The Court , Ceremonies And Culture Of Mughal Empire Of India

 

The Mughal court was established in India after the victory of Zaheer Ud Din Babur in 1527 in the first battle of Panipat. This was the beginning of long Mughal rule in India which was to last for more than 200 years. To Understand the royal court, ceremonies, and culture of Mughal Empire of India, it is important to understand the view of kingship, its basis, foundations, and how it shaped the Mughal royal court in the coming years.

Here we shall discuss first the view of kingship and then the general idea of the Mughal royal court , its culture, and its ceremonies.

The Concept Of Kingship And Its Foundations

The concept of kingship has been present in India before the time of Ashoka the great who was the founder of the Ashoka empire. Many great empires existed in the sub-continent before the arrival of Mughals in the regions. These ranged from the Hindu kingdoms like Chola Dynasty (c. 848 CE - 1279 CE) , Western Chalukya Empire (c. 973 CE - 1189 CE) to conquering Muslim dynasties Ghaznavid Empire (c. 977 CE - 1186 CE) and the Delhi sultanate (c.1206 CE - 1526 CE).

When Babur (the first Mughal ruler) arrived in India, Delhi was being ruled by Ibrahim Lodhi of the Delhi Sultanate. The battle between the two was fought at Panipat which resulted in the decisive victory for Babur. This resulted in the foundation of the Mughal court and the Mughal empire. The Mughals adopted the kingship of India by capturing Delhi and calling themselves the absolute authority over all the sub-continent. They were now recognized as the ruling elite class of India, the symbol of high status. The concept of the kingship of the Mughal dynasty now passed from the continued historical phases of India. One thing they added to this concept is that the Mughal rulers also entitled themselves to the status of Muslim Caliph. This is because their religion was Sunni Islam and they considered themselves the protector of the Holy religion.

Nevertheless, the third Mughal ruler Akbar the Great adopted some Hindu traditions and cultures to remain part of the local traditions and the protector of the local Hindu faith as well. This is how the concept of Indian kingship became a combination of Islamic and Hindu traditions. 

The Mughal Court And It's Management

The Mughal court was the center of authority and power in the Mughal empire. This was the place where the organization and management of the empire were considered and executed by the emperor.

 The laws were passed and policies were made by the emperor and his ministers. All the orders for provincial project planning and deployment of resources were given by the court. Furthermore, the royal decree was issued stating the responsibility of every institution, and new order was also given to the army and the general public. The emperors of the Mughal empire of India were also given tributes and gifts from foreign dignitaries as a sign of respect and authority.  

The Mughal court had two buildings in every city. The Diwan-e-Aam and Diwan-e-Khas. 

The Diwan-e-Aam was the place where justice was done for the general public. Common people presented their complaints and requests to the emperor and were given notifications and answers. It was also a place where criminals were given punishment according to the severity of their crimes.

The Diwan-e-Khas was the place where only the ministers of the states, foreign dignitaries, and royal lords and princes could arrive. If any lord, minister, or Shahi Mansabdar was present at the capital, it was his duty to arrive at Diwan-e-Khas. This was a sign of loyalty to the emperor and also a sign of responsibility for state affairs.

The Culture Of The Mughal Court Of India

As previously stated, the Mughal Empire of India was a combination of Muslim and Hindu traditions. Akbar the third Mughal ruler introduced Diwali and Holi as official traditions and events in the Mughal court as a sign of respect and love for the Hindus. Other Muslim traditions like Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha were also considered as official cultural events. The Holy month of Ramadan was celebrated with peace and worshipping practices. Common dance practices in Hindu temples and the Rakhs were also considered with great value and dignity. The Mosiqi and musical instruments were played at the Mughal court as a sign of celebration of any achievement by the royal house. 

This shaped the culture of the Mughal Empire as a secular state showing respect to both Hindu and Muslim traditions. It was not until the time of Emperor Aurangzeb that Hindu traditions like Mosiqi and temple dance practice were banned because of the religious zeal of Emperor Aurangzeb. This negatively impacted the Mughal Empire in the later years and contributed to its decline.

Conclusion

Even to this day, Mughal court traditions and ceremonies are reflected in the sub-continent traditions, wedding ceremonies, and even in our social life to some extent. This is the sign of hundred of years of Mughal rule and echoes the past glory of the great empire that was dominant in India and neighboring regions.

To learn more about Mughal court and its culture, read the Book Mughal Darbar by author Dr. Mubarak Ali.