Jehangir was famous all over the world for his impartial justice which did not care for position of accused wether kin or rich or his own nobels and ministers. Jehangir did not care if the person who had preperated crime was his once favourite person. Even Shah Jahan his favourite son was known to tremble if someone complained against him and Jehangir summoned him to enquiry the lesser said about others. Here is another instance of Jehangir’s insaaf. Seis Alla’s execution remains a monumental step in his fair justice that made him famous as “Adil Padshah”.
Seis Alla was the son of Nur Jahan’s sister and his father was Ibrahim was the Subedhar of Bengal. Nur Jahan who did not have sons from either Sher Afghan or Jehangir her two husbands adopted him and brought him up in court. Jehangir too loved him a lot and treated him like an own son even allowing him to seat on his throne at Durbar as a boy. When he became big he was appointed the Subedar of Burdwan. Seis Alla ruled very well for a few years
One day Seis Alla was travelling on his elephant when for his misfortune his elephant trampled a child to death. His parents were distraught and followed the Subedhar Seis Alla and demanded justice to the driver of his elephant. Seis Alla rejected punishing his elephant driver. But the parents were angry and abused him badly hence Seis Alla was furious and expellede the parents from his Suba Burdwan.
The parents would not give up and travelled long distance from Burdwan to Lahore where Jehangir was residing that year and pulled chain of justice. Jehangir listened to them and wrote a letter to Seis Alla in his own hands to restore the parents of their property and immediately give them justice. He even reimbursed them for the long trip to and fro from Lahore to Burdawan.
The parents presented the letter to Seis Alla. Seis Alla was furious as his pride was hurt and threw both parents in prison. After they were relaesed again the parents travelled to Lahore. Seis Alla got to know of this and wrote letter to his aunty and Asaf Khan her brother to not allow this parents in Jehangir’s presence at any cost. Nur Jahan odrdered the palace gaurds to watch them and not allow them anywhere near emperor in palace or outside. The parents were determined to get justice and stayed back in lahore waiting for an opportunity. After many months one day they got an opportunity.
One day Jehangir decided to swim in river near Lahore fort. A huge crowd had gathered just to watch their emperor in dusk enjoying his swim in the river. The parents somehow jostled in crowd but were stopped by gaurds from going near to hearing distance of emperor. The parents called out to jehangir thrice. Jehangir who was enjoying his swim heard the last call and turned to see who had called him. The soldiers had no option but to allow them near to the shore. Jehangir recalled meeting the parents few years back. The emperor climbed on his boat and told the rower to row towards the shore.
The parents told their harrowing tale to him on the shore. Jehangir immediately ordered Seis Alla to come to Lahore. The parents were allowed to stay in one of Jehangir’s palace till he dispensed justice. Seis Alla had no idea what had happened and arrived after a few weeks and set up camp on opposite side of river at Lahore fort and messaged Jehangir requesting to meet him.
The next early morning Jehangir ordered his elephants to be ready and went to other side of the river with the child’s parents. Seis Alla who was still asleep in his camp as it was yet to be dawn was ordered to be bound by Jehangir. Seis Alla was surprised at this. Jehangir read out the charges against him and gave accounts of witnesses he had procured. Seis Alla agreed to his mistakes and Jehangir told him the law a life for a life. The parents did not want any money they wanted justice.
Seis Alla was but a young man was scared but did not speak anything against the emperor. Jehangir ordered him to lie down in path of the elephant for the punishment and he did so as ordered by his father. The child’s parents were mounted on the royal elephant. Jehangir odered the mahout to tread on Seis Alla and kill him to death. The mahout was scared of Nur Jahan’s wrath and every time allowed the elephant to step over Seis Alla. After a few times Jehangir was furious and threatened the driver to carry out his orders fast. Finally the mahout guided the elephant to tread over Seis Alla the adopted son of Jehangir and Nur Jahan. Seis Alla breathed his last.
Jehangir was numb with grief as he saw his foster son die in front of his eyes and went away in silence. He ordered state mourning for a month and ordered a grand masoulem and held a funeral procession worthy of a emperor’s son for Seis Alla.
Jehangir told in court “I loved him but justice like necessity should blind monarch. A monarch has no relation when he dispenses justice”.
Jehangir loved Seis Alla like his own son and brought him up lovingly just the way Akbar brought up Bairam Khan’s son Abdul Rahim Khan-e-khana
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