TeaThere is a heated debate going on around the Mughal era in India here. The BJP portrays it as a dark period, while established historians highlight the glory of the great Mughals. Previously, the popular narrative praised the Mughals as empire builders who expanded their territory, shaping the map of a united India under British rule. He is credited with winning wars and building iconic sites such as the Red Fort and the Taj Mahal. Most Indian children received this historical education through school textbooks.
However, since coming to power, the BJP has tried to reshape this narrative. Party-affiliated intellectuals and social media warriors are challenging the conventional view and are attributing the downfall of Sanatan civilization to the Mughals. They view the issue through the lens of Hindu-Muslim conflict, simplistically categorizing any Muslim as negative, with Mughals conveniently fitting their criteria. In contrast, historians attempt to maintain a balanced perspective on history.
The question that has not yet been resolved by either side is this: what was happening in Europe and America between 1526 and 1757 when the Mughals ruled large parts of India? Our emperors, kings and nawabs were busy consolidating their power, fighting battles and building magnificent palaces, forts and tombs. But there was no big scientific leap during the Mughal period.
In contrast, Europe experienced a seismic shift during this same period. The Renaissance, Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment reshaped the continent, ushering in unprecedented advances in natural science, technology, political thought and philosophy. The advent of the printing press in the 15th century democratized knowledge, promoted literacy, and encouraged intellectual and scientific exchange. The rise of the Reformation and Humanism encouraged critical thinking and promoted empirical methods of inquiry. Sadly, the Mughal Empire, though artistically vibrant, did not witness the same scientific revolution.
Much of what we know as Indian indigenous science is rooted in the ancient period, not the medieval period. India’s greatest social revolution of that time, the Bhakti era, did not naturally lead to an era of inquiry. The Mughal period was followed by Bhakti poets and saints who questioned religious orthodoxy. But he did not take it further by taking it to the Indian version of Enlightenment.
Read also: Was there a Mughal bias in Indian history textbooks? yes but not muslim
achievements of europe
Here are some notable European inventions and scientific advances that coincided with the “Great” Mughal rule in India between 1526 and 1757.
Heliocentric model (16th century): Nicolaus Copernicus proposed a heliocentric model of the solar system, challenging the prevailing geocentric view. His Work“On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres,” laid the foundation for modern astronomy and our understanding of the universe.
microscope (late 16th century): microscope, often attributed to Dutch scientist Antony van Leeuwenhoek, enabled the observation of tiny organisms and structures that were previously invisible to the naked eye. This invention laid the foundation for the field of microbiology and greatly advanced our knowledge of the microscopic world.
Telescope (1609): Dutch mathematician and astronomer credited with the invention of the telescope Hans Lippershey, 1609, Italian physicist and astronomer Galileo Became the first person to point a telescope skyward, allowing detailed exploration of celestial objects and contributing to progress in our understanding of the universe.
Blood circulation (1628): English physician William Harvey Published his work “De Motu Cordis” (On the Motion of the Heart), in which he described the circulation of blood throughout the body. This groundbreaking discovery revolutionized the understanding of the cardiovascular system and laid the foundation for modern physiology.
Barometer (1643): Evangelista Torricelli Invented the barometer, an instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure. The barometer played an important role in meteorology, leading to advances in weather forecasting and understanding of atmospheric phenomena.
Steam Pump (1698): steam pumpThe engine, also known as the atmospheric engine, was developed by Thomas Savery. It was one of the earliest steam-powered devices that used steam pressure to pump water. This paved the way for the development of more advanced steam technology.
Quinine for Malaria Treatment: During the 17th Century, the Medicinal Properties of quinineDerived from the bark of the cinchona tree, were recognized for their effectiveness against malaria. Quinine became an important treatment for malaria, and its discovery had a profound impact on public health and the treatment of this widespread disease.
Calculus (late 17th century): CalculationMathematics, a branch of mathematics, was developed independently by Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. This mathematical tool provided a framework for understanding and analyzing continuous change, making important contributions to physics, engineering, and mathematics.
Mercury thermometer (1714): credited to Polish-German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, the mercury thermometer was an important advance in temperature measurement. This contributed to advances in the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases as well as scientific research.
Now, we enter into the difficult part. Why did the great Mughals fail despite controlling vast empires and a relatively stable regime, while smaller and smaller European nation-states were successful in the advancement of science and knowledge?
lack of scientific investigation
Sociologist Max Weber theorized that India’s lack of scientific progress could be linked to the underlying religious and social structure, which did not encourage the rational, systematic thinking necessary for scientific innovation and technological advancement. These factors contributed significantly to the progress seen in Europe during the same period. Weber held that the Protestant ethic, especially in its Calvinist form, encouraged a kind of rationality conducive to the development of capitalism. Calvinist belief in predestination gave rise to the idea that earthly success could indicate one’s salvation in the Hereafter. As a result, this gave rise to a type of asceticism directed towards economic activity, where work became a duty and accumulating wealth was seen as a sign of God’s grace. However, this wealth was not to be used for hedonistic purposes.
In contrast, Weber argued that Indian religions, particularly Hinduism, did not promote the same austerity towards economic activity. According to Weber, Hindu society was divided into various castes, each caste defined by birth and having its own duties (dharma). The system did not encourage economic ambition or social mobility, both of which are integral to capitalism.
Weber also stated that Hindu beliefs such as the law of karma and the cycle of rebirth did not encourage the kind of rational economic activity that capitalism required. Instead the focus was on fulfilling one’s caste duties and achieving spiritual liberation (moksha) through renunciation of the world, which did not involve economic prosperity or material possessions.
While the Mughal Empire brought Islam to the forefront of India, it did not fundamentally change the social and religious structure of Indian society. The caste system remained in place, and economic activities were largely controlled by the ruling elite. The Mughals ruled India with the support of the existing ruling elite. Unlike Europe, where the Protestant Reformation encouraged personal interpretation of religious texts and uncritically promoted scientific inquiry, the Mughal Empire, though open to a variety of influences, did not encourage similar inquiry and rationalism.
The structure of the Mughal Empire was different from Europe. It was a centralized empire with a strong monarchical rule, while Europe during this period was divided into many smaller kingdoms, each competing with the other. This competition often drives scientific and technological innovation. The Mughals spent significant resources on military expansion, which may have hindered the development of a middle class. Additionally, the harsh and sometimes brutal methods of collecting land revenue may have contributed to the absence of a middle class and the consequential setback to scientific progress.
Another point to note is that the Mughals did not follow the model of Sher Shah Suri who ruled India from 1540 to 1545. transportation of their military equipment. Their focus was mainly on building their houses, forts and tombs.
Europe benefited from a series of technological transfers both within the continent and from other cultures, including China and the Islamic world, which contributed significantly to their scientific advancement. The Mughals, on the other hand, did not provide the same level of progress and failed India.
Dilip Mandal is the former managing editor of India Today Hindi magazine, and has written books on media and sociology. He tweeted @Profdilipmandal. Thoughts are personal.
(Edited by Prashant)