Tales of the emperors

History is probably one of the least interesting subjects during our school days. But if we look closely, history is not just about wars and important dates but it is filled with interesting stories and anecdotes that humanises the historic characters. Attempting similar feat is the book, ‘The Book of Emperors: An Illustrated History of the Mughals,’ which is published by Penguin Random House India and was recently launched at Champaca Bookstore, Anjuna.

Written by Ashwitha Jayakumar and illustrated by Nikhil Gulati, this book narrates the rise and fall of Mughals, one of the richest empires in the world. It starts with Babur’s humble beginnings in 1526, all the way down to the abject humiliation and exile of Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1857.

It focuses not only on rulers, but also how this empire contributed in the field of art, music, and the blending of diverse cultural elements. Ashwitha maintains that when she was approached to write a book on Indian history in an accessible way, the Mughals were the first to come to mind. It is due to the fact that is lot of visual and textual material available about them.

The 130-page odd book is tastefully illustrated by Nikhil, who believes that history comes alive when illustrated. He states, “I could tell you about the letters that Jahangir wrote but if right there, I also show you the inkpot he used, it can immediately conjure a whole world in the mind of the reader. The reader may even get the feeling of being viscerally transported in time.”

Ashwitha also opines that illustrated format and narrative approach has wide appeal. Also, the book covers the breadth of the empire’s existence. “The complexities of the 18th century, for instance, weren’t really taught to us in school, nor do most of us know about the surprising alliances that formed. For example, we think of the Marathas as primarily antagonistic towards the Mughals, but in the 1780s, it was the Marathas that the emperor Shah Alam II turned to repeatedly for help and protection. Similarly, we don’t really talk about the empire’s slow and steady disintegration, which allowed the East India Company to grow into a colonial power,” states Ashwitha.

Writing and illustrating this book had its own set of challenges as they had to cover a spectrum of 300 years. Along with this, they had to humanise these characters, especially larger characters like Akbar. For Nikhil, it was a challenge to bring something new which is beyond Mughal paintings. “We have tried to portray the emperors based on how we understood them as people rather than how the emperors wanted to be seen,” adds Nikhil.

They also had to be thorough with their research and sources as there are so many myths associated with Mughals. They used a mix of primary and secondary sources. “Excavating the past is always difficult, because we have to consider the context in which a text was produced, who was producing it and why they were doing it. We also have to think about who had the power to be memorialised and who didn’t,” explains Ashwitha.

Along with these challenges they also had to strike the balance as some words and ideas may be hard for young readers whereas some explanations may be too simplistic for readers who are well versed in Mughal history. Ashwitha states, “I think the illustrations were crucial to striking that balance, especially when you look at the chapters that cover the post-Aurangzeb years. This is a very confusing time, and the sheer volume of names and dates can get overwhelming. So we relied on the art to help the reader navigate this period.”

Also, while making of this book they came across interesting facts associated with Mughals which fascinated both of them and also helped to humanised them. Ashwitha shares, “I love the little details like Babur chastised his son for writing letters in overly flowery language, that Jahangir was fascinated by a pair of Sarus cranes, that Aurangzeb once enraged his father by eating the bananas meant for his allies.”

Nikhil believes that this allowed them to think of Mughals beyond as heroes or villains. “It teaches us to see the past, and the present, as a multi-layered, complex entity that defies easy explanations.”

(Arti Das is a freelance journalist based in Goa who writes about art, culture, and ecology)