~ History of India ~

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Shah Jahan

Emperor Shah Jahan was the fifth Mughal ruler of India. He was born on 5th January, 1592 and it is said that during the reign of Shah Jahan, the Mughal Empire prospered greatly like never before. The name Shah Jahan has been derived from Persian and it means "Emperor of the World". He was named Prince Khurram and ascended the throne at the age of 35. This short biography given here presents the life history of emperor Shahjahan.

Shah Jahan was an able ruler and an efficient administrator and aimed at spreading the extent of Mughal Empire. Shah Jahan was a devout Muslim and unlike his grandfather Akbar, he was not tolerant towards Hindus. He ordered that Hindu temples that were being constructed should be destroyed. He was also not a supporter of other religions and also demolished the churches of Christians located at Agra and Lahore. Shah Jahan also attacked a Portuguese colony located near Calcutta as the Portuguese were charged with crimes like kidnapping Mughal subjects and shipping them to Europe as slaves.

Shah Jahan was a lover of art and architecture and took care of even the minutest detail in any construction that he ordered. The most famous example of his architectural style is the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal was built in the memory of his second wife Mumtaz Mahal who died while giving birth to his 14th child. She was a devoted lady and accompanied Shah Jahan to each and every military expedition he went. When she died, Shah Jahan was devastated and locked himself in a room. It is said that when Shah Jahan emerged from the room he looked a hundred years old and had become very fragile.

Taj Mahal was built with utmost dedication and care. The pure white marble was carefully cut and carved to make up this wonderful dream in marble. The walls were decorated with verses from the Quran and the monument was studded with precious and semi-precious stones all over. When Taj Mahal was completed, everyone was awestruck. Other famous monuments he made are Jama Masjid and Red Fort located at Delhi. A famous mosque that he built was the Pearl Mosque located at Agra.

Shah Jahan lived an opulent life. He built the Peacock Throne which was made out of gold and precious stones. The legs were made of solid gold and 12 pillars of emeralds supported an emerald canopy. Each pillar was intricately carved with two peacocks that were studded with rubies and diamonds and from between the peacocks emerged a tree which was covered in diamonds, rubies and pearls. Shah Jahan took care of every minute detail and during his reign jewelry was refined to very high level of perfection.

Shah Jahan was captured by his own son Aurangzeb and was locked away in a fort during the battle for succession to the throne among his sons. Shah Jahan was a helpless spectator as he was too old and weak to put up a fight against the army of his son. While on his death bed, his eyes were fixed on the Taj Mahal and when he died, he was buried in the magnificent tomb next to his wife.

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Modern History of India

The modern history of India roughly begins with the end of the Mughal Empire. After the last able Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb died, India was fragmented into a number of small petty kingdoms. There was chaos and confusion all over the country with almost every other king fighting for control of territories. This attracted foreigners who came promptly to India by establishing trade links and draining away the resources. The Europeans were particularly interested in spice trade with India and the Dutch monopolized this area. This led to a series of interesting changes in the Indian sub-continent.

The British came to know of the abundant resources in India and the trade links with other countries. The 17th century saw fierce competition between different European companies. By the end of the 18th century, the British conquered all and established their company in India. With time, they acquired political power and secured a place in the administrative affairs of the country. They established themselves firmly over the Indian sub continent and brought about many changes in political, economic and social aspects of the country.

The Indians however, were not open for the idea of a foreign power ruling them and imposing their beliefs and faith on them. Once they acquired full control of political power, they started to drain India of all the wealth and resources. Natural resources and labor was exploited mercilessly. People became restless and by the mid 19th century, they revolted against the British for the first time. Popularly known as the revolt of 1857, this Sepoy Mutiny made Indians realize that they were not weak and could stand up against the British with unity and organization. The revolt was crushed ruthlessly by the British but it made an impact on the Indians.

After the end of the First World War, the British imperialism increased in India and that gave birth to nation wide agitations against the British. By the end of 19th century, the Indians formed their own political party called Indian National Congress which worked with the British for the benefits of the Indians. The British did not acknowledge the needs of the Indians and Congress and slowly the Congress turned against them.

Great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, etc. strived and sacrificed their lives for the freeing the nation from the clutches of the British. Many nationalist movements were launched in which the nation stood together as one and finally was successful in driving the British away. India gained her independence from the British on 15th August, 1947.

British Rule in India
The British rule over India changed the course of history in India. The British came to India at the start of the seventeenth century. This was the time when the British East India Company was established in India to break the Dutch monopoly over spice trade.

East India Company
The British East India Company was chartered by Queen Elizabeth I for developing trade and commerce with Asia. The principle cause for introducing the British East India Company was to break the monopoly of the Dutch in spice trade with the East Indies. The English East India Company established its first factory in the year 1611 at Machilipatnam located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress was founded in the year 1885. The first session of Congress was presided over by Womesh Chandra Banerjee who was also elected as the first president of Indian National Congress party. Around seventy reputed delegates that included educationalists, lawyers, journalists etc. attended the first session of the congress when it was established.

Revolt of 1857
One of the primary and severe outbursts of resentment against the British rule came in the form of the Indian revolt of 1857. This revolt followed the battles of Plassey and Buxar and the main cause was resentment against setting up of British rule in Bengal. It is called the first war of independence by many historians though it is a debatable topic.

Gandhi in Freedom Struggle
One of the greatest men in the history of India is unarguably Mahatma Gandhi. The way he gave shape and character to India's freedom struggle is worthy of a standing ovation. He sacrificed his own life for the sake of his country. The respect that he earned for himself despite leading a simple lifestyle is much appreciable. Mahatma Gandhi played a pivotal role in the freedom struggle of India.

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British Rule in India

The British rule over India changed the course of history in India. The British came to India at the start of the seventeenth century. This was the time when the British East India Company was established in India to break the Dutch monopoly over spice trade. With time the East India Company increased its powers and started to administer the country. However its policies were disliked by Indians and together they revolted against the company. This led to the downfall of the company and the administration of India went directly under the Queen.

The British annexed many princely states and formed laws and policies of their own. Slowly but rapidly the entire Indian sub continent came under the British rule. By mid nineteenth century, the British introduced the railways, telegraph and postal service in India. This was a move to establish their rule permanently in India. The first railway line was from Howrah in Calcutta to Raniganj in Bihar. The introduction of telegraph and postal services simplified communication all over the country.

The British passed many acts that were met with dissatisfaction and resentment by the Indians. As a result the Indians formed large groups and revolted against the British. Each movement was brutally crushed by the British forces. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Lala Rajpat Rai, Subhash Chandra Bose, etc. arose and openly condemned the British. They were people's leaders who inspired the masses not to be afraid of the forces.

Finally after 200 years of British rule, India gained independence from them on 15th August, 1947. Many innocent lives were sacrificed for this achievement and India was also separated from Pakistan. The partition of India and Pakistan spread incidents of brutality and horror in both the countries. But due to the effort of the leaders and the ever sacrificing masses, India was able to gain freedom from the British and progress till the present times.

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East India Company

The British East India Company was chartered by Queen Elizabeth I for developing trade and commerce with Asia. The principle cause for introducing the British East India Company was to break the monopoly of the Dutch in spice trade with the East Indies. The English East India Company established its first factory in the year 1611 at Machilipatnam located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The Mughal emperors who were ruling India at that time gave the British unlimited privileges and control over many things in the economy.

The East India Company started to flourish and reap profits from exports. It began to transform from a trading company to a ruling endeavor after it won the battle of Plassey against the ruler of Bengal, Siraj - ud - daullah in the year 1757. Slowly, the company got the rights to collect revenues and taxes from people in place of the Mughal ruler. However, the administration of the East India Company was disastrous and the people turned against them in no time.

During the famine of 1769-70, the East India Company did absolutely nothing to help the people and the state of Bengal was reduced from a rich princely state to an impoverished state. Almost one third of the people died as a result of the famine which triggered off resentment among the rest of the population. The employees of the company were busy saving themselves and were very harsh and greedy.

Though the East India Company had profits in exports and trading, it incurred huge expenses in military maintenance due to which it was evident that the company would be destroyed. The state government intervened in time and gave funds to the company so that it would function like before. In 1773, the Regulating Act was passed which provided the company with greater parliamentary control over the state and placed India under the rule of a Governor General.

Warren Hastings was the first British Governor General to rule India. He expanded the British rule rapidly in India. He was succeeded by Lord Cornwallis in the year 1784. Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement wherein it was stated the British would collect land revenues from the Zamindars till eternity. The East India Company did its best to remove all Indian rivals it had and during the administration of Lord Wellesley the expansion of British Empire took place with ruthless force. It was during his administration that the kingdom of Mysore was annexed after fierce battle with Tipu Sultan and then eventually the state of Punjab was conquered. The East India Company thus had the control over entire India with the annexation of Punjab.

Lord Dalhousie was the next Governor who introduced the Doctrine of Lapse, which agitated the rulers of the princely states. According to the doctrine, a province would automatically go to the British if there is no male heir to the throne. Pensions were stopped and it was announced that rulers after Bahadur Shah would not be given the title of King. All these factors were responsible for triggering the Indians against them and they revolted against the East India Company. Thus, East India Company saw its downfall and the administration of India went directly under the crown.

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Indian National Congress

The Indian National Congress was founded in the year 1885. The first session of Congress was presided over by Womesh Chandra Banerjee who was also elected as the first president of Indian National Congress party. Around seventy reputed delegates that included educationalists, lawyers, journalists etc. attended the first session of the congress when it was established. The Indian national congress was considered to be a royal party when it was established. 

The Indian National Congress had the following aims and objectives when it was established:

1.Inculcate a feeling of national unity and try to eradicate the notion of race, creed and provincial prejudices.

2.Seek the co-operation of all the Indians in its efforts and allow them to take part in the administrative affairs of the country.

3.Find a solution to the social problems of the country.

The Indian National Congress had a royal air about it which faded as time passed by.

Though the Congress was made to improve India, the Muslims were opposed to the party. Muslim leaders like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Syed Ameer Ali got invitation to attend the conference when congress party was established but they refused. They also told other Muslims to abstain from joining the party. He predicted that Congress would become a party dominated by the Hindus. The Congress party was broadly divided among two types of members - the conservatives and the leftists. The former had a cautious approach towards the policies while the latter were more into socialism. During the moderate phase of the congress they were extremely loyal to the British but with time the party entered the extremist phase and expressed its displeasure in the policies of the British.

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Revolt of 1857

One of the primary and severe outbursts of resentment against the British rule came in the form of the Indian revolt of 1857. This revolt followed the battles of Plassey and Buxar and the main cause was resentment against setting up of British rule in Bengal. It is called the first war of independence by many historians though it is a debatable topic. The British historians termed it Sepoy Mutiny and Jawaharlal Nehru called it a feudal revolt which was much more than just a Sepoy Mutiny.

The revolt was basically started by the soldiers who worked for the East India Company and later was spread across the country by peasants, artisans and soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the sake of others. Different religions of India came together and fought united for one cause. There were many different reasons for the outbreak of the revolt of 1857. Exploitation by the British, imposing of their faith forcefully on Indians, etc. were just some causes. Some of the other causes are discussed below:

- Thousands of soldiers were rendered jobless when the northern states were annexed. The able soldiers of kingdoms like Oudh were very frustrated by this move and were waiting to seek revenge.

- The Indian soldiers employed under the British were made to use a special type of cartridge that was to be bitten off before being loaded in a rifle. It was rumored that the cartridges were greased with cow and pig fat. This angered the Hindus and Muslims as it hurt their religious sentiments.

- The policy of annexation introduced by Lord Dalhousie was received with much discontent among Indians. Due to the introduction of the new policy, Baji Rao's adopted son Nana Sahib was dispossessed of the pension his father was receiving. It was announced that Bahadur Shah Zafar will not be allowed to stay in the Red Fort anymore and they would have to move to a place near Qutub Minar. It was also announced that the successors of Bahadur Shah would not be given the title of king.

- The British started to impose Christianity to provoke people further. Taxes were collected form temples and mosques and Hindu and Muslim soldiers were asked to accept the faith of Christianity.

These were some of the main causes for the upsurge of the revolt of 1857.

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Role of Mahatma Gandhi in Freedom Struggle

One of the greatest men in the history of India is unarguably Mahatma Gandhi. The way he gave shape and character to India's freedom struggle is worthy of a standing ovation. He sacrificed his own life for the sake of his country. The respect that he earned for himself despite leading a simple lifestyle is much appreciable. Mahatma Gandhi played a pivotal role in the freedom struggle of India. His non violent ways and peaceful methods were the foundation for gaining independence from the British.

Mahatma Gandhi was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on 2nd October at Porbandar located in Gujarat. He went off to South Africa after marriage and worked as barrister there for twenty years. In South Africa, he had his first brush with apartheid. Once while he was traveling in a train, he was thrown out of the first class compartment despite having a ticket. This made him swear that he would do his best to erase apartheid from the face of his world. He went back to India only to find that his own country was being ruled by the British and his fellow citizens were being treated harshly by the British.

Like other great men in history, Gandhi took his time to grow and develop his techniques to ensure that his actions made an impact. His faith in different religions was commendable. His listened to the teachings of Christianity with the same belief and faith he read the Hindu scriptures with. He was brutally honest and truthful and this helped him throughout his life. Some of the major movements and freedom struggles led by him are discussed below.

Non Co-operation Movement
One of the first series of non violent protests nationwide was the non cooperation movement started by Mahatma Gandhi. This movement officially started the Gandhian era in India. In this freedom struggle, the non cooperation movement was basically aimed at making the Indians aware of the fact that the British government can be opposed and if done actively, it will keep a check on them. Thus, educational institutions were boycotted, foreign goods were boycotted, and people let go off their nominated seats in government institutions. Though the movement failed, Indians awakened to the concept of going against the British.

Civil Disobedience Movement
Gandhi again took off with another non violent movement known as the civil disobedience movement. This movement was more active than the non cooperation movement and brought about a revolution of sorts. This movement aimed at bringing the British administration to a stop by withdrawing support from everything. There was agitation against land revenue, abolition of salt tax, cutting down military expenditure, levying duty on foreign cloth, etc. A very important movement was that of Salt Satyagraha where Gandhi undertook the Dandi march as a protest against the Salt tax.

Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement was launched under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi in August 1942. The main aim for launching this movement was to bring the British to negotiate with the Indian leaders. It was a call for immediate independence of India and the slogan of "Do or Die" was adopted for the same. However the leaders were arrested soon after Gandhi's speech and were put in jail by British officials. Gandhi went on a fast for 21 days demanding the release of the leaders despite his failing health. The British had to secure the release of the leaders.

India Independence
After the Quit India Movement the freedom struggle got even more intense and passionate. Entire India was united together in the movement for freedom. Everyone contributed what they could in the freedom struggle. The cry of Purna Swaraj or complete independence was raised. After much sacrifices and efforts, India gained its independence on the 15th August, 1947.

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Medieval History of India

The medieval era in India starts approximately with the rise of the Rajputs. The Rajputs were an image of feudalism and chivalry. Though they were devoted warriors, the Rajputs fought among themselves and weakened their empire. The medieval history of India is largely dominated by incidents of foreign rule and invasion due to lack of stability in Indian rulers. This was the main reason that attracted invaders from outside India to come here and establish their kingdoms. The Indian medeival history is full of such incidents where you find foreign rulers coming here and ruling India.

The weakening of the Rajputs attracted the Turks who invaded India on every given opportunity. The Turks were not just interested in India's wealth but also wanted to establish their empires and take over other kingdoms. The ruler of Delhi and one of the bravest Rajput soldiers Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated by the Turkish invader Mohammad Ghori. He captured Delhi and appointed one of the military slaves Qutub-ud-din Aibak as the in-charge. Qutub-ud-din Aibak started a series of new rulers and thus arose the Slave dynasty. This marked the beginning of the Delhi Sultanate.

After the Slave dynasty came the Khilji dynasty. The Khilji dynasty was marked by gruesome battles and capturing of power from one another. The last ruler of the Khilji dynasty was not an able ruler and was murdered which ended the Khilji dynasty. Then came the Tughlaqs, Sayyids and Lodhis who ruled Delhi one after the other in quick succession. After this, the first battle of Panipat took place which marked the end of the Lodhi dynasty and the start of the Mughal rule in India. Medieval India also saw the rise of a culture called Sikhism and was also influenced by Sufism. Medieval architecture was a blend of Hindu and Islamic styles of architectures. Our related sections shall discuss each and every aspect in detail.

Bahamani Kingdom
The Bahamani kingdom in India extended from the northern Deccan region to the river Krishna. This empire was founded by Hasan Gangu who waged a battle against Muhammad bin Tughlaq and freed the Bahamani kingdom.

Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire was founded by the great warrior Chatrapati Shivaji during the year 1674. The Indian Maratha confederacy was established at the area around Pune from Bijapur. The Marathas came to power as the Mughals started to decline around the 17th century.

Post Mughal Kingdoms
The Mughal era saw its decline during the reign of the Emperor Aurangzeb. He was one of the last great Mughal rulers who ruled India and when he died at the age of ninety, there were around 17 major plaintiffs for the throne. Aurangzeb sadly saw his sons and grandsons fight against each other to claim the throne.

History of Rajputs
During the 7th and 8th century emerged a new clan of people who came to be known as Rajputs. They basically belonged to the warrior class of people and were located in Rajasthan and some central parts of India. However there is conflict regarding the rise of the Rajputs and there are many theories that put forward different incidents that led to the rise of the Rajput empire.

Chhatrapati Shivaji
One of the most able administrators and ruler in India was undoubtedly Chhatrapati Shivaji. He was the founder of the Maratha Empire in India. With his flawless warrior skills and unlimited courage, he ruled the Deccan region, parts of central India and parts of modern day Pakistan with a firm hand.

Sufism
Sufism is basically a religion based on the truth of life. It is a mystic tradition that consists of a varied range of ideas and practices that emphasize on the attainment of divine love and compassion of the heart. In the 14th century, a Sufi saint wrote a book known as the "Principles of Sufism" that defines the essence of Sufism as "a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God".

Turkish Invasion
The Medieval Period in India starts with the Turkish invasion. With the death of Harshvardhana, an era of feudalism rose in India. There was a lot of political disheveling in the north India and everyone was too busy capturing small kingdoms than to take notice of the aggressive invasion of the Turks.

Vijayanagar Empire
Vijayanagar Empire was an empire established in the southern state of Karnataka in India. It covered the entire Deccan region of Peninsular India. The Vijayanagar Empire was founded by a ruler named Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I around 1336.

Alauddin Khilji
The second ruler of the Khilji dynasty in India was Alauddin Khilji. He was the nephew as well as the son-in-law of Jalal-ud-Din Khilji. During the reign of Jalal-ud-Din Khilji, Alauddin Khilji was appointed the Governor of Awadh and Kara. However, he wanted to consolidate his position by becoming the ruler of the Khilji dynasty.

Bhakti Movement
The Bhakti movement in India took place as an effort to inculcate loving devotion and belief in God. The Bhakti movement in India aimed at the principle of monotheism, i.e. existence of one God. It started in the South of India and slowly spread to the north of India.

Mohammad Bin Tughlaq
Mohammad Bin Tughlaq was the second Tughlaq ruler of Delhi. He was born in 1325 and ruled Delhi from 1325 to 1351. Mohammad Bin Tughlaq was the eldest son of the founder of Tughlaq dynasty in India, Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq. Mohammad Bin Tughlaq is supposed to have killed his father to gain authority to the throne.

Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate basically refers to the Muslim rulers who ruled India through Delhi. This basically came into existence after Mohammed Ghori captured Delhi after defeating Prithviraj. After Prithviraj was captured, the Delhi Sultanate went into the hands of one of Ghori's generals known as Qutub-ud-din Aibak.

Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire in India lasted from 1526 to 1858. The Mughal dynasty was established by able Muslim rulers who came from the present day Uzbekistan. The Mughal rule in India saw the country being united as one single unit and being administered under one single powerful ruler.

Sikhism
Ranked as the world's fifth largest religion in the world, Sikh religion was founded around 500 years ago by Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Today the religion has over 20 million strong devotees all over the world. Sikhism preaches that there is only one God and denounces any kind of ritualism or superstitions.

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Bahamani Kingdom

The Bahamani kingdom in India extended from the northern Deccan region to the river Krishna. This empire was founded by Hasan Gangu who waged a battle against Muhammad bin Tughlaq and freed the Bahamani kingdom. He ruled under the title of Bahman Shah and was declared the founder of the Bahamani dynasty. This kingdom was in constant war with the Vijayanagar kingdom which was located to the south of the Bahamani kingdom. The Bahamani kingdom was founded around the year 1346. Read about the history of Bahamani kingdom.

One of the most notable rulers of the Bahamani kingdom was Firuz Shah Bahamani who waged three battles against the Vijayanagar Empire. He was a learned man who had the knowledge of numerous religious as well as natural sciences. He always wanted to develop the Deccan region as the cultural hub of India. Though he was a devout Muslim, the only vices he was extravagant on were drinking wine and listening to music. Firuz Shah was asked to give up his kingdom and throne for his brother Ahmed Shah I who was considered to be a saint because of his connection with the Sufi saint Gesu Daraz. He annexed the territories of Warangal.

With the invasion of Warangal, the balance of power in south of India changed to a large extent. The kingdom of the Bahamani extended and expanded its control rapidly. This was under the minister Mahmud Gawan. The nobles in the Bahamani kingdom were always causing problems by going against one another too often. They were broadly classified into two categories that is Deccanis (old comers) and the Afaquis (new comers). Mahmud Gawan was categorized as Afaqui and hence it was difficult for him to win the trust and confidence of the Deccanis. His policy of appeasement only made matters worse and could not stop both the parties from going against each other. Mahmud Gawan was executed at the age of seventy by Muhammad Shah of Deccan in the year 1482.

The chief economic activity in the Bahamani kingdom was agriculture and the main revenue of the state was produced in the form of agricultural products. The Bahamani kingdom flourished in architectural monuments. The best example would be the Gol Gumbaz, which is the largest dome in the world. Another famous monument is the Charminar located at Hyderabad. The Bahamani kingdom was like a cultural bridge between the north and south and the culture that developed during this time was a blend of both north and south styles and also had its own distinct styles. This style also influenced the Mughal culture.

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Maratha Empire

The Maratha Empire was founded by the great warrior Chatrapati Shivaji during the year 1674. The Indian Maratha confederacy was established at the area around Pune from Bijapur. The Marathas came to power as the Mughals started to decline around the 17th century. The Marathas were in power from 1674 to 1818 and during the peak of the Maratha rule covered a territory of around 250 million acres. The Marathas were skillful warriors and were fiercely possessive about their land. Read about the history of Maratha Empire.

The Maratha nation was founded by Shivaji after many battles and guerilla warfare against the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Though he was successful, he died in 1680 leaving the kingdom vulnerable to attacks and external aggression. The state of Maratha was ruled by Shahu, a grandson of Shivaji till 1749. During his reign, Shahu appointed a Peshwa or a prime minister who would act as the head of the state under certain emergency conditions in the kingdom. With time, the Peshwas became the real rulers of the empire while the successors of Shivaji were just nominal heads of state. The Maratha Empire was successful at keeping the British forces from attacking India for most of the 18th century.

The Marathas were essentially a Marathi speaking clan, hence the name Marathas. The rise of the Marathas was the main reason for the decline of the Mughal Empire. The rulers after Shivaji were able to withhold the Maratha empire together thus making it one of the strongest empires in India. Under the rule of Shivaji, the Maratha Empire saw its best days. The area under the Marathas during the reign of Shivaji included the Deccan, central India and some parts of present day Pakistan. After Shivaji, the Maratha Empire suffered greatly at the hands of the Afghans during the third battle of Panipat. Then came the British, who wanted to include the Maratha Empire (which was reduced to a regional kingdom) into the Bombay presidency.

The Marathas were adamant about their territory and waged three fierce battles against the British. The result was that the British annexed the territory that was ruled by the Peshwas. Thus, ended a great empire that had ruled major parts of central and southern India with a firm hand.

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Post Mughal Kingdoms

The Mughal era saw its decline during the reign of the Emperor Aurangzeb. He was one of the last great Mughal rulers who ruled India and when he died at the age of ninety, there were around 17 major plaintiffs for the throne. Aurangzeb sadly saw his sons and grandsons fight against each other to claim the throne. With the decline of the Mughal Empire, the north of India broke into chaos and the entire region was fragmented into small princely states. Many rulers fought among themselves to gain control of this empire but with little success. The descendents of Aurangzeb were not able rulers and were not able to protect the name and fame of the Mughal Empire. There were many Indian kingdoms after the Mughal era that came into existence. They have been discussed below.

Kingdom of Oudh
Oudh was ruled by its own rulers who established themselves as hereditary rulers of this province. By the time the Mughal Empire collapsed, Oudh had gained substantial amount of power and wealth. The strategic location of Oudh was also an advantage for trade and commerce. This impelled the East India Company to use this state as a puppet to aid them in gaining a foothold in India. They took enormous loans and finally a stage arrived where they had almost had a veto.

Maratha Kingdom
One of the most powerful kingdoms that arose after the Mughal era was the Maratha kingdom. This kingdom was established by the great warrior Shivaji. It expanded into a full fetched empire that covered almost the whole of the Indian sub continent. But it was short lived empire as the Afghan army of Ahmed Shah Abdali invaded the empire and defeated it. This battle was known as the Third Battle of Panipat.

Kingdom of Mysore
The kingdom of Mysore was founded by the Wodeyar dynasty around 1400 A.D in southern India. Their empire was attacked by the ruler known as Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan was an able ruler who waged many battles against British forces and died while saving his kingdom from them. Meanwhile, the province of Hyderabad was seized by a Mughal official named Asif Jah who proclaimed himself as the ruler of Hyderabad. When the British took over, both Hyderabad and Mysore became princely states.

Kingdom of Punjab
The kingdom of Punjab was ruled by group of people of the Sikh religion who were actually a political entity ruling the region of present day Punjab. Punjab was among the last areas to be conquered by the British. Constant wars with the British weakened the empire and resulted in its downfall.

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History of Rajputs

During the 7th and 8th century emerged a new clan of people who came to be known as Rajputs. They basically belonged to the warrior class of people and were located in Rajasthan and some central parts of India. However there is conflict regarding the rise of the Rajputs and there are many theories that put forward different incidents that led to the rise of the Rajput empire. The royal Rajputs of Rajasthan ruled successfully over Rajasthan and Gujarat for a period of 500 years. Read further about the history of Rajasthan Rajputs.

Being essentially in the warrior class, the Rajputs had huge armies of soldiers. There were bodyguards and watchmen who were very loyal to their masters. In fact, the Rajputs were known for their loyalty and trustworthy nature. The Rajputs were skillful warriors and followed a strict code of conduct when it came to waging a battle and driving away an enemy. There are many tales and folklores about the bravery of the Rajputs. The Rajputs were God fearing people and were devoted to Vishnu, Rama and Sun God.

A very famous Rajput ruler was Prithviraj Chauhan who waged a fierce battle against Muhammad Ghauri around the 12th century. When the Mughals invaded some Rajput rulers converted to Islam, which then laid the foundation of one of the biggest pre-colonial empire in South East Asia. The Rajputs were known for their unique architectural wonders and built many palaces and forts in and around Rajasthan and Gujarat. The forts and temples they built then still stand strong and provide a glimpse of the royal heritage of the Rajputs.

With time the power of the Rajputs began to decline mainly due to the fact that they were unable to move with time. The Mughals invaded and captured huge parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. After the efforts of Babur, emperor Humayun and Akbar virtually conquered almost all parts of the Rajput Empire. This happened by not just wars but also through matrimonial alliances of the Mughals and the Rajputs. With the arrival of the British, all Rajput states became colonies of the British thus ending the regal reign of the Rajputs.

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Chhatrapati Shivaji

One of the most able administrators and ruler in India was undoubtedly Chhatrapati Shivaji. He was the founder of the Maratha Empire in India. With his flawless warrior skills and unlimited courage, he ruled the Deccan region, parts of central India and parts of modern day Pakistan with a firm hand. It was due to his efforts that the Mughals faced a decline in their empire. Using guerilla warfare techniques, he was successful in annexing a major portion of the Mughal Empire. Given here is a short biography about Chatrapati Sivaji that covers his life history briefly. So check out information on King Shivaji.

Shivaji was born in Shivner on 10th April, 1627 to Jijabai and Shahji. His father Shahji was a nobleman in the royal court of Bijapur. Shivaji was named so after Lord Shiva of the Hindu mythology as his mother was an ardent Hindu devotee. Since childhood, Shivaji was brave and never feared anything. There are many instances in his childhood that show he was a born ruler. At the young age of fourteen, he had the dream of building his kingdom. At the age of 20, he took out his very first military attack and captured the Torna Fort of the kingdom of Bijapur.

After that there was no stopping him and he went on to capture Kondana and Rajgad forts and exercised full control over the region of Pune. Around the year 1659, Shivaji took over the forts in Western Ghats and the ones near the Konkan coast. In order to disrupt Shivaji's series of triumphs, Adilshah arrested his father Shahji by unfair means and sent armies against Shivaji and his elder brother Sambhaji. However, the armies were no match for the two strong brothers and were defeated by them and their father was released. However, Afzal Khan later seized an opportunity to kill Sambhaji by deceit.

Shivaji was an efficient ruler and administrator and ruled with a just and firm hand. His government had concepts that we know of now like the Cabinet known as Ashtapradhan Mandal, foreign affairs known as Dabir and also an internal intelligence wing. During Shivaji's reign the army was very efficient and dependable. Since Shivaji ruled a major part of the Western coast area, he also commanded a strong navy force. Shivaji is known for his protective and fatherly attitude towards his citizens. He is remembered till date as a hero who worked for the welfare of his subjects and state. Shivaji breathed his last in 1680 after suffering from fever for three whole weeks.

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Sufism

Sufism is basically a religion based on the truth of life. It is a mystic tradition that consists of a varied range of ideas and practices that emphasize on the attainment of divine love and compassion of the heart. In the 14th century, a Sufi saint wrote a book known as the "Principles of Sufism" that defines the essence of Sufism as "a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God". Universal Sufism has been defined by great Sufi masters as a way to travel to the presence of the Divine force and fill oneself with inner beauty and compassion. Read about the teachings and history of Sufi religion.

History of Sufism
Sufism is said to have been originated near a place called Basra located in Iraq. The Muslims located in this region started off this religion as a path to reach the divine. The divine form who is worshipped in Sufism is Prophet Mohammed and all schools of Sufism consider the Prophet as the manifestation of God. This is one reason why Sufi is considered to have branched from Islam. However, ancient Islamic scriptures have no mention of Sufism in them. Some scholars hold the view that Sufism is the evolution of Islam in a more spiritual and mystic direction. Sufism in its earlier stages was recited and meditated from the Quran.

Sufi Saints in India
India is the land of spiritualism. Some of the major religions of the world have been started over here. Sufism has also been present in India since a long time and even today we find a number of Sufi followers here. Some of the popular Sufi saints of India have been discussed below.

Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti was one of the most famous Sufi saints in India. He is the founder of the Chishtiya order in India. He was born in Persia and is said to be a direct descendent of Prophet Muhammad. He settled in Ajmer in India from where he preached the principles of Sufism to all. He had a massive following and even today, people irrespective of their religions are adopting his principles of Sufism. Every year, his death anniversary is celebrated in Ajmer at his tomb when thousands of believers gather to pay respect to this great Sufi saint.

Hazrat Nizam-Ud-Din
Another famous Sufi saint of the Chisti order in India was Hazrat Khwaja Nizam-ud-din Auliya, who was popularly known as Hazrat Nizam-ud-Din. His real name was Mohammad and at the age of 20, he became the student of Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakkar. He was revered saint who is supposed to have been the master of Amir Khusro. His shrine located in Delhi is a popular attraction for Sufi followers.

Bulleh Shah
Baba Bulleh Shah was a revered Sufi saint of India whose real name was Abdullah Shah. He preached his teachings and principles in Punjab. During the time he was at his peak, there was much unrest between Muslims and Sikhs. He preached nothing but the truth and his words of wisdom pacified those affected by the constant tiffs between Muslims and Sikhs. Through his poems, he criticized the orthodox religious systems that were prevalent during his time. His poems were written in Punjabi and Sindhi as these were languages that common people could read and understand.

Sufi Practices
Given below is information about the various practices in Sufism that form a part of this religion.

Dhikr
Dhikr is basically about remembering God for all Sufis. According to Islam, one who engages in Dhikr has awareness of God. It basically includes chanting of God's name and reciting sections of the Quran. It has similarities with the Jewish Merkavah practice of meditation used to attain a higher level of consciousness. This can be done through singing, dance, meditative music, swirling, etc. that finally leads to a trance.

Hadhra
The Hadhra basically consists of various forms of Dhikr, songs and dances that are used to appeal God and Angels. The word Hadhra is Arabic and it means "Presence".

Qawwali
In Sufism, Qawwali is the devotional form of music, which is common in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran, etc. The Qawwali is known for its worldly appeal and transcends all bounds and limitations of countries and different regions. Some of the modern day masters of Qawwali are Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Sabri Brothers.

Sama
Sama is an Arabic word which means listening. In Sufis, the holy ritual of whirling dance is known as Sama. It is basically an act of devotion that takes a person to a higher level of consciousness. The right kind of music invokes the right kind of emotion which is elated when one does the whirl dance. This helps in the process of contemplating the divine force.

Khalwa
Khalwa basically refers to a kind of retreat that a person can experience under the guidance of a Sufi teacher. There is a belief in Sufism that all prophets must have retreated into seclusion at some point of time in order to derive inspiration and divine power. Thus, the Sufis practice retreat in order to concentrate on the divinity of the Almighty.

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Turkish Invasion

The Medieval Period in India starts with the Turkish invasion. With the death of Harshvardhana, an era of feudalism rose in India. There was a lot of political disheveling in the north India and everyone was too busy capturing small kingdoms than to take notice of the aggressive invasion of the Turks. The Turkish invasion in India took place around the 11th century with the Mahmud of Ghazni raiding the country all the way from Afghanistan. He gained his victory against the Hindushahi kings of Peshawar. The next targets were the Muslim rulers of Multan.

Mahmud of Ghazni plundered India 17 times in a short time span of around 25 years and looted India off its wealth and resources. The areas around Gujarat and Kannauj were rich and prosperous and were looted mercilessly by Mahmud. This wealth helped him consolidate his hold and power over northern India. He made many palaces and mosques with the looted wealth in Ghazni located in central Asia. After plundering India many times, he finally died in Ghazni in 1030 A.D.

The Rajput kings were fighting among themselves for the possession of princely states during the 11th and 12th centuries. They seized every slight opportunity to engage wars against each other. This was also the time when Prithviraj rose to power and married the daughter of the king Jaichand of Kannauj by abducting her from the middle of her wedding. At this time, Mohammed Ghori was planning to invade India and the Rajput king thought he just wanted to loot India and go back. Thus, he decided to become an ally of Mohammed Ghori and help him defeat Prithviraj.

But when he came to know that Ghori wanted to establish a kingdom here, he half heartedly joined Prithviraj along with other Rajput kings and together they were able to defeat Mohammed Ghori. But Prithviraj let him go when Ghori appealed to him. However, the very next year the Afghans launched another attack on Prithviraj and defeated him badly at the war. Ghori however, did not set Prithviraj free and the kingdoms of Prithviraj went in the hands of Qutub-ud-din. With the conquest of Mohammed Ghori, India saw for the first time a proper dynastic rule.