Context: The demand for the demolition of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb has risen in Maharashtra.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Aurangzeb; Aurangzeb’s Tomb.
About Aurangzeb Tomb
- Location: Khuldabad, near Ellora Caves, Maharashtra.
- Architectural Style: Simple and unadorned, in line with Aurangzeb’s wish for a modest burial.
Historical Significance
- Aurangzeb died in 1707 in Ahmednagar and was buried in Khuldabad, also known as the Valley of Saints.
- The tomb follows the Chishti Sufi tradition, similar to Sheikh Salim Chishti’s tomb in Fatehpur Sikri.
- It was later expanded by Lord Curzon (British Viceroy of India).
About Aurangzeb
- Aurangzeb (Abul Muzaffar Muhi-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir) was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India. Under his rule, the Mughal Empire reached its zenith and became the single largest empire in India.
- Reign: 1658-1707 (Longest-reigning Mughal emperor)
- Father: Shah Jahan; Mother: Mumtaz Mahal
- Coronation: Took the throne after defeating Dara Shikoh in the Battle of Samugarh (1658).
- Death: Died in 1707 in Ahmednagar, buried in Khuldabad, Maharashtra
Major Policies & Administration
- Religious Policies:
- Reimposed Jizya tax (1679) on non-Muslims.
- Destroyed some Hindu temples but also gave land grants to certain Hindu temples.
- Deccan Policy:
- Annexed Bijapur (1686) and Golconda (1687), expanding Mughal rule in South India.
- Faced stiff resistance from the Marathas, especially from Shivaji and Sambhaji.
- Rajput Policy:
- Conflicts with Rajputs, especially Mewar and Marwar, led to a decline in Mughal-Rajput relations
- Sikh Policy:
- Executed Guru Tegh Bahadur (1675), leading to opposition from Sikhs.
- Faced resistance from Guru Gobind Singh and later Banda Singh Bahadur.
Aurangzeb’s reign marked the greatest territorial expansion of the Mughal Empire, but his religious orthodoxy, economic mismanagement, and prolonged Deccan campaigns weakened the empire. His policies contributed to the rise of regional powers like the Marathas, Sikhs, and Jats, accelerating Mughal decline after his death in 1707.