ONLY RAJPUT AND MARATHA WERE ALLOWED TO RIDE HORSE IN MUSLIMS AND MUGAL RULE

 

WHEN AURANJEB ORDERED  NO HINDU CAN  RIDE HORSE BUT DUE TO SEVERE  PROTEST OF RAJPUTS AND MARATHA AURANJEB  WAS FORCED TO GIVE ORDER THAT  RAJPUT AND MARATHA CAN RIDE HORSE BUT NO ANY OTHER CASTE CAN RIDE IT

AURANJEB TRAMPLED HINDUS WHO PROTESTED JAZIA ON FOOT OF ELEPHANT

LEGACY OF MUSLIM RULE IN INDIA  BY  K S Lal Page 203 to 204

The protest of the Brahmans did succeed in getting some concessions from the King. He fixed their Jiziyah at a low rate although in status they belonged to the upper class. Secondly, he permitted other Hindus (shopkeepers and traders) to pay the tax on their behalf. But Aurangzeb (1658-1707) was more adamant because he himself knew the law well. His imposition of the Jiziyah provoked repeated protests. On the publication of this order (reimposing the Jiziyah) by Aurangzeb in 1679, writes Khafi Khan, the Hindus all round Delhi assembled in vast numbers under the jharokha of the Emperor to represent their inability to pay and pray for the recall of the edict But the Emperor would not listen to their complaints. One day, when he went to public prayer in the great mosque on the sabbath, a vast multitude of the Hindus thronged the road from the palace to the mosque, with the object of seeking relief. Money changers and drapers, all kinds of shopkeepers from the Urdu bazar mechanics, and workmen of all kinds, left off work and business and pressed into the way Every moment the crowd increased, and the emperors equippage was brought to a standstill. At length an order was given to bring out the elephants and direct them against the mob. Many fell trodden to death under the feet of elephants and horses. For some days the Hindus continued to assemble, in great numbers and complain, but at length they submitted to pay the Jiziyah. 40 Abul Fazl Mamuri, who himself witnessed the scene, says that the protest continued for several days and many lost their lives fighting against the imposition.41 There were organized protests in many other places like Malwa and Burhanpur. In fact it was a countrywide movement, and there was not a district where the people and Muqaddams did not make disturbances and resistance.42 Even Shivaji sent a strong remonstrance and translated into practice the threat of armed resistance he had posed. Similar objection was registered against pilgrim tax in Rajasthan, and when in 1694 IT WAS ORDERED THAT EXCEPT FOR RAJPUTS AND MARATHAS, NO HINDUS WERE TO BE ALLOWED TO RIDE AN IRAQI OR TURANI HORSE OR AN ELEPHANT, NOR WERE THEY TO USE A PALANQUIN, MANY HINDUS DEFIED IT LIKE IN MULTAN AND AHMADNAGAR. 43 Peoples resentment against Aurangzeb was also expressed in incidents in which sticks were twice hurled at him and once he was attacked with bricks but escaped.44

MAASIVE CIVILIAN KILLING BY AKBAR AND JAHAGIR AND PROTEST BY HINDU FARMERS

LEGACY OF MUSLIM RULE IN INDIA  BY  K S Lal Page 241 to 245

But as the people put up a continual resistance, the Muslim government suppressed them ruthlessly. In this exercise the Mughal emperors were no better than the pre-Mughal sultans. We have often referred to the atrocities of the Delhi sultans and their provincial governors. Abul Fazl, Bernier and Manucci provide detailed accounts of the exertion of the Mughals. Its summing up by Jahangir is the most telling. In his Tarikh-i-Salim Shahi he writes: I am compelled to observe, with whatever regret, that notwithstanding the frequent and sanguinary executions which have been dealt among the people of Hindustan, the number of the turbulent and disaffected never seems to diminish; for what with the examples made during the reign of my father, and subsequently of my own, there is scarcely a province in the empire in which, either in battle or by the sword of the executioner, five or six hundred thousand human beings have not, at various periods, fallen victims to this fatal disposition to discontent and turbulence. Ever and anon, in one quarter or another, will some accursed miscreant spring up to unfurl the standard of rebellion; so that in Hindustan never has there existed a period of complete repose.72