History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c41.s5.2

v3.c41.s5.2

In eastern Panjab even Mahmud, as we have seen, did not rigorously carry out the policy of forcible conversion and Shihabuddin also did the same. In the region of the Sarasvati, the Jumna and the Ganges, it was practically abandoned and the United Pr. still remain mainly Hindu. The reasons of this changed attitude appear to be; first even Mahomedan fanatical conquerors get tired of forcibly converting people. Secondly, perhaps Mahmud saw the political utility of keeping the people divided in religion in provinces remote from the centre. Thirdly, Kutubuddin and Altamash were not fanatical Moslems and were wise rulers who, like the British, saw the justice and even the wisdom of not interfering with the religion of the people. Lastly, the people of this region were far more staunch Hindus than the people of the Panjab and notably of the region beyond the Indus. This region is the birth-place of the Brahmanic faith, the home of the Āchāryas of Hindu philosophy, of Rāma and Kṛiṣhṇa adored as Avatāras of God by the Hindus. For these various reasons we think the people of this part of the country remained unmolested in their religious belief and still continue to be the staunchest orthodox section of the Hindu population in the whole of India. The present Mahomedan population in these parts is not descended from converted Hindus, but from those outsider Mahomedans who came in as officers during Afghan or Mogul rule at Delhi. It is naturally in a minority and hence in the political map appended to this volume, this tract may be taken as Hindu.