Mubarak Begum (tawaif)

🪔 About

Mubarak Begum (Mahruttun Mubarak ul-Nissa Begum), who passed away in 1878, was a prominent Indian tawaif and the thirteenth wife of David Ochterlony, the first British Resident to the Mughal court at Delhi. Born into a poor family, she began her career as a dancing girl in Pune before converting to Islam. As a tawaif, she was a highly skilled performer of dance and music, with tawaifs of her era often being masters of Kathak dance. She was known for her refined manners, conversational skills, and knowledge of poetry, placing her among the highest rank of tawaifs, sometimes referred to as a 'randi' or prima donna. Sir David Ochterlony purchased her as a concubine and later married her, and she became his favorite wife, known as "Generalee Begum." She wielded significant influence in Ochterlony's court and was the mother of his two youngest daughters. Mubarak Begum was a key figure in Delhi's cultural life, hosting poetry soirees attended by renowned poets such as Mirza Ghalib. She was also a devout Muslim and organized musical gatherings. Her legacy includes the Mubarak Begum Mosque in Hauz Qazi, Old Delhi, which she built in 1822-23. Despite her influence and cultural contributions, her background as a tawaif led to the mosque being colloquially known as "Randi ki Masjid" (Prostitute's Mosque) among some locals and British observers.