the Jama Masjid is nevertheless a well-preserved monument, and its two huge minarets can be sighted from a great distance. The mosque also has three bulbous cupolas, but the main feature of the Jama Masjid is its interior – a splendid example of Islamic architecture. The mosque contains a series of alabaster-white columned arches that present a very pretty sight, and the inner sanctum of the mosque is built out of marble. The Jama Masjid complex also contains a small pond, and was extensively renovated after Independence.

IThe Moti Masjid was an important landmark of Bhopal, and was built in 1860 by Sikandar Jehan Begum, Qudisiya Begum’s daughter. Sikandar Begum was fairly unconventional compared to Muslim women of her time – she usually dressed like a man and went out riding without a veil, often with a dagger tucked under her belt. Bhopal came to be known as the domain of the relatively liberated, even progressive women, and it was Sikandar Begum who set the trend. The Begum was an enthusiastic reformer, open to modern ideas. She abolished slavery and built roads, bridges and beautiful monuments ike the

Situated right behind the Shaukat Mahal on the banks of the Upper Lake is the Gohar Mahal that was once an architectural gem. However, the palace has not been well maintained and is currently in a dilapidated state. Nevertheless, the archways of the palace still retain a majestic air about them and are well worth a visit. Built by Qudisiya Begum (who was also known as Gohar Begum) in 1820, the Mahal is a wonderful expression of the fusion of Hindu and Mughal architecture.Qudisiya Begum was the first woman ruler of Bhopal who ascended the throne of the erstwhile princely state in 1819, after her husband

died in an accident (see History). From then on, political power rested with the Begums of Bhopal. The Begums were liberal and modern in their outlook, and Qudisiya Begum was the probably India’s first woman’s-libber.