‘Royal family of Awadh’ living in Malcha Mahal turns out ordinary

India’s mysterious and reclusive ‘royal family of Awadh’, who were allotted Malcha Mahal after the intervention of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, turned out to be ordinary people. In an investigative report by an American daily, it was found that Begum Wilayat Mahal, the self-proclaimed great-granddaughter of last Nawab of Awadh Wajid Ali Shah, was just an ordinary resident.

In the early 70s, Wilayat Mahal arrived at New Delhi railway station announcing herself as Begum of Awadh. Wilayat said that she would stay at the station premises until and unless she gets compensation for the loss of ancestral property in Awadh. She settled in the VIP waiting room of the station with all her belongings including carpets, potted palms, and silver tea sets. Wilayat was accompanied by a Nepali servant and her two children, Prince Raza aka Cyrus and Princess Sakina.

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Wilayat’s story got global attention

The incident drew the attention of the global media and readers all over the world were outraged after reading the reports of foreign correspondents. Wilayat also put up a strange condition saying she could only be photographed when the moon is waning, reported an international news agency. A decade later, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi granted her to use 14th-century hunting hall known as Malcha Mahal.

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According to the investigative report, it was found that Cyrus' father, Inayatullah Butt, was a registrar at Lucknow University and Cryus’ original name was Mickey Butt. Shahid, the older brother of Cyrus living in West Yorkshire, confessed that their mother was a housewife and not a Begum. Shahid ran away at the age of 14 to Britain and spent his life working in an iron foundry.

During partition, his parents moved to Pakistan fearing riots but his mother never accepted the reality. Wilayat was admitted to a mental hospital in Lahore and when she was released, she packed her expensive belongings, gathered her children, and smuggled them back to India to reclaim the lost property.

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