The Story of Jagat Gosain, Mother of Shah Jahan and Queen of Jahangir.

 On 13 May 1573, the Hindu wife of Mughal Emperor Jahangir, Jagat Gosain, was born in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. She was the mother of the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan. Jagat Gosain’s original name was Manvati Bai. She belonged to the Rathore branch of the Rajputs, and her Rathore family was connected to the Marwar dynasty of Jodhpur. Her father was the Rathore ruler of Marwar, Raja Udai Singh, who was also famously known as “Mota Raja.”

Manavati Bai received the title “Jagat Gosain” from the Mughal court, which in Persian means “Mistress of the World.” She was also called “Jodh Bai” because she was a princess of Jodhpur. When she gave birth to Prince Khurram (later Shah Jahan), Jahangir granted her the title “Taj Bibi” meaning “Lady of the Crown.” In Mughal records, she was also identified as “Bilqis Makani,” meaning “Lady of the Pure Abode,” a title Jahangir gave her after her death.

Prince Salim (later Jahangir) first saw Jodh Bai during a royal ceremony attended by senior Mughal women, including his mother Harka Bai. It was there that Salim sent her a marriage proposal. With the permission of her father, the marriage took place on 11 January 1586 according to both Hindu and Muslim traditions. Sanskrit scriptures were also recited during the ceremony.

The Rathore ruler of Siwana, Raja Kalyan Das, opposed the marriage. He reportedly declared, “Why did Mota Raja marry his daughter to the Turks? I will kill both Mota Raja and Salim.” Upon hearing this, Emperor Akbar sent his army to Siwana, accompanied by Mota Raja’s sons Jai Singh and Bhopat. Initially, Akbar’s forces had to retreat, after which Mota Raja personally joined the campaign with imperial support. Kalyan Das was defeated, and the territory of Siwana was handed over to Mota Raja. Many historians believe that Jahangir’s marriage to Jagat Gosain was politically motivated and formed part of Akbar’s broader strategy of forging alliances with Rajputs through marriage.

Inside the Agra Fort, the famous Jahangiri Mahal was selected by Salim as Jagat Gosain’s residence. Behind the palace stood a temple adorned with Hindu deities. In addition, the Kanch Mahal at Sikandra in Agra was also associated with Jodh Bai. The area surrounding the Taj Mahal was named “Tajganj” by Jahangir in her honor. Jagat Gosain also established the locality of Suhagpura in Agra, which later became famous for the manufacture of bangles.

Jagat Gosain was renowned not only for her beauty, soft voice, and charm, but also for her intelligence, courage, and quick wit. Jahangir admired these qualities deeply. She was also a singer, and Salim arranged for her to receive training under groups of renowned musicians.

She died in Agra on 18 April 1619. Her death deeply affected both Jahangir and her son Shah Jahan. In his memoir, the Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri, Jahangir wrote:

“On the 30th day, the mother of Shah Jahan attained the mercy of God.”

Referring to Shah Jahan, he further wrote:

“I summoned my precious son Khurram from his residence and brought him to the palace.”

After the death of his mother, Shah Jahan remained in mourning for twenty-one days. He stopped appearing in public and stayed within the palace. He became so silent and grief-stricken that he even adopted a vegetarian diet during that period. His wife, Mumtaz Mahal, distributed money to the poor daily for three weeks and recited the Quran, praying for her husband to recover from his sorrow.

According to her wishes, Jagat Gosain cremated at Dahra Bagh Sohagpura (present-day Bhogipura) in Agra. Her tomb was built in the Indo-Islamic architectural style and stood within a large garden. Beautiful marble work and exquisite pietra dura decorations adorned the interior walls. However, in 1832, the British destroyed the tomb using gunpowder. Later, in 1921, Maharaja Dhiraj constructed a memorial chhatri in honor of Jodh Bai at the site.

Also read