Jagat Gosain

Manavati Bai (Marwari: मानवती बाई; 13 May 1573 – 18 April 1619), better known by her title, Jagat Gosain (Persian:جگات گوسینن), was the consort of the fourth Mughal emperor Jahangir and the mother of his successor, Shah Jahan. Her title means (in Persian) ‘Mistress of the World’ and (in Sanskrit) ‘Priestess of the World’.

She is also known as Jodh Bai (Princess of Jodhpur), Taj Bibi (Lady of the Crown) and was also given the posthumous title of Bilqis Makani (Lady Of Pure Abode). She should not be confused with Mariam-uz-Zamani, who was also wrongly named “Jodha Bai” by European historians.

By birth, she was a Rajput princess of Marwar (present-day Jodhpur) and was the daughter of Raja Udai Singh (popularly known as Mota Raja), the Rathore ruler of Marwar and the full-sister of Sawai Raja Sur Singh, another Rathore ruler of Marwar and Maharaja Kishan Singh, founder of Kishangarh.

Family

Born on 13th May 1573 as Manavati Bai, Mani Bai or Manmati Bai, she was known popularly as Jodh Bai (the Jodhpurprincess). She belonged to the Rathore clan of Rajputs and was the daughter of Raja Udai Singh, the ruler of Marwar(present-day Jodhpur). Udai Singh was popularly known by the sobriquet Mota Raja (the fat king). Her mother was Rajavat Kachvahi Manrang Devi, the principal consort of her father and daughter of Raja Askaran of Narwar (d.1599), who was also briefly Raja of Amber before being ousted in favour of his uncle, Bharmal.

Her paternal grandfather was Maldeo Rathore, under whose rule Marwar turned into a strong Rajput Kingdom that resisted foreign rule and challenged the invaders for northern supremacy. Maldeo Rathore refused to ally with either the Sur Empire or the Mughal Empire after Humayun regained control of North India in 1555. This policy was continued by his son and successor, Chandrasen Rathore.

After the death of Maldeo Rathore in 1562, a fratricidal war for succession started and Chandrasen crowned himself in the capital, Jodhpur. But his reign was short lived as Emperor Akbar’s army occupied Merta in the same year and the capital Jodhpur in 1563.

After the death of Rao Chandrasen in January 1581, Marwar was brought under direct Mughal administration. In August 1583, Akbar restored the throne of Marwar to Udai Singh, who, unlike his predecessors, submitted to the Mughals and subsequently joined the Mughal service.

Marriage to Jahangir

According to Muni Lal, the young Jagat Gosain is said to have caught the eye of the Prince Salim when he was attending a function with his mother and other senior ladies of the harem. He is said to have immediately proposed for marriage. The Emperor was reluctant to give his consent but only agreed upon intercession of Hamida Banu.  Married to the 16 year-old Prince Salim (later known as ‘Jahangir’ upon his accession) on 11 January 1586.The marriage settlement was fixed at seventy-five lakhs tankas. Akbar, himself, accompanied by the ladies of the harem, went to the Raja’s house where the marriage was solemnised. The marriage ceremony was a larvish one featuring both Hindu fire ceremonies, in presence of Priest chanting Sanskrit verses, as well as muslim proprieties in presence if Qadi and an array of military and civillian dignitaries.

According to Murārdān, Rana Kalyan Das Rathore took offence at this marriage and was angry at Mota Raja and had remaked –

Why has a daughter been married to the Turks? I shall kill the Prince and Mota Raja!

When the Mota Raja heard to this remark, he informed Akbar who ordered him to kill Kalyan Das. Kalyan Das fled the Imperial Camp to Siwana. Udai Singh sent two of his sons, Bhopat and Jaisingh to Siwana. But the fort and opponent proved too strong for them and they were forced to flee back. On the face of this defeat, Mota Raja received permission from Akbar to leave the imperial camp. After his return to Marwar, he led a force against Siwana himself. Kalyan Das, realizing defeat is imminent, had his wives perform jauhar and himself led his men to die fighting. After this victory, Siwana was handed over to Mota Raja.

She was granted the title “Jagat Gosain” on account of her ability and learning.  This marriage served very well cause for the house of Marwar. Marwar alliance with Mughal would have broken down due to religious strain estrangement had Jahangir and Shah Jahan not been bound by blood ties. After this marriage Udai Singh and brothers and nephews of Jodh bai succeeded in gaining confidence of their contemporary rules and were recipient of Royal favours.

Although the marriage was a political one, Jagat was known not only for her beauty, charm and soft voice but for her wit, courage, and spontaneity of response – all of which greatly endeared her to her husband during the early years of their marriage. She is believed to have been a good singer and well versed in music. After her marriage, she was placed under group of expert musicians for proper training.

In 1590, she gave birth to her first child, a daughter, named Begum Sultan, who died at the age of one. On 5 January 1592, she gave birth to Salim’s third son, who was named ‘Khurram’ (“joyous”) by his grandfather, the Emperor Akbar. The prince, who was to become the future emperor Shah Jahan, was Akbar’s favourite grandson and in the words of Jahangir “was more attentive to my father than all children… He recognized him as his own child.” After the birth of Shah Jahan, she was given the title Taj Bibi.

Just prior to Khurram’s birth, a soothsayer had reportedly predicted to the childless Empress Ruqaiya Sultan Begum (Akbar’s chief wife) that the still unborn child was destined for imperial greatness. So, when Khurram was only six days old, Akbar ordered that the prince be taken away from Jagat Gosaini and handed him over to Ruqaiya so that he could grow up under her care and Akbar could fulfill his wife’s wish, to raise a Mughal emperor. Jagat was consoled with a magnificent gift of rubies and pearls.

Ruqaiya assumed the primary responsibility for Khurram’s upbringing and he grew up under her care. The two shared a close relationship with each other as Jahangir noted in his memoirs, that Ruqaiya had loved his son, Khurram, “a thousand times more than if he had been her own .” Khurram remained with her until he had turned almost 14. After Akbar’s death in 1605, the young prince was allowed to return to his father’s household, and thus, became closer to his biological mother. In the intervening years, Jagat had given birth to her third (and last) child in 1597, a daughter, Izzat-un-nissa, who died in infancy.

According to Findly, Jagat Gosain seems to have lost her husband’s favour quite early on in their marriage, whereas according to S. S. Gupta, she was the favorite wife of Jahangir till the arrival of her arch-rival in the imperial harem, Nur Jahaṇ, of whom Jagat was scornful. Jahangir had married her in 1611 and from the time of their marriage until his death, Nur Jahan was indisputably his most favourite wife. Even prior to his marriage with Nur Jahan, Jahangir’s chief consort and Padshah Begum was his wife, Saliha Banu Begum, who held this position from the time of their marriage till her death in 1620, after which these honorable titles were passed on to Nur Jahan.

The Jahangiri Mahal at Agra Fort used to be the residence of Jagat Gosain, as chosen by Jahangir.  The West side of the quadrangle, surrounded by oblong niches with portraits of Hindu deity, was her temple. 

The Kanch Mahal, sometimes called Jodh Bai’s Mahal, located at Sikandra, is said to have been built by Jahangir for Jagat Gosain. Also the area called ‘Taj Ganj’ in Agra is said to named in her honour.

She is also said to have founded a village named Sohagpura, which is wholly dedicated to manufacturing of glass bangles. 

Controversy as mother of Shahryar

According to David Price’s translation of the Jahangirnama, Shahryar is stated to be born to the same mother as Khurram (Jagat Gosain). However, this contradicts the other version of Jahangirnama which states the mother of Shahryar as being a concubine. Both Vincent Smithand Henry Beveridge have denounced the Persian manuscript, which Price translated, deeming it to be defective and unreliable.

Again, if distortion is the issue, it is possible that during the post-Jahangiri period court historians of Shah Jahan seemed to have a stronger motive to distort Jahangir’s statement to show Shahryar to be “an illegitimate child who had very little claim to the throne in the presence of a legitimate son. ” Also it seems unlikely of Jahangir, who used the most refined language in his memoir, to refer to the mother of his children as concubine. Thus, if Shahryar were to be born of the same mother, he would be a powerful rival to Shah Jahan.

Death

Jagat Gosain poisoned herself on 18 April 1619 at Akbarabad (present-day Agra). Jahangir noted the death briefly:

On Friday, the 30th, the mother(Jodh baī) of Shāh-Jahān attained the mercy of God.

— Jahangir, Emperor of India, Tūzuk-i-Jahangīrī, Volume II p. 84

Shah Jahan, as noted by Jahangir, was inconsolable and

The next day I myself went to the house of that precious son, and having condoled with him in every way, took him with me to the palace.

— Jahangir, Emperor of India, Tūzuk-i-Jahangīrī, Volume II p. 84

According to Muni Lal, Shah Jahan was so indulged in grief on the death of his mother that he, “For twenty – one days he attended no public entertainment and subsisted on simple vegetarian meals . ” and Arjumand Banu “personally supervised the distribution of food to the poor during the three – week mourning period and led the recitation of the holy Quran every morning” and “gave her husband many a lesson on the substance of life and death , and begged him not to grieve“. 

After her death, Jahangir ordered that she be called Bilqis Makani (“the Lady of Pure Abode”) in all of the official documents. Her death, along with the retirement of Mariam-uz-Zamani, led to decline of Rajput influence on Mughal Harem.

She was buried in Dahra Bagh in Suhagpura, Agra (present-day Bohgipura, Agra) as per her wishes. Her tomb was a square building of 78 feet on all sides and consisted of a high dome, gateways, towers and a garden situated in the cantonment area. It had a large vaulted underground chamber, into which four inclined passage descended. A marble cenotaph is believed to have existed below. Her tomb stood on two platforms, one higher than other. The first platform extended 38 feet from the tomb and the second about 44 feet from the first. On the east side, 670 feet away was a grand gate and on the west side, 657 feet away stood stood a Masjid. Between the tomb and the gateway and the tomb and Masjid were two raised platforms , one on each side of 42 feet square. All of this was blown up in 1832 with gunpowder, for the sake of its site and material, stone and brick, which the British needed.

On 1921, a chattri was constructed marking the site of her tomb using design made in the Archeological Superintendent Office. The Chattri is built exactly on the site of the original crypt chamber. The construction of the Chattri was funded by the Maharajadhiraja of Burdwan and cost about Rs 200(in 1921). The Chattri is known as ‘Chattrie making the site of the Empress Jodhbai’s Tomb‘ or simply ‘Jodhbai Ki Chattri‘.

Issue

With Jahangir, Jagat is confirmed to have three children:

• Begum Sultan (15 September 1590, Jodhpur, Mughal Empire – August/September 1591, Mughal Empire)
• Muhammad Khurram (5 January 1592, Lahore, Mughal Empire – 22 January 1666, Agra Fort, Agra, Mughal Empire, buried in Taj Mahal, Agra)
• Izzat-un-Nissa ( September 1597, Mughal Empire – c. 1602, Allahabad, Mughal Empire)

Jagat Gosain might have also bore:

• Shahryar Mirza (16 January 1605, Agra, Mughal Empire – 23 January 1638, Lahore, Mughal Empire, buried in Lahore)

In popular culture

• Jagat Gosain is a principal character in Indu Sundaresan’s award-winning historical novel The Twentieth Wife (2002) as well as in its sequel The Feast of Roses (2003).
• Nayani Dixit portrayed Jagat Gosain in EPIC channel’s critically acclaimed historical drama Siyaasat (based on the Twentieth Wife).
• Jagat Gosain is a character in novel Nur Jahan’s Daughter (2005) written by Tanushree Poddar. 
• Jagat Gosain is a principal character in the novel Nurjahan: A historical novel by Jyoti Jafa. 
• Jagat Gosain is a character in the novel Beloved Empress Mumtaz Mahal: A Historical Novel by Nina Consuelo Epton. 
• Jagat Gosain as Jodh Bai is a character in Alex Rutherford’s novel Ruler of the World(2011) as well as in its sequel The Tainted Throne (2012) of the series Empire of the Moghul.
• Jagat Gosain as Jodi Bai is a character in the novel Taj, a Story of Mughal India by Timeri Murari. 
• Jagat Gosain was character in Doordarshan’s 2001 TV series, Noorjahan.

Ancestry