Prologue continues...

Babur was succeeded by Humayun, his son, who was succeeded by Akbar, the most powerful ruler of the Mughal dynasty. Akbar was far more intelligent and farsighted than the other Mughal emperors. He entered into marital and military alliances with prominent Hindu rulers of the time, as a part of his strategy to consolidate his empire. He was liberal in matters of religion. There was no religious persecution in his kingdom. He respected all faiths and allowed the Hindus freedom to profess their religion. Akbar in fact encouraged interfaith debates in which he himself participated.

The high point of his initiatives in matters of faith was Dini-Ilahi, which he founded as a new, eclectic and inclusive religion. Though this new religion did not become very popular and died a natural death before long, it highlighted in ample measure Akbar’s concern for religious unity and the need to integrate Hindus and Muslims. Amartya Sen, a Nobel laureate, writes in The Argumentative Indian:

“Akbar not only noted the variations across India, but also made serious attempts at standardization. Indeed... his unsuccessful efforts to have a synthetic religion, the ‘Din-i-Ilahi’, drawing on the different religious known in India, reflected a constructive search for an over-arching unity, combined with a firm acknowledgement of plurality.”

Though a warrior who had fought many fierce battles and caused much

bloodshed, which normally coarsen a man’s nature, Akbar displayed a rare

sensitivity in dealing with the Rajput women he married. He respected their customs, faith and traditions and did not allow anyone in his establishment to interfere with them.

However, the power structure was fundamentally alien to the majority of the people. His alliances with the Rajput nobility did not make any change in the basic character of the Mughal power structure.

To be continued....