April 9, 2002
Are we in for a repeat of the Age in History called Later Mughal? Is Atal Behari poet and Hindi orator a reincarnation of Muhammad ShahRungeelaa?
We think like this because both (Atal Behari Vajpeyi RSS prachaarak and Muhammad Shah Prince of the House of Taimour (Timur or Tamerlane) share a passion for survival at any cost.
Also because dates matter in history and Muhammad Shah died on 15th April 1748 or two hundred and fifty four years ago. He was born at Ghazni on 16th August 1702 to Jahan Shah grandson of Awrungzeyb and named Roshan Akhtar or Bright Star.
Jahan Shah was killed in the battle of succession following the death of Bahadur Shah Shah Alam on 27th March 1712. From that date until his accession on 28th September 1719 the prince lived in the Red Fort Dillee with his mother Qudsia Fakhrunnissa Begum and no responsibility of any kind devolved on him during the seven year period 1712-1719.
Muhammad Shah would sacrifice anything to continue to live in the style he was used to once he became Emperor. Prior to that he was in luxurious confinement or a prisoner. Vajpeyi served his prison term a quarter century ago and has lived in luxury ever since. Power corrupts and makes callous and inhuman.
Prime Minister Vajpeyi visited troubled Gujarat. Not immediately but fully a month after the troubles started. He shed tears at what he saw, announced that there would be no action taken against the perpetrator and proceeded abroad to Singapore as if to give Duty Free a new meaning. Gujarat continues to smoulder and bleed. The oath Vajpeyi and Narendra Modi took to uphold the Constitution and protect the law when they were sworn into office has been proved to be a lie.
Why blame only the RSS ? Not a single one of the politicos (and we have as many as three ex-Prime Ministers ) is prepared to confront the monster regime in Gujarat by braving it out on the spot. Instead of political action invitations are being sent for celebrating the75th birthday of one ex P.M. The communication informs invitees that the President will be present at the felicitation function.
Is this the time to celebrate birthdays of aged men?
Or are we back in the time of Muhammad Shah Rangeela who is said to have been on a swing enjoying its rhythmic movements when news came that Nadir Shah had invested Kabul. He responded Give me another swing!
Perhaps it is time to remember recollect and repeat what happened to Muhammad Shah. On 13th February 1739 he had to face his moment of truth. This was at Karnal when the Imperial Mughal army suffered a major catastrophic defeat at the hands of Nadir Shah. The Indian troops fought valiantly and well.
The conduct of the generals was deplorable. They did not fight to a coherent plan in the interest of their master but went into action for selfish reasons. The Nawab Wazir was with the Emperor when news came that his baggage train had been attacked and looted by the enemy. Instead of waiting to evolve a plan he rushed into battle, The valiant commander-in-chief, Sumsaamuddowlah followed in support. He charged the enemy surrounded by his family including brothers and sons. They were all slaughtered by cannonball. Nadir Shah said Indians know how do die; they do not know how to fight.
What followed the cataclysmic defeat appears difficult to believe. The nobles were not concerned about the common weal but only about their own prospects. The vacancy caused by the death of the Commander-in Chief Sumsaamuddowlah was the subject on intense canvassing. Each noble pressed his case with the Emperor. When the appointment went to Nizam-ul-Mulk the Nawab Wazir, Saadat Khan resolved to ruin both his rival the Nizam and his master the Emperor.
Saadat Khan suggested to Nadir Shah that instead of taking the offered amount of fifty lakhs and retreating from Karnal he should press on to Shahjahanabad Dillee and once there he could collect nearly fifty crores. The buying value of the rupee may be judged from the cost of building the Jaama Masjid of Shahjahaanaabaad. It cost rupees five lakhs although the highest wages were paid to all the craftmen and labour and the best materials used.
On 21st March 1739 it was Bakr Eid (EiduzZuhaa) and Nadir Shahs name was read in the Khutbaa.
That night there was a fracas in the city as some Iranian soldiers refused to pay for goods bought from the baniyas of the city. The tradesmen resisted. Other locals came to their help and a riot broke out. Some Turanian mercenaries from Mughalpura joined the melee and some three thousand Iranian soldiers were killed.
On the morning of 22nd March Nadir Shah put on his armour and rode out of the Fort to order a general massacre qatley-aam. The blood bath began at 9 a.m. and continued until 2 p.m. Twenty thousand men and women were killed hundreds of women raped and led into captivity beautiful havelis (mansions) were set fire to and razed to the ground Hundreds of pious men poets writers doctors and sages were butchered. Many muslims performed jauhar killing women and children with their own hands.
The Nizam went to the Golden Mosque of Raushanuddowlah where Nadir Shah sat with his sword unsheathed naked and drawn as a signal that the massacre continue. He quoted a verse of Amir Khusrow
There are now no survivors left who have escaped the sword of your beauteous glances; if you wish the slaughter to continue revive the dead with some kindness and assurance.
Kasey neh maand Digar bteyghey naaz kushee; mugur kir zindaa kunee khulk raa wa baaz kushee.
The sword was sheathed the trumpeters announced the order and the slaughter ceased. A fine of two crores was imposed on the City.
The Kohinoor changed hands at this time but we do not have space to cover details of the humiliation of the Mughal and of the treasures he lost. Another column would be needed for that. The lesson for today is that losing Kabul to Nadir Shah or Gujarat to communalists does not mean that Dillee will remain safe. Beware!