Where is ‘Digghi Pond’, which is linked to the history of 3 Mughal emperors, read the unheard story

New Delhi: Digghi Pond is just behind the famous Chandradhari Museum near the railway station of Darbhanga city in Bihar. There are three graves on the south-western side of this pond. One of these graves is that of Mirza Mohd. Raees Bakht Zubairuddin of ‘Gorgan’. Gorgan was the son of Mirza Mohammad Dara Bakht, the eldest son of the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. Dara Bakht died in 1849 due to minor fever. If the Mughal Sultanate had not been overthrown in the rebellion of 1857, perhaps Gorgan would have occupied the throne of Delhi.

forced to wander

The British had exiled Bahadur Shah Zafar, his/her wife Zeenat Mahal and son Mirza Jawan Bakht to Rangoon (Myanmar). The victorious British commanders began brutally killing the heirs of the Mughal Empire and publicly desecrating their bodies. In such a situation, the remaining members of the royal family went to different places to save their lives. Zubairuddin Gorgan also kept wandering in different parts of India before reaching Darbhanga. he/she first reached Ratlam, then stayed in many areas of Rajasthan and from there to Allahabad i.e. today’s Prayagraj. But, he/she did not like Allahabad so he/she went to Azimabad (Patna).

welcome to bihar

Gorgan wrote a book on his/her memoirs, ‘Mauj-e-Sultani’. In this he/she writes that the people of Patna city are civilized and well mannered. Here he/she got special love from Chaudhary Mohammad Jahrulhaq, the Jagirdar of Islampur. After Patna, Gorgan went to Muzaffarpur, from where his/her next stop was Bettiah. There he/she remained the guest of Bettiah Raj for a few days. Gorgan writes that Bettiah Maharaj Rajendra Kishore Singh had sent a palanquin for him/her. On reaching Gorgan’s palace, Rajendra Kishore himself came to the verandah to welcome him/her. Actually, Bettiah Raj came into existence in the 17th century on the orders of Mughal emperor Shahjahan. Similarly, the credit for Darbhanga Raj also goes to Mughalia Sultanate.

place in darbhanga

Gorgan came to Darbhanga on 17 March 1881. Arrangements for his/her stay there for a few days were made at the house of a famous nobleman Mohammad Sadiq Ali. Gorgan felt safe, impressed by the politeness and hospitality of Maharaja Lakshmeshwar Singh of Darbhanga. he/she also called his/her family. Darbhanga Raj built a house and a mosque for Gorgan and his/her family in Kathalbari locality near his/her palace.

finally left alone

Wherever Gorgan went to any part of the country, he/she would personally meet the local British officials. Its purpose was to assure the British officials that he/she was not planning any opposition to the British. Similarly, in the local princely states and landlord areas, he/she used to send this news through his/her employees. Like his/her grandfather Bahadur Shah Zafar, the poet Zubairuddin Gorgan was a man of good nature.

In his/her book he/she has described in detail his/her travels to Bihar, Calcutta, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Mumbai. he/she wrote two more books – ‘Chamanistan-e-Sukhan’ is a poetry collection, while the other book ‘Mashnabi Durre Shahswar’ is an epic. Gorgan’s only son died of cholera in 1883. A year later his/her wife also died. Zubairuddin became lonely due to the death of these two. In this loneliness he/she decided to go out of Darbhanga. But, Darbhanga Maharaj convinced him/her to stay. he/she breathed his/her last in Darbhanga at the age of 85.