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Aurangzeb Deccan policy which cause the destruction of the best soldiers and 

undermined the Mughul prestige beyond repair, contributed materially to the 

downfall of his dynasty. He destroyed the Shia Kingdoms of Bijapur and Golconda 

and waged a long, endless war for extermination against the Marathas. This 

obliged the hardy Marathas to fight in self-defence and when success came to them 

they were encouraged to take up the offensive, cross the Narmada and invade the 

Mughal provinces in Northern India. The Hindus in Northern India were already 

alienated by Aurangzeb's policy of religious persecution and the Hindu officers and 

vassals of the empire were either indifferent or secretly hostile to the mughal 

cause. This creates opportunity for the Marathas. They appealed to the common 

sentiments of Rajput and of the Hindus who secretly allied themselves with Bajirao 

when the latter boldly proceeded to execute his policy of striking at the withering 

trunk of the Mughal Empire in the belief that after the fall of that Empire the 

independent provincial Muslim dynasty would fall of them. Thus, within thirty one 

years of Aurangzeb's death, his successor had to wage war with the sikhs, Jats,