Some Reflections on Famines as Climatic Catastrophes: Select Cases from Mughal India

Abstract

India experienced a series of natural disasters, mainly caused by monsoon failure or excess, in the form of famines, which threatened the livelihoods of people and shook the foundations of the economic and political system. As a foundation for understanding how climate affected production, triggered catastrophic events, and shaped the political landscape in Mughal India, this paper examines the idea of climate as it prevailed during the Mughal period and how it differs from today. This paper also maps various famines and their magnitudes based on contemporary sources caused by climatic anomalies, mainly monsoon failure, in different parts of the country, especially in the Eastern and Northern parts, apart from some scanty references from southern or other parts of the country. It has been found that climatic anomalies, uncertainties, and pulsations were quite prevalent in the Mughal period as well, eventually leading to devastating famines, deaths, destitution, and loss of life and livelihood. Moreover, the political apparatus was both reluctant and proactive in some cases, but what was certainly evident was the State's will to avert such calamities through various initiatives like constant expansion of cultivation through encouragement and incentives, assistance during calamities, stocking of grains, etc., to prevent loss of revenue, and thus political holds.