Tughlaq as an Allegory of Nehruvian Era

Abstract

Abstract

Girish Karnad in his drama Tughlaq depicts the scenario of the post colonial India with the help of the historical character Sultan Tughlaq and his reign. In the drama the Sultan and his ruling system is allegorized to the Nehruvian era of post-independent India. In the drama Karnad tries to show the issues of colonialism and its onslaught and hangover in India that is quite prevalent even after independence. There was a great challenge to Indian leadership to maintain harmony in politics, religion, culture and economy to a newly independent India, which was under long colonial rule of the British. In the drama Girish Karnad allegorizes the 13th century reign of Delhi Sultanate Mummahad – Bin – Tughlaq to post colonized India under Jawaharlal Nahru's leadership. Girish Karnad presents the effects of colonization in post colonized India and how the nation with a long colonial history suffers to change norms and values established by colonizers. Karnad has allegorized the character of Sultan Tughlaq to Nehru; as both Tughlaq and Nehru despite having an extraordinary leadership quality, great intellectuals and idealist failed to lead their states.