NOTE:- ENGLISH AND HINDI LANGUAGE:-
प्रश्न----औरंगजेब की दक्षिण नीति का वर्णन कीजिए।
अथवा
औरंगजेब की दक्षिण नीति के क्या उद्देश्य थे? इसके परिणामो की समीक्षा कीजिए।
अथवा
“दक्षिण नीति औरंगजेब की ख्याति और शरीर दोनो की कब्र बनी।“ स्प्ष्ट कीजिए।
Dr Om Prakash Singh
- Must Read :- Aurangzeb's Rajpoot policy
- Must Read:- Aurangzeb's Administrative policy
औरंगजेब की दक्षिण नीति के परिणाम
IN ENGLISH:-
Question--- Describe Aurangzeb's south policy.
Or
What were the objectives of Aurangzeb's south policy? Review its results.
Or
“South policy became the grave of both fame and body of Aurangzeb.” Explain.
Answer---- Aurangzeb was a very ambitious and imperialist ruler. He wanted to expand his empire further through north-west and north-east and south campaigns. The longest campaign of all these campaigns was the South campaign. From the very beginning, the Mughals wanted to strengthen their position in South India, but they could not succeed. For the failure of his ancestors and to establish a one-chhatra empire over the whole of India, Aurangzeb threw all his power into the Deccan campaign.
Objective/reason---- The objectives of Aurangzeb's south policy were as follows----
1* Aurangzeb was a staunch Sunni Muslim. He hated Shia Muslims. The rulers of Bijapur and Golconda were Shia.
2 * To complete the unfinished works of your ancestors.
3* The sultans of the south had not paid the kiraj tax for many years.
4* Maratha power was increasing in the south under the leadership of Shiva. Therefore, for the destruction of Maratha power, the destruction of these states was necessary.
5* Expansion of the Mughal Empire in the South.
6 * The states of the south were the refuge of the Mughal opponents and the rebel Akbar reached the south and created a ruckus with the help of the Marathas.
When Aurangzeb got free time by suppressing the rebellion of North India, he had to fight with the three powers of the South to fulfill these objectives. The details of the struggle with these powers are as follows-----
1* Bijapur-- After the death of Sultan Adilshah of Bijapur in 1672 AD, his minor son Sikandar sat on the throne of Bijapur. In 1676 AD, the Mughal general Bahadur Khan attacked Bijapur. But the campaign was unsuccessful. After this, in 1679 AD, Diler Khan was sent to attack Bijapur by making him the Subedar of the South. But he too did not get success. Aurangzeb himself attacked Bijapur in 1685 AD. The siege of Bijapur continued for a year. Finally, in 1686 AD, Sultan Sikandar surrendered. Aurangzeb locked him in the fort of Daulatabad by giving him one lakh annual pension and annexed his kingdom to the Mughal Empire.
2* Golconda ---- After Bijapur, Aurangzeb's eyes fell on Golconda. Following were the reasons for the attack on this state at that time.
1* The ruler of Golconda, Abdul Hasan was a luxurious ruler, he had entrusted the responsibility of governance in the hands of Brahmins named Adanna and Madanna.
2 * had refused to accept the treaty (between the Mughal emperor and Golconda) in 1656 AD.
3* He had helped the Sultan of Bijapur against the Mughals.
All this was out of tolerance for a ruler like Aurangzeb. He sent Prince Muazzam to take over Golconda. Sultan Abdul Hasan feared and accepted all the conditions of the Mughals and made a treaty. But in the course of time, the Sultan started disobeying the treaty, due to which Aurangzeb himself annexed the fort in 1687 AD and merged Golconda into the Mughal Empire.
3* Aurangzeb and Maratha Conflict ----- Aurangzeb sent Jai Singh to the south to crush Shiva's growing power in the south. The Treaty of Purandar was signed between Jai Singh and Shiva on 22 June 1665. Under the terms of the treaty, he had to give some of his forts to the Mughals and sent his son Shambhaji to the Mughal service, and at the behest of Jai Singh himself, in 1666, he himself appeared in the Mughal court before Aurangzeb. Here Shiva was imprisoned, but by his diplomatic trick, Shiva escaped from here. Shivaji got his coronation done in Raigad on 16 June 1774 AD. After his death on 14 April 1680, his son Shambhaji became the Maratha ruler. Aurangzeb captured Raigad by killing Shambaji on 1 March 1689. After Shambhaji, his son Rajaram continued the struggle with the Mongols. Rajaram also died in 1700 AD. After this Rajaram's widow Tarabai took over the leadership of the Marathas and continued the struggle with the Mongols. He captured many forts. Aurangzeb did not survive for long and died in the south on 5 March 1707. Aurangzeb had to bear the loss of a lot of money and people in the Maratha struggle.
* Consequences of Aurangzeb's South Policy *
The consequences of Aurangzeb's south policy can be mentioned under the following contexts---
1* Chaos in North India--- Aurangzeb spent the last 25 years of his reign in the wars of South India, the result was that chaos and indiscipline spread in North India. There was a flood of rebellion all around and the central rule was relaxed.
2 * Development of Maratha's power ----- With the end of Bijapur and Golconda, Marathas got an opportunity to increase their power. If Aurangzeb had not merged these states with the Mughal Empire, then these states could have proved helpful in the downfall of the Marathas.
3* Military power traumatized --- Due to the continuous wars of the South, the military power of the Mungalos suffered a great deal. Innumerable soldiers died in these wars. Yadunath Sarkar has said that "in the wars of the South, one lakh people and three lakh horses etc. were destroyed every year."
4* Marwar becoming independent----- Aurangzeb could not pay full attention to Marwar due to being busy in the wars of the South and Marwar became independent and Ajit Singh was appointed the ruler here.
5* Treasury becoming vacant--- Aurangzeb had to spend a lot of money due to the continuous wars going on in the south. As a result his treasury became empty. The soldiers could not get their salary for three years. There was dissatisfaction among the soldiers due to non-payment of salary.
6* Destruction of agriculture and industries --- The impact of these wars was also on agriculture and industry. Innumerable fields were destroyed and industries were destroyed. Trade also suffered a major setback and the economic condition of the empire became very deplorable.
7 * Impact on cultural life--- Due to the wars of the South, the progress of literature and art was blocked, because no litterateur and artist could get protection in the state.
Conclusion:- Thus Aurangzeb's south policy was unsuccessful. Jadunath Sarkar wrote, "Just as the canker of Spain destroyed Napoleon, so the canker of the south destroyed Aurangzeb." Thus the south campaign proved to be a grave for Aurangzeb. He did expand the empire by conquering the south, but failed to maintain it. Aurangzeb left behind a vast and internally weak empire. Therefore, if it is said that the south policy of Aurangzeb played the most important role in the causes of the decline of the Mughal Empire, then it would not be unreasonable.
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