A COARSE BLACK DRESS, CONTAMINIATED NAPPI FISH, MURDERED PARENTS: HELPLESS; AMEENA MUGHAL PRINCESS, DAUGHTER OF SHAH SHUJA; PREGNANT BY HEATHEN KING.

A COARSE BLACK DRESS, CONTAMINIATED NAPPI FISH, MURDERED PARENTS: HELPLESS;
AMEENA MUGHAL PRINCESS, DAUGHTER OF SHAH SHUJA; PREGNANT BY HEATHEN KING.

In 1927 Babu Astosh Chaudhury of Chittagong got enamoured with a different Bengali Ballad, which he picked up from a host of local singers, mainly first a gypsy singer, then another singer Makbul, a whimsical singer Belait Ali, and another Manjhi from a boat, who used to sing it in the night. It affected Babu Astosh immensely and he saw neglected and forgotten, historical truth in it, so he sent it to a scholar of University of Calcutta, Dinesh Chandra Sen. It was a lament of a Mughal Princess in Arrakan, namely Ameena and she was the daughter of Prince Shah Shuja, son of Emperor Shah Jahan. And who was this Shah Shuja and what was he doing in Arrakan?

Prince Shah Shuja

The story of the Mughal Prince is narrated by many people. It includes the rascal Bernier, as well as some Muslim writers. It is about the rebellion of the four sons of Shah Jahan and their fight with each other. The most able warrior was Aurangzeb Alamgeer and he was not liked by the father or by the other three brothers. The fate of Shah Shuja hung in a balance as he had been defeated two times by Aurangzeb. He decided to flee the safety of his home domain Bengal to the Burmese land and the territory of Arrakan. Bernier says he went on a Portuguese ship, while Muslim writers say he went on an elephant cavalcade through the jungle of Burma. He was received by the King of Arrakan with great pomp. The King offered him place to live and the hands of his own daughter. Prince Shah Shuja accepted the offer, but in return the heathen King wanted the hands of Ameena, daughter of Shah Shuja. Shah Shuja was in no mood to submit to this insult, and refused, As a result fight occurred between both parties and King of Arrakan had the whole Shuja family thrown in the sea. The wife of the Prince and one daughter died in the sea, while it is reputed that somehow Shah Shuja escaped the drowning incident. For it is seen that he finally came to the Mazar of Nangiana in Sargodha and spent the last years of his life there and is buried in the mazar. Proof exists nowhere but the speculation looks fine.

King Shudarma of Arrakan kidnapped Princess Ameena from her father’s camp and threw the rest of the family in the sea. The ballad records the tragedy of the Princess, used to the best in the world, she was forced to wear coarse black dress and eat NAPPI every day, a dish made of contaminated fish and dog’s tongue. The Mughals had recorded their attitude towards the people of Arrakan, and even Emperor Jahangeer had called them animals. Ameena was pregnant, but the King had no respect for same, and had her killed too. Or she escaped to Chittagong. Open to speculation. Centuries later the ballad of the LAMENT OF DAUGHTER OF SHAH SHUJA was still being sung by Bengali singers. It is on record now and we have added it to blog, as an attachment. The rise and fall of dynasty are a divine principle, and it opens our eyes to the tragedy of life itself.

4 thoughts on “A COARSE BLACK DRESS, CONTAMINIATED NAPPI FISH, MURDERED PARENTS: HELPLESS; AMEENA MUGHAL PRINCESS, DAUGHTER OF SHAH SHUJA; PREGNANT BY HEATHEN KING.”

  1. Life has its highs and lows. Acceptance is divine truth, and struggle again a divine principle.

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