SSC
Dilras Banu Begum, the chief wife of Aurangzeb, was given the posthumous title:
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Answer: Option C — Rabia-ud-Daurani
Detailed Solution
Dilras Banu Begum, the first and chief wife of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, was given the posthumous title "Rabia-ud-Daurani" ("Rabia of the Age").
About Dilras Banu Begum:
- She was a Persian princess of the Safavid dynasty, the daughter of Mirza Badi-uz-Zaman Safavi (Shah Nawaz Khan), a high-ranking Mughal noble.
- She married Aurangzeb in 1637 at Agra.
- She was the mother of five of Aurangzeb's children, including Zeb-un-Nissa (the poet), Zinat-un-Nissa, and Prince Muhammad Azam Shah.
- She died in 1657 at Aurangabad, shortly after giving birth to her fifth child, Prince Muhammad Akbar.
The meaning of her title:
- "Rabia" refers to Rabia al-Adawiyya (Rabia of Basra), a famous woman Sufi saint of the 8th century, known for her pure love of God.
- "Daurani" means "of the age" or "of the era".
- The title thus honoured her as the "Rabia of her time".
Her tomb - the Bibi ka Maqbara:
- Her tomb, the Bibi ka Maqbara ("Tomb of the Lady"), at Aurangabad, Maharashtra, was built in 1660-61 by her son, Prince Muhammad Azam Shah, on the orders of Aurangzeb.
- It was designed by Ata-ullah, the son of the architect generally credited with the Taj Mahal.
- It is often called the "Taj of the Deccan" because of its resemblance to the Taj Mahal, though it is smaller and uses less marble.
About Aurangabad:
- The city was earlier called Khadki, and was renamed Aurangabad after Aurangzeb, who lived there as viceroy of the Deccan.
- In 2023, it was officially renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Other titles of Mughal women:
- "Mumtaz Mahal": the title of Shah Jahan's wife Arjumand Banu.
- "Padshah Begum": the title of the chief lady of the royal household, held by Jahanara under Shah Jahan.
- "Malika-i-Jahan": a title given to some royal women, including one of Jahangir's wives.
- "Nur Jahan": the title of Jahangir's wife Mehr-un-Nissa.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Mumtaz Mahal, Padshah Begum and Malika-i-Jahan were titles of other royal women.
Quick tip
Remember: Dilras Banu Begum = "Rabia-ud-Daurani" (Aurangzeb's chief wife); tomb = Bibi ka Maqbara, Aurangabad ("Taj of the Deccan", built by Azam Shah).
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Mughal Empire — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Mughal Empire, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur in 1526 and reached its height under Akbar. This topic covers the Mughal emperors from Babur to Aurangzeb and the later Mughals, the Sur interlude under Sher Shah Suri, Mughal administration (the mansabdari and jagirdari systems), revenue systems, architecture, painting and literature. Common questions ask about important battles (Panipat, Khanwa, Haldighati), Akbar's policies such as Din-i-Ilahi and the abolition of the jizya, Sher Shah's reforms such as the rupiya coin and the Grand Trunk Road, and the builders of famous monuments. For example, Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort in Delhi. Practise the Mughal Empire questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.