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DAILY
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Medieval History
Lecture – 06
Bhakti-Sufi and Mughal
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Bhakti-Sufi and Mughal
History of Odisha: Ganga Dynasty and Gajapati Dynasty
❖ Major dynasties that ruled Odisha:
➢ Eastern Ganga Dynasty
➢ Gajapati dynasty
➢ Bhoi dynasty
Eastern Ganga Dynasty (circa 5th-15th century):
❖ Founder: Avanti Varman (circa 5th-6th century)
➢ Avanti Varman established the Jagannath Temple in Odisha and also built the
Lingaraj Temple.
❖ Major ruler: Narasimhadeva I (1238-1264 AD)
➢ Narasimhadeva I completed the construction of the Lingaraja temple and built
the Sun Temple of Konark. He also won against the Delhi Sultanate.
➢ Last ruler: Bhanudeva IV (1467-1497 AD)
Gajapati Dynasty (1434-1541 AD):
❖ Founder: Kapilendra Dev (1434-1466 AD)
❖ Major Ruler: Pratap Rudra Dev (1497-1540 AD)
➢ Pratap Rudra Dev was an important ruler of the Gajapati dynasty. However, he
had to face defeat in the battle with Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijayanagara
Empire. Krishnadeva Rai also married the daughter of Pratap Rudra Dev after
winning.
Bhoi Dynasty (circa 1568-1803 A.D.):
❖ Founder: Govind (around 1568 AD)
❖ Arbask: It is a style of Indo-Islamic art that uses complex geometric and floral
patterns. These patterns often include shapes of flowers and leaves, but do not depict
any living creatures as it goes against the tenets of Islamic art.
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❖ Kufi: This is the calligraphy style used to write verses of the Quran. It is one of the
early Islamic calligraphy styles and can be identified by its geometric shapes and
angular lines.
❖ Mehrab: An arch, also called "mihrab" in Arabic, is a curved or arched structure that
is built into walls or ceilings. It is not only an important element of architecture, but
also holds religious and cultural significance.
Shahmir dynasty: Rule of Kashmir (1339-1561 AD)
❖ The Shahmir dynasty ruled Kashmir during the 14th and 15th centuries. This
dynasty was founded by Shamsuddin Shah (1339-1342 AD),, also known as Sultan
Shams ud-din.
Major Rulers:
❖ Sikandar:
➢ "He was known as "Butshikan" or idol-destroyers.
➢ He had to face the attack of Timur Lang.
➢ He was the first ruler to impose Jizya.
Zainul Abidin (1420-1470):
❖ Zainul Abidin, also known as "Badshah" (King of Emperors) and also known as "Akbar
of Kashmir" and "Alauddin of Kashmir" , was one of the most famous and successful
rulers of the Shahmir dynasty.
❖ He called upon Hindus to come back to Kashmir.
❖ Zainul Abidin's name was Shah Khan.
❖ Zainul Abidin was a great patron of art and culture. He wrote poems under the
name Qutub and wrote a book called "Shikayatnama" During his reign, Mahabharata
and Rajatarangini were translated into Persian language.
❖ Zainul Abedin encouraged the Kashmiri style of architecture. He built an artificial
island on the Dal Lake and constructed many mosques, bridges and roads.
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❖ Zainul Abedin abolished the jizya tax, which was imposed on non-Muslims. He also
reduced taxes on farmers.
Sufism
❖ Sufism, also known as Sufism, is a mystical tradition within Islam that emphasises
direct spiritual experience with God. The word derives from "suf", meaning wool,
which was worn by early Sufi saints.
❖ However, some scholars believe that the Sufi word may also have come from "Safa",
which means "purity".
Silsila:
❖ Sufism has various orders, such as Chishti, Shuharwardi, Qadiri, and Nakshabandi,
which have their own masters and methods. The main purpose of these silsila is to
purify the human soul and achieve union with God.
Types of Sufism:
❖ Ba-Shara: These Sufi's followed Islamic law (Shari'at) and followed a chain structure.
❖ Be-Shara: These Sufis often had a more independent ideology and did not follow a
strict interpretation of certain aspects of the Shari'ah. They were usually associated
with itinerant saints.
Terms associated with Sufism:
1. Wahdat ul Wajood:
➢ It means "unity of existence"
➢ This is a central tenet of Sufism.
➢ It means that God is one and he is present behind everything in the world.
2. Khanqah:
➢ The place where Sufi saints live is called Khanqah.
➢ These were spiritual centres where Sufis , meditation and devotion.
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❖ Some examples of famous Khanqahs in India are:
➢ Khanqah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Ajmer
➢ Khanqah of Nizamuddin Auliya, Delhi
➢ Khanqah of Sheikh Burhanuddin Dawood, Daulatabad
➢ Khanqah of Syed Mohammed Gesudaraj, Gulbarga
➢ Khanqah of Sheikh Salim Chishti, Fatehpur Sikri
➢ Khanqah of Mohammad Ghaus, Gwalior
➢ Khanqah of Sheikh Bahauddin Zakaria, Multan
3. Malfoozat:
➢ The collection of sayings and teachings of Sufi saints is called "Malfoozat"
➢ These collections are important sources for understanding Sufi philosophy and
spiritual practice.
4. Principle of Marfat (Marifat):
➢ It means "Divine Knowledge".
➢ This is similar to the doctrine of Brahm Gyan.
➢ In Sufism, the goal is to directly experience God.
5. Fana:
➢ It means "merging into the Divine".
➢ This is an important goal of Sufism.
➢ In the state of Fanaa, the Sufi loses his personal ego and becomes one with God.
Prominent Sufi Saints:
❖ Sufism was divided into several Silsilas (branches). The most famous Silsila in India is
the Chishti Silsila , founded by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti . He made Ajmer the centre
of his activities. His disciples were Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki and Sheikh Hamiduddin
Baba Farid:
❖ Baba Farid was a contemporary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti .
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❖ The words (Sant Vani) of Baba Farid were influenced by Kabir .
❖ Some of Baba Farid's works are also included in Guru Granth Sahib .
❖ Two famous disciples of Baba Farid were Nizamuddin Auliya and Alauddin Sabir .
Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya:
❖ The centre of Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya's activities was Delhi .
❖ Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya was known as "Mehboob-e-ilahi " i.e. "beloved of God"
❖ Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya incorporated music and yoga (especially pranayama) into
Sufism.
❖ Amir Khusrau Sheikh was a disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya.
Sheikh Salim Chishti:
❖ With the blessings of Sheikh Salim Chishti, Akbar was blessed with a son.
❖ The Dargah of Sheikh Salim Chishti is located in Fatehpur Sikri .
Sheikh Burhanuddin Gharib:
❖ Sheikh Burhanuddin Gharib laid the foundation of the Chishti tradition in South
India .
❖ Daulatabad was the centre of Sheikh Burhanuddin Poor.
Brief description of Sufi Silsilas: –
❖ Sufi sequences reflect the spiritual traditions established by various Sufi saints. These
sequences keep alive a spiritual connection between Sufi saints and their disciples and
help to transmit their spiritual thoughts. Here are some of the major Sufi Silsilas:
1. Chishti Silsila: The founder of this chain is Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, who
was an Indian Sufi saint of the 12th-13th centuries. Their main purpose was to
spread divine love, humanity, and spiritual prosperity.
2. Qadiri Silsila: Through this connection, Islamic spirituality is propagated, whose
founder is Hazrat Abul Qasim Benufuruz Qadiri.
3. Naqshbandi Silsila: The founder of this chain is Hazrat Khwaja Bahauddin
Naqshband, who valued meditation, meditation and self-reflection.
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4. Shuhrwardi Silsila: Through this Silsila the Sufi saint Hazrat Bahauddin
Shuhrawardy taught spiritual knowledge and the ways to attain it.
5. Mewati Silsila: The founder of this chain is Hazrat Khwaja Abul Hasan Kharqani,
who promoted the importance of divine connection with the individual soul.
Important facts related to Sufi saints:
Mohammad Ghaus:
❖ Mohammad Ghaus was a famous Sufi saint of the 16th century.
❖ He " wrote " books titled "Khalid-e-" (the name of the book is incomplete) and
"Jawahar-e-Khamsah".
❖ "In "Jawahar-i-Khamsah" he has described five major Silsilas (branches) of Sufism.
Sheikh Musa:
❖ Sheikh Musa was a Sufi saint of the 13th century.
❖ They always wore women's clothing, due to which they were known as "Musa al-
Nisa" (Musa of women).
❖ He was a controversial saint, but was respected for his spiritual powers.
Rabia:
❖ Ravia was a famous Sufi female saint of the 8th century.
❖ She is considered one of the earliest female saints of Sufism.
❖ She was known for her love, devotion and direct relationship with God.
Amir Khusro:
❖ Renowned poet and musician Amir Khusro was a disciple of the 13th century Sufi
saint Nizamuddin Auliya.
❖ He contributed significantly to the development of Hindustani music and " is known
as "Sangeet Samrat"
❖ His compositions include genres such as khyal, ghazal and qawwali.
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Titles of Saints:
❖ Syed Mohammad Gesudaraz:
➢ He was given the title of "Baba Nawaz" (later known as "Banda Nawaz" ).
➢ He was a famous Sufi saint of the 16th century who built a tomb near Dargah
Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi.
❖ Moinuddin Chishti:
➢ He " is awarded the title of "Khwaja Garib Nawaz"
➢ He was a famous Sufi saint of the 13th century, who founded the Chishti Silsil in
India.
➢ His tomb is located in Ajmer Sharif, one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in
India.
Bhakti Movement
❖ Mention of the word devotion: "The word "bhakti '' we found in the Shvetashvatara
Upanishad . However, the concept of devotion or love for God is very ancient.
❖ Growth of Bhakti Movement: We can understand the beginning and development of
the Bhakti movement in three phases:
❖ First Phase (300 BC to 300 AD):
➢ The time after the fall of the Mauryan Empire (circa 300 BCE) is considered to
be the seed of the Bhakti movement.
➢ In this period, questions were being raised on Vedic rituals and rituals.
➢ The feeling of personal attachment and love for God began to grow among the
people.
❖ Second Phase (300 to 800 AD):
➢ The Bhakti movement received a great boost in the Gupta period (circa 300 to
800 A.D.).
➢ During this time the spirit of devotion found expression through idolatry and the
compositions of devotional poets.
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❖ Third Phase (after 800 AD):
➢ The Bhakti movement developed particularly in South India.
➢ Bhakti saints from South India, called Alwar (Vishnu devotees) and Nayanar
(Shiva devotees),, composed devotional songs in their mother tongue.
➢ Through these songs, he spread the message of love and devotion towards God to
the masses.
Major Hindu Philosophies and Their Founders:
1. Shankaracharya - Nondualism
➢ Founder: Shankaracharya (8th century)
➢ Theory:
✓ Brahman (God) is the only truth.
✓ The soul (soul) and Brahman (God) are the same.
✓ It is because of maya (illusion) that we have the illusion of diversity.
2. Ramanujacharya - Vishishtadvaita Vada
➢ Founder: Ramanujacharya (11th century)
➢ Theory:
✓ Brahman (God) is Satchidananda Swarup (truth, mind and bliss).
✓ The soul (Atman) is dependent on and distinct from Brahman (God).
✓ Salvation can be achieved through devotion, knowledge and action.
3. Nimbarkacharya – Dvaita-Advaita Vada
➢ Founder: Nimbarkacharya (16th century)
➢ Theory:
✓ The coordination of these three elements Brahman (God), Atma (Atman) and
Prakriti (Prakriti) is true.
✓ Brahman (God) is Saguna (possessed of virtues) and Almighty.
✓ Only through devotion can the grace of Brahman (God) be obtained.
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4. Madhvacharya – Dualism
➢ Founder: Madhvacharya (13th century)
➢ Theory:
✓ Brahman (God) and Atman (Atman) are two separate and independent
entities.
✓ Brahman (God) is Saguna (possessed of virtues) and Almighty.
✓ Salvation can be achieved only through devotion, knowledge and action.
5. Vallabhacharya – Pure Advaita Vada
➢ Founder: Vallabhacharya (16th century)
➢ Theory:
✓ Krishna is the Supreme Brahma (God).
✓ The soul (Atma) is part of Krishna.
Brief of Major Saints:
Ramananda:
❖ Lifespan: 14th-15th centuries
❖ Contribution:
➢ He was one of the prominent saints of the Bhakti movement. t
➢ Ramananda is credited with bringing Bhakti from the south to North India.
➢ Ramananda had many famous disciples, including Kabir, Dhanna, Sena, Raidas,
Pipa, Padmavati and Sursari
❖ Sermon:
➢ Social equality and opposition to racism
➢ Importance of Living a Life Based on Love and Devotion
Kabir:
Kabir, also known as Kabirdas , was one of the most famous saints of the Bhakti
movement in 15th-16th century India.
❖ Kabir was born between 1440 and 1450, and died around 1518 or 1528.
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❖ Contribution:
➢ Founder of Nirgun Bhakti Tradition: Kabir was the founder of the Nirguna Bhakti
tradition, which focuses on the formless nature of God rather than emphasizing
idolatry and ritualism.
➢ Devotional Literature: Kabir made a significant contribution of devotional
literature in Hindi language. His compositions include Sakhi, Pada, Ramaini and
Bajra.
➢ Social Reforms: Kabir opposed, social evils like caste system, untouchability and
gender discrimination.
➢ Equality of all religions: Kabir believed in equality of all religions and castes.
➢ Karma and Bhakti: Kabir believed that salvation can be achieved through karma
and devotion.
❖ Sermon:
➢ All human beings are equal: Kabir, opposed discrimination on the basis of caste,
religion or gender. He believed that all human beings are children of God and
deserve equal respect.
➢ Opposition to Social Evils: Kabir, opposed social evils like caste system,
untouchability and dowry. He also stressed the importance of women's rights and
education.
➢ True Knowledge and Devotion: Kabir emphasised on true knowledge and devotion
rather than emphasising external rituals and idolatry. He believed that God could
be known through love and compassion.
Guru Nanak:
❖ Guru Nanak Dev Ji, also known as Guru Nanak , was the founder of Sikhism. He was
born in 1469 in the village of Rai Bhoi in Pakistan on the banks of river Ravi.
❖ Lifespan: Guru Nanak's lifetime lasted from 1469 to 1539. He propagated Sikhism
for 47 years.
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❖ Contribution:
❖ Founder of Sikhism: Guru Nanak founded Sikhism, which is a monotheistic, anti-
ritualistic and social equality based religion.
❖ Teachings: Guru Nanak gave" "" important teachings like "Ek Onkar", "Satsang" and
"Seva".
❖ Followers: It was during Guru Nanak's lifetime that he became a number of followers,
known as "Sikhs" ".
❖ Udasis: Guru Nanak undertook four "Udasiyan" journeys, in which he went to
different regions and spread his teachings to the people.
❖ His teachings:
➢ "Ek Onkar": Guru Nanak taught the concept of "Ek Onkar" , which means that
there is only one God.
➢ "Satsang": He stressed the importance of "satsang" or sacred fellowship, where
people gather to attain spiritual enlightenment and connect with God.
➢ "": Guru Nanak stressed the importance of "serving" others. He believed that
serving others is the true religion.
➢ Social Equality: Guru Nanak opposed, discrimination on the basis of caste, religion
or gender. He also stressed the importance of women's rights and education.
Surdas: Famous poet of Krishna devotion:
❖ Surdas, also known as Bhakta Surdas and Madhurya Rasik Sura, was one of the
principal poets of the 16th-century Bhakti movement.
❖ Lifespan: Surdas was born between 1478 and 1574. His place of birth is disputed,
some scholars believe that he was born in Vrindavan on the banks of the Yamuna
❖ Contribution:
❖ Krishna Bhakti: Surdas is famous for Krishna Bhakti or "Vatsala Rasa" He paid special
attention to Krishna's child form and described the various pastimes of his life.
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❖ Compositions: Surdas's most famous composition is "Surashtaka" (eight verses of
Surdas). He "" " also wrote other works like "Bhashavilas", "Sursagar", "Sahitya Lahiri"
and "Nataka Ratnavali"
❖ Sense of devotion: Surdas's compositions have a sense of intense devotion and love
towards Krishna. They call Krishna as 'Lalla' or 'Kanha' in their child form and
establish a mother-son or lover-girlfriend relationship with him.
❖ Liberation through Bhakti: Surdas believed that spiritual liberation could be achieved
only through devotion.
❖ His teachings:
➢ Love and Devotion: The main preaching of Surdas is of love and devotion towards
Krishna. He believes that only through love and devotion can man connect with
God.
➢ Surrender: Surdas's second important teaching is surrender. He believes that man
should surrender everything at the feet of God.
➢ Nirguna: Surdas also emphasises on nirguna i.e. being free from worldly
attachment-maya.
➢ Virtue: Surdas also emphasises on living a virtuous and moral life.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1533) –
❖ Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born in Nadia, Bengal. His real name was Nimai Pandit.
He took initiation of sannyas from Keshav Bharti. He promoted Kirtan and his
philosophy" is famous as "Achintya Bheda Abheda Vada". His followers called him
Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
Tulsidas (1532-1623) -
Biography:
❖ Tulsidas was born in 1532 in Soron, Uttar Pradesh.
❖ Family Life: His father was Atmaram Dubey and mother Hulsi Devi. His wife was
Ratnavali.
❖ Death: He died in Varanasi in 1623.
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Compositions:
❖ Ramcharitmanas: Tulsidas ji's most famous work is Ramcharitmanas, which is
considered to be the epic of Hindi literature. This is a translation of Goswami
Valmiki's Ramayana into Awadhi language.
❖ Other works: He wrote many compositions like Vinaya Patrika, Gitawali, Krishna
Gitawali, Ramlala Neelamani, Dohawali, Kavitavali, Janaki Mangal, Sunderkand,
Hanuman Bahuk etc.
Meera Bai–
Biography:
❖ Born: Meera Bai was born in 1515 or 1516 in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.
❖ Father: His father was Rana Ratan Singh II of Ratan Singh Bhoj,, Mewar.
❖ Marriage: In 1531, she was married to Yuvraj Bhojraj of Mewar.
❖ Death: He died in Vrindavan in 1570.
Krishna Bhakti:
❖ Meera Bai was a devotee of Krishna since childhood.
❖ Even after marriage, she dedicated her life to Krishna devotion.
❖ She considered Krishna as her husband and used to write songs and bhajans for him.
❖ The feeling of love, devotion and devotion to Krishna can be clearly seen in his
compositions.
Controversies and Conflicts:
❖ Meera Bai's way of living away from her devotion to Krishna and her social customs,
was not acceptable to the conservative society of that time.
❖ He was tortured many times by his family and society.
❖ In 1560, he decided to leave Mewar and move to Vrindavan, where he spent the rest
of his life in Krishna devotion.
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Contribution:
❖ Meera Bai is a prominent saint poetess of Hindi literature.
❖ His compositions depict devotion, love, suffering and spiritual experiences wonderfully.
❖ He has made significant contributions to enriching Hindi devotional literature.
❖ His compositions are still extremely popular among devotees and he is considered the
foremost saint of Krishna devotion.
Dadu Dayal -
❖ Dadu Dayal was a saint from Gujarat and started the Nipakh movement.
Narsingh Mehta –
❖ Narsingh Mehta" was the author of "Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye".
Shankar Dev -
❖ Shankar Dev is called the Chaitanya of Assam.
Ravidas (1377-1440):
❖ Ravidas was a famous saint of the Bhakti movement of India. They belonged to the
Nirguna Bhakti tradition, which means they believed God to be formless. Ravidas ji
was born in Varanasi and he belonged to the Chamar caste.
Other Saints:
❖ Namdev (1270-1330) was also a famous saint of the Nirguna Bhakti tradition. He
was born in Maharashtra and is considered the founder of the Varkari sect. He
composed devotional songs in Marathi language.
❖ Gyaneshwar (1275-1296) was also a famous saint of Maharashtra. He wrote a
famous treatise called "Dnyaneshwari" , which " is a commentary of "Bhagwat Gita"
in Marathi.
❖ Tukaram (1608-1650) was also a famous saint of Maharashtra. He " composed
devotional songs called "Abhang"
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Alwar and Nayanar: Devotee Saints of South India:
❖ The Alwars and Nayanars, also known as Bhakta saints , were the major pillars of
the Bhakti movement between the 6th to the 10th centuries in South India.
Alwar:
❖ They were an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu and his incarnations.
❖ It is believed that they were saints between the 6th and 8th centuries.
❖ Their works were written in Tamil language.
❖ Their hymns " have been compiled in a book called "Divya Prabandham"
❖ The Alvars challenged the tradition of emphasising Vedic ritualism and described
bhakti as the path to attaining salvation.
Nayanar:
❖ They were an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and his incarnations.
❖ It is believed that they were saints between the 5th and 10th centuries.
❖ Their works were also written in Tamil language.
❖ Their hymns " have been compiled in a book called "Thirumurai"
❖ The Nayanars came from different sections of society, from Brahmins to Dalits.
Mughal Dynasty
❖ The Mughal Dynasty was a Muslim dynasty that ruled much of India from the 16th
to the 19th centuries. This dynasty was founded in 1526 by Babur, who defeated
Sultan Ibrahim Lodi of Delhi in the First Battle of Panipat. The Mughal dynasty saw
the reign of six emperors, each of whom contributed to the expansion and prosperity
of the empire.
Babur (1483-1530):-
❖ Birth and Early Life:
➢ Babur was born in 1483 in Fergana (modern-day Uzbekistan).
➢ He was a descendant of the Timurid dynasty and became the ruler of Fergana at
the age of 15.
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➢ He was expelled from his kingdom many times in his youth, but he returned each
time and established his rule.
❖ India Victory:
➢ In 1526, Babur conquered India by defeating Sultan Ibrahim Lodi of Delhi in the
First Battle of Panipat.
➢ He then defeated Rana Sanga in the battle of Ghaghra in 1527 and Rana Ratan
Singh of Mewar in the battle of Khanwa in 1529.
➢ These conquests helped him to control much of northern India.
❖ Rule:
➢ Babur ruled India from 1526 to 1530.
➢ He established a centralised administrative system and encouraged agriculture,
trade and art.
➢ He was an efficient commander and a just ruler.
➢ He also wrote an autobiography called "Baburnama" , which is an important
source of the history of the Mughal period.
❖ Death:
➢ Babur died in 1530 at Agra.
➢ After his death, his son Humayun became the emperor of the Mughal Empire.
Importance of Babur:
❖ Babur is considered the founder of the Mughal Empire.
❖ He laid the foundation of Mughal rule in India, which lasted for the next 200 years.
❖ He was an ambitious emperor, skilled commander and just ruler.
❖ He also encouraged art, culture and literature.
Some facts about Babur:
❖ Babur was an avid hunter and nature lover.
❖ He was a scholar of Turkish, Persian and Arabic languages.
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❖ He " also wrote several other books besides "Baburnama"
❖ He was also an accomplished painter and musician.
Obsession with conquering Babur and Samarkand:
❖ To conquer Samarkand, the land of his ancestors, was a big dream of Babur.
However, they had frequent failures to achieve this goal:
❖ First failure (1494): After becoming the ruler of Fergana at the age of just 11, Babur
first attempted to conquer Samarkand, but he failed.
❖ Short-lived Conquest (1497): In 1497, Babur conquered Samarkand, but the victory
lasted only 100 days.
❖ There came a time in Babur's life when he had to lose his native kingdom Fergana
and also his capital Andijan. He describes this plight in his autobiography
"Baburnama" writing, "I did not celebrate two Ramzans at the same place"
❖ However, he did not lose courage. In search of a new abode and a new beginning,
Babur now turned to other options. He conquered Kabul in 1504 and assumed the
title of "Padshah" in 1507.
❖ This victory proved to be a turning point for Babur. By conquering Kabul he not only
established a new base for himself but also gained a strategic centre for the conquest
of India in future.
Position of India at the time of Babur's invasion:
❖ When Babur invaded India, the political situation of the country at that time was
unstable and divided. Let's take a look at the different areas:
❖ Delhi: Delhi was ruled by Ibrahim Lodi.
❖ Eastern India: Jaunpur was ruled by Sharqi Sultan, Bihar was ruled by Lohani Sardar
and Bengal was ruled by Nusrat Shah.
❖ Western India: Mewar was ruled by Rana Sanga, while Daulat Khan Lodi was acting
as an independent ruler in Punjab.
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❖ South India: To the south of the Vindhya Mountains were Khandesh, the Bahmani
kingdom (had disintegrated),, the Vijayanagara Empire, and the Portuguese colonies.
Series of Babur's invasions of India:
Babur invaded many times, dreaming of ruling India. These attacks took place in a
sequence, which we can understand as follows:
❖ First Invasion (1519): In 1519 Babur made his first invasion of India and conquered
two important cities of Sindh - Bajaur and Bhira . Subsequently, he also fought
another battle near Peshawar (1519).
❖ Second invasion (1520): During his third invasion in 1520, Babur subdued the two
conquered territories (Bajaur and Bhira) as well as Sialkot and Saidpur .
❖ Third Invasion (1524): During the fourth invasion in 1524, Babur conquered the
important cities of Punjab - Lahore and Dipalpur .
❖ Fourth Invasion (1526): Finally during his fifth invasion in 1526, Babur laid the
foundation of the Mughal Empire in India by defeating Ibrahim Lodi in the First
Battle of Panipat (April 21, 1526).
First Battle of Panipat (April 21, 1526):
❖ The First Battle of Panipat, which took place on April 21, 1526, , was a turning
point in Indian history. In this battle, Babur defeated Sultan Ibrahim Lodi of Delhi
and laid the foundation of the Mughal Empire.
❖ Babur's Strategy: Babur used two important war strategies in this war:
➢ Turkmeni War Policy "Tulugama": Under this policy Babur divided his army into
centre, right and left parts. In the centre there were artillery and less
experienced soldiers, while in the right and left parts cavalry and experienced
soldiers were stationed.
➢ Ottoman Artillery System: Babur inspired by the Ottoman Empire deployed
artillery in a systematic manner in battle.
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❖ Effect of Artillery: Artillery played an important role in the war. Babur had an
artillery expert "Ustad Ali Quli" , who operated the cannons. At the same time,
"Ustad Mustafa" was in charge of the gunned soldiers.
❖ Outcome of the battle: Babur's strategy and effective use of artillery led to his victory.
Sultan Ibrahim Lodi of Delhi was killed in this battle and paved the way for the
establishment of the Mughal Empire.
Battle of Khanwa (March 16, 1527)
❖ After the victory of Panipat, Babur was determined to rule permanently in India.
This led to his confrontation with Rana Sanga, the powerful ruler of Mewar,
becoming inevitable. Following are the details of some important points of the battle
of Khanwa:
❖ Reason for the war: Rana Sanga wanted to free India from foreign rule. He saw
Babur's presence as a threat.
❖ Babur's Strategy: Babur declared this war as "Jihad" This step was taken to boost the
morale of his troops.
❖ Result of the battle: Babur defeated Rana Sanga in the Battle of Khanwa that took
place on March 16, 1527. After the conquest, Babur " was given the title of "Ghazi"
❖ Significance of the War: The conquest of Khanwa strengthened the position of the
Mughal Empire in India. After this victory, Babur's centre of power shifted from
Kabul to Hindustan (India). This war proved to be an important milestone for the
Mughal Empire.
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