Medical Apparatus and Epidemics: Mughal State's Response to Epidemics (1526-1707)

Abstract

I propose an examination of the medical apparatus and the profound impact of epidemics in Mughal India from 1526 to 1707. I contest the persistent colonial and European-traveler historiography that depicts the indigenous medical system as static, superstitious, and unprofessional. In contrast, Mughal India possessed a dynamic and sophisticated medical culture, characterized by formalized education, a professionalized corps of physicians (hakims), extensive medical literature, and a state-sponsored concept of public health. The imperial court actively patronized this system, a syncretic blend of Unani, Ayurvedic, and local traditions. I analyze the Mughal state's response to major epidemics—primarily plague, cholera, and smallpox. The empire’s reaction was not one of passive resignation but involved specific, context-appropriate governance strategies, including strategic mobility of the court, public sanitation initiatives, and extensive economic relief measures. I explore the devastating social, economic, and administrative impacts of these calamities, revealing both the vulnerabilities and the remarkable resilience of the Mughal state and its subjects in the face of widespread pestilence.