Summary of Tughlaq

Tughlaq is a play written in the early 60’s by Girish Karnad.Layed out neatly in 13 scenes.
Tughlaq is Karnads 2nd play after yayayi,which is alos another historical play.The time when
tughlaq was written ,critics observed that the 26 years that tughlaq ruled were very much
similar to the 1st 2 decades of Indias Independence. Its based on the life of the Mughal
emperor,mohammad-bin-tughlaq dating back to 1325. Its basically a historical play written,
relevant to contemporary times as well.Mohammad bin Tughlaq was a ruler who treated
religions equal,and got fussed up in the webcage of politics. In the first scene ,we start from
the perspectives of the common men around in Delhi to the announcement from The sultan
himself,where we get to see the first glimpse of the secular kingdom.But eventually he
announces the shift of his capital which is where originates the downfall of Tughlaq.A
muslim dressed in hindu attire took advantage of the religion and got away with a land-
confiscation case. The king has two advisers on two broad topics , history and politics . The
scene progresses withNajibs advice, Sultan coming up with a evil idea to win war.Imam-ud-
din and Sultan have a philosophical talk which turns to a real trust-distrust conversation on
a podium with no audience .While Sultan is at war, his political mind runs to getting Shihab-
ud-din to take over his throne while he is away. He has a Sikh adopted brother,who we are
introduced in scene 4,who discloses the reality of the situation to Shihab-Ud-din.Eventually
in scene 5 more people are introduced in the play,where all these people conspire against
the sultan and come up with a evil plan to kill his Highness during his prayer time.Eventually
the plan backfires and Amir and Shihab are caught red-handed.Along with Sultans
rampage,6th scene ended with a bloddy death of Shihab-ud-din.A parallel story is built up
along with Aziz and Aazam when the entire city is vacating.Then Scene 8 starts 5 years later
in the future.Again we start from the common mans perspective and then His Highness
comes along the scene ranting about his deprived state.Scene 9 resumes the parallel story
of Aziz and Aalam,where they accidently capture Ghiyas –Ud-Din and kill him, since His
Highness has never seen Ghiyas Ud Din,Aziz and Aalam take their chances and put on the
Arabian fraternities attire and arrive at the kingdom of Sultan mimicking Ghiyas. The
kingdom is in a chaotic state economically and agriculturally .Sultan welcomes Ghiyas,and
after a few days Aazam takes his chances to escape before getting caught. Alams truth is
eventually released in shock to him by the sultan and the play ends with the bankrupt King
dying in his own kingdom , without any heir.