A Social History of the Deccan, 1300- 1761: Eight Indian lives.

By Richard
M.Eaton. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Xiii, 221 pp.
This is a very engaging narrative supported with maps, dynasty charts,
relevant pictures, clear footnotes and sub headings. Every chapter starts with a
statement about the person about whom the story is being said, followed by
summary. Though the stories are about eight different people who belonged to
different geological territories, the author narrated it in a style that does not make it
seem like an assortment of random stories. In fact the selection of these stories in
this sequence is done based on the interconnection of the socio- political contexts in
which these are placed. In fact, it is these contexts in which these stories are placed
and not the other way around.
The first narrative starts with a dramatic line from the Prataparaja Chrithamu
of 16 century, showing the glory of the Raja Prataparudra during his reign. The
narrative then explains about the two different state systems in the Deccan history
the regional kingdom and the transregional sultanate and tries to place the
narrative in this historical context, as a way to understand these two political
worlds. It is not one of those conventional style of narratives that start with the
early childhood of the king, which comes later in the description. It starts with the
most significant event: the negotiations that the king had after being confronted by
an overwhelmingly large army of the Delhi sultanate. This incident also slips in vital
information about the peace treaties that the Delhi sultanate followed. However, the
text is not merely about the narrative of pratapa rudra. It explains the differences
between the content of the normative texts of that period and the vernacular
inscriptions. He states how the later works help to understand the social history of
the region. He explained how various texts written in the vernaculars reflected the
attitude of the collective mass towards other vernacular communities with examples
from Andhra, Karnataka and Maharashtra. He embedded into the narrative the
character of various classes and other vital movements and notions. It also helps
understand the caste character of the society, as inferred from various sources like
inscriptions, biographies (Prataparudra Caritamu). The text also explains, if not in
detail about the major changes that were happening at Delhi during this time.
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The author then moves onto the second story that talks about Muhammad
Gisu Daraz (1321- 1422) the symbol of piety who lived for more than hundred years.
The story narrates the most prominent personalities in that time like Nizam al- Din
Auliya, Amir Khusru, Zia al- Din Barani, Timur, Firuz shah Bahmani and major events
like the death of Nizam al- Din auliya, the Timur invasions, fall of the Tughluq
dynasty and their aftermath. The narrative also gives an insight about the Hoysala
state in south eastern Karnataka and their severed relations with the Tughluq
dynasty. The story of Gisu Daraz almost fades into the background at certain parts
of this segment. It explains several parallel prominent developments that the
Deccan region underwent in this time frame like the sangama brothers Hari hara
and Bukka raya, the formation of the Vijayanagara state, the Tughluq revolution, the
politics of the Bahmani sultanate etc. It also has incidents in the life of the holy saint
that showed him as supposedly lengthening the life of the Bahmani sultan, Firuz
shah Bahmani, in which he (Gisu Daraz) quotes god as having told him We have

lengthened the sultans life- span so that you [Gisu Daraz] can live longer [ in
contentment]. This narrative explains the key role that the Shaiks (religious saints)
played in the Bahmani sultanate and how it was altered.
The third narrative explains the tale of an Iranian merchant named Mahmud
Gawan (1411- 1488). This narrative explains the after effects of Ottoman conquests
in Constantinople. It explains about the trade links that were established through
the two ports of Deccan Chaul and Dabhol. This narrative slips in information about
the types of imports and exchanges that the Iranian and Indian nations had at that
time in which the earliest use of gunpowder in Deccan was made. The author draws
in the importance that was placed on foreign/ western (gharbian) talent by the
Sultans and Kings ruling India in various examples and discusses the reception of
the Persian merchant Gawan by the Bahmani sultan. The story unfolds how the
Persian merchant turns into a noble, a head of a squadron of royal cavalry, a chief
minister with the title malik al- tujjar (meaning prince of merchants) who was
executed by the sultan Muhammad III, because of a conspiracy. The author depicts
the strife between the Deccanis (North Indian immigrants opposing the Tughluq
rule) and Westerners (from the west of India) the larger contexts and implications in
the socio- political arenas. The ties that the two Deccan kingdoms Vijayanagara and
the Bahmani sultanate shared can be understood.
The next narrative explains the story of a warrior Rama Raya (1484 1565)
who grew into an autocrat The story is set in a time that saw the decline of the
Bahmani state, the kingdom of Vijayanagara and the reign of the most powerful
kings in the history of Deccan _ Krishnadeva Rayas regime. It shows the dynamics
in the state of Vijayanagara, the art and architectural trends, the usage of coins, the
economics of the state, the conquests. He explains through various examples the
increase in the permeation between Muslims and Hindus. One of the major
arguments that the author brings forth is the non- religious nature of the battle of
Tallikota and states reasons that lead to it.
The story of Malik Ambar or chapu (1548- 1626) helps to understand the
social history of Deccan. It acts as a window to understand the institution of slavery
and issues of race, class, gender etc. He stated that the import of slaves was a
phenomenon that resulted due to the strife between the Deccanis and westerners.
The Mughal intervention into the Deccan frontiers, the stern resistance to save it,
the role played by Malik Ambar in the Nizam shahi kingdom, the rise of the
Marathan kingdom are narrated. The author then tries to draw parallels between the
Maratha chieftains and his clan on the basis of the duties they fulfilled but fails to
mention about the similarities or differences in the social positions that these two
sections held.
The author explains how various sectarian institutions were slowly merging
into one another. The stories describe the diffusion amongst various sections like
the natives- foreigners, the North Indians Deccanis, slaves- chieftains etc. The
changes that the society underwent regarding its caste character and the nature of
these changes is explained through the life of Tukaram (1608- 1649) one of Indias
most revered poets. This displays not only the socio- religious transformation and
reformist thinking. Tukarams story provides an insight about the literary traditions

that flourished at that time. This story also talks about the miraculous re-appearing
of the poets manuscripts from the river Indrayani adding a mythical element to this
narrative. Around the seventeenth century, we see the transformation in the usage
in the terminologies from Deccan plateau to Desh. The most significant
ideological shift was in the un- identification of the caste hierarchy as a criteria for
spirituality. The literary traditions also underwent changes, marking the wide spread
of vernaculars in literature.
Next narration is about Papadu (1695- 1710) a social bandit who refused to
lead an occupation based on caste system. He resorted to highway robbery who
looted the Warangal fort, known for receiving (more appropriately buying) the robe
of honour, the most distinguished honour of the time. His life records events of
betrayal from his own clan and his wife. But, it also draws at the larger influences he
had on the Mughals.
Tarabai (1675- 1761) who is the most remarkable woman on Indian history, the wife
of the emporer Shivajis second son Raja Ram. She was a prominent person in the
anti- Mughal resistance, that followed after the death of her husband. The story
shows the observance of superstitions like sati sahagamana, at that time. The story
shows Tarabhai, a women who led the Marathas against Mughals, being thrown,
unceremoniously into the prison of Panhala as a result of politics for the thrown,
who later rose in power as a quasi-sovereign dowager in a dramatic turn of events.
The story ends with a letter Tarabai receives from the acting governor of Portuguese
goa, saying: The era of the hat- wearers had dawned.
This book discusses about several developments in the political and social
contexts of the Deccan region from 1300 to 1761. But, it does not constrict itself to
this region as it is essential to understand the context and the reasons that
triggered certain events, as the aim is to understand the Social history of this
region. The stories of the eight persons discussed in the books may not be the
cause of all the developments that we find in this narrative. But they are all woven
into the fabric of these eight life- stories. This book is a very engaging read. The
style chosen is that of a narrative of life- stories or biographies; but it nowhere falls
short of a good Historical account of the Deccan.
Pavni Sairam