Mughals, Marathas and Bhakti–Sufi Movements – UPSC GS1

The Mughal empire (1526–1857) was one of the largest and richest states of the early modern world. At its height under Aurangzeb, it covered almost the whole subcontinent, and in 1700 India may have produced…

The Mughals saw the emperor as a figure above all religious and social groups. Abul Fazl, in the Akbarnama, described kingship as a divine light (farr-i-izadi) passed from God to the king, which made him…

Mughal culture blended Persian, Central Asian and Indian traditions. Mughal rulers were great patrons, and their courts drew artists, poets and builders from Persia as well as from Rajasthan, Gujarat and the Deccan. The result…

The Marathas emerged as the strongest challenge to the Mughals in the 17th century and became the dominant power in India by the mid-18th century. Their rise had deep roots: Geography: the hilly, rugged Sahyadri…

Bhakti means loving devotion to a personal god. It holds that salvation can be reached through sincere devotion, not through rituals, sacrifices, caste status or learning in Sanskrit. Ideas of bhakti appear in the Bhagavad…