The Mughal era was one of the most extravagant eras of Indian history. With a love of art, wine and luxury, the Mughal Empire saw a flourishing of architecture and some of the most majestic monuments were built at this time. But as is with all things extravagant, the empire saw decline during the British Raj, with the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar being a patron of arts and poetry.

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Once overflowing with wealth and luxury, the Mughal Empire ended with Bahadur Shah Zafar who was exiled to Rangoon on account of the murder of 57 Europeans in his palace that was being used by the rebels of the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, though he wasn’t involved in the killing. And thereon, the glitter of the empire faded. 

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His great-grandaughter-in-law Sultana Begum now lives in a small slum in Kolkata and lives off a meager pension of Rs 6000 form the government. In stark contrast to the opulence in which her ascendants lived, Sultana Begum can hardly make ends meet. 

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Sultana had even appealed to the government, asking for monetary help. In 2003, the government gave her Rs 50,000 and an apartment, but the poor woman fell victim to local goons who threw her out of the apartment. She ran a tea stall but even that was not enough to provide for her and her 6 children. 

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She had written a letter to Sonia Gandhi citing her ancestry and asking the government to provide her a decent life. She wrote, "The Union government earns crores of rupees from such places (Mughal buildings) per year in entry fee from visitors. But, descendants of actual owners of these properties are deprived of any compensation and are left to starve."