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Oudh 1590 paid homage to its Awadhi connect with a celebration of Wajid Ali Shah on the occasion of his 201st birthday

Shahanshah Mirza, the great-great grandson of the nawab spoke to Oindrilla Dutt, shedding light upon the lesser known sides of the ruler and how intricately interwoven he was to his cultural roots

Ashmita Ghosh (t2intern) Published 07.08.23, 11:12 AM
Wajid Ali Shah said Shahanshah Mirza was a champion of secularism. “Out of his reverence for Lord Krishna, he wrote a play on him which was enacted in Awadh for many years. It only goes to show how strong the secular fabric was in Awadh,” said Mirza. A special mention of Begum Hazrat Mahal, the second wife of the Nawab made the conversation more interesting as moderator Oindrilla Dutt went on to say Mahal chose to stay back in Lucknow with her son and fight the British. Shah’s affinity towards architecture was reflected in the creation of the Kaiserbagh Palace in Lucknow, one of the finest historical creations till date. 

Wajid Ali Shah said Shahanshah Mirza was a champion of secularism. “Out of his reverence for Lord Krishna, he wrote a play on him which was enacted in Awadh for many years. It only goes to show how strong the secular fabric was in Awadh,” said Mirza. A special mention of Begum Hazrat Mahal, the second wife of the Nawab made the conversation more interesting as moderator Oindrilla Dutt went on to say Mahal chose to stay back in Lucknow with her son and fight the British. Shah’s affinity towards architecture was reflected in the creation of the Kaiserbagh Palace in Lucknow, one of the finest historical creations till date.  Rashbehari Das

Oudh 1590, Vivekananda Park, got to witness an insightful conversation commemorating the life and times of the legendary Wajid Ali Shah. Shahanshah Mirza, the great-great grandson of the nawab spoke to Oindrilla Dutt, shedding light upon the lesser-known sides of the ruler and how intricately interwoven he was to his cultural roots.

The adjectives defining Wajid Ali Shah are not solely confined to being a mere ruler. He wrote and composed several songs. Tadap tadap sagari rain gujri as one of his compositions was just too soothing to the ears. Sounak Chattopadhyay left the audience enthralled by singing this composition, thus paying tribute to the legacy of the ruler. Shah was educated under really illustrious gurus. Being a man much ahead of his time, Wajid Ali Shah was a champion in patronising both music and dance as art forms. “Only music can bring tears to the eyes of a man,” said Shahanshah Mirza, remembering a quote from Wajid Ali Shah. Parikhana, an entertainment hub, welcomed dancers from far and wide.

Moments and snapshots from the event.

(right) Imran Zaki

(right) Imran Zaki

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