It is a grim irony that the Mughal emperor who lent India the greatest geographical dimensions %u2013 from Tiruchirappalli in South India to Ghazni in the Northwest -- is today sought to be projected as the cruellest bigot among the Muslim rulers of India.
Emperor Aurangzeb is the prime victim of distortion of history in India. But just how the historian could be unjust to Aurangzeb becomes evident from, Ahad e Aalamgiri ke Darbari Akhbar, a compilation of accounts from Mughal Court Chronicles of that age. These Persian chronicles are preserved in archives in Jaipur, Calcutta and Royal Asiatic Society in London. Since Aurangzeb remained pitched in the Deccan for over 25 years (from 1680 to his death in 1707) in order to suppress Maratha rebels, a lot of interest has been shown in Maharashtra about the history of the period. Initially, Marathi historian and author Sethu Madhav Pagri translated these chronicles from Persian to Marathi at the behest of Maharashtra Government and they were published in three volumes. Now advocate Syed Shah Ghaziuddin of Osmanabad has come out with an Urdu translation in one volume. The chronicles highlights some interesting facets of Aurangzeb%u2019s personality and the affairs of his government, which were being conducted from wherever Aurangzeb was stationed with his huge garrison consisting of nearly two lakh persons.
From these accounts, far from being a bigot, Aurangzeb appears an extremely able administrator, a veteran warrior, a down-to-earth ruler and above all a very affectionate person. The accounts throw light on how he was conscious of minimizing losses to trade and crop from movement of his troops, the tight control he exercised over administration and how generosity was employed to woo the favour of people and their leaders as the Mughal army marched into the crevices of the Deccan. Particularly engaging are the accounts of his treatment of Shahuji, the young son of Sambhaji and grandson of Shivaji, the main challenger of Mughal rule in the Deccan. Sambhaji, as is well known, was killed by Aurangzeb for having given asylum to Aurangzeb%u2019s rebellious son Akbar and waging war against the Mughal rule. Shahuji was conferred with the title of %u2018Raja%u2019 and was given a stipend of Rs. 7,000. The extended families of Shivaji and his sons were stationed in Bahadurgarh, looked after by the Aurangzeb%u2019s administration. Shahuji was brought up as a prince and the emperor himself arranged his marriage with daugher of Bahadurji Jadhav, a Maratha feudal lord. The detailed accounts of the marriage are contained in the chronicle dated June 14, 1704. Even according to Marathi historian Dr. Kunte, this treatment of enemy%u2019s son by Aurangzeb is something of an enigma. More such accounts of several of Shivaji%u2019s sons and grandsons will surprise readers.
RE:LIES AGAINST EMPEROR AURANGZEB
by chaitanya kumar on Mar 11, 2007 10:07 PM Permalink
each muslim ruler will be demonized. None will be spared. I am sure you are proud about Pakis naming their missiles as ghoris which are pointed against India. That is how you ragheads think.
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by rafiuddin farooqui on Mar 11, 2007 11:13 PM Permalink
The Kings are part of their history and our history. How they will take it is upto them. We have nothing to say about them. Let them do their business. We think about us. We worried about our space programme delayed for one day more.
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by chaitanya kumar on Mar 11, 2007 11:23 PM Permalink
moron, it's the non-muslims who work in the ISRO at every level. They will worry about the space program and moon. You worry about taking Islam to stone age with fatwas. You talk as if you represent a modern cult. It is bewildering to say the least. You should know that most of the inventions in science and organisation of cultures happened during tumultous times in history. It works both ways. People need a order to go on with their task and organised societies provide it the best. Not chaotic societies.
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by chaitanya kumar on Mar 11, 2007 11:27 PM Permalink
does not mean i discount the efforts of people like Kalam. But they are rare and rarely appreciated by mainstream muslim community.
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by chaitanya kumar on Mar 12, 2007 12:01 AM Permalink
this coming from a guy who writes incoerent sentences.
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by ramesh nair on Mar 12, 2007 08:37 AM Permalink
I am proud to be an Indian and a hindu, lets not repeat what history has done lets kill the hatred within us , be it hindus , muslims , sikhs , christians all are humans and religion we created lets not be divided over it No GOD will ever like it, lets work for a beautiful world lets get together and correct the mistakes committed by our forefathers ,
There are so many other problems to be disscused like famine , malnutrition , education , polution etc come lets be united and stand.
RE:LIES AGAINST EMPEROR AURANGZEB
by JATIN HALDANKAR on Mar 11, 2007 11:12 PM Permalink
The magnimity was hogwash - petty politics on part of your AlamGir..After sambhaji's murder for religious reason..marathas were united and revolted against him..each maratha sardar were fighting the seperate war with moghul forces..it was difficult to fight war in terrain of maharastra without local support.. to earn the good will of local people in deccan..this was act of good will was political compulsion..Mr.Mike.. not a Magnamity...
RE:LIES AGAINST EMPEROR AURANGZEB
by Secular Indian on Mar 12, 2007 04:18 AM Permalink
These were alliances of convenience (in fact Indians should take note what happens when they fight amongst themselves). Aurangzeb had made the titles hereditary and the Hindu Zamindars wanted to legitimise their rule. Tactically this was a smart move by Aurangzeb to get the Hindus rulers into his orbit by getting them onside and then sorting them out one by one, divide and rule. Jaswant Singh is a case in point, just after he died all temples in his kingdom were destroyed. Earlier the mansabdari system too was created to incorporate these "civilized" and settled centres of society, by Akbar, it was based on sem-meritocracy to enable non-muslims to rise to a position of some power. Aurangzeb simply used it as a divide and rule instrument.
RE:LIES AGAINST EMPEROR AURANGZEB
by biz Narayan on Mar 12, 2007 04:44 PM Permalink
It is intresting that the slaughterers are appreciated. The jehadis are back !
