Aan-Ban aur Shan Begum of Awadh, Hazrat Mahal.

 Hazrat Mahal, the first wife of the ruler of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah. The great revolutionary, strategist and skilled administrator Hazrat Mahal had many qualities. A girl who was once a dancer becomes a queen because of her qualities. Leads the revolution of 1857. And gets recorded in history as a freedom fighter. Born in a village of Faizabad in about 1820 AD, the life of Hazrat Mahal has had many ups and downs. Begum's life tells that if a person has the will power, he can achieve everything.

Begum Hazrat Mahal's childhood name was Muhammadi Khatoon. His poor parents did not have the condition to raise a daughter. So he sold them to a broker. After this, as a dancer, she joined the royal harem of Lucknow as a Khawasin. Here also there was horse trading and they were once again bought by royal brokers. She got a new name. Pari Begum dances to entertain the emperors of the royal houses. 

Gradually, her fame started as a fragrance fairy. When the Nawab of Awadh caught sight of Mehak Pari, he was included in the royal harem. Was it the beauty of their beauty or the game of intelligence. A day also came when she became Khatoon Begum. Luck turned. She became the Rajmata and after the birth of son Birjis Kadar, she got the title of Hazrat Mahal. Thus the journey from a tawaif to the wife of Tajdar-e Awadh Nawab Wajid Ali Shah is very interesting and exciting.

The officers of the British East India Company annexed the state of Awadh and sent Begum's husband Nawab Wajid Ali Shah to Kolkata. After this Begum Hazrat Mahal took over the reins of Awadh on 7 July 1857. And they captured Lucknow. He put his minor son Birjis Kadar on the throne and fought the British army. Begum Hazrat Mahal saw Hindus and Muslims with equal sentiments. To encourage her soldiers, she herself went to the battlefield. On March 21, Lucknow came under British control. Begum's Kothi also went into the possession of the British. Begum Hazrat Mahal had to leave the palace and run away.

The Begum did not lose courage even after the throne was snatched. She had a phenomenal ability to organize. For this reason the zamindars, farmers and soldiers of Awadh continued to advance under his leadership. During the battle of Alambagh, the Begum of her brave soldiers gave a lot of encouragement. She fought day and night with her soldiers riding on an elephant. But, she was defeated in the battle of Lucknow. After this she went to the countryside of Awadh and there too, the spark of revolution, Begum Hazrat Mahal, fought the British with all her strength as long as possible.

The Begum finally laid down her arms before the British. She went to Nepal with her son. King Jang Bahadur of Nepal gave him refuge. Begum died in Kathmandu on 7 April 1958 at the age of 59. She was buried in the Jama Masjid ground here.

Old Victoria Park in Hazratganj, Lucknow was renamed as Begum Hazrat Mahal Park in honor of Begum Hazrat Mahal in 1962. A marble monument was built here. On 10 May 1984, the Government of India issued a postage stamp in her honor. Hazratganj area of Lucknow is the most posh area of the capital because of  Hazratganj Begum.