The main sources of information about the social, religious, and economic conditions of the Mughal period were the writings of Abul Fazl and Abdul Hamid Lahori, as well as the accounts of foreign visitors such as Ralph Fitch, Sir Thomas Roe, Peter Mundy, Tavernier, and Monserrate.
Social Conditions
By virtue of their office, profession, and status, the society during the Mughal period can be divided into upper, middle, and lower classes.
Upper Class: It consisted of the official nobility, who led a life of comfort and luxury with royal patronage.
Middle Class: It consisted of merchants, intellectuals, and government officials who generally led a simple and moderate life.
Lower Class: It consisted of cultivators, workers, various professionals, and the poor, who constituted the bulk of the population. Their condition was difficult compared with that of the other classes.
Hindu society was caste-ridden. Sati, child marriage, and restrictions on widow remarriage were among the social evils. However, polygamy and purdah were common among Muslims. Women enjoyed a respectable position in society. Both Hindu and Muslim women were fond of ornaments.
Religious Conditions
The country was predominantly divided into two major communities, i.e., Hindus and Muslims. Besides these, there were Jews, Parsis, Christians, and Europeans. Though different communities generally adjusted themselves and lived in peace, religious antagonism was not unknown during this period.
Both Hindus and Muslims believed in astrology, sorcery, and witchcraft. Though Muslims generally opposed idolatry, some revered tombs and worshipped saints and fakirs. Human sacrifice was reported among Hindus.
Economic Conditions
The Mughals made efforts to promote the wealth of India by utilising natural resources and encouraging trade and commerce. Prosperous cities such as Agra, Lahore, Fatehpur Sikri, and Ahmedabad flourished during this period.
Fitch states that “Agra and Fatehpur were great cities, much greater than London.”
Agriculture was the main occupation of the people. Wheat, barley, pulses, sugarcane, oilseeds, and indigo were among the chief crops of this period. Agriculture mainly depended on rainfall, and famines were common when the rains failed. Two major famines during 1630–32 and 1655–56 devastated the country. Many people lost their lives, and many others suffered greatly.
Industries flourished extensively under the Mughals. The chief industries of the period included:
- Cotton textiles — Banaras, Agra, Gujarat, and Bengal
- Silk — Deccan
- Carpets — Multan and Fatehpur Sikri
- Paper — Sialkot
- Saltpetre — Bihar, etc.
The Mughals encouraged both internal and external trade. External trade was carried out through ports such as Surat, Broach, Cambay, Calicut, Machilipatnam, Calcutta, and Cochin.
Exports included opium, silk, cotton, pepper, wool, and sugar, while imports included gold, horses, precious stones, wine, and velvet.
Conclusion
Though Mughal India was rich and prosperous, wealth was highly concentrated. The French physician François Bernier, writing during the later Mughal period, observed that while the empire featured immense wealth and deep poverty, a substantial middle class was visibly lacking.