We humans are children of chance and circumstances, and the civilizations and cultures we live in, and the relationships between them, are woven through the quirks of fate. Chance, too, directed the connection between the city of Nishapur in northeastern Iran’s Khorasan province, known for its high-quality turquoise, and Calcutta. The first Nawab of Awadh, Saadat Khan Burhan-ul-Mulk, was a Persian noble from Khorasan who came to India in 1708. The last one was Wajid Ali Shah, who spent the last 31 years of his life in Calcutta.
Born on July 30, 1822, Wajid Ali Shah was not in the direct line of succession and did not receive any special treatment during his formative years. As soon as Nasiruddin Haider died, his grandfather’s brother, Nawab Mohammad Ali Shah, 63, was crowned the third king of Awadh. His son Amjad Ali Shah took over after four years. When he died of cancer, the young Wajid Ali Shah was crowned in 1847.
The reign of Wajid Ali Shah coincided with the East India Company’s decision to swallow up the entire prosperous kingdom of Awadh. Oppose…
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