Author:

Anupama Talan
1Ph.D Research Scholar
University School of Liberal Arts
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
Dwaraka,Delhi,India

Email: anupamatalan10@gmail.com

Abstract::Abstract:This article explores the multifaceted portrayal of Zeenat Mahal Begum, the last Mughal
empress and consort of Bahadur Shah Zafar II. The narrative of the queen remains conspicuously
absent in the male-dominated framework of history. Despite Zeenat Mahal’s significant role before and
during the revolt, her contributions to politics, economy, customs, rituals, and festivals are often
overshadowed by the exploits of emperors, nobles, and princes. While British colonial narratives often
depicted her as a manipulative and malevolent figure, these characterizations starkly contrast with her
enduring stature as a “head queen” and her deep connection to the people of Delhi. This exclusion not
only undermines ‘her agency’ but also perpetuates the erasure of women’s voices, reinforcing a
patriarchal perspective that reduces queens to mere footnotes in the chronicles of kings. In the tradition
of historical writing, ‘his story’ has consistently overshadowed ‘her story,’ revealing the deep-rooted
gender biases that shape our understanding of the past.By examining colonial records and vernacular
records, this study seeks to deconstruct the image of Zeenat Mahal as an “evil woman” and
contextualize these perceptions within the broader colonial agenda of delegitimizing the indigenous
powers to justify imperial expansion. Accused of influencing Bahadur Shah Zafar II and conspiring
against the British as well as rebels, Zeenat Mahal became a target of vilification.

Key Words::Artificial, Contesting, Colonial, Begum Zeenat Mahal, Gender,Public etc