21.

The death scene of Golconda Queen Hyat Bakshi Begum

The tomb of Hayat Bakshi Begum Golconda fort Hayat Bakshi Begum was the daughter of Muhammed Quli Qutub Shah, the fifth sultan, the wife of the Sultan Muhammed Qutub Shah, the sixth Sultan and the mother of Abdullah Qutub Shah, the seventh sultan. She was affectionately known as Ma Saheba (Revered Mother). The tomb-garden of the sultans of Golkonda was known as Lagar-e-Faiz Athar (a place for bountiful entertainment) in the days of the Qutub Shahi rulers, for some item or song or dance or even an occasional play was staged here every evening, free of cost, to entertain the poor. The death scene. It was an evening of the year 1667 A.D. still the sun was not set. At that time Queen Hyat Bakshi Begum had called all the following personalities to her palace immediately. 1. All her relatives. 2. All her servants. 3. All her maids. At that time she was sitting in her chair. First

the relatives arrived there and paid respect and Salam to her. And she has given all of them present of jewellery and precious diamonds according to their status and relationship. She was also given her presents to all her servants and maids as per her desire and wish. Then she has given her instruction to distribute the money which was in the closed bags with poor and other needy persons. She was busy with all of the above personalities up to the prayer of Maghrib (sunset) prayer. When the muezzin (one who shouts the call to prayer) has called for Maghrib prayer then she has asked her permission to leave from all of them and she has entered into her palace. After the prayer she was standing and her face was towards the direction of the Qibla (grand mosque in Makkah ) and nobody knows to whom she has remembered and conveyed her Salams and after some time she has started reciting of the holy book of Quran and she was stopped at one verse and started weeping in a loud voice and after some time she has become silent and her body become unconscious and died so within seconds the news of the her sad death was spread in the city and the city dwellers were feeling as their own mother left the world. Due to this reason everybody was weeping and in the city atmosphere of grief and sadness was fully there. Mourners were also very sad upon reading the her historic achievements in the poetry as she has possessed the following great character and qualities in her. 1. She was a historical personality of her time. 2. She was a beautiful princess of Golconda Kingdom .3. She was a famous queen of her time. 4. During her last period she was the mother of all people. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Reference book Murraqa Hyderabad by Aijaz Faraq. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Translated into Englsih from Mohammed Abdul Hafeez, B.Com. Translator Muslim Saints and Mystics (Tadhikaratal Awliya ) Hyderabad-36, India. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------