I am fascinated by the Mughal Empire. Simply Fascinated.
It all started in 5th grade when I insisted to know more about my ancestors because being a fully Bangladeshi girl wasn’t interesting enough, right? I was elated when my mom informed me that we were related to the Mughals, specifically to the Wazir of the third emperor, Akbar the Great. I spent hours and hours on the Internet doing research on my exotic ancestors at the mere age of 11, and it’s still what I do now to be quite honest. That’s what initiated my passion for Mughal history. 1- Growing factionalism at the Mughal Court 2- The rise of regional powers 3- The breakdown of the system of governance by local nobles The way we look at the past can shape the present. Mughals continue to play an important role at how Indians imagine themselves today.
One of the roots of contemporary Hindu nationalism is pride at India’s throwing off the shackles of imperialism and for many Hindu nationalists, that history of imperialism starts not the British, but with the Mughals.
