Land of seven rivers: History of India's Geography by Sanyal Sanjeev

Author:Sanyal, Sanjeev [Sanyal, Sanjeev]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9788184756715
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2012-11-15T05:00:00+00:00

Sadly for Delhi, Akbar shifted the capital south to Agra and then to a newly built city called Fatehpur Sikri. The latter took fifteen years to build but it was abandoned after only fourteen years because, like Tughlaqabad, its water supply was deemed unreliable. The capital moved back to Agra. Meanwhile, Delhi remained an important city but would have to play second fiddle to Agra till Akbar’s grandson built Shahjehanabad (Old Delhi) a century later. Akbar did, however, make one important addition to Delhi’s skyline—the tomb of his father. Humayun’s tomb is a grand affair and an architectural precursor to the Taj Mahal. Since it is not usually mobbed by tourists like the Taj, it is a much more satisfying place to linger and retains the air of an emperor’s tomb.

I do not want to leave the reader with the impression that medieval India was only about the building, pillaging, abandoning and rebuilding of cities. One must remember that most of the population lived in rural areas. Babur tells us that Indian villagers rarely invested in either irrigation or in building permanent homes. Instead, they were ever prepared to abandon their villages and take refuge in the forests. 27 This is how the common people had coped with the previous three centuries of invasion and war. Much of the country remained forested and, in some cases, may have reverted to wilderness after habitations were abandoned. There were forests just outside Delhi, where its rulers indulged in hunting within a few hours’ ride from the city walls. Feroze Shah even built a number of hunting lodges along the Aravalli ridges, including one in what is now the urban village of Mahipalpur, very close to the international airport. Deer, leopards and possibly lions were found where bright neon lights now announce budget hotels. British records speak of the ‘Hurriana lion’ as late as the 1820s. 28

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