Court rituals and etiquettes: Title, flag, drum, robes of honour under the great mughals

Abstract

The nature of rituals and etiquettes referred the nature of sovereignty. These etiquettes and rituals were designed to enhance the power and prestige of the mughal emperor in the eyes of the various types of the officials of the state as well as the people at large. Nobles were rewarded by the mughal emperors for their distinguished services by the grant of titles. Ordinarily a title also signified the status of a person in the mughal official hierarchy. Rewards and distinctions were given to nobles for their valuable services by the mughal emperor from time to time and it included cash, jewels and other valuable things. And the nobles also received distinction in the form of titles, robes of honour, kettle drums and standards and ensigns. It was an elaborate system, the details of which were carefully worked out by the mughal emperors from time to time and all them used to confer titles on the nobles. Occasionally the mughal emperors in order to raise the status of some amirs conferred upon them the title of Khan in case of Muhammadans and rai and raja when he was a Hindu. The mughal emperors presented the imperial servants with khillats, awards in the form of flag, drum, jewelled dagger etc. on special occasions. These gifts were given to them in accordance with their rank and status and also the nature of achievements or success of the person concerned. It remained as a custom throughout the mughal period. It may however, be mentioned that the court rituals did not extinguished the existing identities and ties. Rather the actual self-perception of the individuals involved differed in many ways or cases from that depicted in the court rituals. Babur and his successors continued this type of practices. And some of the titles conferred by the mughal emperors upon their amirs were Rukan-ud-daulah, Saif-ud- daulah, Nasir-Jang, Shujaat Khan, Sardar Khan, Rustam Ali Khan, Izzat-ud- daulah, Muzaffar Khan, etc. Many of these titles had references to the distinguishing qualities of the recipient. These amirs not only enjoyed high sounding titles but also in receipt of very handsome emoluments. With the introduction of mansabdari system-the title of Beg was changed to that of amir. During Akbaras reign all the officers of the state, holding a mansab of 200 and above, was called an amir. During Shahjahanas reign an officer holding a mansab of 500 or above was entitled to be called an amir. Some titles as their meaning also suggests could be bestowed only on one amir at a time but in reality this rule was not always observed and it seems to have been held by more than one person at a time or simultaneously. In the beginning some nobles considered themselves equal in every respect to the mughal emperors and wanted to be co-partner in respect of sovereignty. Officials were also awarded flag, kettle drum etc. by the mughal emperors however, they could with-hold this right if the behaviour of a noble did not justify this honour. The right to carry the flags and similar ensigns before the emperor was conferred on some high nobles. These ensigns were only found at the entrance of the audience hall and were carried on elephants before the mughal emperor, were called the Qur. And the officer who was placed in-charge of the Qur was known as Qur-Begi. So the nobles were awarded titles by mughal emperor at the time of their performance e.g. in war, administration, days of celebrations i.e. festivals, birthdays and other occasions of happiness and also on those who supported him in the war of succession to the throne, etc. and it gave physical form to the function of the emperor as axis-mundi.