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History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c40.s3: §3. Jealous watch kept over Shah Jahan.

History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c40.s3

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§3. Jealous watch kept over Shah Jahan.

v3.c40.s3.1

Shah Jahan was now completely ringed round by enemies. No one could interview him except in the company of Muhammad Sultan and with Aurangzib's previous sanction. Every remark made by the captive had to be reported promptly to Aurangzib. The same attitude of suspicion and watchfulness continued to the end. As the Italian gunner Manucci writes, "Going several times into the fort, I noted that the imprisonment of Shah Jahan was closer than can be expressed. There passed not a day, while I and others were in conversation with the governor, that there did not come under-eunuchs to whisper into his ear an account of all the acts and words of Shah Jahan." (*Storia*, ii. 77.)

v3.c40.s3.2

∗ Masum, 79a—81a, (alleged letter to Murad). Adab, 262a (ref. to Hindi letter to Shuja; eunuchs smuggling letters out of the fort punished).

v3.c40.s3.3

Aurangzib repeatedly asked his father to stop writing letters to people outside, as they only tended "to raise tumults and increase disorder in the realm." Shah Jahan declined, saying in anger, "Am I his son that I should obey his orders? I cannot possibly give up this practice." Aurangzib, therefore, had to take rigorous measures, "by way of precaution, and to destroy the root of the mischief by removing from Shah Jahan's Court the eunuchs who used to smuggle such letters outside." A warning was given to the remaining eunuchs that "if they behaved like Wafa (the offending eunuch), they would suffer like Wafa." Even writing materials were withheld from the captive; whenever he had occasion to write a letter, a particular eunuch who alone could act as clerk had to be summoned, and this man wrote from Shah Jahan's dictation. (*Adab*, 262, 261b.) All such correspondence was open and had necessarily to pass through the hands of the royal jailors. It was now impossible for the deposed Emperor to send out any autograph letter for gaining the belief of his partisans and rousing them to make an effort for his restoration.

v3.c40.s3.4

It is very curious that forty years afterwards the same suspicious watch was kept by Aurangzib over his son! Shah Alam had been kept in confinement for years on suspicion of disloyally intriguing with the Deccani Powers, and when he was released and sent to Multan as governor, he was not allowed to take his writing-case with himself to his harem, but it was kept in charge of Aurangzib's female agent and spy (*mahaldar*) who was under orders to attend and watch the prince while writing. (*Anec.* §16.)

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