Razia Sultana's Tomb

 

Razia Sultana's Tomb

Finding Razia Sultana's Tomb

 

Sultana Raziya (1205 – 14 October 1240), (known in Arabic: Radhiyah bint Iltutmish رَضِيَة بِنْت إِلْتُتْمِش) was the Sultan of Delhi (or "Sultanah of Delhi") from 10 October 1236 to 14 October 1240. A member of the Mamluk dynasty, she is known for being the only female ever to rule the Delhi Sultanate.

 

Razia Sultana was the daughter of Shams-ud-din Iltutmish,[2] who had begun life as a Turk slave and ended it as Sultan of Delhi.[3] Iltutmish had been a great favorite of his master, Qutb ud-din Aibak, the first Sultan of Delhi, and had been married to his only daughter Qutb Begum (or also known as Turkan Khatun), who gave birth to Razia.

 

Razia had her own brother named Nasiruddin Mahmud. However, Nasiruddin Mahmud died suddenly in 1229 CE, and Iltutmish was at a loss as to a successor because he felt that none of his several surviving sons, born of his other wives, were worthy of the throne. However, after Iltutmish died on Wednesday 30 April 1236, Razia's half-brother Rukn ud-din Firuz was elevated to the throne instead. On 9 November 1236, both Rukn ud din and his mother Shah Turkaan were assassinated[8] after only six months in power.Thus Raziya became the Sultana of Delhi.

 

 

Ibn Batuta about Razia A great deal of information about Sultana Razia has come down to us through the writings of Ibn Batuta, one of the greatest world travelers, who visited and lived in India (1335-1340) a hundred years after Razia. According to him, Razia rode the horse into battle dressed like a soldier, administered justice, conquered new territories and presided over the affairs of state. But the jealousy of men knows no bounds.

 

To the Turkish generals and noblemen, the ascension of a woman to the throne was a difficult pill to swallow. Razia was young, beautiful and unmarried. Many of the noblemen made marriage proposals to her. She spurned these proposals. Instead, she fell in love with an African slave of the court, Jamaluddin Yaqut, who was the keeper of the royal stables. The rumor mill of Delhi, fanned by the jealousy of spurned and disappointed generals, went to work. Her case was brought before the kadis of Delhi.

 

Accusations were made that she had gotten too close to a man. The kadis ruled that Razia had violated the Shariah and should therefore step down, get married and retire behind the veil. They nominated a Turkish general Altuniya as her successor. Undaunted, Razia marched out of Delhi Fort to meet the general in battle.

 

As fate would have it, she was defeated and was taken prisoner. Razia was not only a splendid monarch; she was also a beautiful young woman. The victorious Altuniya fell in love with his prisoner and married her.

 

The two advanced together towards Delhi to recapture the city that was hers as her father’s legacy. Unfortunately, once again, the combined forces of Razia and Altuniya suffered defeat. Razia fled the battlefield. Exhausted and hungry, she took refuge in a farmer’s hut. As she slept, the farmer noticed that his guest, who was dressed like a man, wore a garment embroidered in gold. He killed her in her sleep but was caught by the townspeople as he tried to sell the gold ornaments.

 

Razia Sultana's Tomb........In an obscure lot in the old city of Delhi lies buried this stalwart lady. The alleys to her tomb lead a visitor through decrepit buildings and nauseous open gutters.

 

A simple inscription marks the entrance to her tomb, hidden from the gully. Encroachments have all but consumed the site, blocking the sun from her wistful tomb. Her husband Altuniya lies by her side and the graves of two infants of unknown origin lie near their feet. Such is the fate history has accorded to one of the most celebrated women the world has known.

 

Tanura Sunny: .Ibn Batuta records how the common folks venerated their queen. By the year 1335, when Ibn Batuta visited Delhi, her grave had become a venerated tomb and a place of pilgrimage. A beautiful mausoleum with a dome had been erected on her grave. India was by now a land influenced by Sufi movements and Razia had become a saint. No wonder! Razia had triumphed in her tragedy. She had changed history. The common man and woman saw in her one of their own who rose from being the daughter of a slave to becoming the first Muslim queen of one of the most powerful empires in the world. She rose like a star and like a meteorite she fell, illuminating the world both in her rise and in her fall. She demonstrated in her brilliance that a woman could be the head of a Muslim state, in spite of the constraints put upon her by tradition and custom. Women throughout the ages would invoke her name in defense of their rights and her name would forever be inscribed indelibly in the lyrics

 

Tanura Sunny: Women throughout the ages would invoke her name in defense of their rights and her name would forever be inscribed indelibly in the lyrics and folklore of the vast subcontinent of India and Pakistan and in the languages of distant lands in all continents.

 

Electronic Village | In the footsteps of Ibn Battuta in India - Delhi | Sponsored by Emirati poet Mohammed Ahmed Al Suwaidi 2018/2021

You can follow all videos of India trip and see what you missed through the following link http://cutt.us/EVBATUTA

القرية الإلكترونية - أبوظبي | الرحلة الكبرى على خطى ابن بطوطة في الهند - دلهي | برعاية الشاعر الإماراتي محمد أحمد السويدي | 2018/2021م. يمكنكم متابعة جميع فيديوهات الرحلة ومشاهدة ما فاتكم من خلال الرابط أعلاه.

عدسة القرية الإلكترونية تنقل لكم بالصوت والصوة وقائع الرحلة الاستكشافية التي قام بها فريقنا على خطى ابن بطوطة.

DAY5 A

 

_______________________________

#محمد_أحمد_السويدي_ابن_بطوطة_الهند_دلهي

#دلهي #ابن_بطوطة #الهند #محمد_أحمد_السويدي

#القرية_الإلكترونية #أبوظبي

#Ibn_Battuta

#Mohamed_Ahmed_AlSuwaid_Ibn_Batuta_India_Delhi

#Delhi

#Mohamed_Ahmed_AlSuwaid

#Electronic_Village

#Abu_Dhabi