ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>D&#256R&#256 SHUKOH PRINCE (1615-1659)</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="DR,SHUKOH,PRINCE,Person,Person"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279D&#256R&#256 SHUKOH, PRINCE (1615-1659), the eldest son of Prince <u>Kh</u>urram (later Emperor Sh&#257h Jah&#257&#7749), was born on 30 March 1615 at Ajmer. Following the failure of his father's rebellion against his grandfather, Emperor Jah&#257&#7749g&#299r, D&#257r&#257 and his brother, Aura&#7749gz&#299b, were sent to the Emperor as hostages. They arrived at Lahore in June 1626 and rejoined their father only after the latter's coronation on 4 February 1628. Educated under eminent Muslim scholars and trained in the affairs of State, D&#257r&#257 was given his first military rank or <i>mansab</i> and assigned a <i>j&#257g&#299r</i> at the age of 18. He was appointed, at different times, <i>s&#363bahd&#257r</i> of All&#257h&#257b&#257d, Punjab, Gujar&#257t, Mult&#257n and K&#257bul. At All&#257h&#257b&#257d he came in contact with the famous Chist&#299 saint, Sh&#257h Muhibull&#257h and, while in the Punjab, he developed particular attachment to the Q&#257dir&#299 saints, Mi&#257&#7749 M&#299r and M&#363ll&#257 Sh&#257h. According to Sikh chroniclers, he was also acquainted with Gur&#363 Har R&#257i (1630-61). Not very successful as a military commander or civil administrator, D&#257r&#257 Shukoh was more interested in philosophical and literary pursuits. A predominant influence upon him was that of Upani&#7779adic and S&#363f&#299 thought. Among his literary works is <i>Sirr-i-Akbar</i>, the great secret, which, completed in 1657, is a translation in Persian of 50 Upani&#7779ads. He possessed considerable knowledge of Sanskrit, and kept several Sanskrit scholars in his employ. Another work associated with him is <i>Muk&#257lmah B&#257b&#257 L&#257l wa D&#257r&#257 Shukoh</i>. Compiled by Munsh&#299 Chandra Bh&#257n Br&#257hma&#7751, it records a dialogue between the prince and B&#257b&#257 L&#257l D&#257s, a Bair&#257g&#299 <i>s&#257dh&#363</i>. Popular with the commonalty for his liberal outlook, D&#257r&#257 was also the most favoured son of his father. Highest honours were showered on him. He was granted the <i>mansab</i> of 60, 000 <i>z&#257t</i> and 40, 000 <i>sow&#257r</i>, a command greater than even the combined commands of all his younger brothers. On 3 February 1655, he was given the title of Sh&#257h-i-Buland Iqb&#257l and a seat on a gold throne by the side of the Emperor's throne. This excited the jealousy of the other princes who started conspiring against him. In September 1657, Sh&#257h Jah&#257&#7749 fell ill with strangury. Despairing of his life, he made his last will appointing D&#257r&#257 as the heir apparent. As the news reached the brothers - Shuj&#257' in Bengal, Aura&#7749gz&#299b in the Deccan and Mur&#257d in Gujar&#257t - Aura&#7749gz&#299b, the ablest as also the most ruthless of the three, at once won over the pleasure-loving and indolent Mur&#257d to his side and made preparation to advance on the imperial capital. Aura&#7749gz&#299b marched from Burh&#257npur on 20 March 1657 and was joined by Mur&#257d and his army on 14 April. An imperial army sent to check the advance of the rebel princes was routed at Dharmat, near Ujjain, on 5 May. In a decisive battle fought on 29 May 1657 at S&#257m&#363ga&#7771h near &#256gr&#257, D&#257r&#257, who was personally in command, was defeated. He fled towards the Punjab. Aura&#7749gz&#299b sent a strong army in pursuit. According to Sar&#363p D&#257s Bhalla, <i>Mahim&#257 Prak&#257sh</i>, D&#257r&#257, after crossing the River Be&#257s, called on Gur&#363 Har R&#257i, then at Goindv&#257l. Gur&#363 Har R&#257i in order to delay the pursuers, deployed his warriors along the river and blocked the ferry for about six hours. D&#257r&#257's cause was, however, hopeless. He assembled an army of 20, 000 men in Lahore, but fled to Mult&#257n on 18 August 1657, without giving a fight. Pursued from place to place through Sindh, R&#257jasth&#257n, Gujar&#257t and Bal&#363chist&#257n, he was eventually captured and brought to Delhi, where he was put to death on the night of 30-31 August 1659.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Bhall&#257, Sar&#363p D&#257s, <i>Mahim&#257 Prak&#257sh</i>. Patiala, 1971<BR> <li class="C1"> Khushwant Singh, <i>A History of the Sikhs</i>, vol. I. Princeton, 1963<BR> <li class="C1"> Sharma, Sri Ram, <i>Religious Policy of the Mughal Emperors</i>. Bombay, 1962<BR> <li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>The Heritage of the Sikhs</i>. Delhi, 1983<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">K. A. Niz&#257m&#299<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>