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Society, Culture and Inter Communal Harmony During the Nawab Period (1727-1739) in Bengal

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Society, Culture and Inter Communal Harmony During the Nawab Period (1727-1739) in Bengal J.P.H.S., Vol. LXVII, Nos. 1 & 2 85 SOCIETY, CULTURE AND INTER COMMUNAL HARMONY DURING THE NAWAB PERIOD (1727-1739) IN BENGAL DR. SHOWKET ARA BEGUM Associate Professor Department of History, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh. E-mail: Roshny Cu <[email protected]> It was a diverse society during the reign of Nawabs, consisting of people belonging to different religion, caste or creed. Murshid Quli Khan shifted the dewani from Dhaka to Murshidabad resulting in the transfer of the entire secretariat and court staff to the new place. Later when he was appointed Subahder of Bengal, Murshidabad was declared as the capital of Bengal. Immediately after the shifting of the capital, the whole royal staff, state officials and members of elite society settled down in Murshidabad. People from all walks of life thronged there for livelihood. Murshidabad, during the Nawabi period, turned into a rendezvous for people belonging to different sections of society. This tradition continued during the reign of Nawab Shujauddin Mohammad Khan (the successor of Nawab Murshid Quli Khan). Since hardly any objective material is available on the social history of Bengal during middle age, it is difficult to properly assess the social system prevailing during the reign of Nawab Shujauddin. Most of the eighteenth century sources of information are in Persian language including Siyar-ul-Mutakkherin by Ghulam Hossain Tabatabai, Riaz-us-salatin by Ghulam Hossain Salim, and Tarikh-i-Bangalah by Salimullah, Awal-e-Mahabbat Jang by Yousuf Ali and Muzaffarnamah by Karam Ali. Besides taking up help from history written in Pertsian language, 86 Society, culture and ... historians rely on coins and stone in scriptions for further information. These sources provide brief description of socio-political history, judiciary and administrative system of the period. Interestingly, Bengali literature of middle age is considered as an important source of history that gives a vivid account of the contemporary society and culture. Both the Hindu and the Muslim writers depicted the social system in their literary works. Modern researchers on Bengal history worked on the social system of Nawab period but the mention of social system during the reign of Shujauddin is very insufficient and insignificant. Different aspects of the then society are vividly exposed in ‘Bengal Deshoki Gazal’ by Nihal, a jainist poet, who wrote in the third decade of the 18th century. Having consulted the aforementioned sources, this article aims at giving a look on the social system during Nawab Shujauddin’s reign and examining the Hindu-Muslim relationship during the period. In the history of Bengal, the first quarter of the eighteenth century is an interesting period. But no significant event took place in Bengal society before Plassey. Abdul Karim opines that “In Bengal such epoch-making events took place in the 13th century when Islam was introduced and in the 16th century when the great reformer Chaitanya Deva started the Vaishnava movement.”1 Here we can say that Murshid Quli Khan’s and Shujauddin’s period did not witness any such noticeable event rather saw a continuation of the social life of the past. It was a feudal society during the Nawabi period. In Bengal, a Muslim ruler has an important and responsible role to perform towards the society. His primary duty is to protect the society and promote its welfare and prosperity. He is to be a protector and guardian of the society.The society consisted of Hindus and the Muslims both. Besides, there were many other classes in the society. The Hindus also recognized this social position of the Muslim ruler. Again, the non-Muslims often approached Muslim rulers to settle their religious disputes. Both the Muslim and the Hindus sought their protection and accepted his guardianship as well.2 Religion has a vast and wide ranging role in the constitution of a society. Religion and spiritual life, beliefs and rituals play a significant role in the establishment of a social structure. The structure of the Muslim society of Bengal in the first half of the eighteenth century differs than that of the Hindus. The credit of establishing a society based on justice and equality in Bengal goes to Islam. Consequently, the Muslim society in Bengal is structurally different from the Hindu society.3 Muslim rulers of Bengal provided equal opportunities and facilities J.P.H.S., Vol. LXVII, Nos. 1 & 2 87 to Hindus as they did to the Muslims in agriculture, trade and industry as well as in government service. They promoted the prosperity of non-Muslims and ensured their progress and advancement in every field. For this reason, a large number of Hindus occupied high and responsible offices in the government. The Muslim ruler was the focal personality of the Muslim society with important responsibilities to perform for the peace, solidarity and progress of the Muslim community. The private and public life of the Nawab also had bearing on the society of his time. The nobility and upper class of people imitated his living style, cultures, etiquettes, manners and behaviour and the people in general were influenced by his qualities of character, religious devotion and benevolent works. His life style formed the patterns of the society and shaped the social behaviour of various classes of people. Indeed it set the tone of the society in general.4 Having won the Subahdari of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, Nawab Shujauddin Muhammad Khan focused attention on establishing peace and discipline in his state. He was keen to enhance internal income so that revenues due to the Emperor may be sent regularly. Shujauddin’s regime of a decade was not any exception to the social scenario of the 18th century. During this period, no epoch-making event took place that could lead to any change. Conventions of caste and creed, conservative and orthodox traditions along with superistition were prevalent in rural life. Muslims were divided into two sects Shiah and Sunni while the Hindu sects were Brahmin and Shudra. Most of the Nawabs in Bengal belonged to Shiah sect. Shujauddin would appoint the Shiahs to higher positions who hailed from Persia.5 A pretty good number of learned and accomplished Shiah personalities would come to the Darbar of Nawab Shujauddin and Nawab Alivardi Khan, says Ghulam Hossain Tabatabai in his books.Since Murshidabad and Kasimbazar were the prime business hubs, traders and bankers of all castes and creeds would turn-up there. Consequently, a group of neo-Zamindars and the middle class emerged. Subsequently, Murshidabad developed into an important city of Bengal. A large number of people from Delhi and its neighbouring areas took refuge in Bengal following the invasion of Nadir Shah during the reign of Shujauddin. Modern historian Shusil Chowdhury terms Murshidabad society during the Nawab period as ‘Cosmopolitan’.6 It’s an unlikely event that people from various caste, creed, race and belief gathered there. Through their interaction and exchange, a new cross-cultural society came into being, because, Nawabs in Murshidabad 88 Society, culture and ... were generous and tolerant to all beliefs, caste and creeds.7 Social scientists mark the social structure of the early 18th century as pyramidal that may be figured out in the following way:8 Nawab Influencial Aristocracy of Bengal High ranking royal staff, Army commanders, ministers The Zamindars Land Lords, prominent merchants, bankers The mass, peasants, artisans, craftsman ordinary soldiers, labourers and professionals Hindu-Muslim relations during Nawab period were vertically opposite i.e, the ruler and the ruled. Poets of each group devoted themselves to highlight the supremacy of their own religion. Poet of Chaitanna Mangala Joyananda notes “Brahmin (Hindu) and Jobon (Muslim) are in conflict for eras.”9 Hindu priest, Muslim mowlana and other religious personalities of different beliefs were respectable community in the Murshidabad society. They all were equally welcomed and privileged by Nawabs in Murshidabad.10 We find in Bengali literature stories based on atrocities or accesses by Muslims on Hindus during the Muslim rule. In all literary works from ‘Padmapuran’ by poet Bijoy Gupta of 15th century to ‘Annadamongal’ by poet Bharatchandra of 18th century, oppression on the Hindus by the Muslims is somewhat part of literary output.11 The situation, however, changed during Nawab period. During his reign Shujauddin Muhammad Khan, Nawab in Bengal, would treat both the Hindus and the Muslims J.P.H.S., Vol. LXVII, Nos. 1 & 2 89 equally. His four-member advisory council consisted of two Hindus (Roy Royan Alamchand and Jagat Seth) and two Muslims (Haji Ahmad and Alivardi Khan). So, we may come to the conclusion that the stories about Muslim accesses as portrayed in Bengali literature are far from reality as far as the regime of Shujauddin is concerned. A salient feature of his regim is that Shujauddin appointed a good number of merchants in his administration to ensure economic and financial stability during his regime.12 Hindus would get higher positions in the government since the time of Murshid Quli Khan, the predecessor of Shujauddin Muhammad Khan. Hindus were mostly appointed in the Dewani division since Muslims placed earlier on these positions were found incompetent and corrupt. This policy adopted by Murshid Quli Khan was keenly followed by his successor Nawab Shujauddin.13 This approach manifests the tolerance and mature diplomatic sense of the Nawabs. Besides the revenue division, Hindus would get posted in the land and sea office as well.14 There are scanty allegations that Murshid Quli Khan would oppress the Hindus, but no such criticism is found about Shujauddin. Murshid Quli Khan was very strict in realizing revenues. He would imprison the Zamindars at the court at in the “Chehel Satun” in Murshidabad, who would fail to pay the revenues.The prisoners were deprived of food and even toilet facility.
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