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Why Are Our History Books So Sympathetic Towards the Mughals?

July 19, 2025Literature2786
Why Are Our History Books So Sympathetic Towards the Mughals? When the

Why Are Our History Books So Sympathetic Towards the Mughals?

When the first cabinet ministers of independent India were chosen, the first education minister was a leftist. Consequently, there has been a lot of distortion and a false history written about the Mughals. Despite this, the present government is attempting to rectify this and present the true history.

Praise for the Mughals

Unfortunately, I haven't seen any praise in the history books for the Mughals. Even Sher Shah Suri, a significant ruler, hasn't been sufficiently glorified. The Mughals didn't achieve much in terms of positive contributions.

Why Should We Be Skeptical of Historical Accounts?

Let me tell you something: never ever trust what you read in a historical book. At least, that's what I do. Why?

History is Written by the Winners

Consider a scenario where, in a fight, you are wrong but are stronger. What would likely happen is that you would crush the other person and kill him. When asked what happened, you would say, 'He started the fight. He was wrong. I was forced to fight.' This is what has been happening historically. The winning king dictates the history, changes existing narratives, and corrupts them to suit his needs.

The Mughals' Dominance

The Mughals were one of the most powerful empires India has ever experienced. They were so powerful that they virtually wrote history. This is why Mughal emperors are highly glorified and depicted sympathetically in history books.

During the British Raj, their records were largely untouched, likely because the British were more focused on trading rather than creating and changing history. If the British had altered the historical narrative, our history books would now advocate for the British Raj, and we would think of it as a golden era.

Reasons for the Mughals' Depiction

Several factors explain why the Mughals are described so sympathetically:

Mughal Defense of the Western Borders

The Mughals defended India's western borders for almost three centuries, which is an essential contribution often overlooked.

Secular Rulers

Some Mughal emperors were secular, showing respect to Indian kings, zamindars, and pandits while valuing and respecting Indian society.

National Unity

History writers sought to forge national unity during the freedom struggle and found the Mughals to be suitable rulers to portray as pro-Hindu, secular, and Muslim.

In conclusion, the portrayal of the Mughals in Indian history is heavily influenced by power dynamics and political needs. Understanding this context is crucial for a more balanced and accurate historical narrative.