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Persian Influences on Mughal India: Political, Social, and Cultural Perspectives


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1 Panjab University, India
     

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The link between Persia and India dates back to the age of the Aryans. Research in archeology, anthropology, and the social sciences points to a fusion between ancient Iranian civilization and the civilization of the subcontinent. During all forays from the West, Persia has always been the ordained link, providing the base for the flow of men and ideas, and in the process, contributing to the enrichment of the Indian civilization. The inflow of travellers, mystics, and invaders promoted mutual awareness between India and its neighbours. This inflow of men, though not always Persian, carried with them the rich cultural heritage and refinement of Persia, making it a medium of civilizing the Eastern world. Although mutual exchange of cultural bearings had existed earlier, it was under the Mughals, who were conscious of their Central Asian background, that the influence became profound and enduring. The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries saw the culmination of the process of synthesis of two different forms of cultures interplaying, to the enrichment of both. This paper is an attempt to study the areas where this influence was more pronounced and in a subtle way, led to Mughal cultural transformation from Turko-Mongol robustness to Persian style and ceremonialism.

Keywords

Civilization, Heritage, Literary Culture, Secularism, Court Etiquette, Fine Arts.
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  • Persian Influences on Mughal India: Political, Social, and Cultural Perspectives

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Authors

Gauri Sharma
Panjab University, India

Abstract


The link between Persia and India dates back to the age of the Aryans. Research in archeology, anthropology, and the social sciences points to a fusion between ancient Iranian civilization and the civilization of the subcontinent. During all forays from the West, Persia has always been the ordained link, providing the base for the flow of men and ideas, and in the process, contributing to the enrichment of the Indian civilization. The inflow of travellers, mystics, and invaders promoted mutual awareness between India and its neighbours. This inflow of men, though not always Persian, carried with them the rich cultural heritage and refinement of Persia, making it a medium of civilizing the Eastern world. Although mutual exchange of cultural bearings had existed earlier, it was under the Mughals, who were conscious of their Central Asian background, that the influence became profound and enduring. The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries saw the culmination of the process of synthesis of two different forms of cultures interplaying, to the enrichment of both. This paper is an attempt to study the areas where this influence was more pronounced and in a subtle way, led to Mughal cultural transformation from Turko-Mongol robustness to Persian style and ceremonialism.

Keywords


Civilization, Heritage, Literary Culture, Secularism, Court Etiquette, Fine Arts.

References