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Prince Awrangzeb (Aurangzeb) facing a maddened elephant named Sudhakar (7 June 1633)

Illustration from the Padshahnama


Awrangzeb was noted for his personal courage. In June of 1633 Shah Jahan and his sons were watching a fight between two enormous imperial elephants, Sudhakar and Surat Sundar. At one stage Sudhakar ran in the direction of Awrangzeb. Here the Padshahnama records the moment at which the young prince drove his spear into the elephant's forehead. The elephant then gored Awrangzeb's horse and he was forced to face the beast on the ground; courtiers came to the rescue. The Padshahnama closed the episode saying: 'the Emperor first drew Prince Muhammad Awrangzeb to the bosom, awarding him all sorts of favours and the title Bahadur [Champion].'
From p.160, The Mughal Emperors: And the Islamic Dynasties of India, Iran, and Central Asia by Francis Robinson.

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Mughal Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers in the 17th century Padshahnama






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