Assertion(A): Aurangzeb gave land-grants for the maintenance of temples at Vrindavan. Reason (R): The trustees of those temples were his favourite courtiers.

Historical evidence confirms that Aurangzeb issued several farmans (imperial edicts) granting land and revenue for the maintenance of Hindu temples, including those in Vrindavan and Mathura [t2][t6]. While he is often associated with temple destruction, such as the Keshava Rai temple in Mathura [c3][t8], he also continued the Mughal tradition of providing state protection and land grants to various religious institutions, including Jain and Hindu shrines [t1][t5]. However, the Reason (R) is false; these grants were not primarily motivated by the trustees being his 'favourite courtiers.' Instead, they were part of a complex administrative policy where temples were viewed as state-protected entities (dhimmi) as long as their associates remained loyal to the Mughal state [t4][t5]. Grants were often issued to ensure the prayers of Brahmins for the longevity of the empire rather than personal favoritism toward specific courtier-trustees [t5].

Sources

1. [1] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Reshaping India’s Political Map > THINK ABOUT IT > p. 44