This narrative is dedicated to a poet who attempted to conceal the shortcomings of his life through the creation of beautiful imagery. In childhood, he faced numerous tragedies: his father's extramarital affairs with other women, the murder of his uncle, his mother's remarriage, and his father's death. Perhaps this is why, while growing up in the Red Fort, surrounded by vivid events, he embraced them into his life. Although some called him a libertine and a scoundrel, his contribution to literature far outweighs these accusations. My name is Jamshid Qamar Siddiqui, and today I will tell the story of Bulbul-e-Hindu, Faasiha-ul-Mulk Nawab Mirza Dag, and their relationship.
The narrator shares the first episode: one afternoon, Dag was sitting at home praying. At that time, his friend Bashir Rampauri came to him. Seeing that Dag was focused on prayer, Bashir decided not to disturb him and left. Later, when they met again, Dag asked, 'Bashir brother, have you completely stopped coming home?' Bashir replied that he had come but left because Dag was praying. Dag countered that he was merely praying, not reciting 'La hawla wa la quwwata,' so Bashir left.
Dag Dehlawi's story contains not only humor but also sadness, despair, and a detective tale of murder that shaped much of his life. Let us begin with this mystery. According to old records from the Kashmir Gate police station in Delhi, the murder case was registered. The protocol states that the murder occurred on the night of March 22, 1835.
If you walk past the church on Church Road near Kashmir Gate, you can see the building of the railway construction department with a domed roof. It indicates that this mansion belonged to a powerful British officer who served as the Commissioner of Delhi—William Fraser—191 years ago, during the time of the last Muslim emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. Today, this building is known as Fraser House.
On the night of March 22, 1835, William Fraser went out of his mansion to breathe fresh air. As he stood there, a rider with a carbine passed by. Suddenly, the rider opened fire on Fraser and disappeared. William Fraser died.
According to an official document from the Westminster Detective Library, the British government was extremely displeased with this incident, as Fraser was a high-ranking officer, and the English were determined to catch the murderer at any cost. At the time, Judge John Lawrence, known for his insight, was working in Panipat. He was tasked with the investigation. John Lawrence began the investigation, interviewing thousands of people and proposing numerous theories over many months. Finally, by connecting all the clues, he reached the house in Delhi belonging to a man named Karim Khan. There was suspicion that Karim Khan had arrived on horseback that day. The police arrested him and found a letter written in Persian with him. Although the handwriting on the letter was faded, the British treated it with chemical agents, and the inscription was restored. This letter revealed that Karim Khan had been paid for the murder of Fraser. When questioned, Karim Khan named the person—Nawab Shamsuddin.
Nawab Shamsuddin was in the Jirka region of Haryana. The problem stemmed from a dispute with his own brother over property in his principality. William Fraser, as commissioner, accepted bribes and supported the Nawab's brother's side. Therefore, the Nawab hired Karim Khan and organized the murder of Fraser. Both, the Nawab and Karim Khan, were arrested, and the British government sentenced Karim Khan and, two months later, Nawab Shamsuddin to death in August 1835.
Now you might ask where Dag fits into this story? The answer is this: when Nawab Shamsuddin was sentenced to death, he had a son, who was four and a half years old, held by his mother. His name was Mirza. This Mirza later became Dag Dehlawi. But then he was very young and became an orphan. His mother, Wazir Khanam, became a widow. She is known as Wazir Khanam, who is the central character in the famous novel 'Qais Chand Te Sare Asmaan' by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi. It is said that she was incredibly beautiful, and her contemporaries called her the most beautiful woman in Delhi. She also came from a noble lineage. Wazir Khanam's father, i.e., Dag's grandfather, was a major jeweler in Delhi. The story continued, and a few years later, Mirza Fahru, the son of Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, attracted attention. Mirza Fahru proposed marriage to Wazir Khanam. She agreed, and on January 24, 1845, Mirza Fahru and Dag's mother, Wazir Khanam, married in the Red Fort. After this, she began living in the Red Fort with her son, Dag Dehlawi.
