6_Glorious_Epochs_of_Indian_History

5TH GLORIOUS EPOCH 309
THE UNPRECEDENTED REVOLUTION !
784. As soon as this unheard of revolution, transform­
ing the India-wide Muslim Empire into the Hindu one
suddenly within a day, was accomplished, this Hindu
Emperor disbursed amongst the thousands of soldiers of his
caste the immense wealth which he had pillaged in his
conquest of Malabar by vanquishing the Hindu states and
which had filled the coffers of the late Sultan Mubarik, along
with the unlimited wealth accumulated during the regimes
of the former Sultans. Similarly he increased the pay-
scales of both the Hindu and Muslim soldiers. Having won
over his soldiery in this way, he introduced new reforms,
gave to the farmers and common Hindu-Muslim citizens
facilities and allowed them concessions which they were
never allowed to enjoy by any of the former Sultans !
Likewise, he set free thousands of Hindu prisoners who were
interned as a diversion in religious persecution and the
hundreds of Muslims who were imprisoned simply because
they were repugnant to the former Sultans for one reason or
another. No wonder if this Hindu Emperor, Dharmarakshak,
immediately became popular amongst the Hindus as well as
the Muslims throughout his empire^* '
785. It is needless to say that he also absolved all the
Hindus of all the humiliating bans on their pilgrimages and
holy baths. The Jizia tax was repealed and other degrading
conditions which had been enforced upon them by Sultan
after Sultan were ameliorated forthwith. What wonder then
if the whole Hindu world felt a thrill of joy and freedom that
at long last they had a saviour !
786. Even when this Hindu Samrat was fighting in the
guise of a converted Muslim, victoriously in the South and
reducing Malabar, he had been formulating the scheme of the
future revolution. So all the big Hindu-Muslim officers and
generals in the fighting forces who depended on his patronage
and who had risen mainly because of his support, of course,
remained loyal to him for safeguarding cheir own selfish
interests and also for protecting themselves from the malice