Not only this, when
Aurangzeb visited Chittor to have a view of the famous
fort, he ordered the demolition of 63 temples there which included some of
the finest temples of Kumbha's time (Exhibit No.22). From Marwar (in Western
Rajasthan) alone were brought several cart-loads of idols which, as per
Aurangzeb's orders, were cast in the yard of the Court and under the steps
of Jama Masjid (Exhibit No.19). Such uncivilized and arrogant conduct of the
Mughal Emperor alienated Hindus for ever, though they continued to be
tolerant towards his creed.
In June 1681, orders, in a laconic two-liner, were given for the demolition
of the highly venerated Jagannath Temple in Orissa (Exhibit No.24, Akhbarat,
1st June 1681)., Shortly afterwards, in September 1682, the famous
Bindu-Madhav temple in Banaras was also demolished as per the Emperor's
orders (Exhibit No.27, Akhbarat, Julus 26, Ramzan 20). On 1st September
1681, while proceeding to the Deccan, where his rebel son Prince Akbar,
escorted by Durga Das Rathore, had joined Chhatrapati Shivaji's son,
Shambhaji, thus creating a serious problem for him, Aurangzeb ordered that
all the temples on the way should be destroyed. It was a comprehensive order
not distinguishing between old and newly built temples (Exhibit No.26,
Akhbarat, Julus 25, Ramzan 18). But in the district of Burhanpur, where
there were a large number of temples with their doors closed, he preferred
to keep them as such, as the Muslims were too few in number in the district.
(Exhibit No.28, Akhbarat 13th October 1681). In his religious frenzy, even
temples of the loyal and friendly Amber state were not spared, such as the
famous temple of Jagdish at Goner near Amber (Exhibit Nos.30, Akhbarat, 28th
March and 14th May 1680). In fact, his misguided ardour for temple
destruction did not abate almost up to the end of his life, for as late as
1st January 1705 we find him ordering that the temple of Pandharpur be
demolished and the butchers of the camp be sent to slaughter cows in the
temple precincts (Akhbarat 49-7).
The number of such ruthless acts of Aurangzeb make a long list but here
only a few have been mentioned, supported by evidence, mostly contemporary
official records of Aurangzeb's period and by such credible Persian sources
as Maasir-i-Alamgiri.
I In obedience to the Quranic injunction, he reimposed Jizyah on the Hindus
on 2nd April 1679 (Exhibit No.16), which had been abolished by Emperor Akbar
in 1564, causing widespread anger and resentment among the Hindus of the
country .A massive peaceful demonstration against this tax in Delhi, was
ruthlessly crushed (Exhibit No.17), This hated tax involved heavy economic
burden on the vast number of the poor Hindus and caused humiliation to each
and every Hindu (Exhibit No.18). In the same vein, were his discriminatory
measures against Hindus in the form of exemption of the Muslims from the
taxes (Exhibit No.31, Akhbarat 16th April 1667) ban on atishbazi and
restriction on Diwali (Exhibit No.32), replacement of Hindu officials by
Muslims so that the Emperor's prayers for the welfare of Muslims and glory
of Islam, which were proving ineffective, be answered (Exhibit Nos.33, 34).
He also imposed a ban on ziyarat and gathering of the Hindus at religious
shrines, such as of Shitla Mata and folk Gods like Pir Pabu (Exhibit No.35,
Akhbarat 16th September 1667), another ban on their travelling in Palkis, or
riding elephants and Arab-Iraqi horses, as Hindus should not carry
themselves with the same dignity as the Muslims! (Exhibit No.36). In the
same vein came brazen attempts to convert Hindus by inducement, coercion
(Exhibit No.41) or by offering Qanungoship (Exhibit No.44, 45, 46) and to
honour the converts in the open Court. His personal directions were that a
Hindu male be given Rs.4 and a Hindu female Rs.2 on conversion (Exhibit
No.43,Akhbarat 7th April 1685). 'Go on giving them", Aurangzeb had ordered
when it was reported to him that the Faujdar of Bithur, Shaikh Abdul Momin,
had converted 150 Hindus and had given them naqd (cash) and saropas (dresses
of honour) (Exhibit No.40, Akhbarat, 11th April 1667). Such display of
Islamic orthodoxy by the State under Aurangzeb gave strength and purpose to
the resistance movements such as of the Marathas, the Jats, the Bundelas and
the Sikhs (Exhibit No.46).
On the 12th May 1666, the dignity with which Shivaji carried himself in the
Mughal court and defied the Emperor's authority, won him spontaneous
admiration of the masses. Parkaldas, an official of Amber (Jaipur State)
wrote in his letter dated 29th May 1666, to his Diwan. 'Now that after
coming to the Emperor's presence Shivaji has shown such audacity and
returned harsh and strong replies, the public extols him for his bravery all
the more …" (Exhibit No.37).When Shivaji passed away on April 1680 at the
age of 53 only, he had already carved a sufficiently large kingdom, his
Swarajya, both along the western coast and some important areas in the east
as well.
Aurangzeb could never pardon himself for his Intelligence in letting i
escapefrom his well laid trap and wrote in his Will (Exhibit No.48)that it
made him 'to labour hard (against the Marathas) to the end of my life (as a
result of it)". He did not realize that it was his own doing: the extremely
cruel manner ' even for those times - in which he put to death Shivaji' son,
Shambhaji (Exhibit No.38)made the Maratha king a martyr in the eyes of the
masses and with that commenced the People' War in Maharashtra and the Deccan
which dug the grave of the Mughal empire.
Till the very end Aurangzeb never understood that the main pillars of the
government are the affection and support of the people and not mere
compliance of the religious directives originating from a foreign land in
the seventh-eighth centuries.
His death after a long and ruinous reign lasting half a century, ended an
eventful epoch in the history of India . He left behind a crumbling
empire, a corrupt and inefficient administration, a demoralized army, a
discredited government facing public bankruptcy and alienated subjects.
Here are the some of the paintings and sketches about his rule as well as
farhans, original edicts by Aurangzeb, preserved at the Bikaner Museum.
fort, he ordered the demolition of 63 temples there which included some of
the finest temples of Kumbha's time (Exhibit No.22). From Marwar (in Western
Rajasthan) alone were brought several cart-loads of idols which, as per
Aurangzeb's orders, were cast in the yard of the Court and under the steps
of Jama Masjid (Exhibit No.19). Such uncivilized and arrogant conduct of the
Mughal Emperor alienated Hindus for ever, though they continued to be
tolerant towards his creed.
In June 1681, orders, in a laconic two-liner, were given for the demolition
of the highly venerated Jagannath Temple in Orissa (Exhibit No.24, Akhbarat,
1st June 1681)., Shortly afterwards, in September 1682, the famous
Bindu-Madhav temple in Banaras was also demolished as per the Emperor's
orders (Exhibit No.27, Akhbarat, Julus 26, Ramzan 20). On 1st September
1681, while proceeding to the Deccan, where his rebel son Prince Akbar,
escorted by Durga Das Rathore, had joined Chhatrapati Shivaji's son,
Shambhaji, thus creating a serious problem for him, Aurangzeb ordered that
all the temples on the way should be destroyed. It was a comprehensive order
not distinguishing between old and newly built temples (Exhibit No.26,
Akhbarat, Julus 25, Ramzan 18). But in the district of Burhanpur, where
there were a large number of temples with their doors closed, he preferred
to keep them as such, as the Muslims were too few in number in the district.
(Exhibit No.28, Akhbarat 13th October 1681). In his religious frenzy, even
temples of the loyal and friendly Amber state were not spared, such as the
famous temple of Jagdish at Goner near Amber (Exhibit Nos.30, Akhbarat, 28th
March and 14th May 1680). In fact, his misguided ardour for temple
destruction did not abate almost up to the end of his life, for as late as
1st January 1705 we find him ordering that the temple of Pandharpur be
demolished and the butchers of the camp be sent to slaughter cows in the
temple precincts (Akhbarat 49-7).
The number of such ruthless acts of Aurangzeb make a long list but here
only a few have been mentioned, supported by evidence, mostly contemporary
official records of Aurangzeb's period and by such credible Persian sources
as Maasir-i-Alamgiri.
I In obedience to the Quranic injunction, he reimposed Jizyah on the Hindus
on 2nd April 1679 (Exhibit No.16), which had been abolished by Emperor Akbar
in 1564, causing widespread anger and resentment among the Hindus of the
country .A massive peaceful demonstration against this tax in Delhi, was
ruthlessly crushed (Exhibit No.17), This hated tax involved heavy economic
burden on the vast number of the poor Hindus and caused humiliation to each
and every Hindu (Exhibit No.18). In the same vein, were his discriminatory
measures against Hindus in the form of exemption of the Muslims from the
taxes (Exhibit No.31, Akhbarat 16th April 1667) ban on atishbazi and
restriction on Diwali (Exhibit No.32), replacement of Hindu officials by
Muslims so that the Emperor's prayers for the welfare of Muslims and glory
of Islam, which were proving ineffective, be answered (Exhibit Nos.33, 34).
He also imposed a ban on ziyarat and gathering of the Hindus at religious
shrines, such as of Shitla Mata and folk Gods like Pir Pabu (Exhibit No.35,
Akhbarat 16th September 1667), another ban on their travelling in Palkis, or
riding elephants and Arab-Iraqi horses, as Hindus should not carry
themselves with the same dignity as the Muslims! (Exhibit No.36). In the
same vein came brazen attempts to convert Hindus by inducement, coercion
(Exhibit No.41) or by offering Qanungoship (Exhibit No.44, 45, 46) and to
honour the converts in the open Court. His personal directions were that a
Hindu male be given Rs.4 and a Hindu female Rs.2 on conversion (Exhibit
No.43,Akhbarat 7th April 1685). 'Go on giving them", Aurangzeb had ordered
when it was reported to him that the Faujdar of Bithur, Shaikh Abdul Momin,
had converted 150 Hindus and had given them naqd (cash) and saropas (dresses
of honour) (Exhibit No.40, Akhbarat, 11th April 1667). Such display of
Islamic orthodoxy by the State under Aurangzeb gave strength and purpose to
the resistance movements such as of the Marathas, the Jats, the Bundelas and
the Sikhs (Exhibit No.46).
On the 12th May 1666, the dignity with which Shivaji carried himself in the
Mughal court and defied the Emperor's authority, won him spontaneous
admiration of the masses. Parkaldas, an official of Amber (Jaipur State)
wrote in his letter dated 29th May 1666, to his Diwan. 'Now that after
coming to the Emperor's presence Shivaji has shown such audacity and
returned harsh and strong replies, the public extols him for his bravery all
the more …" (Exhibit No.37).When Shivaji passed away on April 1680 at the
age of 53 only, he had already carved a sufficiently large kingdom, his
Swarajya, both along the western coast and some important areas in the east
as well.
Aurangzeb could never pardon himself for his Intelligence in letting i
escapefrom his well laid trap and wrote in his Will (Exhibit No.48)that it
made him 'to labour hard (against the Marathas) to the end of my life (as a
result of it)". He did not realize that it was his own doing: the extremely
cruel manner ' even for those times - in which he put to death Shivaji' son,
Shambhaji (Exhibit No.38)made the Maratha king a martyr in the eyes of the
masses and with that commenced the People' War in Maharashtra and the Deccan
which dug the grave of the Mughal empire.
Till the very end Aurangzeb never understood that the main pillars of the
government are the affection and support of the people and not mere
compliance of the religious directives originating from a foreign land in
the seventh-eighth centuries.
His death after a long and ruinous reign lasting half a century, ended an
eventful epoch in the history of India . He left behind a crumbling
empire, a corrupt and inefficient administration, a demoralized army, a
discredited government facing public bankruptcy and alienated subjects.
Here are the some of the paintings and sketches about his rule as well as
farhans, original edicts by Aurangzeb, preserved at the Bikaner Museum.
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