Tracing the Life of Dara Shukoh with Supriya Gandhi

They were brothers, both sons of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, and yet they were worlds apart. The poetic, artistic and secular Dura Shukoh was the favourite of his father and the darling of the Mughal capital, Shahjahanabad.

The hard, cold, conservative and battle-hardened Aurangzeb was an outsider. Yet he managed to usurp the throne, famously imprison his father and kill his brother. It is said that Shahjahanabad never forgave Aurangzeb for this folly.

Supriya Gandhi, historian and scholar, recounts the life of Dara Shukoh, the much-loved Mughal Prince, through paintings, objects and buildings. Though Dara Shukoh lost the battle of succession, this session explores his life, his role as a prince, his journey and finally his legacy. Here's the recording of the LIVE session that took place on 14th August 2021.