The other day I saw scenes from the historical movie "Chaava" which is generating controversies and to some extent needless jingoism fuelled and fanned for political purposes. More than anyone else's acting, I was particularly impressed by the actor Akshaye Khanna who played the role of the legendary Mogul King Aurganzeb, the ruthless Emperor of "Hindustan" (India) who ruled with an iron hand for 50 years, but presided over an empire which was on its path to sunset.
Yet even more than 300 years after his death Aurangzeb still dwells in Indian psyche, dividing our populace still obsessed about him. The last powerful Mughal emperor was a unique man of his kind of the time, for unlike his predecessors who ruled around 25 years he ruled for 50 years. Aurangzeb also lived longest until 90 in an age sans vaccines to tackle incurable diseases when living till 50 was a luxury. Akshaye Khanna's performance in the movie is commendable. He has perfectly portrayed the fascinating character of a merciless, cold, calculative Aurangzeb with his steely, Cobra like piercing eyes (the Mogul Sultan's Cobra like eyes has been corroborated by no other than his bete noire Shivaji during their famous encounter in Mughal court).
There is a popular saying going back to the medieval period of the Mughal Dynasty's 200 years of rule of India from 1525 to 1739 which goes as "TAKHT YA TAKHTA", meaning "Crown or Coffin". It aptly described the fratricidal wars fought between the Mughal brothers for the prized Kingship which knew no Kinship. In the end one of the brothers ended up with Crown, the rest rested in their graves.
The last powerful Mughal emperor Aurganzeb was no different. After killing his brothers he captured the prized Peacock Throne and put his ailing father Sahajahan to house arrest overlooking the monument "Taj Mahal" over river Yamuna which he built in memory of his beloved wife Mamtaz Mahal.
Akshaye Khanna playing the role of Aurangzeb in the movie speaks coldly - "HAMAARI ABBUJAAN SAH JAHAN YEH TAAZ HAMARI BHAIJAAN DARA SIKOH KE SAR PAR RAKHNA CHAHTE THE. MAINE WOH SAR KATKE ABBUJAAN KE PAAS BHEJ DIYA (My father Sah Jahan wanted to place this crown on the head of my brother Dara Sikoh. I cut my brother's head and sent it as gift to my father). It is true that Aurangzeb sent his father the severed head of his dad's favorite son and his own blood brother Dara Shikoh served on a platter when Shah Jahan was dining. The old man fainted at the sight of the head of his favorite son and his face crashed into the table, breaking his teeth.
But Sah Jahan, the old man who fainted at the sight of the ghastly, macabre sight of his son's decapitated head was no lily white. The fifth Mughal emperor had no qualms about blinding and killing his brothers for securing the coveted Peacock throne. He inhereting these traits from his father Jahangir, who blinded his rebellious son Khushru wanting to usurp him for the coveted crown.
Why was Aurangzeb so cruel ? The question could be reversed. Why did Shah Jahan hated Aurangzeb so much ? It is not easy to understand, but it is true. From a very young age before he was an adult, Aurangzeb was sent out by his father on impossible missions, like reconquering their ancestral lands in modern day Afghanistan, while the pampered eldest son, Prince Dara Shikoh was mollycoddled in Mughal court. Unfortunately, for both father and his favourite son Dara Sikoh, this mistreatment of Aurangzeb produced a hardened and experienced warrior. While the suave Dara sat with Pundits busy learning Sanskrit and translating Upanishad (a sacred Hindu text) to Persian, his younger brother became a hardened warrior learning all the scheming and political maneuvering needed for war.
The battle tested 3rd son of Sah Jahan soon became a Master in military moves, the first in the Mughal Dynasty since Akbar (Jahangir was a hedonist and Sah Jahan indolent). He defied the odds by making strategic military alliances with his other brothers and then dealing with his main threat and father's blue eyed boy, defeating Dara Sikoh in the battle of Samugarh in spite of the later having the backing of the Imperial Mughal Army. Eventually Aurangzeb killed all his brothers and went on to rule for half a century.
Aurangzeb was born suspicious and trusted non. Childhood psychology runs late into age - a person who can't trust his father can't trust anybody else. Seeing being ignored by his father who openly favored his elder brother Dara Sikoh, Aurangzeb abhored his dad and took his sweet revenge by killing his brothers and imprisoning his "ABBUJAAN". Sah Jahan groveled over Dara's gruesome death for rest of his life looking vicariously at his mammoth masterpiece Taj Mahal he built on the banks of Yamuna river for 8 years before passing away. It's fate not father who decides "TAKHT YA TAKHTA".
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