TUGHLAQ

TUGHLAQ
1. Can the first scene of Tughlaq be called economical? Comment on the

opening scene.
Girish Karnad’s second play and most famous work “Tughlaq” written in
1964 is an existentialist as well as a history play that deals with last five
years of 14th century ruler Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq often considered as the
wisest fool due to his failed experiments. The first scene of the play is quite
productive as it introduces the reader to the social setting, background and
history of Delhi during that period. The scene opens outside the court of
Kazi-i-Mumalik (Chief Justice) where Muslims and few Hindus have
gathered to hear the verdict of the suit filed by the Brahmin Vishnu Prasad
against the sultan. The scene is expository in nature as the discussion
between the old man, young man, third man and Hindu reveal that the rule
of the present sultan, Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq is different from his
ancestors and most are dubious about it. The sultan is shown as someone
who believes in communal equality and thus has brought several reforms
such as providing his subjects the power to file suit against him and
exempting the Hindus from paying jiziya tax. His reforms weren’t
favourable as Muslims condemned and criticised it while Hindus were quite
sceptical and cynical about it. The suspicion that most people have in their
mind regarding sultan’s father’s and brother’s death while Tughlaq was
praying in the mosque is also revealed. They believe that it was a plan well
executed by Tughlaq to ascend the throne although it has not been
conclusively proved. Prayer thus becomes a symbol that spurts distrust. The
idea of the sultan to move the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad baffles and
confounds his subjects. The readers are also introduced to Sheikh Imam-ud-
din, a respected cleric and orator who spews venom against Tughlaq and
“looks like the sultan” which is a statement that foreshadows what
happens later. Karnad has also introduced two characters Aziz, a petty thief
masquerading as Vishnu Prasad, a Brahmin in order to test sultan’s
impartiality and his friend Aazam. These characters are used as comic relief
in the play. This particular scene provides the readers with some mysteries
and loopholes which become lucid as the story progresses.
2. In what way does Scene 2 prepare us for the coming action?
The second scene is set in the palace of the sultan. Tughlaq is overjoyed as
he was able to solve a difficult problem in chess that even great players like
Al-Adli-ar-Rumi and as-Sarakhi thought impossible. The game of chess is
symbolic of how manipulative and sharp the sultan is which makes him
politically powerful. He is an expert in the game and is able to eradicate his
rivals as pawns on the chess-board of politics. He moves according to his
plans which are well calculated, well planned and successful. The readers
can further find that the crooked and shrewd nature of Muhammad Najib,
a politician is easily understood by sultan who has a similar mind when the
former hints about how Sheikh Imam-ud-din resembles Tughlaq. The crafty
sultan uses it to his own advantage. The scene reveals the distress in
characters. Tughlaq is affected by insomnia as he keeps thinking about
philosophy and idealism at night. This disturbs his step mother. Tughlaq is
concerned about the political uprising led by his close friend Ain-ul-Mulk
and Sheikh Imam-ud-din. Najib is able to poison the mind of sultan further
and wants to wipe out Imam-ud-din. The famous historian Zia-ud-din-
Barani is also introduced in this scene and his character contradicts with
that of Najib. His honesty and gentleness is seen by the step-mother as
something that would bring optimistic thoughts and ideas in sultan. She
hates Najib as he is a bad influence on Tughlaq. This scene destroys the
positive image of the sultan that the readers get after the first scene
because allegations against him then had no proof. He is ruthless and finds
it important to get rid of his two rivals and thus plans it with equally
cunning Najib. The sultan is also quite disturbed as he finds that even his
step-mother believes a foul play where Tughlaq was involved in the murder
of his father and brother. He decides to suppress Sheikh Imam-ud-din for
openly discussing it in public thus creating a conflict. The scene portrays
both sides of the sultan – good and evil. He wants to establish a grand
kingdom for his subjects where they can live in communal harmony and
share their happiness and sorrow with the sultan. At the same time, he is
disturbed by the uprisings and oppositions, and plans to somehow repress
it.

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TUGHLAQ

1. Can the first scene of Tughlaq be called economical? Comment on the

2. In what way does Scene 2 prepare us for the coming action?

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