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Mughal Emperor Akbar was too soft on Hindu Extremists

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Mughal Emperor Akbar was too soft on Hindu Extremists Empty Mughal Emperor Akbar was too soft on Hindu Extremists

Post by Guest Sat Mar 12, 2016 5:58 pm

During his rule from 1556 to 1605 AD, Mughal Emperor Akbar banned the practice of forcible sati. It is documented that on one occasion he personally rode on his horse--all by himself-- to stop a sati ritual as soon as he came to know that it was being forced on the widow of a hindu nobleman at Akbar's court. Akbar is recorded in Abul Fazal's Ain-i-Akbari as having said: "It is a strange comment on the magnanimity of men that they should seek their deliverance through the self-sacrifice of their wives."

But the question is: why did he not ban sati per se? After all voluntary sati could be because of brainwashing of the bride since childhood and secondly a forcible sati could be passed off as voluntary sati. (Akbar managed to save the life of one woman when he personally rode on his horse to where the ritual was to take place, but how many other women in his kingdom must have been forced to commit sati?)

The answer is that Akbar seriously wanted to put an end to all sati--whether voluntary or forcible. But the Hindus in his court advised him against taking such a step on the ground that it would provoke and instigate the Hindus and could give rise to agitations and rebellions. And Akbar decided to follow this advise. 

Before we condemn Akbar for not putting an end to all Sati we must remember that he was ruling in the 16th century. But i sometimes wonder if he would have been better off being more tough on Hindu extremism. A few kicks in the rear of the Hindu fundamentalists may have helped modernize the Hindu mind in the 16th century. Being tough on Hindu extremism would also have had an effect on Muslim extremism since any kind of religious extremism starts feeding on hatred and bigotry and warped mindsets exhibited by other religions. 

It took another 400 years, after Akbar's death, for Sati to be banned comprehensively all across India thanks to the efforts of people like Raja Ram Mohan Roy. 

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