The words of Zaheer-ud-Din Babar

 The words of Zaheer-ud-Din Babar

Zahiruddin Babar, the founder of the great Mughal Empire, was the first king of the world to write a diary regularly and record every important event. Babar Namah is a collection of Babar's daily writings in classical Turkish called Tazak-e-Babri. It was translated into Persian during the reign of Akbar the Great. The Persian language parrot spoke from India to Turkey at that time. The book has now been translated into English and other languages. It is important for every student of the history of the Indian subcontinent to read the Babar Nama. The life of this great man is a struggle. He was also a good leader and an expert in military strategy. He was also a good poet. The diary is written in a very smooth style. In addition to his victories, Babar has explicitly mentioned several defeats. Alcohol parties are also mentioned. The facts are explicitly mentioned in the Babar Nama. In this historical document, Babar is prominent as a human being in addition to a king.

Babar Barlas was a Turk, and in the fifth generation his genealogy goes directly to Amir Timur. It is known that Mongol and Mughal are synonymous. Interestingly, Babar is a Mongol from Nanhial. His mother's lineage goes back to the famous conqueror Genghis Khan. So the Mughal blood was given to Babar by his mother. But Babar's views on the Mughals remained negative. Babar writes in the letter, "The Mughal army is often prone to mischief and destruction." Similarly, the Uzbek nation was also the target of his criticism, and perhaps the reason was that Babar was defeated by Sheibani Khan.

Babar's mother Qalatq Nigar Begum was an educated woman. Babar was fluent in Turkish, Persian and Islamic sciences. In Tazak Babri he seems to be a good geographer, anthropologist, appreciator of natural beauty, well acquainted with fruits, horses and plants, familiar with social traditions. A common impression about Babar is that he was a luxurious ruler and this impression was created due to Babar's own motto 'Babar in luxury that the world is no more'. This impression is largely wrong. Babar was eleven years old when his father Omar Sheikh Mirza died. Babar fought wars at an early age. After a siege of seven months, Samarkand was conquered, but Babar's rule over Samarkand did not last long. His rivals took advantage of his absence to capture Andi Jan. Babar's mother called him back. When Samar left Kand, this great city was recaptured by the enemy.

Andi Jan is the birthplace of Babar. I have seen this historic city in the Fergana Valley. I went there in 1996 with Pakistan's Ambassador to Uzbekistan Shafqat Ali Sheikh. At the time, I was ambassador to neighboring Tajikistan. In Andy John we met a very ingenious working person. Zakir Aqa turned out to be Babar's lover. They have built a Kabul-style Babar Garden in Andi Jan. A mock tomb of Babar has also been made in this vast garden. For this fictitious grave, Zakir Aqa brought mud from Kabul around the real grave. He also visited Pakistan and India several times. They brought dust from every place where Babar fought or stayed. By the time I met him, Zakir Aqa had visited India, Pakistan and Afghanistan seventeen times.

Samarqand was Babar's favorite city. He writes in Babar Namah that there are very few such pleasant cities in the world. Summer Sugar was also called the Safe City. Babar loved summer sugar bread, apples and grapes. Another thing about the city that influenced Babar was that different markets were reserved for different items. There was a wall around the city. According to Babar, summer sugar was famous for velvet and the best paper in the world was made there. An additional reason for Babar's love for Samarqand may be that this city was the capital of Amir Timur and the shrine of this great conqueror is also in this city.

If you read Babar Nama, the honesty and clarity of the author becomes clear. Even after the conquest of Kabul, Babar mentions his tyranny and massacre as usual. Let's read this story in Babar's own words: "When we laid siege and attacked from all sides, the Afghans could not fight. One to two hundred Afghans were captured and then killed. Some were brought before us alive, and the heads of a few were brought before us. A pillar was erected in our camp from the heads of the slain Afghans. It may be recalled that the tradition of making pillars from the heads of the conquered army had been going on since the time of Babar's ancestor Amir Timur. After Kabul, Babar conquered Bajaur and 3,000 people were killed here. It seems that Babar was a very cruel man, but in fact he was not. At that time, after the war, massacres were considered necessary to inflict casualties on the conquered people. Amir Timur and Nadir Shah massacred after conquering Delhi and the persecution of the British in Delhi in 1857 is remembered by all. But the irony is that the last Mughal king was presented with the heads of his sons. I remember the verse 'Tilak al-Ayyam nadawalha bin al-nas' that we keep moving time among people, that is, sometimes rise and sometimes fall.

Babar's first marriage was to Ayesha Sultan Begum at the age of seventeen. The marriage was successful but not so much. Babar writes that there was a veil of shame between him and his wife and they met fifteen days later. Babar was not afraid to tell the truth. After marriage, Babar fell in love with a boy named Babri. I don't think the name is real because writing the real name could hurt the beloved. Babar recited poems in Persian for his beloved which are recorded in Babar Nama. Babar admits that he could not look his lover in the face. Whenever this boy came in front of Babar, the king could not find words to talk to him. According to Faiz, things would change in front of him. One day Babar was passing by a coach with his companions when the boy suddenly appeared. Babar admits that he became extremely confused. According to the author, it was very difficult to see him and talk to him. He also openly states that in this love he walked around several times bareheaded and barefoot.

Now the question arises as to whether Babar was gay. This may be true to some extent because Babar was married, but a close and loving relationship with his wife could not be established. I think Babar's love was largely Platonic. In Eastern society, and especially in Muslim societies, homosexuality is considered a very ugly act, so those who commit it keep it a secret. Babar's telling this story openly is proof of his innocence. At one point, Babar mentions his first mentor, Sheikh Majeed Baig, in very good words. Sheikh Majeed Baig held a high position in the court of Babar's father. After the words of praise, Babar writes that this man had the evil habit of homosexuality. If Babar himself had been gay, he would not have likened the act to Satan.

Many columns are not enough to describe a seven-sided personality like Babar, but some other topics are also circulating in our minds, so let's end the statement of this great man today. Babar was eleven years old when Omar Sheikh Mirza died suddenly. At the age of 47, the founder of the Mughal Empire died. In his 36 years of practical life, Babar fought about thirty wars, some of which were quite long. His life was one of constant struggle. But whenever he got rid of the wars, he made a good living. The Babar Nama mentions boating on the Kabul, Indus and Jhelum rivers. Dance and anthem parties are also mentioned. It is often thought that a person who is an expert in swords and swords will not be attracted to peacocks and rababs, but in Babar these two things go hand in hand, as if he is a very balanced person.

Kabul was ruled by Babar's uncle Ulug Beg Mirza. After the death of Ulug Beg, local conspiracies began and a minister, Sherim Zikr, seized power. Babar proceeded towards Kabul through the siege. The historic occupation of the siege still exists in Tajikistan. Babar writes that when he came out of the siege, he had a few hundred soldiers with him and most of them did not even have shoes on their feet. More soldiers and ammunition were found along the way. In 1504, Babar conquered Kabul. Babar liked the weather and grapes very much. He writes that even on summer nights, when sleeping in Kabul, he wears a coat made of sheepskin, otherwise it gets cold.

Babar had a great fondness for various plants in general and fruit trees. He brought Aloo Bukhara pens from Central Asia and planted them in Afghanistan, which were successful. Babar loved the vineyards of Kabul. Referring to Kabul's wine, Babar writes that it is very intoxicating. Babar liked the winter in Kabul because it is less cold here than in Central Asia. Kabul used to sell all kinds of goods brought from different countries. Twelve languages ​​were spoken in the city. A few months before the attack on Kabul, Babar shaved for the first time in his life. Dilip Hero, the author of the Babar Nama under my study, writes that at the age of twenty-one, Babar had gained so much life experience that ordinary people do not get even in fifty years. After the conquest of Kabul, Babar had four marriages. His wives' names were: Mahim Begum, Masooma Sultan Begum, Gulrukh Begum and Dildar Begum. The next king of India was Humayun Mahim Begum's son. Dilip Hero also writes that if Babar's bus had run, he would have named his kingdom the Timurid dynasty because he was not a Mughal by race and the lineage runs from his father.

In 1523, Babar conquered Lahore and then Depalpur. He was invited to attack by Daulat Khan Lodhi, Subedar of Punjab, who was fed up with Ibrahim Lodhi. Daulat Khan's delusion was that Babar would annex the Punjab to his empire and return to Kabul himself. Earlier, Babar was sent messages by Rana Sangha, the ruler of Mewar, to invade India. Rana Sangha's plan was that Babar would return after conquering Delhi like the first invaders. Rana Sangha also assured Babar of full support. The plan was that as soon as Babar captured Delhi, Rana Sangha would attack Agra. Rana Sangha did not keep his promise and for this reason Babar was very angry with him. Babar decided to stay and rule in India and thus the dreams of both Daulat Khan Lodhi and Rana Sangha to sit on the throne of Lahore and Delhi were shattered.

Rana Sangha ruled over the Mewar area of   Rajasthan. There were still Afghan rulers in eastern India. These were the people whose beloved Ibrahim Lodhi was defeated by Babar in Panipat. Rana Sangha united the Afghans and formed a large army. According to Babar, Rana Sangha's army was 200,000 but historians write that it was 50,000. However, Babar's army was relatively small.

Now this great general thought that his soldiers should be encouraged and motivated. He ordered the army to assemble. Order bottles of wine and jam. Announced in front of the soldiers that I am quitting drinking from today. Bottles and jams were broken. All the soldiers vowed that they would be either conquerors or martyrs in the battle of Kanwaha. Babar's army was so enthusiastic that despite its numerical superiority, Rana Sangha was defeated. This battle took place in March 1527.

Babar was about forty years old when the Mughal rule was established in India. He was still walking fast on the fort wall, carrying two men on either side. Only such a powerful, intelligent and resourceful person could lay the foundation of such a large empire. Regarding the good of India, Babar composes that it is a tremendous nation with a bounty of abundance. During the stormy season it rains a few times each day. Dry rivers fill up. The temperature here is lower than in Balkh and Kandahar. However, summer winds are very strong. What is special about India is that there are a large number of artisans of all kinds. People of the same caste do the same work and the son takes up the same profession as his father. Babar has written in detail in his autobiography about the collection of funds from different areas. The highest revenue in all of India came from the provinces of Lahore, Delhi and Bihar. The province of Lahore stretched from the Sutlej River to the Chenab River. Bhera was a very prosperous city at that time; However, Babar saw more flaws in India. He writes, "People here are not in good shape and are not familiar with the etiquette of meeting them." No ratio between handicrafts and industry. There are no good horses or dogs here. Fruits, including melons and grapes, are common. There is no good cooked food or good bread in the markets. There are no baths or colleges. Torches, candles and candles are extinct. Instead of a candle, they use a clay pot, in which oil is poured and a thick cotton ball. This is a very dirty and ugly way of lighting. There is no water except for rivers and streams. Ordinary peasants and lower class people walk almost naked. Many people only wear diapers. Some people tie a cloth around their waist, which is called lingi or dhoti. Women wrap a cloth around their body which is called saree.

Babar's life seems to be full of action. There are many wars, there is struggle. Truth is a key element of this biography. Babar gave up alcohol but continued to enjoy the potion till the last moment. It was a mixture of ointment, opium or hemp that was ground and mixed with fragrant milk. Babar was more familiar with war affairs than Ibrahim Lodhi and Rana Sangha. He was well versed in human psychology. His enthusiastic address to the soldiers before the Battle of Kanwaha is clear evidence of this. He was really a lion by name. According to Babar's will, he was buried in Kabul.