The Royal Firmans (Public Welfare) in Haryana | HPSC Preparation: All subjects - HPSC (Haryana) PDF Download

Jahangir's Visit to Haryana in 1605 and Prince Khusrau's Revolt

• In 1605, soon after becoming the Mughal Emperor, Jahangir made a visit to Haryana. During this time, Prince Khusrau, who had revolted against Jahangir's rule, arrived in Sarai Narela, set its rest house on fire, and then proceeded to Panipat. 
• The Faujdar of Panipat fled to Lahore, with the prince in pursuit. Upon hearing of these events, Jahangir decided to deal with the situation personally and left Agra on April 6, 1606.

Jahangir's Journey in Haryana

• In the Tuzukd-Jahangiri, an account of Emperor Jahangir's life, there is a detailed description of his travels through Haryana. The Emperor's route took him through various places, such as Palwal, Faridabad, Delhi Narela, etc. 
• The account also makes mention of the two historic battles of Panipat, which were won by Jahangir's father and ancestor. During the journey, Jahangir showed off his hunting skills by killing two tigers with a gun, which he claimed had blocked the path for the "servants of God" on the way from Panipat to Karnal.
• The passage mentions that Jahangir elevated Abi din Khwaja and pirzada, the son of Khwaja Khan, to the rank of 1000 in the latter place. It also talks about the punishment given to Shaikh Nizam Thanesari, who was accused of deceiving Khusrau during his revolt. Jahangir ordered him to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca and provided him with road expenses. After quashing the rebellion, Jahangir likely traveled through Haryana on his way back to the capital.
• Jahangir's memoirs state that he gave the sarkar (administrative unit) of Hisar Firuza to Prince Khurram, who was now the heir-apparent to the throne. During his return from the Kashmir expedition in 1620, Jahangir's camp was set up on the bank of the river Sarasvati near the qasba (small town) of Mustafabad. On his second expedition to Kashmir in 1622, he stopped at Thanesar and Karnal, where Her Singh Deo Bundela and Asaf Khan met with him respectively.
• In the time of Jahangir, English traveler William Finch visited the area in 1611 and noted the unsafe roads. He witnessed a Faujdar of Delhi with a group of two thousand horses and foot chasing thieves and burning their homes on his way to Lahore. At Ganaur and Panipat, pillars with the heads of a hundred thieves were erected and their bodies set on stakes for a mile. At Karnal, the traveler's group was attacked by thieves who tried to steal their luggage. Finch also described the sacred tank at Thanesar, its castle, and pagodas, which were highly respected by idolators all over India. He also mentioned the salammoniac industry in the area.
• Jahangir implemented severe actions to curb the issue of robbery and theft that plagued the area. The official order issued by the emperor in 1605 explicitly laid out the rules of conduct (dastur-ul-amal) to be followed across his dominions to tackle this issue.
• The royal decree issued in 1605 ordered that measures be taken to address the issue of theft and robbery on the roads, especially those situated close to human settlements. It was decreed that the jagirdars of the area should construct sarais (public rest-houses), mosques, and wells to encourage people to settle down in those areas. If the roads were near a khalsa estate (directly managed by the state), the administrator (mutasaddi) of that area would be responsible for implementing these measures.

Jahangir's Public Welfare Activities in Haryana

• Jahangir, the Mughal Emperor, was committed to public welfare activities that greatly benefitted the people of Haryana. In a firman issued in 1606, Jahangir ordered the preparation of bulghur-khanas, free-eating-houses where cooked food could be provided for the poor according to their condition. This measure aimed to benefit both residents and travelers. 
• In another firman issued in 1619, Jahangir referred to previous measures of planting trees on straight wide roads from Agra to the river Attock and ordered the setting up of a pillar (mil) at every kossy, which was the sign of a kossy, and a well at every three koss. 
• The objective of this order was to provide wayfarers with ease and contentment and prevent them from enduring hardships from thirst or the heat of the sun. The construction of sarais, roads, and wells substantially benefitted the region.
• Jahangir, in his Memoirs, recounts a severe epidemic that struck the regions of Punjab, Lahore, Sirhind, Doab, Delhi, and its surrounding areas in the 10th year of his reign (1615), causing massive destruction. The Emperor sought opinions from physicians and scholars about the cause of the epidemic. 
• Some attributed it to the two-year drought and the lack of rainfall, while others believed that the corrupt air caused it due to the drought and scarcity. Abul Fazl and Badaoni also mentioned the scarcity of rainfall and the occurrence of famines, but it is uncertain if their accounts pertain to Haryana. Despite the Mughal administration's efforts to undertake public welfare works, frequent and devastating natural disasters continued to ravage the lives of the people.

The Safarndmd of Abdul-Latif al’ Abdullah al’ Abbasi as a Source of Haryana's History in the Seventeenth Century

• Abdul-Latif al' Abdullah al' Abbasi, a renowned scholar of Gujarat, provides an important source for the history of Haryana during the first half of the seventeenth century A.D. His Safarndmd records his journey with his patron Abdul Hassan from Gujarat to Bengal, passing through various towns and cities in Haryana. 
• The itinerary from Sambhar to Ludhiana and back to Delhi via Sirhind covers a number of places in Haryana, including Narnaul, Hisar-i-Firuza, Meham, Kaithal, Jind, Sirhind, Samana, Phullor, Thanesar, Panipat, and Delhi.
• Abdul Latif, in his account of Kurukshetra, mentions Sheikh Jalal Thanesari and the Hindu faith in the holy Sannihit tank, where people from far and wide came to take a dip. He narrates several anecdotes about the miraculous powers of the tank, including its ability to provide salvation, give progeny, and remove sins and diseases. 
• However, as an orthodox Muslim, he disapproved of these beliefs, which he considered to be nothing but sheer nonsense. He also mentions Jahangir's order for the construction of buildings on the tank's bank. Despite this, Abdul Latif held a poor opinion of Thanesar, which he referred to as a "useless and unblessed place" since it no longer produced people like Sheikh Jalal Thanesari. He also thought that Panipat was a small town.
• Latif provides a detailed account of Narnaul, which was a part of Agra Subah and densely populated at that time. He praises the people of the city, particularly the governor Shah Quli Khan (Hakim-e-Narnaul) and his brother Islam Quli Khan for their impressive construction of mansions, markets, baths, bridges, picturesque lakes, and gardens in the grand city (Shehreast azeem), which was also a famous health resort. 
• Among Shah Quli Khan's notable achievements, Latif highlights the Hauz-U Kesar and the Roza-e-Ruzwan (the Garden of Paradise) located in the middle of it.

Latif's Account of Narnaul

• In his historical account, Latif provides a comprehensive description of Narnaul, which was a densely populated part of Agra Subah. He praises the governor of the city, Shah Quli Khan (also known as Hakim-e-Narnaul) and his brother Islam Quli Khan for their impressive construction work, including magnificent mansions, bustling markets, rejuvenating baths, sturdy bridges, scenic lakes, and breathtaking gardens in the grand city, which was also a renowned health resort.
• Latif also highlights Shah Quli Khan's remarkable accomplishments, including the construction of Hauz-U Kesar, which had the Roza-e-Ruzwan (the Garden of Paradise) located in the center. Overall, Latif portrays Narnaul as a thriving and beautiful city that was a testament to the ingenuity and vision of its leaders.
• According to Latif, Narnaul was an unparalleled place on earth that was extremely clean and beneficial to the whole country, as if heaven had descended to earth. He considers his three-day stay at Narnaul to be the best part of his life. 
• Shah Quli Khan constructed another beautiful garden named Bagh-e-Aram near the tank, where he himself was later buried. Islam Quli Khan built his own mausoleum in this garden. Latif also visited the tomb of Sher Shah Sur's grandfather in Narnaul, which he regarded as an excellent example of Indo-Saracenic art, as well as the tomb of a renowned Pir located nearby.

Shahjahan and the Marble Tomb of Thanesar

• Shahjahan was highly concerned with protecting crops on the roads from Agra to Lahore, where the movement of army was frequent. To fulfill this purpose, he appointed special officers like daroga, mushrif, and amin, and compensated the aggrieved parties in case of crop damage. 
• It is likely that Shahjahan, like his predecessors, visited Thanesar, which had already become a military halting station on the way from Agra to Lahore.
• The local tradition associates Shahjahan with the construction of a marble tomb in Thanesar that was originally built in honor of Sheikh Jalaluddin, who was Akbar's contemporary. However, the tomb later became the final resting place of his disciple Sheikh Chehali, who was a contemporary of Shahjahan and Dara Shikoh. 
• The construction of this magnificent and massive tomb was either carried out by Shahjahan or more likely by his son Dara Shikoh, who had a great passion for Sufi religion and philosophy.
• The tomb's use of marble and red stone, its massive structure, and its imposing elegance and style all suggest features that are conspicuous in Shahjahan's buildings.
• During Shahjahan's rule, the Shahjahan-nama records that an old canal which had been built by Firuz Tughlaq and had fallen into disuse due to lack of water was restored. The canal, known as Nahar-i-Shahab during Akbar's time, had been previously repaired by Shahabuddin Ahmad Khan, the Fauzdar of Delhi. 
• Shahjahan ordered the canal to be repaired from Khizrabad to Safidon and extended it up to the imperial palace, renaming it Nahar-i-Bihisht. However, the Badshahnama mentions that in 1646, during Shahjahan's reign, a shortage of rainfall led to famine in the Punjab.
• The emperor commanded the creation of ten kitchens to provide cooked food to the people in the province. Sayyid Jalal was tasked with distributing 10,000 rupees to the poor and needy. The children who had been sold were rescued by the government and returned to their families. In February 1647, Shahjahan authorized an additional 30,000 rupees to aid relief efforts in the Punjab.

Francois Bernier's Account of the Solar Eclipse Festival in Thanesar

• During the period of 1656-68, Francois Bernier, a foreign traveller who visited India, provides interesting details about the solar eclipse in 1666 and highlights Thanesar. He observed the eclipse festival on the banks of Jamuna and noted that it was celebrated with the same external observances in the Indus, Ganges, and other rivers and tanks. 
• However, he specifically mentioned Thanesar, which had more than one hundred and fifty thousand people gathered from all over the empire. The tank at Thanesar was considered more holy and meritorious on the day of an eclipse than those of others. Bernier's account sheds light on the grandeur and significance of the eclipse festival in Thanesar during the 17th century.
• After losing the war of succession, Dara Shikoh escaped towards Lahore through the region. The area had been under his control for a long time and was being managed by his loyal deputy, Sayyid Ghairat Khan. Since March 6, 1935, Hisar-Firuza had been under the control of Dara. He would also spend time at Palwal where his trusted lieutenant, Feroze Khan Mewati, lived. It was in the village Sultanpur, located in this region, where Dara's son, Sipahar Shikoh, was born.

An Account of Highway Robberies During Dara's Reign

• Niccolao Manucci, a Venetian traveler who served Dara, decided to meet his master in Lahore. As he passed through the region, he observed the anarchical conditions characterized by highway robberies, plunders, and murders.
• The situation was so bad that travellers had to be armed at all times and avoid traveling after sunset. Even the villagers joined the robbers in attacking and killing travelers.
• Within twenty-four hours of hearing about the situation, Aurangzeb sent Bahadur Khan with several troops of cavalry to occupy the road to and from Agra on the west. Despite this effort, the villagers continued to support the robbers. 
• The only respite for travelers was the safety provided by the Sarais, where they took shelter at night. The travelers had to halt every day at noon to rest and feed their animals and resume their march before sunset to reach another Sarai positively.
• Manucci encountered a dangerous incident near Panipat, where his cart driver disappeared, and the villagers surrounded him to rob him. Luckily, he had nothing on him, and the driver returned after receiving scolding and beating from Manucci. 
• On their onward journey, they saw the horrible sight of an advance party that was plundered and butchered by the robbers. Although Manucci wanted to help the wounded, the driver did not allow it. Manucci's party was stricken with fear until they reached the river Biyas, where Daud Khan, an officer of Dara, met them.
• This account depicts the disorderly state that existed in this region towards the end of Shahjahan's rule, and how the governmental system was unable to safeguard the people's lives and belongings.
• On his return to Delhi, Niccolao Manucci followed the same route through this region that Dara had taken after his capture by Jiwan Khan. 
• At Sirhind, he witnessed the dead bodies of Jiwan Khan and his men, stoned by the people on orders from Aurangzeb. This incident illustrates the turbulent conditions that prevailed during the closing years of Shahjahan's reign and the lack of protection for people's lives and property by the administrative machinery.
• Aurangzeb did not provide any support to this region, unlike his predecessors. His animosity towards the area stemmed from the Mewati and Satnami uprisings and its allegiance to Dara. As a result, Aurangzeb had to resort to a policy of suppression in dealing with the region.

The Rise of Savaliya Mev and Hathi Singh Badgujar and Aurangzeb's Diplomatic Solution

• Savaliya Mev from the village of Sanhole and Hathi Singh Badgujar from the village of Dahana were the first to rebel against Aurangzeb by recruiting Mevs and Rajputs, respectively. They caused enough trouble to the imperial forces. 
• To deal with the issue, Aurangzeb chose a diplomatic approach. He befriended Rao Nand Ram, an influential Ahir leader from Bolani near Rewari. With his help, Aurangzeb captured Hathi Singh, forcing him to surrender to the emperor. 
• As a reward, Aurangzeb granted the jagir of Rewari and its surrounding area to Rao Nand Ram, and this was the beginning of the Rao estate of Rewari. Aurangzeb's hostility towards the region was due to the Mewati and Satnami uprisings and the fact that the region was strongly attached to Dara. Therefore, he had to follow a policy of repression towards the area.
• The emperor eventually released Hathi Singh to deal with Savaliya Mev, which proved successful as Hathi Singh killed Savaliya and was rewarded with the jagir of Ghaseda, consisting of eleven villages. 
• However, the murder of Savaliya led to widespread uprisings among the Mevs, who engaged in guerrilla warfare for a while but ultimately succumbed to the imperial forces. 
• The region of Mewat was heavily plundered, and many of its inhabitants were brutally killed, a tragic event that was later immortalized in a popular folk song. The events described here illustrate the ruthless tactics employed by the imperial forces to quell dissent and maintain control over the region.