Intellectual and Literary Contributation of Dara Shikoh

Dara Shikoh was an important figure in the history of the Mughal Empire. He was the eldest son of emperor Shahjahan and elder brother of Aurangzeb. He was a liberal Mughal Prince and inclined towards philosophy over military pursuits. No doubt he held two sided position in Indian history as a political figure and as an intellectual personality. However, his political career was short and shadowed with failures, but his contribution towards literary and intellectual area was profound and amazing. He was also a great patron of the Art and widely considered to represent the pinnacle of Indo-Islamic cultural assimilation. He was given a model of religions toleration, which was short, lived but still has substantial relevance.