Darbar (Court) of 'Alamgir'A painting by Bichitr
Auranzeb period
1658 AD.
Having killed his elder brother, Prince Dara Shikoh, having imprisoned his father, Shah Jahan, in 1658 Aurangzeb usurped the Mughal throne. Upon ascending the throne he took the title of 'Alamgir ( Seizer of the Universe). He personified his title. Before the British, he had the largest empire in Indian history, stretching from Kabul to almost Kanyakumari, from Sind to Assam. Politically the empire was united, socially fragmented, economically distintigrating.
Here Bichitr portrays the new Emperor with his sons and maternal uncle. The emperor no longer sits in the company of learned men, or in the opulence of a court. He sits with a hawk perched on his right hand. It was the hawkish policies of Aurangzed which tore apart the unity of Hindustan, and partially damaged its diversity. Bachitr has reflected the rigid psychology of the emperor in his rigid posture. This painting is one of the finest portraits in Mughal miniatures.
The battle between the liberal Dara Shikoh and the orthodox Aurangzeb is another turning point in Indian history. With the victory of fundamentalism, India began its decline which led to its eventual subjugation by the British.
Here Bichitr portrays the new Emperor with his sons and maternal uncle. The emperor no longer sits in the company of learned men, or in the opulence of a court. He sits with a hawk perched on his right hand. It was the hawkish policies of Aurangzed which tore apart the unity of Hindustan, and partially damaged its diversity. Bachitr has reflected the rigid psychology of the emperor in his rigid posture. This painting is one of the finest portraits in Mughal miniatures.
The battle between the liberal Dara Shikoh and the orthodox Aurangzeb is another turning point in Indian history. With the victory of fundamentalism, India began its decline which led to its eventual subjugation by the British.
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