Prafull Achari

Akbar & Birbal - Akbar & Birbal Prafull Achari

Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, popularly known as Akbar I, also as Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped the young emperor expand and consolidate Mughal domains in India. Birbal; born Mahesh Das; (1528-1586), or Raja Birbal, was a Hindu Brahmin advisor and main commander (mukhya senapati) of army in the court of the Mughal emperor, Akbar. He is mostly known in the Indian subcontinent for the folk tales which focus on his wit. Birbal was appointed by Akbar as a minister "mantri" and used to be a poet and singer in around 1556-1562. He had a close association with Emperor Akbar and was one of his most important courtiers, part of a group called the navaratnas (nine jewels of Akbar). In 1586, Birbal led an army to crush an unrest in the north-west Indian subcontinent where he was killed along with many troops in an ambush by the rebel tribe. He was the only Hindu to adopt Din-i Ilahi, the religion founded by Akbar. By the end of Akbar's reign, local folk tales emerged involving his interactions with Akbar, portraying him as being extremely clever and witty. As the tales gained popularity in India, he became even more of a legendary figure across the Indian subcontinent. These tales involve him outsmarting rival courtiers and sometimes even Akbar, using only his intelligence and cunning, often with giving witty and humorous responses and impressing Akbar. From the twentieth century onwards, plays, films and books based on these folk tales were made, some of these are in children's comics and school textbooks. The stories of Akbar and Birbal have been read and heard since childhood, which can be judged by the wisdom and wisdom of Birbal, these stories are very interesting and they are very knowledgeable, inspiring, and more qualified. Through this book, it will be our endeavor to make available the famous stories of Akbar-Birbal in one place so that they can easily be read and some can be learned from them.