Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb were the two sons of Shah Jahan who engaged in a succession war near the end of his reign, and the two represent polar opposite types of rulers. In OTL, Aurangzeb won the war, and went to be a highly religiously conservative ruler, who alienated many of the Mughals non - Muslim subjects, to the point of persecution. He also launched many military campaigns, although many were successful, these campaigns can be said to have led to overexpanding of the empire, and led to its downward spiral after his death.
Dara Shikoh on the other hand, has often been compared to his great - grandfather Akbar, a firm believer in religious pluralism and an ardent Sufi, had a close relationship with the seventh Sikh Guru, and was keen to encourage a common mother tongue between both Indian Muslims and Hindus. However, whilst saying this, he was clearly an inferior military commander, and his ability as a politician/ruler was never truly tested.
So this sets the context for the question, how would Indian history develop if the more liberal Dara Shikoh become Mughal Emperor?
Dara Shikoh on the other hand, has often been compared to his great - grandfather Akbar, a firm believer in religious pluralism and an ardent Sufi, had a close relationship with the seventh Sikh Guru, and was keen to encourage a common mother tongue between both Indian Muslims and Hindus. However, whilst saying this, he was clearly an inferior military commander, and his ability as a politician/ruler was never truly tested.
So this sets the context for the question, how would Indian history develop if the more liberal Dara Shikoh become Mughal Emperor?