The Paramount Ruler : Mughals or Britishers

India has been deponent to many invasions but the Mughal and the British have re written the history of India in many ways. Both of them took a lot away from us.  Robbing our prosperous motherland of its resources, its beauty and the innocent people. They also robbed us of our ignorance our petty beliefs. If not for them Hindustan might still have been a province of princely states. They transformed Hindustan into India!!

Prior to the Mughals Hindustan was divided into several Hindu and Muslim sovereign kingdoms. With the advent of the Mughals, ushered in the era of multicultural society. The rudiment of the Mughals Empire began with vanquishing Ibrahim Lodi the last ruler of the Delhi sultanate. At the dawn of Mughal Empire mass murders were a common sight. People were mercilessly killed if they refused to convert their religion. The lands of the poor peasants were snatched away if they were not able to pay the heavy taxes levied on them. 

In spite of the barbaric behavior Mughals brought in a new charm to the architecture. The Alcazars had bulbous domes, the slender minarets with cupolas at the four corners, large halls, massive vaulted gateways and delicate ornamentation. The court rooms were adorned with eye soothing colors. The chandeliers were fitted with most precious of the stones like rubies diamonds etc. Hanged from the huge windows the most beautiful curtains that mankind had ever seen. Created by some of the best Persian craftsman, the curtains were a delight to the eye.

With the ascension of Akbar to the throne came the dawn of economic progress. Akbar with his liberal views created the environment where every religion thrived. He brought in harmony among people, this brought in an era where Hindus and Muslims took each other as friends. Mughals brought in Mughlai food along with them. Mughals cooking was a riot of colors, fragrances, experiments, table manners and protocol. The Mughlai food that we eat today is a mere greasy mash up. The eunuchs were treated like unrefined by the native Hindustanis. The foods were served to the Emperor and his family by the eunuchs. There by creating a social platform for this deprived section of the society.

Bahadur Shah Zafar was the last ruler of the Mughal Empire. One fine day during his regime marched in the white skin men. Marching in with their black boots and the westerns clothes they slowly took over India. They overpowered Bahadur Shah Zafar and deported him to Rangoon. Thus began the era of British Raj. They introduced western culture to us. Britishers always advocated the value of Independence, they taught their young ones to value and protect their independence but the treatment they dished out to the Indians was contradictory. They snatched every bit of Independence out of us!!!!!

They declared Calcutta as the new capital of British Raj. Britishers did bring in a lot of change for the natives. They banned sati system (the wife was put in the pyre along with his dead husband). The sati system was a disgrace to the Hindu samaj. The so called upper cast people with their petty beliefs had forced people to practice sati for ages.

The Britishers allowed education for all irrespective of their caste creed or religion. Education was not restricted for the son of the elites. David Hare started Hindu college to ensure best education for the young minds. Suddenly the huge classrooms were filled with giggles and joys of young boys. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar with the help of Britishers brought in another change and that was widow remarriage. Though there were a lot of people against it the British Government passed the law put forward by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. The young girls who were widowed at a tender age had a reason to rejoice. The widows were treated like outcasts of the society but after this law was passed they had seen a new ray of hope in their life.

Both the rulers has taken away a lot from us. The Britishers had amassed a huge amount of wealth from India and taken it to their country unlike the Mughuls. Mughuls considered India as their own country. Though the Britishers took a lot away from us they did change a lot in us. Though they tried to divide eventually we became ONE country to throw them out. I feel the Britishers were the paramount rulers because they did bring in a lot of cultural change in us. They had their fair share of contributions to make India what it is today. The India we are all so proud of!!!!!!