Updated: September 15, 2020 12:42:55 pm
A representation of the Mughal Museum in Agra. The museum, under construction, is designed by Studio Archohm in association with David Chipperfield Architects. (Source: archohm.com)
Questioning “how Mughals can be our heroes,” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday (September 14) decided to name the next “Mughal Museum” in Agra after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
An official spokesman said that the Adityanath government defended the nationalist ideology and that “everything that smacks of a servile mentality will be eliminated.”
“How can our heroes be Mughals?” the spokesman said. “Shivaji’s very name will invoke a feeling of nationalism and self-worth.”
How strong is the footprint of the Mughals in India?
The rule of the Mughals (1526-1857) is inseparably intertwined with the history and culture of India. Aside from the historical monuments they have left behind, the most visible legacy of their government today is found in the various cities and towns in India that bear their names.
Of the 6 Lakh cities, towns and villages that make up the country, up to 704 are named after the first six Mughal emperors, namely Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shahjahan, and Aurangzeb.
The empire was the strongest during the period from Akbar’s accession to the throne in 1556 and the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. The dynasty was founded by Babur, who defeated the Delhi Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi at the first battle of Panipat in 1526 and ruled for the next four years. Babur’s son Humayun lost control of the kingdom during a period of upheaval, which saw the Southern Afghan dynasty establish itself in much of northern India from around 1540 (when Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun in the Battle of Kannauj) until 1555-56.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. (Express photo: Vishal Srivastav)
Which Mughal emperor has the most places named after him?
The most visible legacy is that of Akbar, which today has 251 towns and cities named after him. They are followed by Aurangzeb (177), Jahangir (141), Shahjahan (63), Babur (61) and Humayun (11).
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And where are these places?
Most of these places are in northern and central India, where the heart of the Mughal empire was located.
Among modern Indian states, Uttar Pradesh tops the list, with 396 of its more than 1 lakh villages and towns named after the Mughals.
UP is followed by Bihar with 97, Maharashtra 50 and Haryana 39.
Almost half of these places have independent names like Akbarpur, Aurangabad, Humayunpur, and Babarpur; however, there are also syncretic names like Akbar Nivas Khandrika and Damodarpur Shahjahan.
The most common name is Akbarpur, of which there are nearly 70 across the country, followed by Aurangabad, which is the name of 63 places. (An obvious example is the city and district of this name in both Maharashtra and Bihar; both Aurangabads are also constituencies of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha in these two states.)
What has led the UP government to change the name of the museum in Agra after Shivaji?
Since coming to power in 2017, the Adityanath government has renamed several places in the state: the major railroad crossing. Mughalsarai was renamed as Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar, Allahabad as Prayagrajand Faizabad as Ayodhya. The name change is in line with Sangh Parivar’s ideological commitment to reclaim India’s “original” lost glory in pre-Islamic times.
Shivaji’s association with Agra is generally remembered for his spectacular escape from Mughal captivity in the city in 1666. Shivaji had been persuaded to visit the court of Aurangzeb with promises that he would not suffer any harm; however, he received a cold reception from the Emperor and a guard was posted around the building he was in. A few months later, Shivaji and his son boldly escaped, passing guards hidden in baskets, while an aide posing as him pretended to be ill inside the building.
The decision to put Shivaji’s name on a building in Agra also signifies an attempt by the BJP to steal a march on its ally turned bitter rival Shiv Sena, who, despite having spoken about the name change of Aurangabad (Maharashtra) For the past two decades, he hasn’t been able to do it yet.
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