INDIAN ALCHEMY DURING MUGHAL AND BRITISH RULE

During the Mughal period Rasayan Vidya was at its highest peak.Emperor Akbar had a great interest in Rasayan Vidya.He had imprisoned a Tantrik who had knowledge of Alchemy and during the night he used to visit him and learn the process of preparing gold."Akbari Mohar" or the gold coins of Akbar which became so famous were made from the same gold.The gold used to make these coins had some significant chemical properties.Even today when a woman is in labour and the delivery becomes difficult,the Mohar is washed with water and that water is given to the woman,who is then able to deliver without any trouble.

The Britishers caught several Yogis who had a knowledge of Alchemy and when they saw that gold can be prepared from mercury they compelled the Yogis to carry out the processes before them.But when the Yogis refused to do so,they were killed and in a single stroke 104 Yogis and scholars of Alchemy were brutally murdered.

But this knowledge remained prevalent,in open as well as in a secret manner & even in the modern times there have been references of sages and Yogis who had this knowledge.