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Bhopal Palace, Main Entrance
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The main entrance to Gohar Mahal the imposing palace built in 1820 by Qudsia Begum.
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This image shows the main entrance to Bhopal Palace called Gohar Mahal in the city of Bhopal in central India. Bhopal is the capital of the state of Madhya Pradesh. The Gohar Mahal is a magnificent expression of the fusion of Hindu and Mughal architecture, and is situated behind Shaukat Mahal on the banks of the Upper Lake. A large and imposing architectural gem with a fine view of the lake and countryside, the palace was built in 1820 by a teenaged womenÌs rights pioneer, Qudsia Begum, the first female ruler of Bhopal.
The friendly alliance between the rulers of Bhopal and the British dates back more than a century. In 1818, Bhopal became a princely state in British India, and a year later, 18-year-old Qudsia (or Kudsia) Begum (also known as Gohar Begum) became the first female ruler of Bhopal following the assassination of her husband. She was young and illiterate but brave, and refused to follow the purdah tradition (requiring women to cover their bodies to conceal their skin and form). She declared that her two-year-old daughter Sikander would succeed her. In addition to her beautiful palace, the teenage ruler also built the Jama Masjid of Bhopal. She ruled till 1837.
On December 3, 1984, one of historyÌs most tragic industrial tragedies struck Bhopal when a Union Carbide factory leaked 40 tons of toxic gas. A cloud of gas enveloped the city, claiming 3,787 human lives and injuring anywhere from 150,000 to 600,000 others.  |
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© imagesofasia 2007-08 |
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