Which of the following measures were implemented by Aurangzeb during his reign?
1. Aurangzeb prohibited the stamping of the Kalima (Islamic creed) on coins.
2. The Nauroz festival, previously banned by Shah Jahan, was reinstated.
3. The practice of weighing the Emperor against gold and silver as part of royal ceremonies was abolished.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
Explanation Statement 1 is correct: Aurangzeb forbade the use of the Kalima (Islamic declaration of faith) on Mughal coins to prevent the possibility of them being defiled if mishandled or trampled upon. This was in contrast to earlier Mughal rulers who had stamped religious inscriptions on their coinage.
Statement 2 is not correct: Nauroz, the Persian New Year festival, was considered un-Islamic by Aurangzeb. Instead of reinstating it, he continued its ban because he viewed it as a pre-Islamic Persian custom associated with Zoroastrianism. It was celebrated by earlier Mughal emperors, including Akbar and Jahangir, but both Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb suppressed it.
Statement 3 is correct: The Tula-Dan or weighing of the Emperor against gold, silver, and other precious items, which was a long-standing Mughal tradition, was abolished by Aurangzeb. He saw it as an extravagant and unnecessary ritual that conflicted with his strict Islamic beliefs.
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