TUGHLAQ by Girish Karnad

TUGHLAQ

                        -Girish Karnad

                        Girish Karnad, (born May 19, 1938, Matheran, Bombay Presidency [now in Maharashtra], India), Indian playwright, author, actor, and film director whose films and plays, written largely in Kannada, explore the present by way of the past.  Karnad’s next play, Tughlaq (1964), tells the story of the 14th-century sultan Mohammad and remains among the best known of his works.

                        “The whirlpool of violence and bloodshed” called Tughlaq, is based on “the life of Muhammad Tughlaq of 14th century sultan of Delhi, “the most infamous Mughal emperor who thinks himself as “I was too soft, I can see that now. According to Karnad, Sultan Muhammad Bin Tughlaq was “certainly the most brilliant individual ever to ascend the throne of Delhi and also one of the biggest failures. Tughlaq of Girish Karnad’s Tughlaq seems to be more humane than his original, Muhammad bin Tughlaq. It is so for the simple reason that he looks more sophisticated and gentle manlike and, therefore, subtler and saner than the most controversial monarch of Indian history, the so-called “Mad” Tughlaq (1325-51) of Delhi Sultanate.

                        The play Tughlaq explores the series of events that led to the downfall of one of the most fascinating kings to occupy the throne in Delhi, namely, Mohammed-bin-Tughlaq. The protagonist, Mohammad bin Tughlaq, known for his reformist, ‘ahead of his times’ ideas had a grand vision, but his reign was an abject failure. He started his rule with great ideals of a unified India. Yet in 20 years his reign had degenerated into anarchy and his kingdom had become a “kitchen of death”.
The vision of Tughlaq to unify India and keep religion out of politics cost him dearly. He put forth reformist ideas to bring about trust in his Hindu citizens like scrapping the ‘jijia’ tax on Hindus. One of his ideas was shifting the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad in order to have the capital that is not only the center of his province but also a Hindu dominated area.

                      The play covers the consequences that followed this decision. The play starts with Tughlaq being portrayed as a strict yet respected ruler. The play dramatically highlights the how the business class of the country always tried to influence the decisions of the Ruler. The play also highlights how religion can be misused to bring in the common man
into a foul play.

                     The two characters, Aziz and Azam, represent a section of people who are clever enough to identify and mis-use the loop holes and in every law to enrich them.

The play outlines his clever plots to eliminate his opponents and ends with scenes of utter chaos and misery in the kingdom, and Tughlaq being left alone, having been abandoned by those who survived him. The play intends at capturing the helplessness of a great ruler, his downfall no matter how big the dreams and the visions in the hands of the religion and business class.