Was there Hindu-Muslim conflict in the reign of Awrungzeyb Alamgir (1658-1707)? Was the Emperor anti Hindu? Did the Empire break up because of Awrungzeyb’s communal policies?
Perhaps we can examine these questions from the life of a premier noble of the Empire, Maharaja Jaswantsimha of Jodhpur.
Three hundred and twenty two years ago, on 28th November 1678, death overtook Maharaja Jaswantsimha Rathor of Jodhpur at Jamrod Fort standing on the Attock to command the Khyber Pass.
The local population were freedom loving anti-Mughal as any Marattha Muslim Pathans. The poetry of Khushhal Khan Khattack bears witness to the independent anti-Mughal spirit of his people and his own anti-Awrungzeyb feelings.
Jaswantsimha, a Hindu Rajput noble was governor of that wholly Muslim area on behalf of Awrungzeyb Alamgir.
The fact that a Rajput from a desert area, brought up in heat dust waterlessness and sand, served until his death in hilly terrain where he and his men had to contend against not only the brave and ungovernable Pathan enemy (who today hold their own against the greatest superpower of the 21st century) but also rain snow sleet hail and ice speaks for the spirit of the age as being anything but communal
Francois Bernier who was in Agra at the beginning of Awrungzeyb’s reign says
‘The Great Mogul, although a Mohammedan, and as such an enemy of the Gentiles (Hindus) (sic), always keeps in his service a large retinue of Rajas, treating them with the same consideration as his other Omrahs (nobles), and appointing them to important commands in his armies’.
The ties between the Mughal and the Rathor were not only business and employment. Shah Jahan’s mother Jagat Gosain was a princess of the Jodhpur royal house. Jaswantsimha was also personally obliged to the Mughal for his becoming Maharaja of Jodhpur. His brother Amarsimha was the elder son and should have been ruler by right of primogeniture. The father favoured his succession because of his love for the younger Rani, Jaswantsimha’s mother. Shah Jahan gave in to the request of his cousin and installed Jaswantsimha as ruler overlooking the claim of Amarsimha..
In 1657 Shah Jahan fell desperately ill and could not show himself to the people at the jharokha ceremony. Rumours of his death spread over the length and breadth of the country and his sons Shuja in Bengal and Murad in Gujarat assumed kingship by striking coin in their own names.
Suleiman Shukoh, son of Dara Shukoh and Mirza Raja Jaisimha of Amber (Jaipur) were given a large army and dispatched to the East to quell Shuja’s rebellion. Jaswantsimha was made governor of Malwa and sent south to restrain Murad Bukhsh and Awrungzeyb. He suffered a signal defeat at the river crossing of Dharmat near Ujjain and retreated to Jodhpur (1658).
After the defeat of Dara Shukoh at Samugarh Jaswantsimha transferred his loyalty to Awrungzeyb. At the battle of Khejwa (1659) between Awrungzeyb and Shuja Jaswant suddenly deserted leaving a gaping hole in the serried ranks of Awrungzeyb’s army.
Despite all this Jaswantsimha was rehabilitated after Awrungzeyb’s victory and given the rank of 7000. No Rajput had enjoyed this high a status under any predecessor of Awrungzeyb.
The strife between Jodhpur and Awrungzeyb began after the death of Jaswantsimha. Jaswantsimha had died owing a large sum to the state and his assets were therefore appropriated. The Emperor also asked for the children when born (if male) to be handed over to the Palace for proper upbringing as the upkeep of the family of a person dying on duty was the responsibility of the state.
The sirdars (chiefs) of Jodhpur did not wish their future ruler to be brought up under Mughal tutelage and refused to hand over the heir to the envoy sent by the Emperor. They took to arms, cut their way out of the city and escaped to Rajputana where they brought up Ajitsimha according to their own lights. This prince was crowned in due course and won recognition from the Mughal. He ruled until his own son murdered him.
Awrungzeyb used religious slogans to justify his seizure of the throne and made a great show of piety. He was more ‘whited sepulchre’ than good Muslim. A good Muslim would not have deposed a father and had two brothers murdered. He was not anti Hindu but fierce in putting down any dissent or revolt from anyone Muslim or Hindu.
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