Jodha Bai or Harkha Bai. They mention only Mariam-uz-Zamani. It is also believed that Mughal historians suppressed the names of mothers of Jahangir as well as Shah Jahan. We can not blame Rajputs as it seems to me that they had no tradition of writing history. In fact all the guides at Agra Fort, Sikandra and Taj were confused about this fact. And it was not their mistake. Even ASI Board also mentions that this tomb belongs to daughter of Raja Bharmal and skips name Jodha Bai.

By the way some places “Jagat Jogai” is mentioned as mother of Shahjahan and she is also named as “Jodh Bai” (do not read as JodhA Bai) daughter of Rao Ratan Singh.

I guess there might be the reasons that Mughal suppressed the fact about mothers of Jahangir and Shahjahan both. Even Shahjahan does not talk about her actual mother but about his foster mother. It should be matter of research.

Anyway…..let us go by popular beliefs…

Jodha Bai gave birth to Jahangir in 1569 at Fatehpur Sikri after 7 years of marriage. Akbar gave her title as Mariam-Uz-Zamani (Compassionate to World). She died in 1623 in Agra at age of 93.

Even being mother of Jahangir, her tomb is not so great as compared to Akbar and even her tomb is not laid along with Akbar in Sikandra. Just a fact that she died after 18 years of death of Akbar.

This is also “Domeless” tomb and almost contemporary to domeless Etmad-ud-daulah tomb. Just wonder wife of Jahangir made such beautiful tomb of her own parents but Jahangir constructed such simple tomb of her mother Jodhabai.

These are some facts which are surprising and have no answer to it.

My itinerary was as

Plan All Journeys by Train only – Agra-Mathura-Sawai Madhopur-jaipur-chittoegarh

Anyway-  On second day of my stay at Agra I visited this place. Auto stopped just in front of Mariam-Uz- Zamani tomb. Neatly the gardens are maintained. It was 8 AM and Ticket window was open.

Tomb of Jodha Bai. Constructed between 1623-28 by Jahangir. It is also second Domeless tomb and almost contemporary to Etimad-Ud-Daulah tomb.
In end on right side is the tomb of Jodha Bai. 7 feet deep is the room.
The Actual Tomb. Seems neglected.

 

In the Tomb Building. No extravagant art, marbles in this Makabar.
back side of Tomb
ASI Board

   Epilogue

I think all tourists who visit Taj Mahal must also visit Sikandra Tomb (Akbar’s Tomb), Mariam-Uz-Zamani Tomb, I’tmad-Ud-Daula Tomb (Parents of Nur Jahan) and Chini Ka Rauza. These will take your  hardly 3 hours. All these are in Agra. I saw very fewer foreigners on these spots but Sikandra and I’tmad-Ud-Daula Tomb are one of the best tombs in India and comparable to Humayun Tomb which is flooded with foreign tourists.

The Traveler

The Traveler. Behind visible is Akbar’s Tomb.

एक दूसरे को उसी में देख लेंगे
तेरे शहर का चाँद मेरे शहर में भी निकलता है..

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