BHM Park may host son et lumiere on Begum Hazrat Mahal

LUCKNOW: Begum Hazrat Mahal Park in the state capital may host a ‘son et lumiere’ (light and sound show) to highlight the selfless contributions of the great freedom fighter Begum Hazrat Mahal, second wife of deposed Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, during the First War Of Independence in 1857.

Speaking at a programme organised by Begum Hazrat Mahal Society to mark 138th death anniversary of the Begum on Saturday, chief guest UP Governor Ram Naik said he would propose to the state government to organise a light and sound show at the park to make the present generation aware of her contributions. “It will help the present generation and heritage enthusiasts in understanding Begum’s contribution to the freedom struggle in a better way. Instead of involving themselves in fake publicity or making statements on such great personalities, people should learn from them and try to emulate them,” the governor said.

Naik blamed the British for manipulating history and writing it in their own way, using their own choice of words. “It’s still a question whether the fight of 1857 was a revolt or a fight for freedom. The British have written history in their own way and termed the freedom fighters as rebels. There are times when there is need to re-write history,” he said.

Naik said Veer Savarkar, a great revolutionary in the history of India’s struggle for independence, also did the same and mentioned the 1857 uprising as a fight for freedom. “It’s purely our responsibility to re-write out history in golden words. And 1857 freedom struggle is all about the contributions of the freedom fighters, including women, who fought and even laid down their lives for the country,” he added.

“This is perhaps for the first time I am visiting Begum Hazrat Mahal park as a governor. In fact, last year also the society tried to invite me but due to my busy schedule, I couldn’t make it,” he said. Sanjay Singh, acting V-C, Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, professor Mahrukh Mirza, V-C, Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti Urdu, Arbi-Farsi University and others were present on the occasion.