Bahadur Shah I, Mughal Emperor

Muazzam emerged victorious in the war of succession among the sons of Aurangzeb following his death in 1707. Muazzam, then subahdar of Kabul at the time of his father’s death, crowned himself emperor with the name of Bahadur Shah, generally known as Bahadur Shah I. He ascended the Mughal throne at an advanced age of 67.

Also known as 'Heedless king' (Shah-i-bekhabar) due to his indifference to administration, Bahadur Shah I was the only ruler of the Later Mughals to have exercised the real authority. Though he was not a great administrator, he was affable by temperament. By his conciliatory attitude he managed to retain the support of most of the factions and groups in the Mughal court.

Bahadur Shah I pursued a conciliatory policy towards the Rajputs and the Marathas. Sahu, son of Sambhaji, who had been in Mughal captivity since the fall of Raigarh, was released. Jeziah, imposed by Aurangzeb, was withdrawn. He acknowledged the independence of Mewar and Marwar. Bahadur Shah I died in 1712 during the course of his campaign against the powerful Sikh leader Banda Bahadur.

Bahadur Shah I was succeeded to the Mughal throne by his son Jahandar Shah. 

Young Bengal Movement

The Young Bengal Movement was started by a remarkable personality of the 19th century Henry Vivian Derozio (1809-1831) who was  a teacher of English literature and History in the Hindu College in Calcutta. 

A rationalist to the core, Derozio was also editor of the Hesperus and Calcutta Literary Gazette. He was associated with India Gazette as well. A radical thinker Derozio exercised unprecedented influence over his students. He urged them to live and die for truth - to cultivate and practice all the virtues, shunning vice in every shape. He gave the greatest impetus to free discussion on all subjects-social, moral and religious. 

In 1828. Derozio established the Academic Association which used to organise debates and discussions on various topics and subjects. 

Though he lived for only 22 years, Derozio ranks among those rare teachers whose attachment to knowledge, hatred of evil and love of truth made a profound impression upon those who came in contact with him. He pursued what was right and was accused of misguiding the youth. Some influential Hindus had him removed from service and shortly thereafter he died. But the Derozian influence continued and it was known as the Young Bengal Movement. All the leading movements of the period were influenced by his ideas. 

Itmad- ud- Daulah’s tomb: Masterpiece of Mughal Architecture

The method of decorating the walls with floral designs studded with semi-precious stones is called pietra dura. Itmad- ud- Daulah’s tomb at Agra is one of the earliest buildings in which pietra dura was used.

Itmad- ud- Daulah’s tomb was built by Nur Jahan, wife of Jahangir, for her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg, who was given the title of Itmad- ud- Daulah (pillar of the state). Pietra dura is also used on a large scale in the Taj Mahal.

Ganesha: Lord of Obstacles

Ganesha or Ganapati is one of the most popular gods in Hinduism. He is the son of Shiva and Parvati. He has an elephant’s head with one broken tusk and a fat paunch. Ganesha rides on a rat and is the “Lord of Obstacles” (Vighneshwara).
Ganesha is worshipped at the beginning of all undertakings to remove snags and hindrances. He is particularly interested in literary and educational activities, and is the patron of grammarians. Manuscripts, Hindu marriage cards and printed books often begin with the auspicious formula Sri-Ganeshaya namah,” Reverence to Lord Ganesha.”
Benevolent Ganehsa is often depicted in cheerful disposition. He is revered by every Hindu, whether Vaisnavite or Shaivite.

Farrukhsiyar: Later Mughal Emperor

Farrukhsiyar was the Mughal Emperor of India from 1713-19. He was the second son of Azim al-Shan, brother of Jahandar Shah who became the Mughal Emperor after the death of his father Bahadur Shah I who ruled from 1707-12. Azim al-Shan was killed in the war of succession that took place among the sons of Bahadur Shah I. Farrukhsiyar deposed Jahandar Shah and became the Mughal Emperor in 1713.

Farrukhsiyar owed his accession to the Mughal throne to powerful Saiyid Brothers. In return for their services, Saiyid Abdullah Khan and his younger brother Hussain Ali Khan were appointed as Wazir and Mir Bakshi (Commander in Chief) respectively. They came to be known as "king-makers" due to their dubious king making role during the period of the later Mughals.

In order to make his position supreme, Farrukhsiyar indulged in intrigues but ultimately failed in his endeavour. He was finally deposed and murdered in April 1717 by Saiyid Brothers who were assisted by Ajit Singh of Marwar in this act.

Asvaghosha: Buddhist poet and Philosopher

Asvaghosha was a great Buddhist Scholar who was a contemporary of the great Kushan ruler Knishka. Asvaghosha has been described as “poet, musician, preacher, moralist, philosopher, playwright, tale-teller… an inventor in all these arts…he recalls Milton, Goethe, Kant and Voltaire.”

Asvaghosha is the author of the famous Buddhist tract, Vajrasuchi (Diamond needle). Buddhacharita, the earliest surviving classical Sanskrit work written in verse, is also ascribed to him.

Ashvaghosha was part of the fourth Buddhist Council. 

Madan Lal Dhingra: Real Hero of India

A great revolutionary from Punjab, Madan Lal Dhingra (1887-1909) went to England in 1906 to pursue higher education in Engineering. In England he came in close contact with the Indian revolutionary leaders like Shyamji Krishna Varma and VD Savarkar. He was also associated with the Indian Home Rule Society, the Abhinav Bharat Society and the India House in London. To avenge the atrocities committed by the British in India, he shot dead Curzon Wyllie, an Advisor to the Secretary of the state of India, and Cowas Lalcaca at the meeting of the Indian National Assocaition in London on July 1, 1909.

During his trial he owned the responsibility for murdering Wyllie. When the death-sentence was pronounced on him, he told the Judge: “I am proud to have the honour of laying down my humble life…A son like myself has nothing else to offer to the mother, but his own blood, and so I have sacrificed the same on her life: “The Only lesson required in India at present is to learn how to die and the only way to teach it is by dying ourselves. Therefore, I die and glory in my martyrdom.”