Daring to be Patriot

In May 1907, Indians living in London celebrated the golden jubilee of the 1857 revolt at the Indian House, a resident of Shamji Krishnaverma. One wealthy lady Dhan Devi from Punjab announced a cash prize and the honorific of ‘Yaar-e-Hind’ to Indian students giving proof of their nationalism and valour by wearing on their lapels beautifully designed badges with the legend- “ Honours to The Martyrs of 1857” The rebellious gesture led to sharp arguments with policemen, scuffles in trains and buses and even in lecture halls. Madanlal Dhingra an engineering student displayed the badge on his newly stiched suit and had many sharp exchanges with his college mates both in words and blows. Another Harnam Singh was asked to leave the class and later expelled from the college for refusing to take the badge off. Some Indian students lost their scholarships and had to return home.

Crime and Punishment

In Mughal empire criminals were trampled under the feet of elephants or stung by poisonous snakes. Execution could take place by throwing a man down from the roof. Another method was to get the criminal torn to pieces by dogs. Daud Khan, the commandant of Vellore fortress once ordered that all the thieves caught in the army should be thrown to the crocodiles in the ditch round the fortress. Impalement, mutilation, flogging, banishment, imprisonment, fines and confiscations, forfeiture of rank and title were other forms of punishment. Jahangir while staying in Ahmadabad had ordered the thumbs of the servant of Muqarrab Khan, the Governor to be cut off as he had cut down some Champa trees along the river. Some time an imperial officer abused his authority and inflicted a most cruel sort of death penalty. A rare ape in the possession of Daud Khan, the Deputy Governor of Carnatic died on account of the neglect of the servant. Daud Khan became furious and caused the servant to be put to death by driving a stake into his anus until it came out at his neck.

Presents or Bribery?

Bribery was very common during the Mughal rule in India. It was a common practice at that time to present gifts to the higher officials or big people whenever visits were paid to them. This practice was prevalent throughout the country and even the emperor formed no exception. Rather it was regarded as an insult if a person went to the emperor without a proper present. Even the Princes of the royal blood approached their father with some suitable gift for him. Akbar had issued an order that every person from the lowest to the highest should bring a present when he came to visit him. Qazis during Mughal times used to dispense justice and were know for their greed and corrupt practices. Aurangzeb’s chief qazi, Abdul Wahab Borah was notorious for corrupt practices and within sixteen years of his office had accumulated a fortune of over 33 lakhs of rupees.When Shahjahan rewarded a musician with Rs 1000 the latter burst into tears and disclosed that he would have to part with money to the gate-keepers of the palace by way of bribes. This clever representation of the case made the emperor laugh. He ordered the 25 gate-keepers then on duty to receive one thousands stripes each by way of punishment.

Dispensing Justice

Jahangir is credited for dispensing even handed justice to all irrespective of birth, rank or official position. Once when a stray arrow from Nurjahan's bow killed a washerman on the river bank near the royal palace, Jahangir ordered Nurjahan to be brought to his court of justice like any other ordinary criminal. According to Ibn Batuta Iltutmish ordered that a person who was a victim of injustice must wear coloured clothes in order to distinguish himself from others because generally people in India wore white clothes. The wearing of coloured cloths made the victim conspicuous and the King could immediately give him remedy. Ibn Batuta also mentions a bell with chains which Iltutmish had installed in the palace so that a supplicant could ring it at any time.

Violent Entertainment

During the British rule, for leisure activities, the Englishmen at Surat used to spend their time with their fighting cocks, especially imported from Siam or with their other pets like fantail pigeons, Basra turtle doves, tame cockatoos and performing cassowary. Then there were always the public whippings, floggings and brandings which the new English courts at Bombay awarded so plentifully and which provided a free entertainment for the idle. A Hindu woman found guilty of theft was ordered 39 lashes to start with, to be followed by further instalments of 39 lashes everyday thereafter until she revealed where she had hidden the stolen property. A woman who abetted her lover in the murder of her husband was sentenced to be burnt alive. In Calcutta in 1789 some robbers were tied down, their right hand and left foot hacked off, the stumps dipped in hot butter and the men left to die. The trials that caused most public excitement were those for sorcery. The laws against magic were ferocious and since most Indian physicians were classed as sorcerers and large rewards were offered to informers, there was a constant stream of charges and counter charges. Even an old Hindu woman who had admittedly cured a number of children with her herbal remedies was given eleven lashes to discourage her traffic with Satan.