The Mughals were Persianized Turks who had invaded from Central Asia and claimed descent from both Timur and Chingiz Khan and they really strengthened the Persian culture in India. Mughal Emperors cultivated Peersian art ; enticing to their Courts Iranian artists and architects came from Tabriz, Shiraz, Herat and other cities of the Iran.1 Apart from a number of Iranian nobles, administrators and soldiers, there were painters, calligraphers, architects, musicians, poets, physicians and people with diverse skills who immigrated to India during the Mughal regime.2
Mughal Social Life
Civilizations of different regions also influence each other owing to geographical proximity or closer cultural relations in a society. The Indian philosophy
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The interplay of cultural influences of Iran and India is particularly noticeable in the form of visually significant objects such as miniatures, manuscripts, calligraphy, coinage, book binding, carpets, jewelry and pottery.11 The Mughal Empire has rightly been called a ‘cultural state.’12 Humayun was greatly impressed by Iranian culture and art during his stay in Iran where he spent most of his time in such pursuits. The restoration of the Mughal Empire after Humayun’s return from Iran established a tradition of migration from Iranian territories, which continued until the Muslim states of India could no longer offer prospects of employment. Iran contributed a good deal to the Indo-Muslim cultural heritage; its share among the immigrants was significant. Prof. Sukumar said that “the exile of Humayun in Iran, though humiliating and painful, was not altogether barren in its results.” 13 Humayun’s stay in Iran not only established diplomatic relationship between the Safawid and Mughal Courts, it also led to closer contact between India and Iran. During the Akbar’s reign, when the Mughal Empire was consolidated, a general immigration of nobles and generals as well as men of arts and letters from Iran deeply molded the Indo-Muslim civilization.