When Muslim conquerors occupied India and acquired the resources of the country, they spent these resources to recruit more soldiers and get more weapons to expand their territories, The rich resources of the Ganges Yamuna rivers helped them to finance the costly expeditions and conquer more kingdoms to become an empire. In the early phase the majority of them spent most of their time in wars and expeditions; they had no time for leisure or to patronise cultural activities.

Culture flourished when they had politically consolidated their position and controlled the resources of the country. However, an important change had taken place in the attitude of the ruling classes. They started to rely on their assistants and servants and preferred to stay at their palaces and spent more time in merry-making. As the Mughal Empire declined slowly, the nobility adopted a more glamorous lifestyle and alienated itself from the common people.

The next important development occurred when the East India Company overpowered the Mughals and the rulers of small states and assumed political power to rule over the country. The Company either awarded the nobility and the ruling family stipends or pension to live comfortably or allowed the income of the states to be used by the rulers as they liked. This relieved the ruling classes from the responsibility of state affairs and gave them enough time to use their wealth in cultural activities. They elaborately celebrated different festivals, engaged themselves in games, and hobbies which completely changed their routine of daily life. However, they neither spent their wealth and time for advancement of knowledge nor for promoting industry.

Their main concern was how to assert their superiority over other classes, and this was done not on the basis of their knowledge or progress, but on being a member of a noble family and on having inherited property and wealth. On these bases they claimed to be the guardians of cultural traditions and institutions. Their argument was that they had no need to spend their time in acquiring knowledge or any art when they could employ scholars or artists in their service. They did it practically and acquired the services of poets, musicians, wrestlers, artists and dancers. That's why, the literature, art and architecture which was produced during this time was to fulfil the demands of the nobility, and not of the society.

When they celebrated any ceremony, they tried their best to make it memorable by displaying their wealth and trying to supersede others. In such a society, there was no respect for scholars and artists; the status of an individual was determined by his wealth which was not acquired by working hard but was inherited from the family. Such wealth had no value to them and, therefore, they spent it on building palaces and holding feasts and festivals. From time to time they distributed charity among the poor. It was against their tradition to live a life of simplicity because there was competition to show their status to the society.

Therefore, the important characteristic of this culture was to make the life of nobles comfortable and luxurious. They employed a large number of servants who served them obediently. There were cooks who cooked delicious food for them and their family and friends, tailors who prepared expensive dresses for them, poets and musicians who entertained them, and artists who painted their portraits and decorated their palaces by their works of arts. The nobles kept away from any manual work. It was regarded as humiliating and below their dignity. Everything was done by servants. To satisfy their sexual desires, they not only kept large harems but also patronised courtesans and visited them frequently.

A system of etiquette was evolved to distinguish nobles from other classes. Whenever they had to go anywhere they never walked but always used some form of conveyance like carriage, palki, or rode on horses or elephants. A large number of servants accompanied them in order to show their status.

This culture had a deep impact on the psyche of the people. The intelligent and capable people, instead of engaging in some creative contribution, spent their intellect on how to arrange interesting cock fights, how to cook delicious food, and how to make their patron happy. Those who depended on the nobles and their generosity, developed a fine art of flattery. That was the culture that we find flourishing during the later Mughal period.

Our present society fully inherited these feudal values and customs and is faithfully adhering to them at the cost of development and progress of the society.