How does the character of Muzaffar Jang provide us a greater understanding of the

Mughal social milieu along the lines of class, religion, and gender?

ROUGH STRUCTURE

Muzaffar Jang is a detective and a kind hearted individual who often lands in the middle of

the scene of action. The readers are shown Dilli, through Muzaffar’s eyes. Just like

Muzaffar sees through the intentions of people, the high-class society of Delhi, the readers

also come to see the truth through Muzaffar, due to his objectivity and honesty. The

following answer traces Muzaffar’s journey in understanding concepts of class, caste and

gender in Dilli of the Mughal era.

Muzaffar Jang is a young detective who recently got married and is happily adjusting

to his new life when he discovers a cloth merchant's murder. As a succession of murders take

place in Delhi, he quickly finds himself in the centre of the action as one thing leads to

another. Despite being advised by his mentor and brother-in-law, Khan Sahib, who also

happens to be the "Kotwal" of Delhi, to abstain from "official police work," Muzaffar's

natural curiosity and a string of coincidences allow him to remain involved in investigating

crimes. His new bride Shireen, who plays a role similar to that of Dr. Watson in Sherlock

Holmes mysteries, but who is much more of a background figure than the good doctor, is the

ideal sounding board for Muzaffar and makes the ideal counterbalance to his naturally

curious nature. Muzaffar's confidence in his wife's skills, instincts, and overall common sense

is confirmed with every discussion they have regarding the killings. In fact, she ends up
taking on a fairly significant and critical role towards the end of the novel. Additionally,

Akram, Muzaffar's longtime friend from past mysteries, turns out to be quite involved in the

events as well.

Muzaffar is a secular individual who is socially conscious and has empathy for the

"other." He thinks that religion is something that ought to remain very personal and not be

forced on other people. According to him, religion should be a means of improving people.

Neither arrogant, nor passing judgement on others, Jang is a kind hearted individual. He is

also aware that he should live in harmony and moderation with the land that he inhabits. He is

an all-rounder who gets along with everyone, including ministers, boatmen, chowkidars, and

sharifs. Religious conflict, unequal land ownership rights, and salary disparities infuriate

Jang's conscience. Long before the idea of equality was popularised, Jang pursued it because

of his curiosity about identity, class, and society.

Muzaffar’s respect and regard for his family and friends is an amiable quality about

his character. For instance, he was brought up by his brother-in-law and sister due to his

father’s early death and he shows complete regard for them which is reflected in the way he

listens to his brother-in-law and sister. His relationship with Shireen, his wife, is worth

highlighting as well. Muzaffar thinks highly of Shireen and gives her due respect which was

very uncommon in the era depicted in the book. It was regarded as extremely “normal” by

men to undermine women, especially wives, in those times but Muzaffar was the complete

opposite. Shireen gives him both emotional along with material nourishment. Material

nourishment is given by her in the manner in which she feeds him while he is working on

different cases. Emotional nourishment is given by her through the conversations she has

with him and the way in which she provides her insights about various cases.
 Muzaffar seems to possess both the socialist naivete of open discussion and astute

political acumen. He occasionally comes across as a clairvoyant as well—possibly the most

intelligent of all the historical detectives. Though he criticises Shah Jahan's military

expeditions to Afghanistan and Balkh, where his father dies—a distant, unloving, and

estranged man—Muzaffar believes Aurangzeb would be a better fit for the throne because he

is a General and Dara Shikhoh is not. He is positive that Dara Shikhoh's studiousness and

lack of combat experience would make him an unfit monarch. On the contrary, Jang also

claims to be against war, a claim that can be linked to his father's nomadic years spent

serving in the Mughal army. In essence, Jang seems to be forecasting the writings of the

colonial historian several centuries in the future.

The young investigator resides on the land his father left him. He must extort taxes

from those who rely on his lands despite the poor crop. Naturally, he reluctantly complies and

raises taxes, with the wealthier taxpayers contributing more. Wells are dug for the people as

an added bonus. Being a man of his time, he fulfils his obligations while lamenting the state

of the economy, which he attributes to needless travels and the cost of constructing structures

to project power. The treatment of Hindus and adherents of other religions in Mughal society

is a topic Muzaffar addresses extensively in "Crimson City". By using Jang to do this, Liddle

is presupposing the Aurangzeb era, which is still far off. Particularly in high society Delhi,

the shock and amazement expressed in the book on both sides regarding house visits and the

offering of food or refreshments are immense. The Mughal court is full of Hindus, in addition

to Munshi Chandrabhan Brahman, there are numerous sahukars, moneylenders, and other

eccentric characters, as well as Banwalidas, the secretary of Dara Shikhoh.

Initially, the readers are introduced to Dilli through Muzaffar’s eyes. The readers soon

realise that most of the people have social views opposite to that of Muzaffar. He comes
across as a secular person and never looks down upon Hindus. He views are so firm that he

often ends up correcting Shireen by continuously reminding her to not think about other

religions in a condescending manner. Muzaffar observes the world around him with great

objectivity. He does not blindly follow anyone or let the wealth or glamour of the Mughal

empire entice him. He occasionally questions the legitimacy of the empire and criticises some

of the emperor's choices. With great clarity, he also expresses his opinions on why Dara

Shikhoh ought not to become the emperor. Hence, Muzaffar’s character provides the readers

with a deeper understanding of the Mughal era specially in terms of religion, class and

gender.

References

Liddle, Madhulika. “Crimson City”. Hachette India, 2015.

Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. JSTOR.

Browne, Ray B., and Lawrence A. Kreiser, editors. “The Detective as Historian: History and
Art in Historical Crime Fiction”. University of Wisconsin Press, 2000.