Invoking Shah Jahan's choice of an heir apparent in Dara Shikoh, Union minister M J Akbar today said he was chosen because the Mughal ruler knew India could not be ruled by force alone but through the spiritual philosophy of harmony.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations' international conference on Dara Shikoh, Akbar highlighted the prince's contribution and initiatives in bringing about the spiritual homogenisation of Hinduism and Islam.
"Why was Dara chosen as the preferred successor at a time all warrior princes had to fight for the throne? Why did Shah Jahan keep Dara Shikoh in court but send all his other sons as governors to other states? Dynasty sentiment is a modern phenomenon and in matters of state the emperor has no son.
"Shah Jahan knew that India could not be ruled by force alone but through the spiritual philosophy of harmony and recognised that if you can't win hearts of people you can't rule," the minister said.
The event, 'Dara Shikoh: Reclaiming Spiritual Legacy of India', saw participation from 7 countries -- Iran, USA, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan besides India.
The Mughal prince, considered among the "founding fathers" of secularism in India, is also attributed to have taken Hindu spiritual text, the Upanishads, to European countries.
"Dara brought different cultures into dialogue and found a close connection between Hinduism and Islam and was the founding father of secularism in India."
"He had the Upanishads translated into Persian. The Europeans at that time did not read Sanskrit and so they read the Upanishads in Persian which were later translated into Latin. And that is when the Europeans started to study Sanskrit. So Dara Shikoh is directly responsible for the whole process of the study of India's culture outside the country," ICCR president Lokesh Chandra said.
The two-day event, scheduled to conclude on April 28, will see discussions on Hindu and Sufi spirituality and Dara Shikoh's influence beyond the country.
"The diversity of themes that are to be discussed in the two-day conference explore concepts of Hindu and Sufi spirituality, the experience of music in Sufi shrines and Hindu temples, and juxtapose Dara Shikoh's impact beyond the sub-continent," ICCR director general Amarendra Khatua said.
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