History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c45.s10: §17. Hindu fairs put down.

History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c45.s10

Language: English

§17. Hindu fairs put down.

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On certain days of the calendar, the Hindus all over India hold fairs near their holy places. Men, women and children in vast numbers gather together,

1671 A.D. But M.A. 98, while silently passing over the other pro-Islamic ordinances, places one of them (that prohibiting Muslims to salute by raising the hand to the head) in the 13th year (1670), though Khafi Khan ascribes all of them to the 14th year. Storia, ii. 154 (Hindu officers replaced by Muslims), iii. 171. One of Aurangzib's letters (Kalimat-i-Tayyibat, 77b) states, "A Hindu cannot be appointed, probably a Muslim has been chosen instead of him [by you.]" Again, to his son Muhammad Azam he writes, "Why do you recommend a Hindu to be appointed vice a Muslim, knowing it to be opposed to my wishes?" (Raqat, No. 33.)

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∗ M.A. 274; Akhbarat, year 10, sheet 9; Mirat, 314.

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nominally to bathe in the sacred water, worship the idol, or follow the religious procession, but mainly to buy things in the booths set up and the packs opened by the traders. To our village women in particular such fairs are the only means of relieving the monotony of their life of toil and the only occasion for an outing in the whole year. Here they meet their distant friends and kinsfolk, and enjoy the show. The Indian Muslims, no less than the Hindus, flock to such gatherings. They offer a combination of amusement, business and piety, probably in a gradually decreasing proportion. The traders do a roaring business. The Mughal Government on such occasions earned a large sum from market-toll in each of the provinces.

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A very grand fair of this kind used to be held at a tank in the village of Malwa up to the 14th century; but Firuz Shah Tughlaq put it down with bloodshed. Aurangzib revived the same policy and in 1668 forbade such fairs throughout his dominions. (Elliot, iii. 380. K. K. ii. 212.) The coincidence was ominous: the Tughlaq empire perished only one generation after Firuz.

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The Hindu festival of lamps (*diwali*) and spring carnival (*holi*) were ordered to be held only outside bazars and under some restraints.*

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∗ Aurangzib contemptuously refers to holi in K. T. 7a. The