OutFocus Dec 14

HAPPY XMAS AND NEW YEAR!!!

SHWETA BASU 06

ACQUITTED FROM PROSTITUTION CASE

DEAR KUSHBOO...

OPEN LETTER TO THE FORMER SUPER-HEROINE

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16 LAST - SHORT SERIES [6]

SERIES ENDING

QUANTUM 6 | DECEMBER 2014 WWW.ISSUU.COM/THEFEATHERS

“My idea of professionalism is probably a lot of people’s idea of obsession”

-David Fincher

EDITORIAL

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Winter is coming.

Winter doesn’t mean it’s gonna snow all over and we’re gonna finally get to build snowmen. At least not all around the world. Definitely not here, in the southern end of the Indian subcontinent. But does it matter? Westernization has grown so much that advertising and marketting in India is blindly following its western counterparts. Supposedly, it’s the winter season and winter sale is on full swing. And as we have been taught in school, there are four seasons and winter is one of them. But, buckle up folks: majority of India has only two seasons - Monsoon and non Monsoon. I guess monsoon sale won’t be appropriate. After all, the west don’t have a monsoon sale. So,

Brace yourselves, Winter is coming.

OUT FOCUS

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INSIDE

06 SHWETA ACQUITTED FROM CASE

16 LAST [6] SERIES FINALE

OUTFOCUS

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EDITOR AR MUTHU KUMAR ASSO. EDITOR SGA THOMAS WRITERS SHRIKANTH, SOMA, SARU PHOTOS KEVIN MATHEW QUOTES NIRMAL HENRY

A GIRL’S PAGE

SARU

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MUGHAL 32 DECLINE OF THE

BACKGROUND PHOTO SAYED M SALAHUDDIN

COVER STORY

06

Actress Shweta Basu

ACQUITTED FROM PROSTITUTION CASE slams at media response following her false arrest and expresses her strength

Shweta Basu Prasad, who was mired in a controversy this year when she was caught in an alleged prostitution racket, has accused the media of wrongly dragging her name into a prostitution case. The starlet was sent to a rescue home for 59 days after a prostitution racket allegedly involving her was busted, reports PTI. She is an awardwinning actress. She won the National Award in 2002 for the best child artiste for her role in Makdee.

She also won several awards for her remarkable role as the sister of the lead character, in the 2005 film Iqbal. She has had a successful career in films and television across four languages.

Shweta is in the limelight because three months ago she was caught in a police raid on an alleged prostitution racket. On a tip-off, the Hyderabad police planted a decoy customer, who paid an “agent” some advance money.

Based on this tip-off and payment, the

police raided the hotel where Shweta was staying, and “rescued” her. She was sent to a rescue home for six months. Her mother intervened through a court order, and Shweta was released in two months. She was quoted then as saying that bankruptcy had forced her into the sex trade.

Many film insiders had publicly spoken out in her support, including actress Deepika Padukone and TV star Sakshi tanwar.

According to a report

COVER STORY

in Times of India dated September 13, 2014, Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone had commented on the Shweta Basu Prasad case. Speaking to Indiatimes about Shweta, Deepika said that there is nothing wrong with it (her involvement in prostitution) if it was the only thing she could do to support herself and family. She said that it is unfair to make a scandal about it and rather than looking down upon her, it was time to get together and support her.

and wrote, “My take on Shweta Prasad.

Great actress (Iqbal).

Sweet wonderful girl.

Don’t judge her and leave her be for god’s sake!!!”

Director Hansal Mehta went a step ahead and offered the her a role in his upcoming film too.

He took to Twitter and wrote, “Stop posting pictures of Shweta.

Put out the pictures of her wealthy clients and the pimp. Expose the scumbags not the soft target. I intend to offer Shweta Prasad a It was not just Deepika role in my next film. who came in support She was so good in of National Award Makdee.” winner Shweta Basu Prasad.

Filmmakers Karan Johar and Sakshi wrote, “I’m at the Vishal Bhardwaj appalled also touched upon way the issue has this sensitive case. been dealt with by Filmmaker Nagesh the media. We, the Kukunoor who people, are so eager directed Shweta in to pass judgments Iqbal came to her and share opinions rescue on Twitter about her on social

media, but none of us have walked the hard yards in her shoes... so, do we actually have a right to judge her yet? I don’t know her reasons and problems, and I don’t know any solutions either... All I know is that she is kept in a remand home and that she has apparently given a statement accepting it. At least she has been brave enough to accept it (as per the reports)”.

There are many troubling aspects to this case. Firstly, was Shweta being arrested or was she being rescued? If arrested, should she not be formally charged with a crime? What was her crime? Soliciting for sex? Prostitution?

But prostitution has two sides, a buyer and seller of sex. You can’t just arrest one side of the transaction.

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COVER STORY

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Where was the buyer?

How come no arrest of buyers? Was she alone in the hotel room?

Most often women are coerced into prostitution, either due to economic circumstance or threats of violence.

There are stories galore of the exploitative “casting couch” in the film industry.

Things took a U turn, when Shweta was released after 59 days.

She was disappointed with how media took miguiding stories.

In her open letter “I was in Hyderabad for Santhosham Awards, which was conducted on 30th August. I was never encouraged to get into commercial sex and no agent booked

my tickets and stay there! My tickets and accommodation was done by the award event organizers. The hotel where I stayed with other guests of the award ceremony was a hospitality partner with the event. I still have the itinerary in my email inbox.”

She also said in an Interview “Call it fate or whatever, I missed my flight back in the morning. My air ticket and stay were done by the organisers of the awards function.

I still have the ticket.

I’ve been told that the agent has been arrested. The case is being investigated.

I am a victim in the whole situation. There was a raid... I am not

denying the incident.

But the facts are not what they’ve been made out to be.”

On her acquition, Shweta came down at the media with an open letter addressed to all the media people where she demands their credibility to write such things. She pointed out that she was in a rescue home for two months, cut off from media and telephone, effectively meaning she could not have given the supposed media statement reported where she accepts the charges against her. Furthermore, no businessmen were arrested or reported arrested along with her arrest.

COVER STORY

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photo: Shweta Basu, when she appeared for an interview at 9XE following her acquition Shweta was acquitted from the case on 7th December 2014.

Which means that she is really a victim.

Then she should be entitled to her privacy and anonymity. For instance, the law prohibits anyone from disclosing the identity of a rape victim. The penalty for disclosure, even accidental and unintentional disclosure is imprisonment. Even after death, Nirbhaya’s identity is protected.

In contrast, Shweta’s name, as well as

details about her life, how much she allegedly “charged” have all been happily broadcast by all (including the police).

The worst thing is that she was never even convicted. Even if the allegations were true, to this day we do not know anything about the “pimp” or all those paying customers.

They have all evaporated, or did not exist. As a victim she deserves full protection of anonymity, and all the support that survivors

get. Thankfully many prominent citizens, film actors and others have reached out strongly in her support. But the social stigma of having been caught in a police raid will never go away.

This is most troubling, that someone who is a victim has to hide her face in shame. And those who exploited her enjoy immunity from the law and the spotlight.

- Sga Thomas, associate editor.

limatgans@gmail.com

OPEN LETTER

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Dear Kushboo...

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PAST SUPER-HEROINE Dear Kushboo, There was a time in 1990, at Vellore a theatre had to release an advertisement asking repeat audience not to continue flocking the theatres, as new audience were not getting an opportunity to watch the movie.

The movie in question was ‘Pazhamudhir Cholai’ and you were there in it. That Chinese Butler singularly was the reason for people like me occupying the theatre continuously for a week prompting such an advertisement.

You had that screen presence to match the superstars, whether it was Kamal or Rajni you held your space. And along with Kamal we

were drooling behind you in Singaravelan.

Just because there was some incongruity between the jobs we were at and carrying a brick for your temple, we desisted. Not that we were missed, there were enough bricks and heads. Not once we thought we could be brickheads.

hero has his head on your bosom, this time only to wet it with his tears, as a son to mother.

Your silver streaks has to be dyed and so should be the hero’s. Only that while you go from black to white, he goes white to black. That is the ephemeral nature of an actress’s career, we all know. And before we realize we have been Why am I suddenly seeing you for a while, blabbering about all you disappear. this? Is it the impending 50th birthday and since Some people at this 50 is the new 40, am I stage, find an industrialist having a midlife crisis? from the USA, go there I am afraid that you do and maybe run a dance and not me. school raise children and yourself, only to come All heroines fade out. back with daughters Agreed it is a curse. You who still carry puppy start off pairing with fat attempting to make heroes double your age a career as an actress. and before you age 10 The hero is waiting, he years extra, the same

OPEN LETTER

paired with you when you were his daughter’s age and then became his mother and now that he has a granddaughter, he is waiting for your daughter to be paired to him.

But some of you immediately reappear, either as protagonists in television serials or as a host of reality shows. Of course the jackets again get popular because of still attractive people.

And then, you are in the living room of every house, all of us dutifully relinquishing the titular role as a fan to our respective wives.

philosophies. We were bored to death by your new found enthusiasm of repackaging an old wine. But we still loved you, so much so, we will call a new heroine as ‘Chinna Kushboo’.

have joined a party that is dated by itself.

Now, we demand an answer. What exactly is running in your mind?

Who is advising you?

Your husband seems to be happy and content dancing with your clone, whereas you are dancing once again grandfathers and fathers. What are you achieving by these actions? Are you really bugged by the cliché called social service? If so, have you not heard of the ‘Udavum Karangal’ and its cousins? Why go that far? At least a Rotary?

And then you fall out.

We don’t know why you joined on the first place, so we don’t pester you asking for an answer about why you left. We empathized with you that politics is no place for nice people like you. After all the great Rajni is afraid of it. We even felt sorry for you.

We were happy that we had outside chance of seeing the backless But very few of your ilk jacket back.

What makes you do has done what you have what you do? Like the done. Coming from This is where the twist Vikram & Betal story, Punjab commanding a happens. You suddenly if you know the answer temple in your name, you join Congress. Do you to this question and still suddenly found great know that a group of don’t answer it, then virtues in the Dravidian baboons is called as your head will explode movement and found Congress? In our case in into a thousand pieces. intellectual refuge in Tamil Nadu, it is a case a nonagenarian and of ‘group of buffoons’. But if you don’t know started preaching all of If you earlier embraced that answer yourself, us which we discarded a party with dated then our head will break as ‘past sell-by-date’ philosophies, now you into a thousand pieces.

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COVER STORY

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SHORT STORY

THE QUEST

NIRMAL HENRY

To some people, it doesn’t matter if its sunrise or sunset for all their lives they have never seen light. I learnt that we learn not when there is light but when it is pitch black.

We grope around in the dark, we can feel our instincts sharpen and our courage rise against the imminent danger lurking in the dark.

I am blessed to have seen both light and darkness but lately the line between the two has blurred. I ask myself if this is the place I wanted to reach all my life. If yes then why am I not happy?

Even with many such questions eating away my soul slowly, it never bothered me enough to find the answers.

It was an unpleasant evening. The ruins of a fallen empire lay before me. The rivers of blood flashed before my eyes and the cries of people being murdered echoed in my ears.

My destination lay a hundred feet away from me but I felt no rush. It had been such a long journey that I even forgot where I started but I do remember that a part of me believed this will be all over in a short span of time.

We don’t realise that time passes even in stopped clocks and we believe we can outrun it one day. Time heals you as much as it scars you. I feel like I’ve run all my life to reach here and never cared to look back but when I finally am here there is nothing to look back to. I feel old and tired now and I can sense my spirit dying too but shouldn’t one taste the fruit before axing down a tree?

With a torn ancient map leading to a lost treasure forming the entirety of my possessions; I started moving towards the treasure.

The sun had almost

set and it seemed to suck my energy with its descent. Suddenly I felt weak in the legs and heavy in the chest. My head started spinning and I crashed on the ground sending dust into my nose and mouth.

I started coughing up blood. It felt like somebody pulled the rug right under me; like somebody is removing one by one the pieces of the puzzle I’ve tried to solve all my life.

The micro blackouts were increasing in frequency and duration. The pain shot up and my body started spasming violently. My heartbeat echoed more intensely in my ears. As sudden as the onset, the spasming stopped.

As a strange kind of calm settled upon me, I stole one final glance into the world. The sun had set finally and then everything went pitch black.

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SERIES

16

”But, still ...”

”Now, without opening My professor smiled your eyes try touching again. ”We believe that Post your left thumb with Humans would destroy ”We believe that right thumb” us. They would kill the each one of us has a human society before ”How did you do that?” unique consciousness. we could experimenting Our evolution has ”Consciousness?” them. Few initial victories always trimmed down don’t mean that we won My professor smiled consciousness in a again. the war.” mysterious way. It makes us connect to the people, ”But why preserve ”Now close your eyes help them, pray for them consciousness?” I asked. again” at the same time kill ”Now again without them. We also believe My professor smiled. opening your eyes try that these Post Humans ”What is consciousness?” touching my left thumb if they win the war they ”It is something deep with your right thumb” would need time to inside us.” evolve, to understand ”I can›t” their consciousness, just My professor smiled ”Open your eyes.” like our human kind.” again. ”What do you infer?” ”I am still not getting it” ”Close your eyes» ”I am conscious enough ”Our consciousness ”Now, your left hand to sense myself.” could be cheated by up.”

LAST. 6

HAUNTING CONSCIOUSNESS

SERIES

series finale continuous training or by few sudden moments.

For example cheating in an exam may not induce the consciousness, but a death of 5 children in an accident would sink it. It keeps haunting you deep within your mind.

Dreams, thoughts or by whatever methods it can.

That›s how we believe it is designed.”

does preserving my consciousness help me if there is no physical entity?”

My professor again.

smiled

enclosing it in a jar of chemicals and the proper nerve impulses are provided by a supercomputer.” ”Is it possible?”

”Well, Brilliant enough. ”It is not about how; it Do you know about the is about what happens brain in vat concept ?” next? Given proper impulses, would your ”No.” brain be able to ”To put it simply, it distinguish between considers any entity whether it is in a jar of ”So if Post Humans kills could control your brain chemicals or it is in your us, there would be no just by simply removing skull ? What would be physical entity. How from the body and reality then?”

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SERIES

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”I am not sure.”

haunt you.”

eyes which see reality. I My professor smiled They disappeared. The closed my eyes. same beach. The same again. child. Is this reality? ”Neither are we. That’s Where is my brain now? BEEP BEEP BEEEEP. why this experiment is.”

RELOADING...

In my skull? ”What would be the The child turned back. Let’s go again. reality?”

He smiled at me. I smiled. ”We believe that If we can’t change [the END] consciousness would reality, let us change the

SPOTLIGHT

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SPOTLIGHT

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“Yeah, bitch!”

Aaron Paul was born on 27 August 1979, and raised in Emmett, Idaho, to Darla (Haynes) and Robert Sturtevant, a retired Baptist minister.

When he was in his eighth grade, he decided to become an actor.

He joined the theatre department and became obsessed with the idea of acting for a living.

Though appearing in several roles on American television, such as his television debut in an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990), followed by an appearance in another Aaron Spelling series, Melrose Place (1992) and guest starred on television shows such as The Guardian, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, ER, Sleeper Cell, Veronica Mars, The

X-Files, Ghost Whisperer, Criminal Minds, Bones, and 3rd Rock from the Sun, his breakthrough role came as «Jesse Pinkman» in the AMC series Breaking Bad (2008). The character was only supposed to last for one season, but series creator Vince Gilligan changed his mind, due to Aaron›s chemistry with Bryan Cranston. He has won three Emmy Awards for ”Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series” for this role (2010, 2012 and 2014). As of 2014, he›s the only actor to win 3 Emmys in the ”Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series” category.

He starred in the music videos for the Korn song ”Thoughtless” and the Ever last song ”White Trash Beautiful”

He appeared in the films Whatever It Takes (2000), Help! I’m a Fish (2001), K-PAX (2001), National Lampoon’s Van Wilder (2002), Bad Girls From Valley High (2005), Choking Man (2006), Mission: Impossible III (2006), and The Last House on the Left (2009).

He became engaged to Lauren Parsekian in Paris on January 1, 2012.The two met at the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California. They were married on May 26, 2013. In 2013, Aaron and Parsekian helped raise $1.8 million for the Kind Campaign, a non-profit anti-bullying organization.

During a ceremony at Boise’s famous Egyptian Theatre, Idaho governor Butch Otter declared October 1 “Aaron Paul Sturtevant Day”.

PATRIOTISM

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FALLEN, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Naval Operations While the Army and the Air Force readied themselves for the battle on the heights of Kargil, Indian Navy began to draw out its plans.

Unlike the earlier wars with Pakistan, this time the bringing in of the Navy at the early stages of the conflict served to hasten the end of the

conflict in India’s favor.

In drawing up its strategy, the Navy was clear that a reply to the Pakistani misadventure had to be two-pronged.

While ensuring safety and security of Indian maritime assets from a possible surprise attack

by Pakistan, the Indian

imperative was that all efforts must be made to deter Pakistan from escalating the conflict into a full scale war.

Thus, the Indian Navy was put on a full alert from May 20 onwards, a few days prior to the launch of the Indian retaliatory offensive.

PATRIOTISM

final episode Naval and Coast Guard aircraft were put on a continuous surveillance and the units readied up for meeting any challenge at sea.

Time had now come to put pressure on Pakistan, to ensure that the right message went down to the masterminds in that country. Strike elements from the Eastern Fleet were sailed from Visakhapatnam on the East Coast to take part in a major naval exercise called ’SUMMEREX’ in the North Arabian Sea. This was envisaged as the largest ever amassing of naval ships in the region.

The message had been driven home. Pakistan Navy, in a defensive mood, directed all its units to keep clear of Indian naval ships. As the exercise shifted closer to the Makaran Coast,

Pakistan moved all its major combatants out of Karachi. It also shifted its focus to escorting its oil trade from the Gulf in anticipation of attacks

by Indian ships.

from merchant ships were proven. The Navy also readied itself for implementing a blockade of the Pakistani ports, should the need arise. In addition, Naval amphibious forces from the Andaman group of As the retaliation from islands were moved to the Indian Army and the western sea-board. the Air Force gathered In a skillful use of naval momentum and a defeat power in the form of to Pakistan seemed ’Operation Talwar›’, the a close possibility, an ’Eastern Fleet’ joined outbreak of hostilities the ’Western Naval became imminent. Thus Fleet’ and blocked the the naval focus now Arabian sea routes of shifted to the Gulf of Pakistan. Apart from a Oman. Rapid reaction deterrent, the former missile carrying units Prime Minister Nawaz and ships from the fleet Sharief later disclosed were deployed in the that Pakistan was left North Arabian Sea with just six days of fuel for carrying out missile (POL) to sustain itself firing, anti-submarine if a full-fledged war and electronic warfare broke out. exercises.

In the absence of the only -Abhimanyu Singh. aircraft carrier, Sea [THE END] Harrier operations

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SPORTACUS

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Is death a spectator?

In the history of cricket, November 25, 2014, had marked a black page.

Australian batsman Phillip Hughes demised due to

the head injury caused by a bouncer. His death, while at his peak rate of growth, shocked the cricket world.

Before the mourn stops its echo, Hillel Avaskar (55), Indian born Israelian refree was dead due to a ball injury.

Who knows? Death might be on a winter vacation and might have planned to spend its time in cricket ground.

Rohit Rain @ Eden Garden!

Rohit Sharma (264 off 173 balls) established a world record for the highest individual ODI innings, outstripping the 219

by Virender Sehwag vs West Indies at Indore on December 8, 2011.

“42 boundaries (33 fours and 9 sixes), 5 complete fifties, second double century, batsman who ODI, …” – his record list traced faced more balls in a single towards the horizon at Eden.

SPORTACUS

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KALEID

-OSCOPE Our stars know no Flaws

Makkav open title

International cricket world cup tournament for Blind was held at South Africa.

Indian team bagged the cup by beating Pakistanis.

India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa, England, Australia, Bangladesh have participated in this tournament.

P.V. Sindhu retained her women›s singles title at Makkav Badminton open series. In the final match, the defending champions wrestled against South Korea›s Haiyo Min. From the beginning, Sindhu dominated Haiyo Min and won the match in the direct sets (21-12, 21-17).

India went to South Africa with just 17 players and 3 officials, yet the force was enough to pocket the cup.

Wahrahh!!! The distance between Rio (Olympics) and Makkav (open tournament) is ready to face the smashes.

A GIRL’S PAGE

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A GIRL’S PAGE

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“A WORLD OF CONTRADICTION” SARU MATHI

The game is over! We are tied up and powerless. We are closed and we are limited. Eyes wide open yet unconscious. We are selfish and we are ignorant. So much army.. so much protection. But we are all timid and the WAR is yet to begin!!

1..2..3... In a second or two,100+ notifications making almost every crazy noise to grab our attention.

But what’s more,we are running out of all energy resources and hence there is a shortage of essential food and water resources. The nature is getting destroyed just as the veil of dark wind(pollution) spreads across the world. There are so much of endangered species in both flora and fauna,which will eventually put ourselves in that list of endangered perhaps extinct!

(Now read the first paragraph again.)

PORTRAIT IN LANDSCAPE

Photo: Kevin Mathew Hindustan university +91 9840636849

GRAPHIC TALK

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Conceptual design for INSDAG ‘14.

The brief was to design a “cultural complex” cum spirutual centre.

‘Triangle’ was used as a basic element in the design. The triangles are arranged in such a manner that it

tappers to the sky to give a sensuality towards spirtuality.

The complex is arranged in 3 parts main stucture consists of a sanctum, meditation centre,

OAT and a gathering space while the remaining two consist of accomadation, marriage halls, schools, charitable trusts.

Designed by -

Rucevel | Vishal | Bharath | Syed Hussain |

RESEARCH

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DECLINE OF AURANGAZEB AND THE MUGHALS SGA THOMAS Before venturing into Aurangazeb’s Deccan policy, it’s equally important to look at his precessors’ deccan policies, especially Akbar’s.

Deccan Policy Mughals:

of

The Deccan policy of the Mughals was guided by a number of factors like the strategic importance of the region, the administrative and economic necessities of the Mughal empire, etc. It is evident that

Akbar was the first Mughal emperoror to have ventured into Deccan. After the conquest of Gujarat in 1572-73, Akbar decided to extend the Mughal influence in the Deccan so as to protect the trade routes to the ports of Gujarat and to control the Portuguese who had emerged as a power in the west coast. But Akbar was more cautious while taking further steps in Deccan. Not only just because he was

containing the Bengal internal revolts, but also because of his understanding of the complex relationship that remained among the states.

In 1591 A.D., he sent his ambassadors to Khandesh, Ahmadnagar, Bijapur and Golconda and asked them to accept his sovereignity. But this mission was partly a success and hence Akbar attacked Kandesh and captured forts of Burhanpur and Asirgarh. He

RESEARCH

also captured part of Ahamadnagar and occupied few strong forts like Daulatabad, Ahmednagar, Burhanpur and Asirgarh. It is to be noted that Akbar was able to consolidate his success in Deccan as he was

adversary in Malik Ambar, the wazir of Ahmednagar who was superior to them in military skill. Malik Ambar improved the economy of Ahmednagar, trained Maratha soldiers in guerilla warfare, fought aggressive

of the Deccan or force them to accept the suzerainty of the emperor. He was a capable commander and understood the politics of the Deccan well. The death of Malik Ambar gave him good chance to put pressure

careful enough to normalize the chaos in the captured areas.

He never kept on annexing. He annexed because he felt political conditions in those areas would be troublesome to the mughals and also the need to supress the portuguese.

wars against the Mughals and during the early period of the reign of Jahangir recovered the fort of Ahmednagar and some other territory of the state of Ahmednagar from the Mughals. During Jahangir›s reign there was no territorial gain by the Mughals.

on Ahmednagar and eventually Ahmednagar was annexed to the Mughal Empire.

Aurangzeb, when appointed as governor of the Deccan for the second time in 1652 A.D., he pressurized Golconda because it had failed to pay the annual tribute to the Mughals. Aurangzeb captured Hyderabad and besieged the Golconda fort. But before he could capture it he received

Jahangir tried to follow Akbar›s policy in the Deccan, but could not do so because of his preoccupations elsewhere. Moreover, they had a formidable

Aurangazeb:The Viceroy of Deccan: Shah Jahan also attempted either to annex the kingdoms

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RESEARCH

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orders from Shah Jahan to stop the siege.

Therefore, a treaty was signed between the two by which Golconda accepted the suzerainty of the Mughal emperor.

Mughal emperor and agreed to pay rupees one and a half crores to the Mughals. The forts of Bidar and Kalyani also remained with the Mughals.

Thus, the Deccan policy of the Mughals The attempt of the during the reign of Mughals to capture Shah Jahan remained Bijapur in 1631 A.D., quite successful. however, failed.

The Mughals again Aurangzeb’s Deccan attacked it in 1636 A.D. Policy: and forced it to accept Aurangzeb’s policy their suzerainty. towards the Deccan Shah Jahan ordered had political as well Aurangzeb to attack as religious purpose.

Bijapur.

Aurangzeb The extension of besieged the fort of the empire was Bijapur but before one purpose of he could capture it, Aurangzeb. Probably he received orders it is believed that of Shah Jahan to extinction of the stop the siege. A states of Bijapur and treaty was, therefore, Golconda was a prior signed between necessity for the the two by which destruction of the Bijapur accepted power of the Marathas the suzerainty of the

in the Deccan. Besides this political motive, he desired to annex these states because their rulers were Shias.

Bijapur had failed to fulfill the terms of the treaty of 1657 A.D. The political situation was also very vulnerable because Adil Shah died in 1672 A.D. and was succeeded by his four-year son, Sikandar Adil Shah.

The Mughals took advantage of it and attacked Bijapur in 1676 A.D. but with no results till Aurangzeb himself reached the Deccan. Bijapur was finally annexed to the Mughal Empire and so was Golconda.

The Deccan policy of the Mughals reached the perfection of its success during the rule of Aurangzeb.

RESEARCH

But it was shortlived. The Marathas rose against him and brought about the collapse of his Deccan policy. The endless war in the Deccan exhausted his treasury and participated in the disintegration of the Mughal Empire. The Mughal Empire had become too large to be ruled by one man or from one center.

Aurangzeb’s enemies rose on all sides.

Factors conditioning the Aurangzeb’s Deccan policy: • The limited Mughal financial resources in Deccan; • The Mughal relations with the Deccan states; • The rise of the Marathas.

Limited Mughal the condition that Finances in Deccan: the amount granted would be duly The limited Mughal recovered. financial resources in the Deccan had The failure of the adversely affected expedition led Mughal policy Aurangzeb to refuse in Deccan since to compensate Jai Jahangir›s time. The Singh the sum of Mughal governors a crore of rupees, was obliged to which the latter had maintain additional military contin¬gents without any hope of receiving financial help from the emperor.

Further, the revenue collected (Hasil) was far less than the revenue expected (Jama) in the province. Under Aurangzeb, when Raja Jai Singh appealed for additional subsidy against Bijapur, he was sanctioned the required amount reluctantly and on

spent from his own income.

Deccan governors, like the Marathas, sought to alleviate the financial crisis by raiding the neighboring territories.

This was one way of aug¬menting their meagre finances; but it also created greater lawlessness.

Relations with Deccan states: As regards the second factor, once the Deccan states realized

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RESEARCH

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the seriousness of the Mughal threat, they allied themselves with their rivals, the Marathas. Although plagued by mutual distrust, the Deccan states and the Marathas were unified in the face of what they perceived as foreign opposition in the form of the Mughals.

The problem was compounded by the strategic placement of the Marathas.

Shivaji›s Swaraj was an uneven terrain where every hill was a natural fort, and it comprised the region that belonged to the Mughals and Bijapur.

Its unevenness made it a natural ground for guerrilla tactics.

Consequently, the Mughals failed to isolate the Marathas

or the Deccan states interests in Deccan. as they had effectively Matters came to isolated Mewar. a head when the fugitive Prince Akbar With regard to the was granted asylum above, Aurangzeb by Shambhuji. was left with three Aurangzeb then alternatives. replaced the policy of One was to maintain non-intervention in the status quo in Deccan for that of a Deccan, so long as policy of annexation. the state paid their The adoption of a tribute regularly and forward policy which did not shelter any was propagated by Mughal adversary.

Jai Singh in 1660 The Marathas too AD, was the second could be left in alternative. Jai Singh peace provided they advocated the restricted themselves conquest of Bijapur to the south and did with Shivaji›s help, not raid Mughals rather than attacking territory. Aurangzeb the Deccan states initially adhered to and the Marathas this policy and would simultaneously. have continued to do so but for the rapid Once isolated, Shivaji, decline of Bijapur it was felt could be and the meteoric eliminated with rise of Shivaji, which ease. With this aim endangered Mughal in mind, overtures of

RESEARCH

friendship were made to Shivaji and the treaty of Purandhar signed. A powerful section of Mughal courtiers consisting of Diler Khan, Jaswant Singh and Jahanara, did not approve of the policy, however.

These

courtiers

refused to ally with a petty zamindar and raider, and put an end to Jai Singh›s efforts to secure the support of the Marathas.

The absence of an alternative strategy towards either the Marathas of the Deccan states, led the Mughals to waste a decade from 1666 to 1676 AD in half-hearted attacks against Shivaji and in encouraging intrigues at the Bijapur court.

Securing Bijapur›s support to help defeat Shivaji, was the third alternative left to the Mughals.

Yet there were no concrete efforts made to achieve this aim.

to the Hindu powers.

Clearly Aurangzeb’s Deccan policy was misguided as it was based more on his religious policies, rather than emphasizing more on diplomatic political The third factor policies as Akbar in influencing did. His erroneous Aurangzeb›s Deccan judgment of Shivaji policy was the was another factor to meteoric rise of the add on (Aurangzeb Marathas under the himself admitted dynamic leadership it during his last of Shivaji in the days.) which was seventeenth century. compounded by The Maratha-Mughal annexation of Bijapur contest lasted nearly and Golconda. a quarter of a century, Moreover beheading and ended in disaster of Maratha King and humiliating Shambaji, made defeat for the Marathas rise under Mughals. his son and showed Aurangzeb’s Sunni unusual valor. bigotry made him The Deccan ulcer as hostile to the Shia ultimately ruined states of Bijapur and Aurangzeb.

Golkonda as he was -Sga Thomas.

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