Tughalq, a historical play by Girirsh Karnad. But it can be considered as a political Allegory. Because it represents the first two decades of Indian independence under Nehruvian leadership.The play reflects the universal literary themes.

1. Girish Karnad
A play in thirteen scenes
Prepared by : Vipul Dabhi
(Lecturer at Shamaldas Arts College ,
Bhavnagar. - 2019-2020)

2. Table of Contents :
• Introduction –
• About the Author –
• Main Characters in the Play –
• Major themes in the play –
• Symbolism in the play -
• What is historical play ?
• Tughlaq as a political allegory –
• The Interface of Politics and Religion –
• Conclusion –

3. Introduction :
• ‘Tughlaq’ is a historical play written by Girish
Karnad. It was published in Kannada in 1964, it
was an immediate success which led the author
to publish it into English in 1970.
• The genre of the play is a political allegory.
Which we can see in its complex symbolism. It
has some serious motif, though there are so many
comic scenes which makes this play more
interesting. ( Aziz – Aazam and reckless dialogues
of Tughlaq. )
• The play also represents the political temper of
disillusionment , which was followed by the
Nehruvian Idealism.
• It has an irreducible , puzzling quality which
comes from the ambiguities of Tughlaq’s
character.
• The play has one another parallel story of Aziz,
who ultimately becomes the hero of the play.
• It seems that writer has very well worked with
the psychology of every characters.
• “Both Tughlaq and his enemies initially appear
to be idealist; yet, in the pursuit of the ideal, they
perpetrate its opposite.”
• The main focus is upon the reign of
the 14th century Mughal emperor
Muhammad –Bin –Tughlaq .
•This period brought an end to the
‘golden age’ of classical Hinduism and
introduced Islam as a dominant force.
• Karnad borrows this history from a
variety of sources like Zia-ud-din-
Barani’s contemporaneous account of
Tughlaq in ‘Taqikh-I-Feroz Shahi’ (
1357 ).

4. •The play is divided into thirteen scenes. The play
takes place in Delhi, from where Tughlaq runs his
whole empire.
• In the beginning , two muslims discusses about the
current situation of the state. We can sense the Hindu
– Muslim xenophobia in their talk. Thereafter,
Announcer announces the judgement of the suit,
which had been filed by Vishnu Prasad (disguised.)
• But suddenly, Tughlaq, declares of shifting his capital
from Delhi to Daulatabad.
• Aazam recognizes Vishnu Prasad as Aziz.
• “ Aziz : …… There’s no future in being a dhobi these
days. So I did a bit of thinking . There’s a Brahmin
called Vishnu Prasad whose land had been confiscated
recently. I shaved my head and went to him. I said I
would buy the land. ”
• The second scene opens with the Tughlaq playing
Chess, at the same time his step mother enters.
• Here Tughlaq informs her mother that his old friend
Ain-ul-Mulk is marching on Delhi. As he can’t do much
with the just lesser soldiers. Again he quarrels with
his mother and tells about the disorder- Insomania !
Continue…
•Suddenly, Najib and Zia-ud-
din Barani enters in the hall.
• As Najib’s duty is to give
political reports, he informs
that we can’t fight with the
marching enemy because we
have just a six thousand
soldiers and the equal
problem is, Sheikh Imam –ud-
din is in Delhi.

5. • In the same scene , we come to know about Tughlaq’s
crime of parricide. He murders his own father and
brother for the political ambitions. At the other side Step
Mother advises Barani to keep Tughlaq away from his
political advisors. ( Najib )
• The third scene starts with the meeting between Tughlaq
and Shiekh Imam-ud-din. Where Shiekh openly criticizes
the sultan and his policies. Meanwhile, both waits for the
anticipated audience. But nobody comes as it is a part of
political move by Tughlaq.
• Tughlaq convinces Shiekh about his physical resemblance
and sends him as a messenger of peace. Where he dies as
a part of a battle.
• The scene four opens with the sudden death of Shiekh.
Here reader comes to know about the darker side of
Tughlaq as Ratansingh narrates everything to Shihab-ud-
din and says that it was a cleverly conceived murder.
• In the next scene, Sihab-ud-din, Ratansingh and Amirs
discusses about the tyranny of sultan and its adverse
effect on them. Which leads to plan the murder of sultan
and decides that Tughlaq would be murdered on the day
of his Durbar-i-khas.
Continue…
• The scene six opens with
Tughlaq introducing the
copper currency, which has
the same value as silver
dinars. This move disappoints
the Amirs.
• Now the Amirs try to murder
Tughlaq as per their plan, but
immediately they all held
captive by the Hindu soldiers
and the leader of that group
Shihab-ud-din mercilessly
stabbed by Tughlaq himself.

6. • The setting for the next scene is the route from Delhi to
Daultabad. Where Aziz, still dressed as a Brahmin, swindles
innocent citizens in the name of law.
• To Aazam : “ You’ve been in Delhi for so many years and
you’re as stupid as ever. Look at me. Only a few months in
Delhi and I have discovered a whole new world- politics ! My
dear fellow, that’s where our future is- politics ! It’s a
beautiful world-wealth, success, position, power- and it’s
full of brainless people, people with not an idea in their
head.”
• The next scene takes place in Daulatabad. Where people
discuss about the unhappy and sombre state of affairs in the
fort. Tughlaq hears the fact and seems in the perplexed state
of mind. Barani suggests to end up the ruthless bloodshed
and murder. At the end of the scene, we hear the news
regarding the murder of Najib.
• In the scene nine, Ghiyas-ud-din-Abbasid, the descendant
of the Khalifa, who is on the way to meet Tughlaq, has been
murdered by Aziz, and dresses himself up as Ghiyas-ud- din.
The sultan welcomes this awaited guest with the full
enthusiasm.
• Here in the scene ten, Tughlaq seems insane, he might
have adversely affected by his past decisions.
•For the murder of Najib,
Tughlaq orders the soldiers to be
stoned her mother in public.
• The next scene represents
cruelty of Aziz. The sultan orders
to resume the prayer in the
honour of guest. But prayer is
not a solution for death and
famine. Interestingly, a hindu
woman who lost her child on
the way to Daulatabad
recognizes Aziz.
• Aazam makes plan for the
escapement, but Aziz resists.
• The assassination of Aazam
brings Aziz to the sultan. He
seems to be caught. He
confesses everything which he
has done and says to the sultan
that I am your true disciple. He
requests for the post of an
officer. Barani leaves and
Tughlaq gets his deep sleep.
Continue…

7. About the author :About the Author :
• Girish Karnad was a well known playwright, author, actor and film director. His mother
tongue was Konkani. But he wrote his most plays in Kannada language and have been
translated into English and some other Indian languages. In his works we can sense the
reality of Indian culture and society.
• Most of his works represents his study of Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
• He spoke passionately on various political matters during his life time.
Major Works :
Yayati (1961) : A play about the
Chandravanshi king in the Mahabharata who
exchanged his decrepitude with the youth of
his youngest son, to ward off the curse of
premature old age.
The play is a reflection of his
eclecticism in borrowing elements from
playwrights like Jean Anouilh, Jean-Paul
Sartre, and Eugene O’ Neill. He makes use of
mythic narrative in his plays.
Hayavadana ( 1971 ) : This play uses the
technique of ‘Yakshagana’. The play tels
the stor of two friends who are in love
with the same woman and who
accidently swap heads. It raises the
questions of identity and desire. The
story is taken from the
‘Kathasaritasagara.’
Nagamandala (1988 ) : The play is
about a cobra and a married woman.
Rani is neglected by her husband, as a
result of it King cobra falls in love with
her and visits her in disguise of her
husband. On knowing this, her
husband orders her to prove her
innocence, emerges as a village
Goddess.

8. Major characters in the play :
Tughlaq –
• A headstrong idealistic ruler.
• He is vulnerable, allows himself to be punished
publicly.
• He shift his capital for communal unity.
• His sense of social justice embraces all religions
in equal fashion.
• Further, he introduces the copper coins – which
has the same value as the silver dinars.
• For the ideal rule, He welcomes public criticism.
• He projects himself as a tolerant and efficient
ruler. However, his irrational behaviour becomes
the reason of social dissatisfaction.
• As a result of it, he chooses the way of cruelty.
In that process he kills Sheikh and Shihab-ud-din.
• At the end of the play, he senses his own failure
and becomes insensitive murderer by ordering
her mother to be stoned publically.
• Suffers from inner turmoil and isolation.
• Each scene represents the progressive
degradation and dehumanization of Tughlaq.
“ Muhammad : …. Sweep your
logic away into a corner, Barani,
all I need now is myself and my
madness- madness to prance in a
field eaten bare by scarecrow
violence. But I am not alone,
Barani. Thank Heaven ! For once I
am not alone. I have a
Companion to share my madness
now – the Omnipotent God !
When you pass your final
judgement on me, don’t forget
Him. ”

9. Aziz :
• We can say that Aziz is the another parallel of
Tughlaq.
• As he has all the vices- ( Manipulative, witty,
imaginative, secretive and ruthless. ) which Tughlaq
has.
• To accomplish his dreams, he chooses the way of a
crook, that is seen in his disguised – ( Vishnu Prasad,
Ghiyas-ud-din-Abbasid ) identity.
• Aziz is the best example of the corrupt people. He
very well knows how to use these welfare policies.
• Even he refuses to help a woman with a dying son in
her lap.
• For Muhammad and Aziz politics holds a common
interest.
• He makes use of religion and caste for his personal
gains.
• He never regrets for his deeds, beside that he dances
and celebrates the murder.
• That’s why Muhammad pardons him for his
misdeeds.
“ Aziz : There is money here.
We will make a pile by the
time we reach Daulatabad.
I am your Majesty’s true
disciple. ”
Continue…

10. Aazam :
• A close friend of Aziz, rather a vagabond.
• He lives mostly by robbery and deception,
though less cunning then Aziz.
• Both constantly comment upon the policies of
the sultan and provide a variety of perspectives
on the situation made by the sultan.
• At the end of the play, he thinks to escape the
path, which becomes the reason of his murder.
Najib :
• A politician by profession. Interestingly, he
works as a political adviser for Tughlaq.
• Firstly he is a Hindu but later on embraces
Islam.
• An advocate of ruthless political expansion and
domination, and presents a perfect contrast to
Barani.
• “ ha wants pawns of flesh and blood. He
doesn’t have the patience to breathe life in to
these boners …” He represents the rational
aspects of Tughlaq’s self.
Continue…

11. Barani :
• A historian and a close associate of the sultan.
• He records the history and gives his opinions
regarding political situation.
• He differs in his opinions from the more rational
Najib.
• He looks every event from humanitarian
perspective.
• He tries his best to save the sultan from his own
fantasies, moreover, the step mother orders him
to guard the sultan.
Shiekh- Imam-ud –Din :
• He is well reputed maulvi in the province.
• He openly criticizes the Tughlaq and his
policies.
• Mainly considers Tughlaq as an un- Islamic.
• In one of his public speech he condemns
Tughlaq as guilty of parricide.
• He and Tughlaq, both has the same physical
resemblance. Later, as per the ploy of the sultan,
he gets murdered by Ain-ul-Mulk.
Step Mother :
• She constantly appears anxious for
Tughlaq.
• She thinks that Najib is the man
who has made Tughlaq’s life full of
adversity.
• Which drives her to murder Najib.
• But for Tughlaq it is a big loss, and
ultimately he orders her to be stoned
to death for the unwarranted act.
Continue…

12. Major Themes in the Play :
‘Idealistic’ Leadership -
• The character of Tughlaq is quite complex to
understand as he represents the paradoxical
nature.
• He is portrayed as “ a dreamer and a man of
action, benevolent and cruel, devout and callous.”
• Initially everything seems idealistic but as time
passes ‘idealism’ takes place of cruelty.
• Tughlaq promises to maintain “ justice, equality,
progress and peace not just peace but a more
purposeful life” “ without any consideration of
might and weakness, religion or creed.”
• But to a great surprise he could not win the
hearts of his public.
• The policies, which he has introduced in the state
has a well future vision but people like Aziz makes
mockery of it and proves the sultan as a mad ruler.
• Further, to fulfil his political ambitions he hurled
the country into turmoil and troubles.
• Thus, his reign regareded as a spectacular failure
in India’s history.
• He tries to introduce his kingdom into an
egalitarian society but fails to do so as it is divided
between Islam and Hinduism.
• Muhammad : “ May this moment
burn bright and light up our path
towards greater justice, equality,
progress and peace but a more
purposeful life.”
• For that he opposes orthodoxy also.
• But people fails to understand his
rational or rather realistic vision.
• Ultimately, unfavourable
consequences makes him insane !

13. The idea of ‘ Religious Tolerance ’ :
Continue…
• From the beginning, the sultan declares
that everyone will be treated equally.
• Which becomes the reason of anger and
displeasure for the Maulavis.
• To unite them, he abolishes jiziya tax.
• But this made him a suspect both in the
eyes of the Hindus and the Muslims.
• Tughlaq has a well plan future vision, to
implement religious tolerance he shifts his
capital from Delhi to Daulatabad.
• The another reason of shifting his capital is
to protect his state from outside invaders.
• But people think that the sultan wants to
attract the Hindus.
• Which results in untold and inexpressible
suffering to the common people.
• Prayer and religion are vitiated for power
and money.
• Karnad dexterously shows how prayer
affects the ruler and the masses.
• To Tughlaq, a masquerade to hide his guilty
conscience and to the hungry people it was
luxury.
The Old Man : “ Beware of the
Hindu who embraces you. Before
you know what, he’ll turn Islam
into another caste and call the
prophet an incarnation of his
god…”
A Hindu : “ We didn’t want an
exemption ! Look, when a
sultan kicks me in the teeth and
says, ‘ Pay up, you Hindu dog’ ;
I’m happy. I know I’ m safe. But
the moment a man comes
along and says, ‘ I know you are
a Hindu, but you are also a
human being’ – well, that
makes me nervous.”

14. Continue…
Disguise :
• It on the one hand undermines the
seriousness with which the sultan’s plans are
made and on the other, mocks at his idealism.
• The dramatist ironically presents Aziz, the
dhobi, who disguises himself as Brahmin, and
later appears in the guise of the great grandson
of “ His Imperial Holiness Abbasid, the Khalif of
Baghdad”.
• He is invited by the Sultan to Daulatabad to
bless the country and to start the banned
prayer.
• Henceforth every Muslim will pray five times
a day as enjoined by the Holy Koran and
declare himself a faithful slave of the Lord.”
• Here the great emperor becomes an object of
pity as his dreams of the monarch are
shattered.
• Politics fails and the realm of religion begins
to prevail over politics.
• At the end the sultan himself falls asleep !

15. Continue…
Violence :
• From beginning to the end, the
theme of violence prevails in the play.
• Here politics indirectly represents
the game of blood !
Muhammad : “ Do you think parricide is a
little thing ?”
Power and Misuse :
• Both Aziz and Tughlaq can’t
digest the power.
• The changing nature of Aziz
represents the misuse of
power.

16. Symbolism in the play -
Prayer :
• “ At the micro level, prayer
symbolizes the religious idealism of
Tughlaq. At the macro level, it
connects man’s unconscious need
for divine protection and guidance
in an hour of anguish.”
• In the play we see that prayer is
being used to trap people.
Sleep :
• It represents the need for
peace in human’s life.
• At the same time it has
paradoxical significance too.
• At the end Tughlaq finds
himself able to sleep !
Chess :
• An ordinary game but it
symbolizes the political game
too. For instance Aziz who
checkmates the most
intelligent and clever
politician.

17. What is Historical play …?
Tughlaq as a historical play…
• A play which is based on
historical narrative, often set
in the medieval or early
modern past.
• Karnad represents perfect
political atmosphere of
contemporary India.
• The writer, wants to
convince a message to us
that an idealist ruler no
longer remains that ideal.
• Because they start
becoming ambitious for
power.
• For example, during the
reign of Tughlaq, we find
so many new schemes
regarding the betterment
of society. Which
ultimately turns into
chaos.
• Similarly, the
Xenophobia between
Hindu and Muslim, has
been ruining the situation
of the country over the
time. Which we can sense
in this play.
• The learned and
impulsive Tughlaq fails in
his duty. Same thing
happened with Nehru
laso.

18. Tughlaq as a political Allegory :
• Political Allegory -
• It is a literary device in which a character,
place, or event is used to express an
important message about the politics !
Normally, allegories are slightly ambiguous
and indirect. Do not directly express the
hidden meaning.
• In addition, it provides hidden or complex
meanings through symbolic figures. The
writer uses this device to deliver a broader
message about real world issues and
occurrences.
• In general, it is a story that, on the
surface, tells one tale but has a hidden
political meaning underneath.
• Tughlaq as a Political allegory :
The writer, heightens the relevance
of the play by connecting it with the
past and present.
• For that he chooses the real life
character Tughlaq. Which has same
analogy with the Nehruvian era.
• Here, Karnad emphasis on the idea of
political aspiration and its reality.
• For example, Tughlaq was a brilliant
individual, yet is regarded as one of the
biggest failures. And he ended his
career in bloodshed and chaos.
• The same thing happened with Nehru
after the independence. His political
‘idealism’ had been limited by the
temporal reality.
• It reflects the gulf between what is
thought and what can be.

19. The interface between Religion and Politics :
• During the whole play we see that
religion and politics go hand in hand.
• It tries to portray the concepts like
secularism, equality and unity. Which might
take away the ‘Opportunities’ of Political or
we can say religious leaders.
• For that, they both use the mass media
stages. Here in this play Tughlaq ruins the
rally of Sheikh.
• People still befooled by them as they were
during the past.
• We feel that the people have been driven
by the interaction of the saints and the
politicians.
• In play also, Tughlaq pretends like he
is great follower of religion. But at the
other side he commits numberless
murders to retain his monarchy.
• It raises the questions like Why
religion and politics go hand in hand…?
• But when we think deeply, we feel
that One can’t separate religion from
politics. Because, the public/ culture is
directly connected to it.
• Ultimately, people look for peace. The
recent study shows that non religious
country progresses better….

20. Conclusion :
In conclusion, we can say that Karnad’s
Tughlaq is a fantastic historical play. Though it seems a
mythology too. The ‘tone’ of the play shows writer’s
compassionate attitude towards the socially oppressed
people. Which represents the humanitarian tradition of
India.
The play resembles with the first two decades
of Indian independence under Nehru’s idealistic but
troubled leadership. Which shows the literary spectacle
of Karnad. More importantly, it offers a psycho-political
study of a protagonist’s behaviour. The play criticises the
Muslim orthodoxy, as it becomes the reason of Tughlaq’s
downfall.
Thus, it can be said that
Karnad has a great vision
of ‘social
commentary’ which we see
in his plays. The
important thing about him is
he provides ‘Universal
Themes’ – problems,
situations, folly, past and
present., which makes his
works relevant for longer
period of time.

21. Works Cited
contributors, Wikipedia. " Tughlaq (play) ". 15 October 2019. 7 March 2020 <
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tughlaq_(play)&oldid=9213736
18>.
—. Girirsh Karnad. 3 February 2020. 7 March 2020
<https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Girish_Karnad&oldid=939005
577>.
Karnad Girish. Tughlaq. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1975.
—. Tughlaq. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1975.
( Images are taken from Google sources. )