Delhi Tour Uncovers Shocking Facts of Aurangzeb Life

Why do tourists love Delhi for exploring? Undoubtedly, its colourful culture and vivacity are a few of its reasons. But the most appropriate answer is its historical monuments, like Red Fort, Qutub Minar, India Gate, Old Fort and so on places. The temptation of catching their glimpses snatches away sleep from their eyes. Its busy market place, Chandni Chowk, keeps them really busy in watching the trinkets, western apparels, ethnic wears, lip smacking eatables and many more articles. It seems as if they desire to trap and take away the ‘never before seen’ beauty of this union territory.

The most amazing facts that can fill every tourist with thrill are its historic accounts. Thousands of tourists hit this city for full day Delhi tour with the hopeful eyes to know how Mughals behaved in the past. Their accounts have become a legend today. Here below are few excerpts from the life of exceptional Aurangzeb. The facts on the ground will surely drag you to his age when he was ruling as “Mughal Badshah”:

1. Can you suggest what the complete name of Aurangzeb was? Puzzled? It was Abul Muzaffar Muhi-ud- Din Muhammad Aurangzeb. It sounds quite long but it was his actual identity by birth. But later, he became Aurangzeb Alamgir.
   
2. Tourists on Delhi tour packages often ask the guide to tell the gallantry account of Aurangzeb’s encounter with an elephant. How astounding it would be to face off an elephant by a kid! The environment became grim when an elephant became outrageous. But the one kid, that not only handled but also defeated it, was Aurangzeb. Thereafter, ‘Bahadur’ was attached to his name as ‘his epithet’.  His father weighed him in gold. The 15-year old Bahadur was awarded with Rs. 200,000 by his father.
   
3. After one year, he became the commander of a big army that included 10,000 horses and 4,000 cavalrymen.
   
4. He was declared the viceroy of Deccan at 18.
   
5. As the buzzes go around by the historians, he was sacked from this post just after 3 weeks of joining. Its reason was his sister’s uncertain death who was caught in fire and died.
   
6. He restricted singing, dancing and playing musical instrument during his rule.   
   
7. Hindus were annoyed with the Mughal King as he damaged and devastated temples. It portrayed him anti-Hindu ruler.
   
8. A contra image of Bahadur came in limelight when he donated ‘jagir’ (a piece of land) to temples. Some found it his clever trick to win the confidence of Hindus. 
   
9. He became very strict over the enforcement of morals. No evil practice, like dancing, singing, prostitution, gambling, drinking and narcotics was allowed.
   
10. Aurangzeb’s love for knowledge was never-ending. He used to spend Rs. 500 or more over his learning.
    
11. His taxation management and collection met the highest standard. He collected huge treasure by the tax. It is fact that India was the richest country at that time.
    
12. Unlike other Mughal Emperors, he did not spend extravagantly over architectures, except Moti Masjid, two outer defence walls of Red Forts in Delhi and Bibi Ka Maqbara in Aurangabad.
    
13. He committed the greatest sin of executing his brother Dara Shikoh cynically. It was an outcome of his jealous with Dara as he became favourite of Hindus. His allied brother Murad Baksh was also sentenced to death for being responsible for murder.
    
14. He was also blamed with the charge of poisoning his nephew, Sulaiman Shikoh, behind the bar.  
    
15. He was very famous for showing ‘no mercy’ to the one who is convicted. Neither blood relation nor brotherly love was his matter of interest.