Friday, September 08, 2017

Two Yards of Land

PHOTO PROMPT © Danny Bowman
The Emperor was dying.  Denied even a pen to write he scribbled verses on the wall with a burnt stick.

Bahadur Shah Zafar, descendant of the Mughals, his influence confined to just the Red Fort.  When the mutiny started, the rebels rode to Delhi and declared him the Emperor of Hindustan.

He paid the price for the rebellion when Major Hodson killed his sons and grandsons.  In his eighties he was exiled to a prison in Rangoon.  


How unfortunate is Zafar! For his burial
Not even two yards of land were to be had, in the land of his beloved.

**



Written for 
Friday Fictioneers Word Count : 100.

Submitting a story for Friday Fictioneers on a Friday but I am still late :-) (Because it's best done on a Wednesday).  

Hard to write historical Fiction in 100 words but I hope I was able to give you a feel for the tragic story of India's last Mughal Emperor who died a sad lonely death in exile.   The words written in the end are believed to be Bahadur Shah Zafar’s last verses.  There may be a dispute upon that but popular belief is that these are his words.  Click here for a wonderful translation "My heart is not content in this barren land"


I am still canvassing  support for my entry in the Indian Blogger Awards 2017  run by Indiblogger.  Please vote for me by commenting on my entry page here.  

To read the other stories this week click here

30 comments :

  1. Nice slice of history.

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    1. Thanks Iain. The story of Bahadur Shah Zafar is fascinating and a bit hard to condense in hundred words :-)

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  2. A tragic end, indeed.
    Great take on the prompt .

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    1. It was a terrible way to go. Thanks for your comments Moon, I am glad you liked it.

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  3. interesting piece of history most of us aren't aware of. So sad for him, a pawn in power politics of the day.

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    1. He was a poet at heart and so unsuited for the life he had been born into. Thanks for reading and commenting Christine.

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  4. Anonymous5:52 am

    The last Mughal ...... loved your take.

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    1. Thanks YS I am glad you liked it.

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  5. lovely post..
    keep it rocking up..

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    1. Thanks for your comments Riya.

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  6. Wow, that really is a tragic story. Well done for putting it in such few words!

    Kathrin -- http://mycupofenglishtea.wordpress.com

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    1. True, sometimes it's hard to stick within the 100 words. Thanks for your comments Kathrin, I am glad you liked it.

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  7. A whole lot of story in this piece. Well done.

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    1. Thanks Sandra, I glad it came through alright.

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  8. Poignant, especially because it's true. Great story.

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    1. True, he was a tragic figure in history. Thanks for your comments Linda.

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  9. A nice piece of history, distilled to 100 words.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Alistair, I am glad you liked it.

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  10. I loved how you tied the story to the picture! My take on the same prompt http://www.sunshineandzephyr.com/2017/09/perfect-shot-100-word-fiction/

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    1. Thanks for your comments Shweta. I am glad you liked it.

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  11. Hi Subrato,

    I have nominated you guys for the Liebster award. (http://mrsdashsayss.blogspot.in/2017/09/liebster-award.html)

    Hope you do accept it and link me back with the reply.

    XOXO

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    1. Thanks for the nomination DeeDee. I am going to have to decline as I have already done one of these before. But thanks for the thought.

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  12. Dear Subroto,

    Good use of the prompt. You did quite well writing historical fiction in 100 words. A writer after my own heart.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. Thanks Rochelle. I'll take that compliment as you are the Queen of historical fiction.

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  13. Thanks for sharing this touching snippet from history. Sad and poetic tale

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    1. Thanks Lynn I am glad you liked it.

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  14. I think you did very well in creating interest for his tragic story.

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    1. Actually the story wrote itself. Thanks for your comments Gabi I am glad you liked it.

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  15. The sher at the end in the jewel in the crown.

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    1. The credit for that goes to the poet - Zafar. Thanks for your your comments Umashankar.

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