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Introduction: The Polarizing Legacy of Aurangzeb Alamgir
Aurangzeb Alamgir, the sixth Mughal emperor, remains one of the most controversial figures in Indian history. While Hindu nationalists label him a “fanatic tyrant” and Muslim apologists defend him as a “pious ruler,” the truth is far more complex.
Unlike his liberal grandfather Akbar, Aurangzeb Alamgir led an austere life, rejecting royal luxuries, copying the Quran by hand, and strictly enforcing Sharia law. Yet, modern propaganda distorts his reign, using selective history to fuel Hindu-Muslim tensions.
Let’s separate myths from facts and uncover why Aurangzeb’s ghost still haunts Indian politics today.
Myth vs. Reality: Debunking the 6 Biggest Lies About Aurangzeb Alamgir
✅ Reality:
- Destroyed 15–20 politically significant temples (e.g., Kashi Vishwanath, Keshav Deo) linked to rebellions—not faith.
- Protected/funded 40+ temples:
- Repaired Ujjain’s Mahakal Temple (1670).
- Granted land to Balaji Temple, Chitrakoot (1659).
- Ordered protection for Somnath Temple (1665).
✅ Reality:
- Abolished court musicians (1668) to cut costs during wars, not for religion.
- Privately enjoyed music his daughter Zeb-un-Nissa was a poet-musician.
- Continued Mughal miniature paintings (e.g., Padshahnama).
✅ Reality:
- Tegh Bahadur was arrested for seditious letters urging Punjab’s revolt.
- Refused to convert to Islam, leading to execution (1675).
- Sikhism ≠ Hinduism Aurangzeb saw Sikhs as rebels, not Hindus.
✅ Reality:
- Reintroduced jizya (1679) after 114 years—mainly for war finances.
- Exempted: Women, children, monks, the poor.
- Hindus paid less (2.5%) than Muslims (4% zakat).
✅ Reality:
- 33% of his army were Hindu generals (e.g., Raja Jai Singh).
- 24% of high-ranking officials (mansabdars) were Hindu.
- Allied with Rajputs against Shivaji.
✅ Reality:
- Allowed Diwali/Holi at court (recorded by French traveler Bernier).
- Employed Hindu astrologers like Nilakantha.
- Wrote letters praising Hindu allies’ loyalty.
Dangerous Effects:
✔️ Deepens Hindu-Muslim divisions.
✔️ Distracts from governance failures.
✔️ Turns history into propaganda.
Institutional Manipulation
Textbook Alterations
- Reduced emphasis on Mughal administrative/economic achievements.
- Amplified focus on Hindu “victimhood” under Aurangzeb Alamgir (e.g., exaggerated temple destruction accounts).
- Source: Indian History Congress reports on NCERT revisions.
Syllabus Changes
Chapters on Mughal cultural syncretism trimmed; replaced with Maratha/Rajput “resistance movements.”
Public Discourse Control
Media & Social Campaigns
Twitter/X sees daily skirmishes:
- #AurangzebTheButcher trends with temple images
- #AurangzebMisunderstood counters with his charity works
- #AurangzebTheTyrant
- #TempleDestroyerAurangzeb
(Highlights temple demolitions like Kashi Vishwanath) - #HinduGenocideByAurangzeb
(Inflates his anti-Hindu policies into “genocide
- Government-aligned outlets promote hashtags like #AurangzebTyrant to trend simplified narratives.
- Launched a Movie Named as Chhaava. This movie isn’t just historically inaccurate – it’s dangerous. The film turns complex historical figures into simple heroes and villains, pushing a divisive message. It shows Sambhaji saving Aurangzeb Alamgir from a tiger (which never happened) and fake battles at Raigad fort (that didn’t occur), twisting facts to serve a modern agenda.
Symbolic Erasure
Removal of Mughal references from public spaces (e.g., museums, heritage sites).
The Mughal Emperor Who Won’t Stay Buried
Three centuries after his death, Aurangzeb Alamgir still haunts modern India—not as a historical figure, but as a political weapon. His specter is resurrected in parliamentary debates, brandished at election rallies, and unleashed in viral social media battles.
Why? Because Aurangzeb’s legacy is no longer about history—it’s about power, polarization, and propaganda.
Graveyard Politics: How Aurangzeb’s Dusty Tomb Shook India’s 2024 Elections!
“They distracted with graves, they ruled with lies,” declared the Opposition Leader.
History wasn’t just written—it was weaponized. And during the campaign, the hottest political prop wasn’t a manifesto but a 350-year-old tomb belonging to Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Yes, you read that right: dead emperors became the star campaigners.
Why Aurangzeb Alamgir? Why now? Why his tomb?
“The BJP needed Aurangzeb more than Hindus needed temples!” became the rallying cry on both sides.
Aurangzeb (ruled 1658–1707) had long been one of the most polarizing figures in Indian history. His modest tomb in Khuldabad, Maharashtra, suddenly became a flashpoint, drawing politicians, pundits, and protesters alike to argue over century-old grievances and modern electoral gains.
Conclusion: History as a Weapon
Aurangzeb’s tomb had stood as a stark symbol of how India’s complicated past was ruthlessly mined for electoral advantage. As voters headed to the polls, the key question was: were they choosing leaders who vowed to build a better future, or those who profited by endlessly refighting old battles? Would history repeat itself, or would the living finally claim the spotlight? The decision, as always, lay with the electorate. And when Aurangzeb trended once more, the reminder was clear: it wasn’t about history—it was about their vote.
“When history becomes propaganda, the future pays the price.”
Refrences
Primary Historical Sources
- Aurangzeb’s Letters
Ruka’at-i-Alamgiri (Letters of Aurangzeb) – Translated by Jamshid H. Bilimoria (1908).
Archive.org Link - Fatawa-e-Alamgiri
Islamic legal code commissioned by Aurangzeb.
Digital Access: SOAS University of London Collection (Search “Fatawa-e-Alamgiri”) - Manucci, Niccolao (Contemporary Traveler)
Storia do Mogor (c. 1700). Translated by William Irvine as *Mogul India, 1653-1708* (4 Vols.).
Vol. 1 Archive.org
Academic Books & Journals
- Sarkar, Jadunath
History of Aurangzib (5 Vols., 1912-24).
Vol. 1 Archive.org - Richards, John F.
The Mughal Empire (The New Cambridge History of India, 1993).
ISBN: 978-0521566032 - Eaton, Richard M.
Temple Desecration and Indo-Muslim States (Journal of Islamic Studies, 2000).
PDF via JSTOR - Gordon, Stewart
*The Marathas 1600-1818* (Cambridge, 1993).
ISBN: 978-0521268837 - Truschke, Audrey
Aurangzeb: The Man and The Myth (Penguin, 2017).
ISBN: 978-0141001432 - Chandra, Satish
Mughal Religious Policies: The Case of Aurangzeb (in Essays on Medieval Indian History, 2003).
ISBN: 978-0195663365 - Alam, Muzaffar & Subrahmanyam, Sanjay (Eds.)
*The Mughal State 1526-1750* (Oxford, 1998).
ISBN: 978-0195652253
Modern Politics & Education Analysis
- Indian History Congress Reports
On NCERT Textbook Revisions (2017-2023):
IHC Official Statements - Thapar, Romila
The Past as Present: Forging Contemporary Identities Through History (2014).
(Chapter 5: “The History Debate”)
ISBN: 978-9383074822 - Hasan, Zoya et al.
The Communalization of Education (Economic & Political Weekly, 2002).
EPW Article Link - Lelyveld, David
The Aligarh Muslim University and the Secular State (in Contesting the Nation, 1996).
(Analysis of historical narrative in education)
Government Documents
- NCERT Textbooks
*Revised Class 7-12 History Texts* (2023-24):
Official NCERT Portal
*(Compare pre-2014 vs. current editions)* - Ministry of Culture
Mughal Monument Renaming Orders (e.g., Aurangzeb Road):
NDMC Notification, 2015
