After having announced SirajudDaulah as his heir in 1750, Nawab Alivardi Khan met Shahamat Jang at the Motijheel, which was built by Alivardi Khan’s son-in-law called Nawazish Muhammad Khan. During his visit, Shahamat Jang extended an invitation for dinner (dastar-khwan) to the Nawab and requested him to read the fatiha. A Persian historian has described how birds took to flight because of dawning of the day and moreover due to a rising tumult that caused everyone to awaken from sleep. It has been further described by historians that everyone, irrespective of being high and low was there when Nawab visited the garden. It is said that the occasion, involving the illumination of fatiha of the dastarkhawan, happened during and after the time of sunset (‘asar). The event was grand since it brought happiness in the eyes of people. Initially Shahamat,at his visit to Motijheelwanted to inquire into the health ofAlivardi, ordered the illumination of the place in ‘a manner worthy of thoughtful servants.’But since the Nawab was not in favour of such shows, Shahamat Jangearnestly requested and invited him for dinner (dastar-khwan) and pleaded him to read thefatiha.
Some incidents happened in the middle of fun and happiness during the occasion. It is said that Siraj-ud-Daulah who was also present during the occasion at Motijheel with Nawab Alivardi Khan, Hasan Quli Khan and Shahamat Jang, was made to feel guilty because Nawab Alivardi was disappointed with him since he destroyed the kettle drums of Alayar Khan, for which Siraj was previously restricted to attend upon the Nawab for some day. It was during this occasion when Siraj was forgiven and embraced by Alivardi.
Motijheelwas also associated with festivities and lavish marriage celebrations of the royal family members of the Nawab. During holi, every cistern of the garden- which were two hundred in number- were filled with coloured water and every side had a large amount of amber and saffron raising their heads to the sky. More than five hundred fairy like women in magnificent robes and jewels, every morning and evening appeared in groups from every corner of the garden. Another occasion was the engagement between Shahamat Jang’s daughter and Sarfaraz Khan’s son named Shukrullah Khan that led to a tragedy. That year Saulat Jang, son-in-law of NawabAlivardi Khan,on being invited, arrived from Purnia with the marriage materials required for the ceremony. On the day of sachiq, a custom in India, Akram-ud-daulah, the brother of Siraj-ud-Daulah, whom Shahamat Jang had brought up died because of small pox. This led to the marriage being postponed and festivity changed into tragedy. Things worth a lakh of rupees prepared for the marriage were looted by the people at bazar. Akram-ud-daulah’scorpse was buried in the garden of Motijheelby Shahamat Jang, and is said to have passed the remaining portion of his life in grief and mourning. Thereafter, he never ever visited the charming garden again.
Any marriage of a member from the royal family included expenditure on scents, illumination and fireworks worth ten lakhs of rupees, excluding the cost of robes given to the people, irrespective of them being high or low. The celebrations conducted for three months, day and night, involved one lakh of troopers, one lakh of infantry, andkrors of the farmers enjoying the music and festivity. The marriages were celebrated in a grand manner. The amount spent on decorations clearly demonstrated that Bengal had never witnessed such a marriage earlier. Alivardi Khan is known for giving Siraj-ud-Daulah more than two thousand robes during his marriage. Akram-ud-Daulahwas presentedone thousand highly colourful and impressive robes by Shahamat Jang on his marriage. Each robe priced above one hundred to a thousand rupees, or even more, were given to every kinsfolk, fellow tribesmen, followers, companions, dancing girls and musicians. Motijheel, was one of the palaces where the ceremony was carried out. There was not even a single man, high or middle class, among the inhabitants of the city who did not get a share of this bounty. The torah, a tray containing various types of food, priced at twenty five rupees, was distributed to everyone. More than thousands of torahs were distributed.
The death of Akram-ud-daulah led to a series of incidents in the political sphere of Murshidabad. The members of the royal family, named Shahamat and Ghasiti Begam, who lived in Motijheelwas requested by Alivardi to put Husain Quli Khan to death because he was obstructingSiraj’s reign. This was followed by the death of Shahamat Jangbecause of an illness and was buried by the side of Akram-ud-Daulah in the Motijheel garden. Eversince his death Alivardi went into mourning and transferred Shahamats’swork to his wife, which included supervision of the diwan’s department and remaining offices. Shahamat’s wife Ghasitiwas shown fatherly affection by Alivardi. Alivardi Khan’s best loved and most domineering daughter, Ghasiti Begam, also known for being the eldest sister of Siraj’s mother was Siraj’s nearest and greatest enemy. She wanted the son of Zainuddin Ahmed Khan called Akram-ud-Daulah, to ascend the throne whom her husband Shahamat Jang had adopted and raised with a lot of affection. And Ghasitiwould have ruled the country as his regent from behind the veil. But he died before Alivardi.
On the eve of Alivardi’s death, Siraj and his cousin Shaukat stood face to face as rivals for the throne of Bihar, Bengal and Orissa. However, Shaukat Jang lived far away in Purnia. Ghasiti used her influence to gather a vast fortune, secured by herself carefully, in a castle surrounded by a lake called Motijheel, a few miles north of the city of Murshidabad guarded by her armed retainers, as a threat to a ruler in capital. But being a woman not able to come into the field in person she had to act through male agents, such as her lovers and managers. Since Akram-ud-daulah died a year before Alivardi, she turned her attention to Shaukat Jang. This is how every enemy of Siraj found a patron in Ghasiti. Begam. In fact, there was a chance of provocation of a war of succession, not as terrible as the way for Aurangzeb’s throne, during the approaching death of Alivardi.
Alivardiwas buried near his mother’s grave at Khushbagh, on the west of Bhagirathi, opposite the Motijheel outside the city of Murshidabad. Following his death, Siraj succeeded the throne of the Nawab of Bihar, Bengal and Orissa. His first work was to disarm Ghasitiby attaching her wealth from Motijheelto his own property called Mansurganj and in return promised her safety. However, Motijheel was her only source of strength and influence. Siraj sent a party of soldiers to seize Motijheel palace stored with wealth although she had earlier refused to demobilize her troops stating that it was residing at Motijheel as ordered by her father Alivardi Khan and would continue to live there as a religious medicant at the tomb of her husband. The treasure was removed without a blow and eversince then Ghasiti Begam remained in confinement. Apart from jewels, forty krors of rupees worth of gold and silver were found. More than five to six thousand horses were seized. Since, Motijheelwas one of the palaces from where the treasures were attached by Siraj to his own property, the incidents leading to itare considered to be as the first desolation of Bengal. Even during Alivardi’s reign, Motijheel was associated with the longstanding battles against the Marathas.This was during the time when Nawab fought against the mighty army of Marathas with an army much lesser in number. The Nawab used to visit Motijheelwhen the construction had just commenced. Here the Nawab was received by Shahamat Jang and Husain Quli Khan.
It was once estimated that the amount required to build the garden was thirty lakhs. Motijhil was also called Company Bagh due to its alliance with the East India Company. Currently, MotijhilPark has been transformed into a popular destination in Murshidabad, after having been in ruins for over decades, eversince the defeat of Nawab SirajudDaulah. This location presents a large number green areas, filled with different trees, colourful flower plants adding a rich flavour to the history of Murshidabad. Motijhil offer a wonderful time to the tourists at evening when they eagerly wait to watch the Son et lumière. Apart from the light and sound show, the visitors also enjoy several amusements such as boating, cycling tracks, toy trains etc. Motijhil has thus been preserved as a perfect tourist destination for those interested in Murshidabad Nawabi Heritage along with green environment.
