THE BELL

Jahangir ordered that a long golden chain with a bell be fixed on the outer wall of his palace. If anybody wanted justice, they could ring the bell at any time.

Once, the bell chain was pulled by a washerwoman.

When Jahangir went outside to listen to the complaint, he saw a washerwoman standing outside and crying.

When he asked her what the matter was, the washerwoman told him that her husband had been killed an arrow which had the royal sign on it. She had come to ask for justice.

Jahangir saw that the arrow belonged to his wife Nur Jahan. Jahangir loved Nur Jahan a lot. He was highly distressed as according to justice Nur Jahan was to be put to death.

He told the washerwoman that she would get justice the next morning.

Next morning, the anxious courtiers sat down in the court and the washerwoman was called.

jahangir told her his decision, "This arrow killed your husband. So you kill the husband of the person to whom the arrow belongs."

"What are you saying, My Lord?" Said the washerwoma.

Jahangir said, "This arrow which killed your husband belongs to Nur Jahan. So you kill me as I am her husband."

Everyone in the court was very upset on hearing Jahangir's verdict. They started saying that this could not be done.

The washerwoman was also shocked. She could not agree to the verdict that asked for the Emperor's death. So she said, "My Lord,! I would never agree to your execution," And she went away.

Jahangir's death

In 1626, while Jahangir and Nur Jahan were coming back from Kashmir, where Jahangir had fallen sick, they were attacked and Jahangir was captured by some rebels. It was Nur Jahan who freed him from the rebels.

Jahangir died on 28th October, 1627 in Lahore. His tomb is in Shahdara. It was constructed on Shah Jahan's order, and it took ten years to complete.

While Jahangir was alive, NurJahan had first wanted Khurram (who later came to be known as Shah Jahan) to be the next emperor.

But later when her daughter from her first marritage was married to Khurram's brother, Sharhyar, Nur Jahan wanted Sharhyar to become the king because he was her son in law.

She made sure that Jahangir got angry with Khurram and sent him to far off palaces.

However, after Jahangir's death when Khurram was given the imperial throne, Nur Jahan was imprisoned and exiled to Lahore.

She then lived a lonely life for sixteen years. She dies in 1643 and was buried beside Jahangir at Shadara in Lahore.

Jahangir ordered that a long golden chain with a bell be fixed on the outer wall of his palace. If anybody wanted justice, they could ring the bell at any time.

Once, the bell chain was pulled by a washerwoman.

When Jahangir went outside to listen to the complaint, he saw a washerwoman standing outside and crying.

When he asked her what the matter was, the washerwoman told him that her husband had been killed an arrow which had the royal sign on it. She had come to ask for justice.

Jahangir saw that the arrow belonged to his wife Nur Jahan. Jahangir loved Nur Jahan a lot. He was highly distressed as according to justice Nur Jahan was to be put to death.

He told the washerwoman that she would get justice the next morning.

Next morning, the anxious courtiers sat down in the court and the washerwoman was called.

jahangir told her his decision, "This arrow killed your husband. So you kill the husband of the person to whom the arrow belongs."

"What are you saying, My Lord?" Said the washerwoma.

Jahangir said, "This arrow which killed your husband belongs to Nur Jahan. So you kill me as I am her husband."

Everyone in the court was very upset on hearing Jahangir's verdict. They started saying that this could not be done.

The washerwoman was also shocked. She could not agree to the verdict that asked for the Emperor's death. So she said, "My Lord,! I would never agree to your execution," And she went away.

                                        Jahangir's death

In 1626, while Jahangir and Nur Jahan were coming back from Kashmir, where Jahangir had fallen sick, they were attacked and Jahangir was captured by some rebels. It was Nur Jahan who freed him from the rebels.

Jahangir died on 28th October, 1627 in Lahore. His tomb is in Shahdara. It was constructed on Shah Jahan's order, and it took ten years to complete.

While Jahangir was alive, NurJahan had first wanted Khurram (who later came to be known as Shah Jahan) to be the next emperor.

But later when her daughter from her first marritage was married to Khurram's brother, Sharhyar, Nur Jahan wanted Sharhyar to become the king because he was her son in law.

She made sure that Jahangir got angry with Khurram and sent him to far off palaces.

However, after Jahangir's death when Khurram was given the imperial throne, Nur Jahan was imprisoned and exiled to Lahore.

She then lived a lonely life for sixteen years. She dies in 1643 and was buried beside Jahangir at Shadara in Lahore.