Page 46 - SST Class 07

The Mughal

Administration 6

q Mughal administration q Society
q Art and architecture q Literature and music
q Religion q Revolts, wars of succession and military campaigns
q Relations with other kingdoms

Introduction where he met his officers and nobles and diwan-i-

The impact of Mughal rule can be felt even today in aam (the hall of public
social, political, economic and religious aspects in audience) where he
India. This impact can be seen in the form of met the common
monuments and terms we use. people. When the
ruler was on the
Of the six great Mughal emperors, Babur and move, his court
Humayun did not survive much after their setting
moved with him and
up the empire, so they could not consolidate their
the court was held in Diwan-i-khas at Delhi Red Fort
rule here. This job was done by Akbar. Although huge tents.
Akbar was illiterate, yet he was an intelligent ruler.
Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb continued with Civil Administration
Akbar’s policies for the most part; of course, The central administration was directly under the
Aurangzeb reversed the policy of religious tolerance emperor who ruled with a number of officials. The
and secularism. important officials were—the wazir or prime
minister; the diwan or revenue minister; the mir
MUGHAL ADMINISTRATION bakshi or military paymaster; the khan-i-saman or
incharge of the royal household; the sadr-i-sadur
The Mughal administration had drawn features or incharge of the revenue, income and
from both central Asian and Indian policies. The expenditure; and the qazi or chief justice.
king enjoyed absolute authority over all types of
administration, though he had delegated authority The empire was divided into subas or provinces,
to nobles and officials for many practical each under the charge of a subadar or governor.
purposes. Generally, princes were made subadars. A
subadar had some authority in his suba but under
Court
the overall authority of the emperor. Each suba
The royal court under the Mughal rule was very was further divided into sarkars or districts, further
ceremonial. The ruler sat on a high throne and the divided into parganas or tehsils. There were a
nobles had places to sit and stand. The more number of villages in each pargana. The
important an officer, the nearer to the ruler he sat. administration of a pargana was under a kotwal
The tradition of sijdah was followed. Reports from who was responsible for law and order. His office
officers and nobles were read out to the ruler at a was the kotwali . He also maintained records
specified time of the day. The emperor sat at two about the people and trade practices, such as
places—diwan-i-khas (the hall of private audience) weights and measurements.
Contemporary Social Science-7
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