AURANGZEB AND HINDU RESISTANCE

AIM: To prepare a traveling exhibition on the reign of the last Great Mughal Emperor,
Aurangzeb which shows Hinduism as a timeless cultural manifestation capable of maintaining
its unique character and spirit for tolerance amidst sustained onslaught.

PRINCIPLE: In selecting the subject and preparing these for visual display:

” Every exhibit will be based on sound textual tradition, supplemented or supported by oral
tradition and recorded history.
” While presenting the version of events, trends and developments, historical position will be
adhered to in all cases.
” Care will be taken that no aspersion is cast, directly or indirectly, on any organized or
non-organized belief.
” No compromise, however, will be made in presenting the trials and travails of Hinduism
which demonstrate its inner strength and character.
” The traveling exhibition will convey a message that a culture with a universal approach
and believing that truth is many-sided, and so tolerant and receptive of other views, and
having a rich spiritual and philosophical heritage, cannot be repressed, much less
eliminated by counter-working of forces bereft of these virtues.
Role of the Historian: Professor V.S. Bhatnagar

” To provide a list of subjects, topics, themes etc,. which would be visually represented in
different ways, such as through models, paintings, sketches, photographers, texts and their
translations, and also to provide their context gathered from histories and literary works.

” To provide historical evidence, available in Persian, Marathi, Sanskrit, Dingal, Gurunukhi,

French and Dutch sources and archival records, along with their translations

Tentative list of subjects for visual display in the exhibition:

A note on the War of Succession (1658-60) Text

Extract
Shah Jahan made a prisoner by Aurangzeb in Agra Fort Painting
Shah Jahan’s last days Note
Shah Jahan’s burial procession (Four kahars carrying his charpai by
Painting
backdoor of Agra Fort for burial in Taj Mahal)
‘Dara Shukoh translating Upanishads Painting
Dara’s Death Procession Painting
French Doctor Bernier’s eye witness account of the
Text
death_procession_and_burial_of Dara
Emergence of Maratha Power Note
Shivaji in Agra Durbar Painting
Shivaji’s great escape Text
Contemporary
How Shivaji looked like
letter
Shivaji’s coronation ceremony at Raigarh Painting & Note
Shivji’s respect for Quran Painting
Shivaji’s Guru Ramdas Portrait
Teachings of Saint Rarndas Text
Shivaji’s Legacy Text
Shivaj’s Kingdom Map
List of Shivaji’s forts Text
Photographs with
Photographs of Raigarh, Singhgarh, Panhala, etc.
notes
Aurangzeb’s order of 28th Feb. 1659 (No repair of old temples and no construction
Text
of new temples to be allowed)
New restrictions on the Hindus Text
General order for the destruction of all Hindu temples (1679) Text
Destruction of Keshavarai Temple at Mathura Painting
Destruction of Vishvanath temple at Varanasi Painting
Maharana Raj Singh formally received Shrinathji’s Idol Painting
Nathdwara in Mewar Photos
Destruction of 235 temples in Mewar alone in Jan.- Feb. 1680 Text
Destruction of 66 temples in Amber State in 1680 Text
Contemporary maps of Ayodhya and other holy places of the Hindus in Kapad
Maps
Dwara, Jaipur
Maharaja Jaswant Singh’s death - Durgadas spectacular_escape_from_Delhi Painting
Sequestration of Marwar Text
Cart load of idols taken from Marwar to Agra Text
Akbar, Aurangzeb’s son, joins the Rajputs Painting
Akbar’s daughter reading Quran in a Hindu house Painting
Patronage of the Rajput rulers to Sanskrit Text
Bernier’s visit to a Sanskrit College at Varanasi, maintained by Amber rulers Painting
Collection and Preservation of Sanskrit Manuscripts by Maharaja Ram Singh of
Text
Amber and Maharaja Sujan Singh of Bikaner
A Note on Pothikhana Collection and Sujan Library Text
Restriction on educational activities of the Hindus (Orme’s Fragment, Note 85, tr.
Text
from French)
Aurangzeb re-imposes Jazia (April 1669) Text
 Text
Shivaj’s letter protesting against Jazia
Painting
Mass protest of Hindus against Jazia suppressed
Jazia — its incidence and other aspects Note
Guru Teg Bahadur and Aurangzeb Text
Guru Teg Bahaadur’s Martyrdom Painting
Text and
Guru Govind Singh’s sacrifices
Painting
Guru Govind Singh and Birth of Khalsa Painting
Quotations from Guru Grantha Sahib Text
Proselitazation activities Note
Aurangzeb crossing the Narmada for the last time (1682) never to return
Painting
again to the North
Aurangzeb’s Will Text
BUDGET

Anticipated Expenditure in Rupees:

Honorarium to the subject specialist 2,40,000 (20,000/- per month)

Research Assistants 60,000
Secretarial Assistance (typist) 15,000
Incidental services (anticipated expenses are for the whole year)
Photographer 15,000
Translation work 20,000
Cartographer 5,000
Outstation visits (Travelling, boarding, etc.) 20,000
Xeroxing 10,000
Postal, courier, phone, etc. 5,000
TOTAL 3,90,000

ABOUT PROFESSOR BHATNAGAR: Dr V.S. Bhatnagar is professor of History at the

university of Rajasthan, Jaipur. He has done pioneering work in the archival records of the
17th and 18t centuries; His previous works include: “Life and times of Sawai Jai Singh” and
Padmanabha’s Kanhadade Prabhanda” (India’s greatest patriotic saga of Medieval Times). He
has been closely associated with the center for Rajasthan studies , university of Rajasthan and
is a fellow researcher at The Shimla Indian Institute of Advanced Study.