Chapter 9
Sources & References
Every claim on this website is backed by primary historical sources. This page provides the complete bibliography.
Every claim on this website is backed by primary historical sources. This page provides the complete bibliography.
This website prioritizes primary sources — chronicles written during or near Aurangzeb's reign, many by Muslim historians who served at his court. This is critical because these sources documented temple destructions and persecution not as allegations but as achievements worthy of praise. They are, effectively, confessions.
We supplement primary sources with archaeological evidence (ASI reports), modern scholarly works (Jadunath Sarkar, R.C. Majumdar, K.S. Lal), and digital databases where readers can verify claims independently.
The official court chronicle of Aurangzeb's reign, written by Saqi Must'ad
Khan (c. 1710). This is the most important primary source — it records Aurangzeb's own
orders and policies, including the 1669 temple destruction farman. Translated into English
by Jadunath Sarkar.
Archive.org: Search Maasir-i-Alamgiri →
Written by Muhammad Hashim Khafi Khan, a contemporary historian. Provides extensive accounts
of Aurangzeb's military campaigns, religious policies, and administrative decisions. One of
the most detailed Mughal-era chronicles.
Archive.org: Search Muntakhab-ul-Lubab →
Aurangzeb's personal letters, providing direct insight into his thinking and motivations. Contains his famous deathbed letter expressing guilt and uncertainty about his legacy.
Primary LettersA comprehensive compilation of Islamic law commissioned by Aurangzeb. The Fatawa provided the legal framework for his discriminatory policies against non-Muslims, including Jizya collection and temple destruction orders.
Legal CompilationA chronicle of Aurangzeb's conquests by Ishwar Das Nagar. Documents military campaigns and temple destructions in the Deccan and beyond.
Primary ChronicleDaily news reports from the Mughal court, providing granular detail about administrative decisions, temple destructions, and religious persecution orders. These are the "daily record" of Aurangzeb's policies in action.
Administrative RecordsA chronicle of Gujarat during the Mughal period by Ali Muhammad Khan. Documents temple destructions, forced conversions, and administrative policies in Gujarat specifically.
Regional ChronicleSikh historical chronicles documenting the persecution of Sikh Gurus, the creation of the Khalsa, and the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur and the Sahibzadas.
Sikh ChroniclesMaratha historical records documenting Shivaji's interactions with Aurangzeb, the torture and execution of Sambhaji, and the 27-year Deccan campaigns.
Maratha ChroniclesFrançois Bernier, a French physician who lived at the Mughal court (1656–1668), provides
European eyewitness accounts of Aurangzeb's succession war and early reign.
Archive.org: Bernier's Travels →
Niccolao Manucci, an Italian who lived in India during Aurangzeb's reign, provides extensive
eyewitness accounts of persecution, court politics, and the music ban.
Archive.org: Manucci's Storia →
The definitive modern scholarly work on Aurangzeb. Sarkar spent 30 years researching Mughal
records in Persian and produced this comprehensive 5-volume study that remains the gold
standard.
Archive.org: Jadunath Sarkar →
Documents over 2,000 instances of temple destruction across medieval Islamic rule in India,
with extensive citations from Muslim chronicles. A landmark work of historical
documentation.
Archive.org: Sita Ram Goel →
Multi-volume history of India by leading historians. Volumes VII and VIII cover the Mughal period extensively and include detailed documentation of Aurangzeb's policies.
Academic History SeriesResearch on demographic impact of Islamic rule in India. Provides estimates of population changes and forced conversions during the medieval period.
Demographic ResearchOfficial government archaeological reports documenting temple ruins, mosque construction on
temple sites, and physical evidence of destruction. Includes the 2023 Gyanvapi survey
report.
ASI Official Website
→
Henry Elliot and John Dowson compiled translations of Muslim historians' own accounts of
their conquests. These translations remain indispensable for researchers.
Archive.org: Elliot & Dowson →
Verify the facts yourself using these online resources.
Many primary sources and scholarly works are freely available on Archive.org.
Visit Archive.org →Peer-reviewed academic papers on Mughal history, temple destructions, and religious policies.
Visit JSTOR →Wikipedia articles on Aurangzeb, Maasir-i-Alamgiri, Gyanvapi, temple destructions — with extensive citations.
Aurangzeb on Wikipedia →Gyanvapi and Mathura case records available through Indian judiciary portals.
Supreme Court of India →Archaeological Survey of India reports, including temple site surveys and findings.
Visit ASI →The umbrella initiative documenting India's suppressed history across multiple historical periods.
Visit Bharat Files →Explore other websites in the Bharat Files Initiative for comprehensive documentation of India's suppressed history.
The "Destroyer of Idols" who razed the Krishna Janmasthan at Mathura and systematically destroyed temples across northern India (1489–1517 CE).
Visit SikandarLodi.com →The last Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate whose defeat at Panipat in 1526 brought the Mughals but whose reign saw continued persecution of Hindus.
Visit IbrahimLodi.com →The founder of the Lodi dynasty who established the pattern of temple destruction and religious persecution that his successors continued.
Visit BahlulLodi.com →The founder of the Tughlaq dynasty whose conquest of the Deccan and Bengal expanded the reach of the Delhi Sultanate and its destructive policies.
Visit GhiyasuddinTughlaq.com →The Delhi Sultan who sacked Hindu kingdoms across India, imposed crippling taxes, and carried out mass persecution during his expansionist campaigns.
Visit AlauddinKhilji.com →The last Mughal emperor and his role in the 1857 uprising — examining the complex end of Mughal rule in India.
Visit BahadurShahZafar.com →