Mughal Empire

NCERT Class 8 book calls Babur 'ruthless', Akbar's rule 'brutal, tolerant'

The new NCERT Class 8 book describes Mughal ruler Babur as a ruthless conqueror, Akbar's reign as brutal yet tolerant, and highlights resistance by Marathas, Sikhs, Rajputs, and tribal communities

SC trashes plea by woman who asks top court to give her Red Fort back

The petition was filed by Sultana Begum, who said she was the widow of Bahadur Shah Zafar's great-grandson. She claimed her family lost the Red Fort after the 1857 revolt

No Delhi Sultanate, Mughals in books: A look at past NCERT syllabus changes

The new Class 7 history book focuses on Ashoka, the Mauryan Empire, and dynasties like the Cholas, Pandyas, Cheras, and Satavahanas, with no mention of Mughals or the Delhi Sultanate

The new bad boy of B-town: Aurangzeb joins Gabbar and Mogambo in infamy

The sixth Mughal emperor, Aurangazeb, is the hot villain in Indian cinema now. But what do our favourite villains say about us?

Aurangzeb's tomb protected, glorification won't be allowed: Fadnavis

While Aurangzeb's tomb remains a protected site, Fadnavis said structures violating legal provisions will be removed and glorification won't be tolerated

Battle of Panipat symbol of Marathas' valour; will build memorial: Fadnavis

The third battle of Panipat was a symbol of the bravery of Marathas and not the defeat, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in the state assembly on Tuesday. Replying to a debate on the 'Last Week Motion' initiated by the opposition, Fadnavis said the state government is building a 'Shiv Smarak' (memorial of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) in Agra. Land is also being acquired for building a memorial in Panipat (Haryana), where the third battle of Panipat was fought between the Marathas and (Afghan ruler) Ahmad Shah Abdali in 1761, he said. To this, opposition NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad asked why a memorial is being built in Panipat where Abdali defeated the Marathas. "Panipat is not a symbol of our bravery or our defeat. It will remind me of defeat. It was between Ahmad Shah Abdali and (Maratha general) Sadashivrao Bhau. There is no memorial of defeat in the world," Awhad said. Fadnavis then said, "The battle of Panipat is a symbol of Marathas' bravery and not ...

Who was Aurangzeb, 17th-century Mughal ruler who remains controversial?

While popular narratives describe Aurangzeb's policies as intolerant towards non-Islamic faiths, some historians argue they were more politically motivated

SP MLA Abu Azmi gets anticipatory bail in Aurangzeb remarks case

A Mumbai court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi in a case filed against him for remarks praising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after he submitted the comments were not made to insult any personality or hurt religious sentiments. His pre-arrest bail plea was allowed by Additional Sessions Judge V G Raghuwanshi. A reasoned court order was not available yet. Seeking anticipatory bail, Azmi, suspended from the Maharashtra legislative assembly till March 26, submitted in the court that his statements were made to the press "spontaneously without any premeditated intention to insult any personality or hurt the religious feelings of any person". While granting relief to the politician, the court imposed a set of conditions, which included furnishing a solvent surety bond of Rs 20,000. The court asked the opposition legislator to the visit south Mumbai's Marine drive police station, where the case was registered, for three days (on March 12, 13, 15) and ...

SP MLA Abu Azmi suspended from Maharashtra Assembly for Aurangzeb remark

Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi had reportedly said that Aurangzeb was not a 'cruel administrator' and 'built many temples'

Sambhal court to hear Jama Masjid-Harihar temple case on March 5

A local court has fixed March 5 as the next date of hearing in a case connected to the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid and its survey at Chandausi. "The Supreme Court has directed all the lower courts not to entertain new suits seeking surveys of any place of worship until further orders. We have filed a copy of the said order in the court, which fixed March 5 as the next date of hearing," Shakil Ahmad Wari, advocate representing the Muslim side, told reporters. When told about the Hindu side's claims that the mosque was built over an ancient Harihar temple, Wari said it is for the court to decide on the matter. "We will prove in the court that it was not a Harihar temple, but Jama Masjid. We have all the evidence," he said. Tensions escalated in Sambhal since November 19 last year, when a court-mandated survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid began following claims that a Harihar temple once stood on the site. The situation turned violent on November 24 during the second survey when protest

Sambhal mosque row: ASI seeks control, management of Mughal-era structure

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has submitted its response in a court -- which had allowed a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid here -- seeking control and management of the Mughal-era mosque as it is a protected heritage structure. Representing the ASI, lawyer Vishnu Sharma said the agency submitted its counterargument in the court on Friday, stating that it faced resistance from the mosque's management committee and locals in conducting surveys of the site. He said the ASI also highlighted an incident from January 19, 2018, when an FIR was filed against the mosque's management committee for installing steel railings on the mosque's steps without proper authorisation. The mosque, notified as an ASI-protected monument in 1920, is under the purview of the agency and as such, public access to the structure should be permitted, provided it adheres to ASI regulations, Sharma said. The ASI argued that control and management of the monument, including any structural modifications,

All books calling Akbar great will be burnt: Rajasthan education minister

Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar on Sunday said all books glorifying Mughal emperor Akbar and referring to him as great "will be burnt". The minister's statement came during his visit to Udaipur, where he was addressing a gathering during an event in the Vivekanand Auditorium of Mohanlal Sukhadia University. He said comparing Akbar with Maharana Pratap is an insult to the Rajput warrior king and the pride of Rajasthan. He referred to Maharana Pratap as people's protector, who never accepted to bow down, while Akbar got many people killed for his own gains. So, calling Akbar "great" is an act of foolishness, he added. Dilawar said there was no bigger enemy to the Mewar region and Rajasthan than those who praised Akbar in their school textbooks and called him "great". The minister said, "We have seen the books of all classes. We have not found it (mention of Akbar as great) in the books yet. If it is there, then all the books will be burnt." Maharana Pratap was a legend

ASI to restore Delhi's Mughal era Barapullah bridge: Key details to know

Historians say the 200-metre-long Barapullah bridge was built during the reign of Mughal emperor Jahangir in 1628. At present, a drain passes through the structure

Shahi Imam successor: Investiture ceremony underway at Jama Masjid

A 'dastarbandi (investiture)' ceremony during which Jama Masjid's incumbent Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari will declare his son "as his successor" is currently underway in the courtyard of the grand mosque. The ceremony at the Mughal-era mosque built by Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century is expected to last more than an hour. Several 'ulemas (Islamic scholars)' are attending the ceremony for which the mosque -- a veritable symbol of old Delhi or Shahjehanabad and a celebrated landmark -- has been decked up. Some congratulatory posters bearing images of the Shahi Imam and his son have been put up along the street running in front of the mosque, whose architecture draws awe from both locals and foreign tourists. The ceremony involves tying a 'dastarbandi (turban)' on the head, according to the old 'riwaz (tradition)' associated with the investiture, the official said. Syed Shaban Bukhari (29) was anointed as the mosque's Naib Imam in a 'dastarbandi' ceremony in November 2014, the

Why is the National Flag unfurled at the Red Fort every August 15?

On the eve of India's 77th Independence Day, the Red Fort remains the enduring seat of power that sowed the seeds of a democratic nation way back in 1857

The last days of Mughal Delhi

The best sections in the book are those that deal with the revolt of 1857 in Delhi

The unsung victims of 1857

Rana Safvi offers an evocative translation of an account that recalled how Mughal royals, especially women, suffered after the exile of Bahadur Shah Zafar

NCERT drops content on Gujarat riots, Cold War from Class 12 textbook

The NCERT team has also dropped pages on the history of the Naxalite movement and "Controversies during Emergency" as part of a rationalisation exercise

PM Narendra Modi's address on Guru Tegh Bahadur's anniversary: Highlights

Guru Tegh Bahadur's Birth Anniversary: The sacrifice of the Sikh Guru has inspired generations of Indians to live and die to protect the dignity of their culture, for its honor and respect, Modi said

UK imposes export bar on 1-mn pound colonial era Mughal dagger, scabbard

The fact that this dagger has retained all its components, including the precious stones, is exceptional, according to historians.