Aurangzeb was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire. He was born on November 3,
1618, in Dahod, Gujarat, to Emperor Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. He was a monarch
who was ambitious, conservative, and aggressive all at the same time. He is frequently said
to be the last effective Mughal emperor. The Mughal Empire grew to encompass practically
the whole Indian subcontinent under his rule. During his rule, the Mughal Empire enjoyed
rapid economic growth. He was an orthodox Sunni Muslim and did various reforms
according to Saria.
Aurangzeb is noted for his strong religious beliefs and practices. He was an orthodox, conservative Muslim. He is thought to have memorized the entire Quran, Islam’s holy book or scriptures. He had studied Hadiths and paid close attention to Islamic customs and translated the Quran into various languages.
In addition, some academics believe that he was the Mughal Empire’s anti-Hindu monarch
throughout its history. His grandpa had offered fresh directions toward Islam’s prevailing laws, not withstanding his grandfather’s great advocacy for plurality and secularism.
Aurangzeb was also involved in expanding his political and religious domination over the
Indian subcontinent, albeit more actively.
After having settled with his brothers, Aurangzeb ascended the throne in July 1658.
However, the formal accession did not take place till June 1659. On the latter occasion,
Aurangzeb assumed the title of ‘Alamgir’.
“Under him, the Mughal Empire reached its greatest extent. From Ghazni to Chittagong, from Kashmir to the Karnataka, the continent of India obeyed one scepter. Islam made its last onward movement in India during this reign….. The life of Aurangzeb was one long tragedy, the story of a man battling in vain against an invisible but inexorable fate. And this tragedy in history was developed with all the regularity of a perfect drama.”
J.N.Sarkar
Administrative Policies
He started taking some popular measures. He abolished some taxes, he abolished land internal duty, and he abolished internal transport duty, he abolished grain tax, he also abolished octroi on food articles in the town. He also bands accepting Nazarene for the poor people. He started paying close attention to all the affairs of the state. He started to examine minute details. In that sense, he was very hardworking.
Aurangzeb separated post of chief Qazi and Sadra-us-sudr. He appointed of Muhtsib, he is an officer interested in moral codes/sharing. The one change in the Mansabdari system is conditional rank and temporary rank called Mashrut. It was a temporary rank. One more change he adds is called Khurak-e-dab. It was a deduction for the meeting of the cost of feed for animals. He also banned drinking though out of the kingdom. He also issues some new land called zawabit (secular Decree) to supplement Islamic law. He tried to implement it.
He reversed Akbar Rajput’s policy, like the example of Marwar. After the death of the ruler
of Marwar Raja Jaswant Singh Rathore, he interfere in the succession issues and he gave
the Tikka to Jodhpur, to his nephew Indu Singh.
In Mewar, Rana raj singh also took up arms against Aurangzeb, Rana Raj Singh was not
also happy with to religious policy of Aurangzeb.
Deccan policy of Aurangzeb was motivated by the policy of containing the growing
influence of the Marathas, the rebellious attitude of the Shia kingdoms of Deccan like
Golkonda and Bijapur and to curtail the rebellious activities of his son Akbar who had
taken refuge in the Deccan. Aurangzeb came to the Deccan in 1682 and remained in the
Deccan till his death in 1707.
Aurangzeb annexed Golconda and Bijapur. The destruction of the Deccan kingdoms was a
political blunder on the part of Aurangzeb. The barrier between the Mughals and the
Marathas was removed and there ensued a confrontation between them. Also, his Deccan
campaigns exhausted the Mughal treasury.
According to J.N. Sarkar, the Deccan ulcer ruined Aurangazeb. The Marathas under Shivaji were a threat to Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb sent two of his great generals Shaista Khan and Jai Singh one after the other to capture Shivaji. Jai Singh captured Shivaji and took him to Delhi but Shivaji managed to escape to the Deccan. Shivaji, employing guerrilla tactics, defied the Mughal forces till his death at the age of 50 in 1680. Aurangzeb was severely tested by the Marathas till his death in 1707 as the sons of Shivaji continued the rebellion.
The north-East policy of Aurangzeb, Mir Jumla as the governor of Bengal. He directed Mir
Jumla to capture the northeastern area. He was successful in capturing the Kachh Bihar
area and some parts of Assam. But after the death of Mir Jumla, again this area is independent.
Aurangzeb Religious Policy
Aurangzeb is known for orthodox and rigid religious policy. He wants admiration of the
Islamic world but he relented a large section of society. Longstanding temples should not be demolished, but no new temples allowed to be built,” Aurangzeb reiterated Sharia’s attitude on temples, synagogues, churches, and other religious structures.
He also stated that “buildings cannot last forever,” thus old houses of worship could be renovated. However, during his reign, he ordered the destruction of the great temple of Somnath because of which Aurangzeb faced political resistance from a variety of sources, including the Marathas, Jats, and others. As a result, when dealing with local elements, Aurangzeb thought it was acceptable to destroy even long-standing Hindu temples as a big punishment and a warning.
Temples were seen by Aurangzeb as hotbeds of rebellious ideas, or beliefs that
were not acceptable to the orthodox elements. As a result, when he learned that
both Hindus and Muslims used to come from vast distances at several temples in
Thatta, Multan, and notably Banaras in 1669, he took harsh action. Aurangzeb
issued orders to all provincial governors prohibiting such acts and destroying all temples
where such practices were taking place.
As a result of these instructions, several temples, including the famed Vishwanath temple in Banaras and the temple of Keshava Rai in Mathura, were demolished and replaced with mosques. As a result, numerous temples built in Orissa in the previous ten to twelve years were demolished. During the 1679-80 period of enmity between the Rathors of Marwar and the Rana of Udaipur, several historic temples in Jodhpur and surrounding Parganas, as well as in Udaipur, were demolished. After 1679, it appears that Aurangzeb’s desire to destroy temples waned, as there was no trace of any large-scale temple destruction in the south after then (between 1681 and his death in 1707).
A new theory of Aurangzeb (Satish Chandra)
Historians like Satish Chandra and Atherali, try to analyze the religious policy of Aurangzeb in the context of the political development of that period. According to this scholar, Aurangzeb visited Sufi saint. Aurangzeb also passed secular decrees. Interest in the moral welfare of the citizen. He continued instrumental music. He played Veena. There was no systematic large-scale attention to demolishing temples and he demolish some temples because temples became the centers are spreading some negative ideas. More Hindu mansabdar Aurangzeb periods. He reimpostion of jizyah after 22 years.
The jizyah (or poll tax) was reintroduced by Aurangzeb (it was abolished by Akbar). Payment of jizyah was mandatory for non-Muslims in a Muslim state, according to the Sharia.
More about Aurangzeb Alamgir
❖ His marriage was to a Persian princess named Dil Raz Bano Begum.
❖ In 1662, the governor of Bengal, Mir Jumla, successfully conquered Ahom (Assam) for the Mughals. However, following a revolt, the Ahom kingdom regained its independence in 1680.
❖ In South India, he faced significant challenges from Bijapur, Golconda, and the Marathas, all under the influence of Shivaji.
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