Najafgarh, a suburb within Delhi’s National Capital Territory, holds significance as a notable stop on the Gray Line of Delhi’s Metro system. However, beyond its modern urbanity lies a tale deeply entrenched in Mughal history.
Mirza Najaf Khan, a Persian military strategist serving both the Nawabs of Bengal and the Mughal Emperor, emerged as a central figure in late 18th-century North Indian politics. It was in present-day Najafgarh, nestled in South-West Delhi, that Najaf Khan erected a substantial fortress. This stronghold aimed to safeguard Delhi against potential assaults from the British, Sikhs, and Rohillas, all posing existential threats to the Mughal Empire’s seat in Delhi. Unfortunately, no remnants of this formidable fortification endure today.
Interestingly, while many residents of Delhi remain unaware of Najaf Khan’s significance, his name adorns numerous landmarks across the city. The Najafgarh Nullah or Drain, serves as a channel for the Sahibi River, entering Delhi at Dhansa village. Originating in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, this river flows into the Yamuna near Delhi, with the Najafgarh Nullah now unfortunately notorious as Delhi’s most polluted water body.
Furthermore, Najafgarh Lake, situated in the Najafgarh area, once received its waters from the Sahibi River. During monsoons, the lake would expand, submerging an area spanning over 300 square kilometers. However, in the 1960s, the Flood Control Department of Delhi constructed a channel connecting the lake to the Yamuna River. This endeavor aimed to prevent inundation, thereby altering the landscape significantly.
Adding to these landmarks is Najaf Khan Road, leading to his mausoleum in the Lodhi Estate area of Delhi — a poignant reminder of his enduring legacy amidst the city’s bustling streets.
Who was Mirza Najaf Khan, and what was his historical significance? To understand this esteemed Persian commander, let’s revisit the Battle of Plassey in 1757 CE.
Following the Battle of Plassey, where the British toppled Siraj-ud-Daula as the Nawab of Bengal, they installed Mir Jafar as his successor. However, Mir Jafar soon grew disillusioned with the British East India Company’s relentless demands and sought alliances with the Dutch against the English. When his plan faltered, the British replaced him with Mir Qasim, his son-in-law, in 1760 CE, anticipating greater compliance. Yet, their expectations were gravely mistaken.
Mir Qasim, driven by a desire to level the economic playing field for Indian traders, clashed with the British East India Company. He abolished taxes for local merchants, aiming to render local goods competitive against foreign imports. This move sparked conflict with the British, leading to a series of battles between the two factions by 1763 CE.
Among Mir Qasim’s esteemed generals stood Mirza Najaf Khan, a cavalry commander hailing from the illustrious Safavid House of Persia, who had recently migrated to India from Isfahan with his sister. Arriving at the Mughal court in Delhi in 1735 CE following the fall of the Safavids to Nader Shah, Najaf Khan quickly rose to prominence.
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As a key figure in Mir Qasim’s ranks, Najaf Khan displayed remarkable ingenuity in gathering intelligence on the movements of their adversary, the East India Company. Notably, during the Battle of Murshidabad in 1763 CE, he utilized local guides to navigate his troops through marshy terrain to ambush the British camp, alongside soldiers loyal to Nawab Mir Jafar, resulting in significant losses for the Company.
Renowned for his valor and charismatic leadership, Najaf Khan commanded unwavering loyalty from his troops. Beyond his military prowess, he advocated for strategic alliances, urging Mir Qasim to unite with Shuja-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Awadh, in a grand Mughal coalition against the East India Company, supported by the forces of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II.
However, despite Najaf Khan’s efforts, the alliance faltered, facing defeat at the pivotal Battle of Buxar in 1764 CE. While the East India Company suffered losses, the Mughal grand alliance endured substantial casualties, leaving Mir Qasim destitute upon his death near Delhi in 1777 CE.
While the East India Company allowed Shuja-ud-Daula to retain his position as Nawab of Awadh, his kingdom’s territory was significantly reduced, and he had to pay substantial war reparations. Eventually, power in Awadh transitioned to the British. Despite these shifts, Najaf Khan’s career flourished. Leveraging his diplomatic acumen, he strategically arranged the marriage of his sister to Shuja-ud-Daula and ascended to the position of Deputy Wazir of Awadh.
Meanwhile, following his defeat at the Battle of Buxar, Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II found himself stranded in Allahabad. Although yearning for Delhi and restoration to the Mughal throne within the Red Fort, currently occupied by Rohilla warlord Zabita Khan, Shah Alam II remained confined to the city. The Rohillas, originally Afghan settlers in regions east of Delhi, capitalized on the weakened Mughal authority, expanding their control around the Mughal capital.
During this period, the Marathas embarked on a campaign to reclaim territories in Northern India after their defeat in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 CE. Despite internal rivalries, Maratha commanders Mahadji Scindia and Tukoji Holkar agreed on a strategic alliance. Their aim was to reinstall Shah Alam II as a nominal figurehead on the Delhi throne while they effectively governed Northern India. To facilitate Shah Alam II’s return to Delhi, they sought a military leader who commanded both the loyalty and respect of his troops—ultimately leading them to Mirza Najaf Khan.
The Emperor meticulously charted his journey from Allahabad to Delhi alongside his new general. Their first task was to overcome the Jat Raja of Deeg, followed by confronting Rohilla leader Zabita Khan. The Jat Raja’s dominance over the land between Delhi and Agra posed a significant obstacle, necessitating their reconquest before advancing into Rohilkhand. On January 17, 1772 CE, Shah Alam II embarked on this expedition with Najaf Khan and Mahadji Scindia, targeting the Pathargarh fortress held by Zabita Khan.
During the ensuing battle, a pivotal moment arose when Najaf Khan ingeniously maneuvered his camel cavalry onto an island midway across the river Ganga at Chandighat, compelling Zabita Khan to retreat and seek refuge in Pathargarh (now known as Najibabad in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh). Najaf Khan effectively broke the siege of this formidable fortress by severing its water supply, ultimately clearing the path to Delhi for Shah Alam II’s restoration to the throne at the Red Fort.
In recognition of Najaf Khan’s pivotal role, Shah Alam II honored him in a grand durbar, appointing him as Paymaster General and bestowing upon him estates in Hansi and Hissar.
Yet, Najaf Khan’s ambitions did not cease there. Utilizing the revenue generated from these estates, he augmented his forces, including the recruitment of destitute Rohillas and European mercenaries, to bolster his troops’ training and capabilities. Notable figures among these mercenaries included Bréton René Madec, Walter Reinhardt (known as ‘Sumru’), Antoine Pollier, and Comte de Modave. Additionally, Najaf Khan enlisted approximately 6,000 Naga Sanyasis as shock troops, further enhancing his military prowess.
Following his earlier triumphs, Najaf Khan embarked on a campaign to reclaim territories of the Mughal Empire. On August 27, 1773 CE, he seized the northernmost outpost of the Jat Raja of Deeg, Nawal Singh, Maidangarhi—an expansive mud fort which, presently incorporated into Delhi, serves as the headquarters of IGNOU. Though wounded during subsequent clashes with the Jats, Najaf Khan emerged victorious.
Subsequently, Najaf Khan conquered the formidable fortress of Ramgarh, renaming it ‘Aligarh,’ now situated in the city of Aligarh approximately 130 km southeast of Delhi. He then laid siege to and captured the ancient Mughal Fort at Agra. In less than four years, Najaf Khan reclaimed nearly all significant strongholds within the Mughal dominions, reinstating control over numerous regions around Delhi.
Despite his remarkable achievements, Mirza Najaf Khan navigated complex court intrigues, particularly clashing with his archrival, Abdul Ahmad Khan, a Kashmiri Sunni Minister of Shah Alam II who harbored resentment towards Najaf Khan, a Shi’a Muslim.
In 1775 CE, the Jats revolted against Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II and his General Najaf Khan. Following the downfall of his rival, Abdul Ahmad Khan, in November 1779 CE, Mirza Najaf Khan ascended to the position of Regent, or Vakil-i-Mutqal, at the age of 42. However, despite his newfound authority, Najaf Khan’s health deteriorated, plagued by prolonged bouts of fever and illness.
Diagnosed with tuberculosis, Najaf Khan became bedridden by August 1781 CE, eventually succumbing to the illness at the age of 46 on April 6, 1782 CE. He was posthumously bestowed with the title Zul-Fiqaru’d-Daula (Ultimate Discriminator of the Kingdom).
Najaf Khan’s tomb lies near that of Safdarjung, the second Nawab of Awadh, within the Lodhi Estate area of Delhi. Construction of the tomb commenced in 1782 CE under the initiative of his devoted daughter, Fatima. However, financial constraints resulted in the unfinished state of the tomb complex, with only the first floor and boundary walls completed.
The tomb is 27.5m square, standing on a 0.6m high plinth and is built of red sandstone. The roof of the structure is 3m high, and supports an octagonal tower, 3.6m in diameter, on each of its four corners. The roof of the tomb is flat, but the interior rooms have vaulted ceilings.
Within two years of Najaf Khan’s demise, the territorial gains he secured for Emperor Shah Alam II were lost, ironically leaving insufficient funds for the construction of a fitting mausoleum in his honor. Following Fatima’s passing in 1820 CE, she opted to be interred alongside her father in the incomplete tomb complex.
Within the mausoleum, the tombs of Najaf Khan and Fatima are accompanied by inscriptions :
“He [alone] is living, who will never die.
The sky with its uncertain revolutions, with its back like a bow and full of arrows,
[Is certain] that its arrows of affliction [will] never miss its mark.
It shot [an arrow] at a mark, which was one of the respected sayyads ;
The blood [of the sayyads] aud the sayyads of the Safwi [dynasty] were honoured by him.
He was a precious fruit of the tree of the garden of the Twelve [Imam] ;
He was a pure light of the two pearls [Hasan and Hosain], and a pearl of the nine shells [the sky] ;
Bakshi-ul-Mulk, Amir Najaf Khan, the Lion-hearted ;
Conqueror of the countries of Hind, with the help of [the command] ‘Be not afraid.’
He is a hero, [of such power] that if he held the [sword of ‘Ali] Zulfiqar in his hand,
The King Lafatha [‘Ali] himself would exclaim : A worthy son.
Be thou the companion of the Prophet, who is the first and the last of the Prophets, 1
[And] of thy ancestor [’Ali] the revealer of the secrets : ‘If it can be revealed.’
The pen of ’Ali [the writer of the epitaph] equal to that of the angelic messenger wrote on his [Najaf Khan’s] ashes [tomb]
The date [of his death] : “ This is the grave of Najaf [The name of the mountain in which ‘Ali was buried.] [1101 A. H.]”
“0 God !
He [alone] is living, who will never die.
Cries of lamentation are heard : She is gone from this abode of ashes, and the foundation of grief !
[She who had] the temper of an angel ; the virtuous woman, she [who was] of auspicious birth.
Blessed she was, [because] she bore the name of the daughter of the Prophet ;
May she be forgiven for the sake of the soul of Fatimah, the illumined ;
With all her heart she sacrificed herself to the love she bore to ‘Ali ;
She loved and offered herself as a sacrifice to the manes of the venerated Imams ;
She was the daughter of the Mir Bakshi of Hind, Najaf Khan ;
May God grant her a place in the abode of the pure.
I drew a sigh [ah !] and the date [of her death] was evident in this hemistich
May ‘Ali and Fatima be her intercessors on the day of Insurrection [1236 A. H.]”
Remarkably, during the construction of New Delhi, spanning from 1911 to 1931, the tomb complex narrowly evaded demolition. Despite its dilapidated state, preservation efforts were initiated due to its historical significance, although it was labeled as “being in poor repair” and associated with past disloyalty to the government.
Today, while the tomb remains unfinished, the entire complex has been preserved as a public park. Access to the tomb’s entrance and first storey is restricted, yet the site still exudes elements of the signature Persian Char Bagh design typical of Mughal-era tombs. Divided into four distinct sections, the grassy fields offer a tranquil setting, inviting reflection on the captivating tale of a Persian adventurer who left an indelible mark on one of India’s most tumultuous periods.
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