The Foundation of Muslim Rule in India: A History of the Establishment and Progress of the Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, 1206–1290 A.D. c20.22

c20.22

As a rule, non-Muslims enjoyed a large measure of liberty of worship and their temples retained their former sanctity. In a town, on the road from Bareilly to Mathura, Cunningham noticed an old temple, built not latter than 1000 A.D. with dated records of pilgrimage, and for the years 1241-1290 he found not less than fifteen such inscriptions⁵. In Multan, the famous temple of Aditya was re-erected after its destruction by the Qaramitah rulers and was kept in a flourishing condition to as late as the 17th century¹. That town, it is to be remembered, was not only an important provincial capital but, because of its association with renowned *sufis* and for its predominantly Muslim population, was also known as the *Qubbatul Islam* (dome of Islam). Liberty of religious worship even was extended to the building of new temples. A fragmentary inscription found in the *Purana Qila* of Delhi and written in Persian and Sanskrit, records the endowment of twelve *bighas* of land to a temple erected and dedicated to Sri Krishna². More conclusive is the evidence furnished by Firoz Tughluq of the erection of new temples in the neighbourhood of Delhi during his predecessors' rule. "The Hindus and idol worshippers . . . had erected new temples in the city and environs". "In the village of Maliah there is a tank where they had built idol-temples, and on certain days the Hindus were accustomed to proceed on horseback, wearing arms . . . They assembled in thousands and performed idol-worship. This abuse had been so overlooked that the bazaar people took out all sorts of provisions, set up stalls and sold their goods"³. Firoz admits that similar idol-houses had been erected and regularly worshipped in the villages of Salihpur and Kohana⁴. In Etah have been discovered three images of the Jaina sect with dated records of their installation in the year V.S. 1335/1278 A.D.⁵. The following admission by Firoz Khalji would clearly prove the religious freedom the Hindus enjoyed even in the capital. “Every day the Hindus . . . pass below my palace beating cymbals and blowing conch-shells to perform idol-worship on the banks of the Jumna . . . While my name is being read in the *khutba* as the defender of Islam, these enemies of God and His prophet, under my very eyes, are proudly displaying their riches and live ostentatiously among the Muslims of my capital. They beat their drums and other musical instruments and parpetuate their pagan practices”¹.