Wali wa Nawab-e Surat Saiyad-e ali makarn,
Hamsipah Quayam-ul-Daula Bahadur mubamu,
Hamkhitabepak Qamar-ul-Daula Hashmate jang ra,
Afzal-ul-dinkhan Qamar-ul-Daula hashmate jang naam,
Az mahe rekhshaan Asta wa Roshan, Saale Molud keram,
Panjunne rabi-ul-awwal sane 1196 Hijri Roze Shambe,
Tu badan salejutuse aan mahe zu-ul-ehtesham,
Bist wa nahume zilkad sane 1238 Hijri do shabbe.
Meaning : Nawab of Surat, ruler and representative of the
State, was a great 'Saiyad', a great brave warrior. He was awarded the title of
Kamaruddaula, because of his expertise in warfare. His name was Afzalluddin Khan
Kamaruddaula. This name was given to him based on, the bright and fully
radiating moon (meaning that he viras_bright like a full moon). He was born in
Hijri Year 1196 (1782 A.D. appr.) on Saturday, the fifth day of the month of
Rabi-ul-awwal. He was compared with grand bright full moon and his coronation
was held in the Hijri Year 1238 (1823 A.D. appr.) on Monday, the Nineteenth day
of Zilkad month.
(So it is understood).
This oil painting (90 x 120 cm) which reflects the
radiant personality of the
Late Nawab of Surat, was painted by a European Master. Brought into the
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Museum, this grand picture, in which the Nawab,
in white dress, is shown gently touching with his left hand the handle
of the dagger kept
in his waist sash, and also holding a rose, with his
right, also serves to recall the dying days of Surat's history under
Nawabs. The Persian praise of the Nawab at the foot of the oil-painting
is quoted at the beginning of this note.
After the death of Aurangazeb in the year 1707 A.D.,
when the Mughat empire in Delhi weakened, in 1733 A.D., the statesman of
Surat, Teg Bakht Khan proclaimed himself as an independent Nawab and,
thereafter, Safdarkhan, Miyan Achanmir, Hafizuddin, Nizammuddin,
Nasiruddin and the last Nawab Afzalluddin Khan also ruled. His father
Nasiruddin died on 23rd September, 1821 (Hijri Year 1236) and he became
the Nawab.
During his rule, on 24th April, 1837, a great fire broke
out in Surat in which areas like Gopipura, Haripura, Begampara,
Salabatpara, Bhagatalav, Khapatia Chakia, Sanghadiawad, Wadi Falia,
Machalipeeth, Kanpeeth, Ranitalav, Rahia Sonino Chaklo were affected and
ten thousand houses were destroyed in the fire resulting in extensive
loss of life. In the same year, on 29th August, Tapti was in high spate,
the flood water level in front of the Fort stood at Six and a quarter
feet. In Surat, these two catastrophies created a pall of gloom.
When, on 8th August, 1842, (Hijri Year 1258), Nawab
Afzalluddin Khan died without any heir, the British annexed Surat and
the Union Jack was hoisted. The late Nawab had a daughter by the name
Bakhtiyarunnisa. Her husband Jafarali visited England in 1844 and
represented before the Privy Council for getting recognition as the
Nawab but it was not accepted, though the Privy Purse of Rs. 52,800 for
himself and his two daughters was raised to one lakh rupees.
This son-in-law of the last Nawab, for the first time,
set up a cotton mill in Surat, in the year 1861 which was named as
"Jafarali Mill", and the same, in this century, with the
change of ownership, since the year 1914, came to be known as
"Surat Cotton Mills". Even after the death of Jafarali on 21
st August, 1863, the British Government was paying purse to his daughter
Ziaunnisa alias Ladii Begum and also to her husband Mir Alarnkhan and to
his second daughter Rahimunnisa and to her husband Gulambaba. So the
last Nawab of Surat is historically important. With his death began the
British policy of annexation of those Indian States of the rulers and
Nawabs who died heirless." Ten years after this event, the oldest
of the municipalities in the then Bombay Presidency, namely Surat
Borough Municipality was established in this historical city thereby
marking the beginning of local self-government institutions in India.
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