Aurangzeb remains one of the most polarizing figures in Indian history — vilified as a zealot by colonial historians and nationalist narratives, yet reconsidered by modern scholarship. In Aurangzeb ‘Alamgir and the Mughal Empire, Munis D. Faruqui draws on decades of archival research painstakingly presents a ruler of striking complexity. Sudhirendar Sharma’s review highlights how Faruqui’s use of Persian court bulletins and imperial documents unsettles long‑held assumptions and invites readers to rethink the subject.










