Contextualising Dara

• Dara Shukoh, eldest son of Shah Jahan, was born on 20 March 1615 near Ajmer after prayers at Muinuddin Chishti’s tomb.
• Not much is known about Dara’s childhood; official records focus more on royal visits, promotions, and gifts.
• At age 13, Dara began his education, which included learning the Quran, Persian poetry, and history of Timur.
• Education in Mughal India was private and closely tied to religion; the state did not provide public education.
• Education was of an elementary character, with families of hereditary Muslim scholars in towns like Tatta, Sialkot, and Kanauj offering advanced instruction.
• Arabic was used for higher education in subjects like science, philosophy, mathematics, and theology, while Persianwas studied for social accomplishment.
• Students sought a Mecca degree to gain the highest respect and qualification for roles like chief Qaziship.
• Mulla Abdul Latif Sultanpuri was Dara’s teacher, focusing on intellectual advancement, scholarly habits, and speculative science.
• Dara rejected orthodox commentaries and was particularly interested in mystical studies and the works of Rumi and Jami.
• Dara preferred the philosophy of Aristotle and Plato over military heroes like Alexander the Great.
• Dara received practical training in valour, warfare, and leadership, and his military commands were greater than those of his younger brothers.
• Shah Jahan wanted Dara to learn administration under his direct supervision and kept him at court.
• Dara’s marriage to Nadira Begum in February 1633 was the costliest wedding in Mughal history, with a total expenditure of 32 lakhs.
• Jahanara, Dara’s sister, contributed 16 lakhs of her own inheritance to the wedding.
• Dara’s harem had slave girls, but he did not marry again, and all his sons and daughters were born to Nadira Begum.
• Historians and European travellers like Bernier and Manucci describe Dara Shukoh as having dignified manners, joyous and polite nature, gracious in speech, compassionate, kind-hearted, and extremely liberal.
• Dara was also over-confident, with an exalted opinion of himself, believing he was complete and needing no advisors.
• His friends never informed him of essential matters due to his arrogance.
• Dara lacked political astuteness and could not estimate courtiers or study people at first hand.
• M. Faruqui describes him as stubborn, easily swayed by flattery, abusive when thwarted, eager to resort to astrology or magic for guidance, insensitive to suffering of Mughal troops, and incompetent as a military commander.
• Dara assumed fortune would favour him and believed everyone loved him.
• Bernier observed that Dara was easily angered, but his anger was seldom more than momentary.
• During his public parade after being captured by Aurangzeb, Dara showed compassion by giving his wrapper to a beggar, despite his fall from glory.
• Dara Shukoh was a practising Sufi of the Qadiri order, often associating with Hindu ascetics, scholars, and philosophers.
• The Qadiri order, like the Chishti Silsila, believed in universalism, tolerance towards all religions, service, and contemplation of the Almighty.
• The Qadiri tradition interacted deeply with Hindu saints and yogis, gaining knowledge of Hindu Advaita philosophyand yogic practices.
• Dara was attracted to Akbar’s policy of Sulb-i-kul but was aware of the futility of creating a new religion.
• Dara was charged with apostasy and heresy, but he remained loyal to Islam and sought a common platform for unityand peace among different faiths.
• He aimed to reconcile Islam with progress, culture, and civilization of the world at large.