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Temple Destruction by Aurangzeb: Evidence from the Horse's Mouth
Destruction of Hindu Temples by Aurangzeb
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Some literary evidence from the works of the medieval Muslim historians
(from the horses mouth !!!!!):
Background:
----------
Islamic literary sources provide far more extensive evidence of temple
destruction by the Muslim invaders of India in medieval times. They also
cover a large area, from Sinkiang and Transoxiana in the North to Tamil
Nadu in the South, and from Siestan province of present day Iran in the
West to Assam in the East. This vast area, which was long the cradle of
hindu culture, came to be littered with the ruins of temples and
monasteries, belonging to all schools of Santana Dharma - Baudhha, Jaina,
Shaiva, Sakta, Vaishnava, and the rest. Archeological explorations and
excavations in modern times have proved unmistakably that most of the
mosques, mazars, ziarats and dargahs which were built in this area, stood
on the sites of and were made from the materials of deliberately
demolished Hindu monuments.
Hundreds of medieval muslim historians who flourished in India and
elsewhere in the world of Islam, have written detailed accounts of what
their heroes did in various parts of the extensive Hindu homeland as they
were invaded one after another. It is alear from the literary evidence
collected alone that all Muslim rulers destroyed or desecrated Hindu
temples whenever and whereever they could. Archeological evidence from
various Muslim monuments, particularly mosques and dargahs, not only
confirms the literary evidence but also adds the names of some Muslim
rulers whom Muslim historians have failed to credit with this pious
performance.
Some of the literary evidence of temple destruction during Aurangzeb's
rule is listed below.
[Emphasis mine.]
Literary Evidence of Temple Destruction under Aurangzeb's Rule (Partial
List & Quotes)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. "Mir'at-i-Alam" by Bakhtawar Khan
The author was a nobleman of Aurangzeb's court. He died in AD 1684. the
history ascribed to him was really compiled by Muhammad Baqa of
Saharanpur who gave the name of his friend as its author. Baqa was a
prolific writer who was invited by Bakhtawar Khan to Aurangzeb's court
and given a respectable rank. He died in AD 1683.
Excerpts:
Muhiyu'd-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb 'Alamgir Padshah Ghazi (1658-1707)
General Order
" ........ Hindu writers have been entirely excluded from holding public
offices, and ALL THE WORSHIPPING PLACES OF THE INFIDELS AND GREAT TEMPLES
of these infamous people HAVE BEEN THROWN DOWN AND DESTROYED in a manner
which excites astonishment at the successful completion of so difficult a
task. His Majesty personally teaches the sacred kalima to many infidels
with success. ..... All mosques in the empire are repaired at public
expense........."
2. "Alamgir-Nama" by Mirza Muhammad Kazim
This work, written in AD 1688 contains a history of the first ten years
of Aurangzeb's reign.
Excerpts:
Muhiyu'd-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb 'Alamgir Padshah Ghazi (1658-1707)
Palamau (Bihar)
" .......... In 1661 Aurangzeb in his zeal to uphold the law of Islam
sent orders to his viceroy in Bihar, Daud Khan, to conquer Palamau. In
the military operations that followed MANY TEMPLES WERE DESTROYED
.............."
Koch Bihar (Bengal)
" ......... Towards the end of the same year when Mir Jumla made a war on
the Raja of Kuch Bihar, the MUGHALS DESTROYED MANY TEMPLES during the
course of their operations. IDOLS WERE BROKEN AND SOME TEMPLES WERE
CONVERTED INTO MOSQUES. ........."
3. "Mas'ir-i-'Alamgiri" by Saqi Must'ad Khan
The author completed this history in 1710 at the behest of Inayatu''llah
Khan Kashmiri, Aurangzeb's last secretary and favorite disciple in state
policy and religiosity. The materials which Must'ad Khan used in this
history of Aurangzeb's reign came mostly from the State archives.
Excerpts:
Muhiyu'd-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb 'Alamgir Padshah Ghazi (1658-1707)
General Order
"........ The Lord Cherisher of the faith learnt that in the provinces of
Tatta, Multan, and especially at Benaras, the Brahmin misbelievers used
to teach their false books in their established schools, and that
admirers and students both Hindu and Muslim, used to come from great
distances to these misguided men in order to acquire this vile learning.
His majesty, eager to establish Islam, issues orders to the governors of
all the provinces TO DEMOLISH THE SCHOOLS AND TEMPLES OF THE INFIDELS and
with utmost urgency put down the teaching and the public practice of the
religion of these misbelievers. ........"
Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)
" ....... It was reported that, according to the Emperor's command, his
officers HAD DEMOLISHED THE TEMPLE OF VISHWANATH AT KASHI. ........"
Mathura (Uttar Pradesh)
" ...... During this month of Ramzan abounding in miracles, the Emperor
as the promoter of justice and overthrower of mischief, as the knower of
truth and destroyer of oppression, as the zephyr of the garden of victory
and the reviver of the faith of the Prophet, ISSUED ORDERS FOR THE
DEMOLITION OF THE TEMPLE SITUATED IN MATHURA< FAMOUS AS THE DEHRA OF
KESHO RAI. In the short time by the great exertions of his officers the
DESTRUCTION OF THIS STRONG FOUNDATION OF INFIDELITY WAS ACCOMPLISHED< AND
ON ITS SITE A LOFTY MOSQUE WAS BUILT at the expenditure of a large sum. ...."
" ...... Praised be the August God of the faith of Islam, that in the
auspicious reign of this DESTROYER OF INFIDELITY AND TURBULENCE, such a
wonderful and seemingly impossible work was successfully accomplished. On
seeing this instance of strength of the Emperor's faith and the grandeur
of his devotion to God, the proud Rajas were stifled and in amazement
they stood like images facing the wall. THE IDOLS, LARGE AND SMALL< SET
WITH COSTLY JEWELS WHIC HAD BEEN SET UP IN THE TEMPLE WERE BROUGHT TO
AGRA< AND BURIED UNDER THE STEPS OF THE MOSQUE OF BEGUM SAHIB, IN ORDER
TO BE CONTINUALLY TRODDEN UPON. The name of Mathura was changed to
Islamabad. ......"
Khandela (Rajasthan)
" ...... Darab Khan who had been sent with a strong force to punish the
Rajputs of Khandela and TO DEMOLISH THE GREAT TEMPLE OF THE PLACE,
attacked on March 8th/Safar 5th, and slew the three hundred and odd men
who made a bold defence, not one of them escaping alive. THE TEMPLES OF
KHANDELA AND SANULA AND ALL OTHER TEMPLES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WERE
DEMOLISHED ........."
Jodhpur (Rajasthan)
" ..... On 24th Rabi S. (Sunday, May 25th), Khan Jahan Bahadur came from
Jodhpur, AFTER DEMOLISHING THE TEMPLES and bringing with himself some
cart-loads of idols, and had audience of the Emperor, who higly praised
him and ordered that the idols, which were mostly jewelled, golden,
silver, bronze, copper, or stone, should be cast in the yard
(jilaukhanah) of the Court AND UNDER THE STEPS OF THE JAMA MOSQUE, TO BE
TRODDEN UPON. ...."
Udaipur (Rajasthan)
" .... Ruhullah Khan and Ekkataz Khan WENT TO DEMOLISH THE GREAT TEMPLE
in front of the Rana's palace, which was one of the rarest buildings of
the age and the chief cause of the destruction of the life and property
of the despised worshippers. Twenty 'machator' Rajputs who were sitting
in the Temple vowed to give up their lives; first one of them came out to
fight, killed some and was them himself slain, then came out another and
so on, until every one of the twenty perished, after killing a large
number of the imperialists including the trusted slave Ikhlas. The Temple
was found empty. THE HEWERS BROKE THE IMAGES. ....."
" ....... On Saturday, the 24th January, 1680 (2nd Muharram), the Emperor
went to view lake Udaisagar, constructed by the Rana, AND ORDERED ALL THE
THREE TEMPLES ON ITS BANKS TO BE DEMOLISHED. ........"
" .......... On the 29th January/7th Muharram, Hasan Ali Khan brought to
the Emperor twenty camel-loads of tents and other things captured from
the Rana's Palace and REPORTED THAT ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-TWO OTHER
TEMPLES IN THE ENVIRONS OF UDAIPUR HAD BEEN DESTROYED. The Khan received
the title of Bahadur Alamgirshahi. ...."
Amber (Rajasthan)
"...... Abu Turab, who had been SENT TO DEMOLISH THE TEMPLES of AMBER,
returned to the Court on Tuesday August 10th (Rajab 24th), and reported
that HE HAD PULLED DOWN SIXTY-SIX TEMPLES. ........."
Bijapur (Karnataka)
" ..... Hamiduddin Khan Bahadur WHO HAD GONE TO DEMOLISH A TEMPLE AND
BUILD A MOSQUE (IN ITS PLACE) in Bijapur, having excellently carried his
orders, came to court and gained praise and the post of darogha of
gusulkhanah, which brought him near the Emperor's person. ......"
General Text
"......LARGE NUMBERS OF PLACES OF WORSHIP OF THE INFIDELS AND GREAT
TEMPLES OF THESE WICKED PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THROWN DOWN AND DESOLATED. Men
who can see only the outside of things are filled with wonder at the
successful accomplishment of such a seemingly difficult task. AND ON THE
SITES OF THE TEMPLES LOFTY MOSQUES HAVE BEEN BUILT. ...."
[....................... will try to type some more "accomplishments" of
Aurangzeb at a later date.]
Partial Bibliography
------------------
"Alberuni's India", translated by E.C. Sachau, New Delhi Reprint, 1983.
Attar, Shykh Faridu'd-Din, "Tadhkirat al-Awliya", translated into Urdu by
Maulana Z.A. Usmani.
Bloch J., "Indian Studies", London, 1931.
Chuvin, Pierre, "A Chronicle of the Last Pagans", Harvard, 1990.
Durrant, Will, "The Story of Civilization", New York, 1972.
Elliot and Dowson, "History of India as told by its own Historians", 8
volumes, Allahbad Reprint, 1964.
"First Encyclopedia of Islam"
"Futuhat-i-Alamgiri" by Ishwardas Nagar, trans. into English by Tasneem
Ahmad, Delhi, 1978.
Growse, F.S. "Mathura: A District Memoir", Reprint, Ahmedabad, 1978.
Hosain, Saiyid Safdar, " The Early History of Islam"
