Muslim Communities in Rajputana (During Medieval Period)

This book attempts to portray the life of the Muslims of Rajasthan in all its aspects, beginning with the advent of the Muslim powers. In it Muslim communities in Rajputana (Rajasthan) have been divided into two broader categories and the various aspects of their life and activity have been thoroughly explored. The role played by numerous Muslim classes and groups in growth of composite culture is incredible. The purpose of the book is to help the readers in understanding the socio-cultural condition of Muslims in Medieval Rajasthan. Muslim communities in Rajputana cover a broad spectrum, containing the political, socio-cultural, religious and economic condition of the Muslims during Medieval Rajasthan. The present work hopefully will be useful for both scholars and general readers alike. The area of the study chosen by the author is quite unique and interesting from historical point of view.

The present work exhausts various archival, epigraphical, oral and written chronicles as well as Mughal chronicles too, to provide a general overview of aspects like settlements of Muslims, their broad division, conversion, independent Muslim dynasty in the heartland of the Rajput rajas, religion, art and architecture, languages, socio-economic condition and impact of the Sufi saints on the populace of the region.

Ishteyaque Alam did his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. in History from Aligarh Muslim University. He has qualified UGC NET in History. He was recipient of ICHR-JRF during his Ph.D. course. He has been working as an Assistant professor since 2009 in the Institute of Law & Research, Faridabad. It is a premier Institute affiliated to M.D. University, Rohtak. Dr. Alam has published several Research papers in reputed peer reviewed Journal in History. He also presented many Research papers in National seminars and Indian History Congress. Apart from this, he has delivered Guest lectures under UGC Extension programme organized by different Government as well as private Institutions. He has been member of different Academic Body, viz. Indian History Congress, Rajasthan History Congress. Moreover he is a member of an Editorial Board of a Journal - Culture, Society & Law, New Delhi.

Regional studies have yielded and brought in light significant facts and information adding new dimension to the history of India, specially of the Medieval period. The local and regional sources to some extent have changed various theories and interpretation and give vital breakthrough in the studies of historiography and regional studies. However, on that pattern numerous studies have been attempted by the modern scholars on the earstwhile Rajputana (Rajasthan). But generally speaking these works are confined to the political activities and agendas of the princely states of Marwar, Mewar, Kota, Bikaner etc., and only in case of Amber and Jodhpur, besides political history, economic and agrarian conditions have also been analysed by a few modern scholars. Although, a couple. of works have come out on the socio-cultural life of the people of Rajasthan but no earnest and honest attempt has yet been made to analyse the condition of Muslim communities in Rajasthan during the Medieval period. As the Muslims of Rajasthan need to attract scholarly attention, therefore, the present work attempts to deal with the socio cultural life and economic condition of that community.

The present work covers the period ranging from Sultanate to Mughal and attempts to investigate the relations of Muslim rulers with the Rajput rulers of Rajasthan as well as the relations of Rajput rulers of Marwar and Mewar with the Muslim sultans of Malwa and Gujarat along with the Khanzadas of Nagore. Socio-political and historical background has been discussed in detail from 1191 to 1556, I have made an immense effort in tracing the socio-cultural and economic activities of the Muslim communities. The role of Muslim communities and their contributions in the development of the state and society have been analysed.

To understand the geo-political condition of any part, state, region or area, it is necessary to have a general survey of the physical geography of the whole of the country or sub-continent, as it leads one to the inner knowledge of the development of socio-economic activities of that particular area.

The Himalayas, the highest mountain ranges of the world seem to have separated the India subcontinent from the rest of the world. This subcontinent, enclosed by these ranges and sea contains two major physical divisions, viz., the Indo-Gangetic plains and the peninsula.

Broadly speaking, the Indo-Gangetic plains extending from West to East contain two dominant rivers of Indus and its tributaries and the Ganga and the Brahmaputra and their tributaries with the exception of a few other rivers. The major rivers flowing in the plains lie in the Himalayas. In this zone, eastern portion is the area of heavy rainfall, and as one advances west, the river as a major source of irrigation, it fails with a view to the scanty rainfall, the land become absolutely arid as one find, in the case of western Rajasthan. Our main thrust here is to analyse the geographical aspects of earstwhile Rajputana now known as Rajasthan, which lies between longitudes 23°-3'N and 30°-12'N and longitudes 69-30'E and 78-17'E, and covering a total area of near about 3, 42, 274 sq, kms. It is bound on the east by Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, on the south by Gujarat. on the west by Pakistan and on the north and north-east by the Punjab. The Aravali, the chief topographical feature of the region divide the Rajputana into two natural divisions of the North West and the South east of the Aravalis.

**Contents and Sample Pages**