Birth of Bijris Qadr, Begum Hazrat Mahal's Son

Begum Hazrat Mahal’s historic story had humble origins. She was born into a poor Syed family in Faizabad, Awadh, under the name Muhammadi Khanum. A courtesan by profession, she was eventually sold into the royal harem by her family, wherein she swiftly changed her fortune: moving from a lowly ‘khawasin’ to a ‘pari’, and finally, to a ‘begum’, once the King of Awadh accepted her as his royal concubine. The title ‘Hazrat Mahal’, however, wasn't bequeathed to her until 1845, when she gave birth to her son and the royal heir, Birjis Qadra.