Dara Shikoh
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Context
- At a time when incidents of intolerance in the name of faith are being reported from Afghanistan, Dara Shikoh, one of India’s most enlightened thinkers, needs to be remembered.
- The Ministry of Culture recently set up a seven-member panel of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to locate the grave of the Mughal prince Dara Shikoh (1615-59).
Who was Dara Shikoh?
- Elder son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan, Dara Shikoh had three younger brothers, and Aurangzeb was one of them.
- Dara Shikoh was killed after losing the war of succession against his brother Aurangzeb.
- Dara Shikoh is said to have revered all the religions, and took a special interest in Hindu religion and philosophy, along with Christianity.
- Dara Shikoh tried to find commonalities between Hindu and Islamic traditions.
- He translated into Persian the Bhagavad Gita as well as 52 Upanishads.
- Important works: Majma-ul-Bahrain and Sirr-i-Akbar.