Who among the following Sultans of Delhi started the system of Sijda and Paibos?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. Ghiyas-ud-din Balban.
Ghiyas-ud-din Balban, the ninth Sultan of Delhi (1266–1287 CE), institutionalized the Persian customs of Sijda (prostration) and Paibos (kissing the ruler's feet) to reinforce royal authority.
Borrowing from Sassanian traditions, he presented himself as God's shadow (Zill-i-Ilahi), demanding absolute submission.
These rituals replaced the Turkic egalitarian norms, creating an aura of divine kingship. Balban's rigid court etiquette, including exclusive nobility access (Chihalgani breakdown), centralized power and deterred rebellions. His emphasis on dignity and discipline stabilized the Sultanate but alienated non-elites.
This ceremonial absolutism became a model for later Delhi Sultans.