Tughlaq

by Girish Karnad

Tughlaq written by Girish Karnad in 1964, is his best loved play, about an idealist 14th-century Sultan of Delhi, Muhammad bin Tughluq, and allegory on the Nehruvian era which started with ambitious idealism and ended up in disillusionment.

Genres: Plays, History, Drama, Classics, Indian Literature, India, Literature

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

Girish Raghunath Karnad (Konkani : गिरीश रघुनाथ कार्नाड, Kannada : ಗಿರೀಶ್ ರಘುನಾಥ್ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡ್) (born 19 May 1938) is a contemporary writer, playwright, screenwriter, actor and movie director in Kannada language. His rise as a prominent playwright in 1960s, marked the coming of age of Modern Indian playwriting in Kannada, just as Badal Sarkar did it in Bengali, Vijay Tendulkar in Marathi, and Mohan Rakesh in Hindi. He is a recipient of the 1998 Jnanpith Award for Kannada, the highest literary honour conferred in India.
For four decades Karnad has been composing plays, often using history and mythology to tackle contemporary issues. He has translated his major plays into English, and has received critical acclaim across India. His plays have been translated into several Indian languages and directed by eminent directors like Ebrahim Alkazi, B. V. Karanth, Alyque Padamsee, Prasanna, Arvind Gaur, Satyadev Dubey, Vijaya Mehta, Shyamanand Jalan and Amal Allana. He is also active in the world of Indian cinema working as an actor, director, and screenwriter, both in Hindi and Kannada cinema, earning numerous awards along the way. He was conferred Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by the Government of India.

Reviews

[Nandakishore Mridula · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thought that crossed my mind while reading this play was: "Gosh, if this was produced today, there would be protests from the Hindutva groups, stagings may be violently interrupted, and poor Girish Karnad would be packed off to Pakistan as an anti-national!" The text of the play has so much contemporary relevance.

Yet this was written in 1964, right after the Nehru era, when even the dictatorial Indira Gandhi was very much in the future.

Talk about the eternal relevance of good literature!

[Vikas Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girish Karnad's play Tughlaq explores the life and character of one of the most controversial kings to occupy the throne in Delhi-Mohammed-bin-Tughlaq. Often called a mixture of opposites he ruled for 26 years, a period which bought great misery and sorry for his subjects.

His life is source of great fascination because even though he was one of the most learned and well-meaning monarchs of Delhi, who had great ideas and a grand vision of country, his reign was a complete disaster. The play depicts how he started his rule with great ideals of a unified country where Hindus and Muslims were equal in the eyes of the state and the Sultan was the first among equals. He abolished the unpopular tax Jaziya on the Hindus. He understood the value of money as not deriving from its intrinsic worth but from the promise behind it: and introduced copper coins. But it soon led to counterfeit coins and was a financial disaster. He moves his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad with promise of a better life for his subjects. But it soon leads to his disillusionment and he decides to shift capital back to Delhi.

A reign which started with murder of his father and brother has a bloody struggle through out to keep the throne safe. There is also a ruthless and evil side of his nature which he exhibits when confronted with treachery and double talk. Girish Karnad's play explores why a reign that started with lofty ideals soon degraded into chaos and misery. Tughlaq deals with great sensitivity the downfall of this idealist who in later part of his reign seems to have lost his mental peace and starts taking pleasure in sufferings of others.

[Shriya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not surprised that Tughlaq is one of the best loved plays of Girish Karnad . Despite being a translation, it's well written and captures the details of politics and diplomacy with an ease no other author could have managed. Karnad shows the evolution of Tughlaq from an idealist to a tyrant lusty for power and fame, something anyone, any Indian for that matter can relate to easily especially people who are familiar with the Nehruvian Era of Indian politics.

Though according to most people, Tughlaq essentially is an allegory for Jawaharlal Nehru's tenure as the Prime Minister, I personally feel, the play can be easily associated with Indira Gandhi whose idealism and eventual tyranny was in no way different from Muhammad Tughlaq's. The character of Aziz can be, more or less, associated with Jarnail Bhindranwale, who just like in the case of Indira Gandhi, was a result of Tughlaq's own ambitious schemes to retain power.

Reading Tughlaq was both enjoyable and enlightening for me as I could chalk out many similarities that the play resembles to the modern Indian politic scenario as well. The language was fluid, simple and yet powerful but something about it does not make it a very fast-paced and engrossing read at least upto the first thirty pages. Nevertheless, Tughlaq is one play which is sure to leave an imprint upon the Indian English Literature.

[Ashish Iyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Average book. Story was okayish and there was no twist.
Its horrifying to see what mad king can do to fulfill his dreams.

[Jerry Jose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pardon my reference, but If one consider the mighty Delhi Sultanate as Hollywood, Mohammad Tughlaq would be its Nicholas Cage. He is often commemorated by historians as the Mad King, for going off the reservation with a series of failed uncanny governance ideas. Major blunder being the immediate transfer of capital city from Delhi to Dauladvad (Devgiri) and then back again to Delhi.

That particular plot is captured in this satirical play by Girish Karnad, whom a local yokel like me might easily identify, with some obvious google help, as the grumpy old government man from Bollywood movies. If you approach the story with its allegorical political meaning, this historical excerpt and its great yet ambiguous King would feel very contemporary. Being a play release of the sixties, it is said to have captured the disillusionment of what followed Nehru’s era of idealism in the country. I think the relevance is even better now.

Since I’ve been doing some historical reading, from where I picked this play up from, and left with the queer eagerness for a show off and zero interested audience; here is a quasi fact analysis.

Though not entirely laudable, Tughlaq decision of Capital transfer wasn’t an absurd one from a governance point of view, since he wanted to extend the campaign of his predecessor Allaudin Khilji to Deccan; Dauladavad might have then seemed to be the ideal place to do so, with it’s equal proximity towards Delhi and Far South. The significance of which could be better understood by gazing backwards at the successful resistance Khilji offered against Mongols, far before the Lodhis and Mughals, keeping India immune to foreign invasion, for once in its long history. The term foreign invasion in itself is an oxymoron here, considering Khilji Dynasty’s Turkic origins and the plunder he did.

Well, Tughlaq’s plan eventually failed and he shifted his capital back to Delhi, repeating the same fiasco. The mad King also tried in vain to replace silver based Indian economy with copper coins. Also he was an extremist of Islam inducing forced conversions and jizya, even in the underprivileged who were usually exempted off it, all of which overshadows the greatness he achieved prior.

Anyway the play is total fun, if you are a history buff or a scholar tormented to read it as part of curriculum or none of it. Recently Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddharamaiah used the term “Tughlaq Darbar” to represent Demonetization. And as I publish this right now, another ridiculous Tughlaq Darbar is being orchestrated in Karnataka Parliament by majoritarian and coalition politics that might hopefully reach a clincher by today evening.

This is an old review that I wrote last year. I think it is now safe to describe Demonetization as a doing of Tughlaq Darbar with proof.

[Gorab · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+
A brilliant political play; a cherishable short read!

Having seen and loved some of Girish Karnad's movies, I came to know about his plays while playing Secret Santa in 2016, browsing through some wishlists. Only recently I got hold of the English translated play and decided to quench my curiosity.

The play grips you right from Scene 1. And as the political plot thickens, we get to see the emerging definition of "idealism" from the emperor's point of view. Much of the situations and political games hold true till date.
It is with plays like these that I get reminded of the notion of "history repeats itself".

Will look out for watching this in a live theatre sometime.

[E.T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 To me Girish Karnad was a decent Bollywood character actor. Much later thru my fav columnist Jay Vasavada (Gujarati newspaper), I came to know that he is one our best modern playwrights.
I am really wary of classics and even more of plays but thought of giving it a try as my GR friends had rated it 4+.
Firstly, the play is clever and enjoyable. There is not a single dull moment. However, read it slowly to enjoy it fully. Also there r no meaningless sentences which may have deep meanings in their 100th layer. Very very well crafted. Tughlaq and his era r brought to life without bring apologist or judgemental.
And the ultimate test - when it ends u wish Karnad had written a longer book. Look forward to a movie adaptation or a live performance some day.
PS:- Actually have a hard copy edition of "3 plays" by GK and hope d other 2 r as good. Shouldnt have rated this book but couldnt resist it.

[Nayaz Riyazulla · Rating 4 out of 5]

ನನಗೆ ಇದು ಮರು ಓದು....

ರಂಗಶಂಕರಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದರ ರಂಗರೂಪವನ್ನು ನೋಡುವ ಮೊದಲು ಓದಲು ಇಚ್ಚಿಸಿ ಓದಿದೆ.

ತುಘಲಕ್ ನನ್ನಿಷ್ಟದ ನಾಟಕಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಎರಡನೇ ಸ್ಥಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೂರುತ್ತದೆ... ಏಕೆ ಈ ನಾಟಕ ಇಷ್ಟು ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ದಿ ಎಂದರೆ, ಇದು ಆಗಿನ ಮತ್ತು ಈಗಿನ ರಾಜಕರಣದ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟ ರೂಪಕ.. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಜ ದೇವನಾಗಲು ಬಯಸುತ್ತಾನೆ, ಧರ್ಮಗುರುಗಳು ರಾಜಕಾರಣ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾರೆ,ಪವಿತ್ರ ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥನೆಯ ಹೊತ್ತಿನಲ್ಲಿ, ಮಗ ಅರಸನಾಗಲು ತಂದೆ ತಮ್ಮನನ್ನೇ ಕೊಲ್ಲುತ್ತಾನೆ .

ಇಷ್ಟೆಲ್ಲಾ ಹುಚ್ಚುತನದಿಂದ ತುಂಬಿರುವ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸುಭಿಕ್ಷವಾಗಿರಲು ಹೇಗೆ ಸಾಧ್ಯ... ಇದರಿಂದ ನರಳುವುದು ಪ್ರಜೆಗಳು.... ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥನೆ ಬೇಡ ಅನ್ನ ಕೊಡಿ ಎಂದು ಪ್ರಜೆ ನರಳುತ್ತಾನೆ...

ಕಾರ್ನಾಡರ ಸಂಭಾಷಣೆ ಈ ಕೃತಿಯ ಬಹು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಶಕ್ತಿ.... "ಅಗಸ ತೊಳೆದಷ್ಟು ಕೊಳೆಯನ್ನು ಯಾವ ಧರ್ಮಗುರುವೂ ತೊಳೆದಿಲ್ಲ" ಅನ್ನುವ ಸಂಭಾಷಣೆಗೆ ಭೂಮಿ ತೂಕವಿದೆ.

ತುಘಲಕ್ ಪಾತ್ರವು ನಮ್ಮನೆಲ್ಲ ವಿಸ್ತಾರವಾಗಿ ಆವರಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತದೆ... ಅವನನ್ನು ಕಂಡಾಗ ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ಸಿಟ್ಟು ಬರುತ್ತದೆ, ಒಮ್ಮೆ ನಗು ಬರುತ್ತದೆ, ಕನಿಕರ ಹುಟ್ಟುತ್ತದೆ... ಹೀಗೆ ಅತಿ ಭಾವುಕತೆ ತುಂಬಿರುವ ಹುಚ್ಚನಂತೆಯೇ ನಮ್ಮಲ್ಲಿ ಉಳಿಯುತ್ತಾನೆ...

ಕಾರ್ನಾಡರಿಗೆ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡರೆ ಸಾಟಿ.... ❤

[Swati · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the absolutely riveting “Crossing to Talikota” last year, I picked up another Girish Karnad gem, “Tughlaq”. The play details some of the Mughal ruler’s most infamous, wild policies like the introduction of copper coins and shifting of the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad. Spread over 13 scenes, Tughlaq gives glimpses of the King’s mercurial temperament, his ideas on religion, politics, and economy, among other things. Additionally, it also paints a sharp picture of the state of affairs in the kingdom during his rule.

Karnad was just 26-years-old when he wrote this play. But the heavily layered plot with its portrayal of a complex personality and web of politics belies his juvenescence. I was entirely taken in right from the first page with the Machiavellian scheming between Aziz and his friend Aazam, and the conversations between Muhammed and people of his court like Barani and Najib.
Muhammed’s character leaps off the pages with his ambiguous behaviour and sudden bursts of capriciousness. One second he seems to be the ideal, benign, tolerant ruler who wants to show

“how justice works in my kingdom-without any consideration of might or weakness, religion or creed.”

The next second, on the same occasion, he announces that the capital will be moved to Daulatabad and “that this is no mad whim of a tyrant.”

These constant shifts in decisions and moods makes Muhammed a fascinating character study.
In the Introduction, Aparna Bhargava Dharwadker compares Tughlaq’s period of rule to Nehru’s idealism that marked the first 20 years after India’s independence. Idealistic views but troubled times. It may be history, but the play is also a reminder that history does repeat itself. In that sense, it’s a timeless piece of writing that can be applied to contemporary politics and, I am sure, even beyond. To me the opening lines of the play sums up the great divide in thoughts among people of a country.

“Old man: God, what’s this country coming to!
Young man: What are you worried about, grandfather? The country’s in perfectly safe hands — safer than any you’ve seen before.”

If you haven’t read Tughlaq (or any of Karnad’s plays) yet, I strongly suggest putting aside whatever you’re reading and just picking it up now.

[Bharath Manchashetty · Rating 4 out of 5]

“೧೯೬೪ ರಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಕಟವಾದ ಗಿರೀಶ್ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡರ ಈ ನಾಟಕವನ್ನು ೨೦೨೦ ರಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಿದ್ದೆ. ನನ್ನ ಒಬ್ಬ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತ UPSC ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆಗೆ ಸಿದ್ಧತೆ ನಡೆಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಇತಿಹಾಸದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಮಾತನಾಡುತ್ತಾ ಹಾಗೆ 14ನೇ ಶತಮಾನದ ದೆಹಲಿ ಸುಲ್ತಾನ ಮುಹಮ್ಮದ್ ಬಿನ್ ತುಘಲಕ್ನ ಆಳ್ವಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ಕೇಂದ್ರವಾಗಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಂಡು, ಅಧಿಕಾರ, ಧರ್ಮ, ನೈತಿಕತೆ ಮತ್ತು ಮಾನವೀಯತೆಯ ನಡುವಿನ ಸಂಘರ್ಷ ಮತ್ತು ಆಡಳಿತಾವಧಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಉಂಟಾದ ಅರಾಜಕತೆಯ ವಿಷಯ ನನ್ನ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಗಮನ ಸೆಳೆದಿತ್ತು, ಆವಾಗ ಕೊಂಡು ಪಟ ಪಟ ಓದಿ ಮುಗಿಸಿದ್ದೆ. ಎರಡನೇ ಬಾರಿ ಓದಿದಾಗ ಹಳೆಯ ನೆನಪು ಚೂರು ಇಲ್ಲದಷ್ಟು ಹೊಸ ಓದಿನ ಅನುಭವ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿತು, ಇದು ಈ ನಾಟಕ ಬರೆದಿರುವ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡರ ಬರವಣೆಗಿರುವ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಮತ್ತು ಸಾರ್ವಕಾಲಿಕ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿಗೆ ತಕ್ಕುದಾದ ಕಥಾವಸ್ತು.

ದೆಹಲಿಯಿಂದ ದೇವಗಿರಿಗೆ ರಾಜಧಾನಿಯನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಳಾಂತರ, ಮತಾಂತರ , ವೇಷಾಂತರ ಗೊಳಿಸುವ ಯೋಜನೆ, ಹೊಸ ನಾಣ್ಯಗಳ ಚಲಾವಣೆ, ಧಾರ್ಮಿಕ ದಂದ್ವ, ಬದಲಾಗುವ ಪ್ರಜೆಗಳ ಮನೋಭಾವ, ಸಮಾಜ-ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಸ್ಥಿತಿಗತಿಯ ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮ ವಿಶ್ಲೇಷಣೆ ಮತ್ತು ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿತ್ವಗಳ ಅಂತರಿಕ ಘರ್ಷಣೆಗಳು ಒಬ್ಬ ರಾಜನ ಆಳ್ವಿಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸರಿದೂಗಿ ಹೊಂದಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಹೋಗಬೇಕಾಗಿರುವುದು ಉತ್ತಮ ಆಡಳಿತ ರಾಜನ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿ. ಇದರಲ್ಲೆಲ್ಲವೂ ವಿಫಲನಾಗಿ ಹುಚ್ಚನಾಗಿ ವಿವೇಕ-ಅವಿವೇಕಗಳನ್ನು ಕಳೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಅರಾಜಕತೆಯ ಆಳ್ವಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ನಡೆಸಿ ತನ್ನದೇ ಇತಿಹಾಸವನ್ನು ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಿದ್ದಾನೆ.

ಪ್ರತಿ ಪಾತ್ರವೂ ರಾಜಕೀಯದ ನೂರಾರು ಬಣ್ಣಗಳನ್ನು ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತದೆ — ಶಕ್ತಿಗೆ ಒಳಗುಟ್ಟು, ಮಾನವೀಯತೆಗೆ ವಿರೋಧ, ಹಾಗೂ ಶೋಷಿತ ವರ್ಗದ ಸಂಕಷ್ಟ, ಮೋಸ ವಂಚನೆ, ಅಧಿಕಾರ ದಾಹ… ಇತ್ಯಾದಿಗಳನ್ನು ಬೆಸೆದು ದೃಶ್ಯಕಾವ್ಯವನ್ನು ಹೆಣೆದಿರುವ ರೀತಿ ಅದ್ಭುತವಾಗಿದೆ.ಈ ನಾಟಕ ಇತಿಹಾಸವನ್ನು ಮಾತ್ರ ಹೇಳುವುದಿಲ್ಲ; ಸಮಕಾಲೀನ ರಾಜಕೀಯಕ್ಕೆ ಮತ್ತು ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕ ರೂಪಕವಾಗಿಯೂ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಆದರ್ಶ ಮತ್ತು ವಾಸ್ತವ, ಶಕ್ತಿ ಮತ್ತು ನೈತಿಕತೆಗಳ ನಡುವಿನ ಅಂತರವನ್ನು ತೆರೆದಿಡುವ ಪ್ರತಿ ಪಾತ್ರದ ಸಂಭಾಷಣೆ ಓದುಗನನ್ನು ಚಿಂತನೆಗೆ ದಬ್ಬುತ್ತದೆ.

[Hriday · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note to self: Avoid reading most Indian fiction; no matter how celebrated.

[Ravina P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originaly published in 1964, this play is a pickle of the brutal reality, allusions and ambiguity. This is a perennial work of fiction that can be read anytime, even after a interval of a lot of years.

The plot is shaped in such a way that one would wonder is it about the past? Like long back reign of Tughlaq? If not then why the title?

The characters here are the court ministers, saints, a Dhobi, and the subjects of the king Tughlaq. His era starts on a positive note, promising a golden morrow, a country of secular beings and unity in religion. But he fails to do that, it results in violence on the Sultan's part, famine, poverty and no unison of the people at all.

This play instead of being just a text, can be taken as a comment to the way of rulers and politicians. The way the playwright has imposed the continuous use of Chess, the chess pieces can be symbolic to the ministers or the subject of the place.

Then the way the people in power can twist and bend any rule in accordance to their own comfort and benefit. The way Tughlaq takes away the right to pray from the citizen just as he pleased to and gave them the right back when he wanted to simply shows the harsh reality of the people in power.

A great play, in 13 acts one could come across such important details, if only one knows how to read between the lines.

[Laya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Majority of this play's success is Karnad's astute choice of Tughlaq, an extreme case but hugely significant figure in Indian history, to write a historical semi-fiction narrative on idealism and paranoia in politics, which are more tightly connected themes than we realise. It may not be enough your intentions are pure. How do you manage to hold the power to implement it? Does that undo your idealism in the first place? Karnad may have written it to capture the disillusionment of the late Nehruvian era but the potency of Tughlaq is such that different people across different political contexts can make an interpretation unique to them. That to me is the best quality of a classic.

And he did this when he was some 27 or 28. Good lord!

[Vishwas Gc · Rating 5 out of 5]

worth reading once

[MG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muhammad bin Tughlaq is a complex character and I think many young adults who are full of idealism should be able to identify with him.
After reading this story my opinion is that we(idealists) must learn to detach oneself from one's job especially when one is in a field like administration because very few people would agree to one's ethics and principles. At this juncture one often has to choose between glory/achievement of one's goals or adhering to one's principles. Those who choose the latter are in a minority and may be at the receiving end of things but are at peace with themselves in my opinion while the former are torn by guilt and constantly restless.
Many dictators started with a vision of creating a better world. But this personal involvement drives us to do actions which are cruel or unethical.
This is a lesson for those who wish to set things right when they come in power/grow up. Rather than aiming to set it all right, its better to take little steps at a time.

I think I'll need to read this book several times before I can uncover the various layers of meaning the play has.

[Aastha Sharma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall average... Extremely disturbing description of certain practices... As far as the history part goes, the play is factually based which is all the more disturbing... nevertheless, it is a quick read.. to be picked up when you have exhausted all books around you...The plot is plain and untwisted... would have been better to see it on stage! :>

[Divya]

i want read in book

[Anshuj Kumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

The play fails to grip the reader. Even though there are subtle instances that the reader likes but the acts feel distant and disconnected.

[Ashish Taneja · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first compliment to this wonderful play that comes to my mind is that I got a peek into Tughlaq's mind in effectively just sixty pages. The writing is so crisp, lucid and effective that I felt as if I have a read a complete novel on Tughlaq.

This is a play in thirteen scenes where writer showcases mercurial nature of Tughlaq's leadership and how different elements within the realm react to such frequent eccentricities.

Some of the stuff that he wanted to implement was considered foolish at that time - like he wanted to increase the value of copper coins to that of silver coins saying that 'how does it matter, people will believe what I will make them believe'. It could be considered visionary as well since the same is true for present day money. Dollar, Pound and Rupee are valuable only because multitude of people believe in them.

The fact that it can be read in a couple of sittings makes it even better!

[Sandeep Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tughlaq has been an ambiguous character throughout the play, thanks to Girish Karnad. He has written it so impeccably that one continues to think about it even after finishing it. This is my first experience with an Indian play of this kind, and I like it very much.

[Aryan CA · Rating 5 out of 5]

karnad is masterful

[Hari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like Nehru
Like Gandhi
Like Indira

[Madhulika Liddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This:

“… My dear fellow, that’s where our future is: politics! It’s a beautiful world—wealth, success, position, power—and yet it’s full of brainless people… When I think of all the tricks I used in our village to pinch a few torn clothes from people—if one uses half that intelligence here, one can get robes of power. And not have to pinch them either—get them!”

And this:

“…You rob a man, you run, and hide. It’s all so pointless. One should be able to rob a man and then stay there to punish him for getting robbed. That’s called ‘class’—that’s being a real king!”

Girish Karnad wrote Tughlaq (originally in Kannada) back in the 1960s, as a reflection on Nehru: how Nehru began his Prime Ministership of a newly independent India in a spirit of high idealism, and how that idealism degenerated and crumbled over the years. This idea Karnad took into the past, showing it through the story of the mad genius Mohammad bin Tughlaq, who began his reign with great ideals, but whose rule collapsed into a series of disasters, each more indicative of the Sultan’s inability to accept ideas other than his own, his insistence on pushing through with harebrained schemes that seemed fabulous to him,if not to anyone else. Here we see Tughlaq decide to shift his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad; introduce copper coinage; get rid of one uncomfortably irritating thorn in the side after another. Not all of it is strictly historical, but that didn’t matter to me; I could see it for the allegory it was.

And what strikes me so forcefully is that all of this is still so relevant, so easy to relate to. Human nature, politics, the greed for power and wealth: it doesn’t change, after all.

[Anilkumar Tolamatti · Rating 4 out of 5]

​​
ಗಿರೀಶ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡರು ನಾಟಕ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ನೀಡಿದ ಅನೇಕ ಕೊಡುಗೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ,'ತುಘಲಕ್' ಮಹತ್ವದ ಸ್ಥಾನ ಪಡೆದಿದೆ.

"ಈ ನಾಟಕದ ಕಥಾವಸ್ತು ಐತಿಹಾಸಿಕವಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಇದರ ಉದ್ದೇಶ ಇತಿಹಾಸದ ಚಿತ್ರಣವಲ್ಲ. ತುಘಲಕ್ ವಂಶದ ಹುಚ್ಚ ಮುಹಮ್ಮದನ ಅರಾಜಕತೆಯ ಆಳ್ವಿಕೆಯೇ ನಾಟಕದ ಕಾರ್ಯಪರಂಪರೆಯಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಇದು ವಿವೇಕ-ಅವಿವೇಕಗಳ ದ್ವಂದ್ವವನ್ನು ನಾಟಕೀಯವಾಗಿ ತೋರಿಸುವ ಕೃತಿಯಲ್ಲ. ಮನುಷ್ಯ ದೇವತ್ವದ ಕನಸನ್ನು ಕಾಣುವ ಪಶುವಾಗಿರುವದೇ ಇಲ್ಲಿಯ ಮೂಲಭೂತ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆಯಾಗಿದೆ. ಈ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆ ಹುಟ್ಟಿಸುವ ಅನೇಕ ಮಾನವೀಯ ಅನರ್ಥಗಳಿಗೆ ಮುಹಮದ್ದ ಪ್ರಳಯ ಕೇಂದ್ರವಾಗಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಹೊಸ ಕಾಯ್ದೆಗಳಿಗನುಸಾರವಾಗಿ ವೇಷ ಬದಲಿಸುವ ಬೀದಿಗಳ್ಳರು,ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥನೆಯ ಹೊತ್ತಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಕೊಲೆ ಮಾಡುವ ಸರದಾರರು, ರಾಜಕಾರಣವನ್ನು ದೇವರ ಕಾರ್ಯವೆಂದು ಭ್ರಮಿಸಿದ ಧರ್ಮಗುರುಗಳು, ಇಂಥ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಗಳ ದುರ್ದೈವಕ್ಕೆ ಸೂತ್ರಧಾರನಾದ ಮುಹಮದ್-ಹೀಗೆ ನಾಟಕದ ಮಾನುಷ ಪ್ರಪಂಚ ಜಟಿಲವಾಗಿದೆ. ವೇಷಾಂತರ,ಸ್ಥಳಾಂತರ,ಮತಾಂತರ-ಏನಾದರೂ ಕೊನೆಗೆ ಮುಹಮದನಿಗೆ ಆಗುವದು-ಮಾಂಸ ಭಕ್ಷವಾಗಿರುವ ತನ್ನ ಆತ್ಮದ ದರ್ಶನ. ಕಾವ್ಯ, ಧರ್ಮ, ರಾಜಕಾರಣ ಮೊದಲಾದ ತನ್ನ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರಗಳಿಗೆ ತಾನೇ ಪರಕೀಯನಾಗಿ,ದಿಲ್ಲಿಯಿಂದ ದೌಲತ್ತಾಬಾದಿನವರೆಗೆ ತನ್ನ ರಾಜ್ಯವನ್ನು, ಪ್ರಜೆಗಳನ್ನೂ ನಡೆಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಹೋದ ಈ ಅರಸ, 'ಆತ್ಮ-ಹತ್ಯೆ'ಯನ್ನು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡೂ ಜೀವಂತವಾಗಿ ಉಳಿಯುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಇದೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿಯ ದುರಂತ.
ಹತ್ತು ರೀತಿಯ ವೇಷವನ್ನು ತೊಟ್ಟರೂ ತಮ್ಮ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿತ್ವವನ್ನು ತೆರೆದು ಬಿಸಿಲಿಗೆ ಒಣಗಹಾಕುವ ಪಾತ್ರಗಳು. ಅರಮನೆ,ರಾಜಬೀದಿ, ಮಸೀದೇ, ಕೋಟೆಯ ಬುರುಜು ಹೀಗೆ ಬೇಕಾದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರತ್ಯಕ್ಷವಾಗುವ ಸನ್ನಿವೇಶಗಳು,ಇವೆರಡನ್ನೂ ಬೆಸೆದಂತಿರುವ ನಾಟ್ಯಧ್ವನಿ, ದೃಶ್ಯಕಾವ್ಯದ ಭಾಷೆ -ಹೀಗೆ ನಾಟಕದ ರಚನಾಕೌಶಲ ಅಧ್ಭುತವಾಗಿದೆ .. "
-ಕೀರ್ತಿನಾಥ ಕುರ್ತಕೋಟಿ.

[Sidharth Vardhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The wise man's mistakes

Tughlaq is short, funny, analogous, based on facts and a page turner.

Tughlaq is the best play history ever written and it is equally brought out by Girish Kahand.

Girish Kahand is known to use history and mythology to deal with contemporary issues. Tughlaq touches contemporary issues in multiple ways including its take on secularism and socialism.

The story mostly elaborates mistakes of the most educated of all muslim rulers who ever ruled over India and his wise man's mistakes. His reforms seem to have a genius, all they lack is a bit of common sense. He may be like Pandit Nehru - whose polices the play seems to mock, ahead of his times.
if you were to read the book with no background in Indian History, you may find it hard to believe that such a ruler can actually exist.

[Tikuli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exceptional. Even in translation the play is flawless. The way Karnad touches on the contemporary politics through history is brilliant. I think it gives the play an universal appeal. I found the plot to be multi-layered and would love to read it again a few times. There is a lot of depth in the plot and I think just one reading is not really enough, at least for me. A detailed author’s note, an introduction by UR Ananthamurthy , an essay by Aparna Dharwadker on “Historical Fictions and Postcolonial Representation: Reading Girish Karnad’s Tuqhlaq” at the end made my version from Oxford University Press made the book even more interesting. It is a must read and will continue to pull readers for a long time.

[Yashawanth Ramaswamy · Rating 4 out of 5]

First play read in kannada. Tughlaq deserves all the praise it gets. Mad ruler's comes in every generation who thinks they're doing what they are doing for the good of people by making bad decisions. Tughlaq story stands for years.

ಈ ಜಗತ್ತಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾವ ಸ್ವರ್ಣಯುಗವೂ ಶಕ್ಯವಿಲ್ಲ. ಇಲ್ಲಿರುವುದು ಬರೇ ವರ್ತಮಾನದ ಗಳಿಗೆ. ಅದರ ಮೇಲೆ ಹಿಡಿತ ತಪ್ಪದಂತೆ ನೋಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕು - ತುಘಲಕ್, ಗಿರೀಶ್ ಕಾರ್ನಡ್

[Marcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant, beautiful, delightful play. It's as relevant today as when it was first written and as relevant as when it's set. I love the way the historical overlaps with the current, and vice versa. It's got so much depth and humour in it. Another terrific play for students to perform and play around with in their high school drama productions!

[Yogesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A masterpiece of historical drama

This was the second play written by Girish Karnad after his unsuccessful debut with 'Yayati'. In it, he tackles the story of a unique emperor from the Delhi Sultanate whose name is synonymous with illogical governance in India and used frequently in routine political discourse in the country even 700 years after his reign.
Having visited the Daulatabad Fort myself, I had often wondered what kind of situation it would have created, this momentous decision of shifting the capital of such a huge empire 1200 kilometers in the other direction.

Girish Karnad is able to present the image of a knowledgeable but cruel and temperamental emperor whose ideals were ahead of his time. The resulting frustration from unsuccessful implementation and hostility from entrenched stakeholders makes him even more dangerous and cruel towards his subordinates and citizenry.

Muhammad bin Tughlaq begins his reign trapped in deep suspicion and loneliness. Instead of earning loyalty, he is haunted by rumors that he killed both his father and brother in a collapsed building accident to seize the throne. Because this disaster happened during afternoon prayers, his critics also accuse him of committing a sacrilegious act, polluting a holy ritual to commit murder.

What hurts Tughlaq most is the betrayal within his own family: His mother cuts off all contact. Tughlaq believes this is not just grief for his father, but anger over losing her favorite son, who would have been an easily manipulated king.
His stepmother, the only person close to him, also quietly suspects he is a murderer.

Surrounded by crooked minds and rejected by those he loves, Tughlaq starts his rule isolated and bitter. Long before his visionary plans can succeed, distrust poisons his reign from the very beginning.

In the introduction to this English translation, which Girish Karnad himself wrote in 1971 after the original play was written in Kannada in 1964, we come to know that the first production in English was directed by renowned theater director and ad guru Alyque Padamsee. There were 11 main characters, with Kabir Bedi portraying the protagonist, Tughlaq.

When you pick up this book as a reader, you wonder whether, in a span of less than 100 pages and with few characters, the author would be able to convey the chaos that reigned during the tenure of this emperor. Yet, the three-year-long research of Mr. Karnad shines through this play, as he is able to engage the audience right from the first scene set in Delhi. After a few scenes, the setting shifts toward Daulatabad. We witness the downward spiral not just through the eyes of the courtiers, but also through the experiences of the commoners, some of whom lament their fate while others try to make the most of the difficult situation through cunning, as seen in the characters of Azam and Azeez.

Girish Karnad's own assessment on why this play struck such a chord in 1960s is also noteworthy:

What struck me absolutely about Tughlaq's history was that it was contemporary.
The fact that here was the most idealistic, the most intelligent king ever to come on the throne of Delhi..... and one of the greatest failures also. And within a span of twenty years this tremendously capable man had gone to pieces. This seemed to be both due to his idealism as well as the shortcomings within him, such as his impatiences, his cruelty, his feeling that he had the only correct answer. And I felt in the early sixities India had also come very far in the same direction the twenty-year period seemed to me very much a striking parallel.

My only minor complaint is that the introduction needs a spoiler alert. For someone who has never watched the play on stage and is reading it for the first time, several major plot points are given away right in the opening pages even before scene one.

Overall, this is my first experience reading a play translated from Kannada, and I am glad to have chosen such a classic from the 1960s that remains relevant in its portrayal and commentary on the difficulty of implementing completely novel administrative ideas and the subsequent impact they have on the lives of common citizens.

[Praachi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The play opens 2 years into the reign on Muhammad bin Tughlaq. Well aware of the rumours accusing him of being the cause of his fathers and brothers death, he justifies his innocence before his step-mother. His mother having already cut off relations.

The play then moves to Tughlaq's treatment of a maulvi, his childhood friend, shift to Dawlatabad, issue of copper coins, and finally facing widespread rebellion.

The play was a real joy to listen to on Storytel.

Tughlaq is a man of contradictions, religious and righteous minded, but also cruel and scheming. He may be called an 'idealist', if the word is defined as a person unable to comprehend the very likely unintended consequence of significant policy decisions.

In the play, Tughlaq's stance is very much 'me against the world'. He seems to fundamentally lack understanding of 'trust' in statecraft. His mercurial nature, creating foes over time.

As the protagonist of the play, we see Tughlaq as a man struggling to reconcile his idea of himself with the reality of his actions. Tormented by his failures, crying out for help.

I have no prior knowledge of the reign of Tughlaq, and undertook a little wiki reading after being introduced to the play.

Reading other the reviews, the play seems to have been speaking of the times since 1964. I am not sure if that is high praise for the play, or despair at the state of the country.