When Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir entered into history in 1707, after a reign of almost 50 years, there was Rs. 36,50,000 crore in the Mughal treasury. In his own account he had only Rs. 14 which he had earned by stitching skullcaps. There was another Rs. 350 which he had earned by copying the Holy Qur’ān he used to sell in market. This amount he had donated to madrasas.
GOLD AND SILVER
He did away with the practice of jharoka darshan. He also did away with the practice of using gold and silver in pots and pens.
The Gauri Shankar Mandir received an annual grant of maintenance. Aurangzeb, after hearing the plight of a Maratha mansabdar that he was late for duty because he had to go to pray at an off-the-track temple, Aurangzeb was gracious enough to give a piece of land to the devout Marathas.
In Aurangzeb administration 33 mansabdars were non-Muslims and Rajputs like Jai Singh who enjoyed the royal patronage. In contrast, during Akbar’s reign, only 16 per cent mansabdars were non-Muslims.
Aurangzeb’s General was a Rajput. Interestingly, Shivaji’s General was a Muslim.
Aurangzeb gave Hindu widows the right to life and did away with the evil practice of Sati in 1666. Unfortunately, following the death of Aurangzeb, the practice was revived and more than a hundred years later Lord William Bentinck had to abolish Sati all over again in 1829.
SENSITIVE
How sensitive was Emperor Aurangzeb to the Hindu clergy and Hindu subjects can be understood in the light of numerous proclamations and orders given by him. But it looks as if our brethren have decided not to listen to history, common sense and each and every thing against their will. The proclamation of Benaras has been frequently quoted to prove the weak point, blissfully ignoring the then prevailing ground reality. The story relates to a Brahman family living in a locality called Gauri.
The maternal grandson of Gopi Upadhyaya had presented it before the city magistrate. For the first time it had been printed in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1911. As a result it became the focal point of research scholars. Since then it is being propagated that Aurangzeb had banned construction of new temples. But sadly enough they missed the point why the Emperor whose empire was the largest in the subcontinent had passed ban orders.
PROCLAMATION
The royal order to this effect had been passed on 15 Jamadiul Awwal (10 March, 1659). It had been addressed to a local officer of the city after a complaint by a Brahmin, who was a Mahant of the temple. Some people were harassing him. The proclamation said: “Realising our royal magnanimity, Abul Hasan must know that our kingdom and our justice-loving nature, our tiring effort is towards public welfare. We want to jack up the condition of the low and the high. In the light of our sacred constitution, we have decided not to destroy ancient temples, albeit the new ones should not be brought into existence.
“During this reign which is based upon justice, information has reached us that some people in the city of Benaras and its villages are harassing the Hindus and Brahmin purohits of the temples and are interfering in their affairs, while the ancient temples are under their upkeep. Further, these elements want to dislodge them from their old posts. This intrusion is causing unease to them. Therefore, whenever this royal proclamation reaches you, you issue instructions that nothing causes consternation to anybody illegally there. The Hindus as rulers as well as the Brahmins should not be subjected to harassment so that they may continue their noble engagements in our empire unchecked.”
The lines and the spirit of these proclamations make it clear that Aurangzeb did not issue any proclamation against the continuation of new temples. He stressed the need to follow the tradition. He strongly opposed the destruction of old temples. He stood for justice, equanimity and equilibrium in society.
The second royal proclamation said: “Maharaja Dheeraj Rajaram Singh of Ramnagar (Benaras) has tendered an application saying that his father had built a house for his religious guide, Bhagat Gosain on the bank of the Ganges. Now some people are harassing Gosain. In this background, now through a proclamation, all past and present officers are ordered not to harass Gosain nor anyone should cause difficulties to him, so that he continues his prayers single-mindedly for the strength and solidarity of the regime. This proclamation should be enforced forthwith. 17 Rabius Thani, 1091H.”
The Mahant of the Jangambadi Math had some proclamations in his possession that made it clear that Aurangzeb had never trampled upon the rights of his subjects, be they Hindus or Muslims. But he was very hard to criminals.
ILLEGAL
A complaint against a Muslim, named Nazeer Baig had been presented in the court of Aurangzeb. The plaint which he brought to the notice of the officers said the residents of Pargana Benaras, Arjun Mal and the Jangambadi (people of the same sub-faith) have said one Nazeer Baig has illegally occupied five havelis of theirs. If the complaint is found correct, Nazeer Baig should not be allowed to enter into them, so that the Jangambadis have not to come to our darbar. The date of this proclamation is 11 Shaban, 1072H.
Another proclamation dated 1 Rabi ul Awwal, 1078H says all the Jangambadis and Kroris are informed that according to an order of the Emperor 178 bigha land has been given to the Jangambadis.
Most probably, this plot of land had been donated personally by the Emperor as a later proclamation clarified. Aurangzeb had, in 1098H given another piece of land to yet another Hindu institution.
VACANT
According to the proclamation, “Two plots are vacant on the banks of the Ganges at Beni Madhav Ghat, one near the central mosque in front of the house of Ramjivan Gosain and the other just close to it. This is the property of treasury. We have bestowed it upon Ramjivan Gosain and his son as a gift, so that after making residential quarters over there for the beggars and Brahmins, they may get busy with their prayers for the longevity and solidarity of our empire.”
That is lesser than important. Absolutely important is this: “It is incumbent upon our sons, wazirs, officers, higher authorities, inspectors and kotwals that they keep in mind this order. Allow them to retain the plots referred to above in the possession of the allotees. No tax shall be charged from them. Nor shall they be asked to show the papers annually.
In the possession of Dr. B.N. Pandey, a well-known historian and former Governor of Orissa, were several proclamations. One is in the name of Guwahati’s Sodanan Brahmin Omanand Pujari. In the past Hindu rajas had donated plots of land to him. When it came to the knowledge of Aurangzeb, he said status quo should be maintained.
COMPASSIONATE
Yet another proof of Emperor Aurangzeb’s compassionate attitude toward Hindu clergy as well as the Hindus in general is as follows.
Dawn the ages, Ujjain’s Maha Kaleshwar Mandir has been enjoying popularity. It is one of the most important temples of Shiva. It is in this temple that a lamp is kept lit throughout the night. For it, four kilos of ghee is provided daily by the powers-that-be. Whoever be in power, he is supposed to give this gift to the deity. According to the priest’s version, this distribution was followed by the Mughals also. Aurangzeb too showed respect to this tradition.
4 SERS OF GHEE
Unfortunately there is no proclamation issued by any emperor for the Ujjain temple. But there is a copy of the proclamation issued by Prince Murad during the reign of Aurangzeb. It is dated 5 Shawwal, 1061H and addressed to the temple priest named Devnarayan. After an enquiry an order had been passed by the Prince: “The tehsildar of the Chabutra Kotwali will provide four sers of Akbari ghee daily.” After 93 years of the issuance of the order, Mohammad Sadullah Khan, in 1153 again continued the tradition.
The historians, time and again raise the issue of Chintamani Mandir built by Nagar Sait of Ahmedabad. But circumstances behind the action were totally different. Is it also not a fact that Aurangzeb also donated to Shatraunjiya and Abu temples large jagirs.
One of the greatest charges against Aurangzeb is of the demolition of Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. That was a fact, but Dr. Pande unraveled the reason for it. “While Aurangzeb was passing through Varanasi on his way to Bengal, the Hindu Rajas in his retinue requested that if a halt was made for a day, their Ranis may go to Varanasi, have a dip in the Ganges and pay their homage to Lord Vishwanath. Aurangzeb readily agreed. Army pickets were posted on the five-mile route to Varanasi. The Ranis made a journey on palanquins. They took their dip in the Ganges and went to the Vishwanath temple to pay their homage. After offering puja (worship) all the Ranis returned except one, the Maharani of Kutch.
MISSING RANI
A thorough search was made of the temple precincts but the Rani was to be found nowhere.
“When Aurangzeb came to know about this, he was very much enraged. He sent his senior officers to search for the Rani. Ultimately they found that a statue of Ganesh (the elephant-headed god) which was fixed in the wall was shaking. When the statue was removed, they saw a flight of stairs that led to the basement. To their horror they found the missing Rani dishonored and crying, deprived of all her ornaments. The basement was just beneath Lord Vishwanath’s seat.”
The Rajas demanded strict and stiff action, and “Aurangzeb ordered that as the sacred precincts have been despoiled, Lord Vishwanath may be moved to some other place, the temple be razed to the ground and the Mahant (head priest) be arrested and punished.”
The late Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramaiah, in his famous work The Feathers and the Stones has narrated this story with documents. The former Curator of Patna Museum, Dr. P.L. Gupta has also authenticated the truthfulness of this incident.
GOLKUNDA JAMA MASJID
The story of Golkunda Jama Masjid is as follows: “Tanashah ruling over there would not pay taxes collected to the State. Soon this amount touched the mark of crores. Tanashah buried this amount and constructed a mosque over it. When Aurangzeb came to know about it, he ordered the dilapidation of the mosque. The buried amount was unearthed and used for the welfare and wellbeing of the poor.
TWO EXAMPLES
These two examples are more than sufficient to prove that the Emperor never distinguished between a Hindu criminal and a Muslim criminal or a temple and a mosque. This cardinal principle was unalloyed honesty. Integrity was his strong point and purity his strength. He was a guarantee of the security of the places of worship, be they be temples or mosques.
The gravamen of critics of Aurangzeb is why he destroyed the places of worship? What they would do when a thug, a rascal and a goon buries a part of the State exchequer underground? Were his intentions holy? Were those crores of rupees his property or a trust of the Emperor to run the Government and upkeep of the subjects?