Episode 259

Aurangzeb Deccan policy which cause the destruction of the best soldiers and

undermined the Mughul prestige beyond repair, contributed materially to the

downfall of his dynasty. He destroyed the Shia Kingdoms of Bijapur and Golconda

and waged a long, endless war for extermination against the Marathas. This

obliged the hardy Marathas to fight in self-defence and when success came to them

they were encouraged to take up the offensive, cross the Narmada and invade the

Mughal provinces in Northern India. The Hindus in Northern India were already

alienated by Aurangzeb's policy of religious persecution and the Hindu officers and

vassals of the empire were either indifferent or secretly hostile to the mughal

cause. This creates opportunity for the Marathas. They appealed to the common

sentiments of Rajput and of the Hindus who secretly allied themselves with Bajirao

when the latter boldly proceeded to execute his policy of striking at the withering

trunk of the Mughal Empire in the belief that after the fall of that Empire the

independent provincial Muslim dynasty would fall of them. Thus, within thirty one

years of Aurangzeb's death, his successor had to wage war with the sikhs, Jats,