Tomb of Mir jafar, WB. /upload.wikimedia.org |
Above image: The Jafargunj Cemetery, West Bengal near murshidabad. Tomb of jafar, a relative of Nwab Siraj who driven by greed and jealousy betrayed the ruler in collusion with his son and the English company headed by Robert Clive. Image credit- Royroydeb
Tombs of Mir Jafar and others Jafargnijsur.WB. wordpress.com |
The Jafarganj Cemetery, located in the Lalbagh area of Murshidabad, West Bengal, spans 3.51 acres and serves as a historic resting place for Bengal’s former rulers and their families. Established by Nawab Mir Jafar, this cemetery houses the tombs of notable figures, marking an era of power, betrayal, and eventual decline. Mir Jafar is one of the most infamous figures in Indian history, known as the Nawab who allied with the British East India Company, facilitating the company’s dominance over Bengal after the Battle of Plassey in 1757. His alliance with the British marked a critical turning point that led to British colonial rule in India, earning him the epithet of a “traitor” to Bengal, and his residence nearby is still referred to as Namak Haram Deorhi, or “Traitor’s Gate.”
Within this vast cemetery lie the graves of Mir Jafar, his son Mir Miran, his father Syud Ahmed Nazafi, and other members of his family. Prominent among them are his wives, Munni Begum and Babbu Begum, as well as Shahkhanum, the sister of Alivardi Khan, another key figure in Bengal’s history. Each tomb reflects the once-powerful legacy of the Nawabs, whose lives were intertwined with wealth, power, and political strategy. The cemetery provides a somber contrast to the opulence they once enjoyed, as these leaders of Bengal now rest in simplicity, untouched by the power struggles that once defined them.
Located about a mile from the grand Hazarduari Palace, Jafarganj Cemetery is a quiet, reflective space. Visitors are often moved by the sheer number of graves that mark the end of a royal lineage. For those familiar with the history of Bengal, the cemetery serves as a reminder of the Nawabs’ inevitable decline. Mir Jafar, who initially served as Commander-in-Chief of the Bengal subha before being elevated to the position of Nawab, ultimately lost favor with the British, facing humiliation and isolation in his final days. His son Mir Miran met an untimely death, and the fortunes of the family gradually waned under British influence.
The cemetery evokes themes similar to those in Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard,” emphasizing the fleeting nature of earthly power and wealth. The verse, “The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, … / The paths of glory lead but to the grave,” resonates profoundly here. Jafarganj Cemetery stands as a silent testament to the transitory nature of fame and fortune, where Bengal’s powerful rulers and their families rest in eternal silence, united in silence in the solitude of history.
https://www.navrangindia.in/2018/12/the-tomb-of-mir-jaffer-nawab-who.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mir_Jafar#:l.