History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c38.s2.26

v3.c38.s2.26

(14) All his predecessors on the throne, and he himself up to the eleventh year of his reign, used to appear every morning at a balcony on the wall of the palace and receive the salute of the people assembled on the ground outside. The ceremony was called *darshan* and was akin to the Hindu practice of having a look at one's tutelary idol before beginning the day's work. A class of servile Hindus, popularly called *darshanias*, like the guilds of Augustales of the early Roman empire, regarded their ruler as their earthly divinity, and did not break their fast before having the beatific vision of His Majesty at the *darshan* window. Aurangzib gave up the practice of publicly showing himself there as un-Islamic. (K.K. ii. 213.)