Mughals ruled India for a long time and the Mughal emperors of that time used to be all-powerful. The wives and children of Mughal emperors also used to wield a lot of power and they lived a luxurious life. Most of the Mughal emperors are infamous for their barbaric ways but Dara Shikoh was one person from Mughal family who is considered by historian as a person of completely different character. Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, is also considered to be an important character in Mughal history. Dara Shikoh’s personality was very complex and multidimensional. In this article we will talk about Dara Shikoh's wedding, which is said to be the most expensive wedding in India ever.
Shahjahan had already announced that Dara Shikoh would be his successor. At that time, Prince Dara was given Rs 1000 for pocket money. According to historians, at that time the expenditure on Dara Shikoh's marriage was around Rs 32 lakh. If we adjust this amount to today’s rate then it would be around Rs 1000 crore or more. This is why technically this is the most expensive wedding to take place not only in India, but across the world ever. The amount of money spent on the wedding of Mukesh Ambani’s daughter Isha Ambani was reportedly Rs 700 crore.
Apart from being his father's favorite, Dara Shikoh was also close to his elder sister Jahan Ara. After the passing of his mother Mumtaz Mahal, Jahan Ara loved Dara like a mother. Dara Shikoh’s wedding was the first time that Shahjahan had organised after the death of his wife. Some historians claim many firecrackers were burst at Dara Shikoh's wedding.
According to a report published in BBC, the lehenga worn by Dara Shikoh's bride Nadira Bano at the time of her wedding was worth Rs 8 lakh. Dara Shikoh's marriage took place on 1 February 1633. But the rituals and feasts related to his marriage continued till February 8, 1633.
