akbar
Birbal
Birbal (IPA: [biːrbəl]; born Mahesh Das; 1528–1586), or Raja Birbal, was a Hindu advisor 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 poet and singer in around 1556–1562. He had a close association with the Emperor and was a member of his group of most important courtiers called the navaratnas (nine jewels). 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.
Birbal
Birbal
Born Mahesh Das
1528
present-day Uttar Pradesh, India
Died 1586 (aged 57–58)
Swat valley, present-day Pakistan
Occupation Courtier and advisor in the Mughal court of Emperor 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. However, no historical evidence attests that Birbal influenced Akbar by his witticisms.
Contents
Early life Edit
Birbal was born as Mahesh Das in 1528, in a village near Kalpi, present-day Uttar Pradesh, India;[1]:29 according to folklore, it was at Tikawanpur near the banks of river Yamuna.[2] His father was Ganga Das and mother, Anabha Davito. He was the third son of a Hindu Bhatt-Brahmin family[1]:29 which had a previous association with poetry and literature.[3][4][better source needed]
Educated in Hindi, Sanskrit and Persian, Birbal wrote prose, specialised in music and poetry in the Braj language, thus gaining fame.[5] He served at the Rajput court of Raja Ram Chandra of Rewa (Madhya Pradesh), under the name "Brahma Kavi". Birbal's economic and social status improved when he married the daughter of a respected and rich family, contrary to the notion that he was on poor economic terms before his appointment at Mughal Emperor Akbar's imperial court.[5]
At the imperial court Edit
Titles and name origin Edit
Akbar was known to give his Hindu courtiers titles based on their cultural background.
The details and year of his first meeting with Akbar and his employment at the court are disputed to be between 1556 and 1562.[6] He became the "Kavi Priya" (poet laureate) of the Emperor within a few years of his appointment.[6] Akbar bestowed upon him the name 'Birbal' with the title "Raja", by which he was known from then on.[5]
Birbal comes from Bir Bar or Vir Var which means courageous and great, quite contrary for him since he was not known for his bravery or for his military skill. Akbar gave titles to his Hindu subjects according to their traditions and S. H. Hodivala writes that it could have been taken from a character in the folk tale Vetal Panchvinshati. This featured a courtier called Vir Var who showed great loyalty to his king. Akbar was also fond of literature, having works of Sanskrit and other local languages translated into Persian.[7]
Position and association with Akbar Edit
His growing reputation led him to be part of Akbar's nine advisers, known as the navaratna - the nine jewels. Soon Birbal played the role of a religious advisor, military figure and close friend of the Emperor, serving him for 30 years.[8][9] In 1572, he was among a large army sent to aid Husain Quli Khan against an attack from the Akbar's brother, Hakim Mirza, which was his first military role. He later accompanied the Emperor during his Gujarat campaigns. Despite having no military backgr
Birbal (IPA: [biːrbəl]; born Mahesh Das; 1528–1586), or Raja Birbal, was a Hindu advisor 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 poet and singer in around 1556–1562. He had a close association with the Emperor and was a member of his group of most important courtiers called the navaratnas (nine jewels). 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.
Birbal
Birbal
Born Mahesh Das
1528
present-day Uttar Pradesh, India
Died 1586 (aged 57–58)
Swat valley, present-day Pakistan
Occupation Courtier and advisor in the Mughal court of Emperor 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. However, no historical evidence attests that Birbal influenced Akbar by his witticisms.
Contents
Early life Edit
Birbal was born as Mahesh Das in 1528, in a village near Kalpi, present-day Uttar Pradesh, India;[1]:29 according to folklore, it was at Tikawanpur near the banks of river Yamuna.[2] His father was Ganga Das and mother, Anabha Davito. He was the third son of a Hindu Bhatt-Brahmin family[1]:29 which had a previous association with poetry and literature.[3][4][better source needed]
Educated in Hindi, Sanskrit and Persian, Birbal wrote prose, specialised in music and poetry in the Braj language, thus gaining fame.[5] He served at the Rajput court of Raja Ram Chandra of Rewa (Madhya Pradesh), under the name "Brahma Kavi". Birbal's economic and social status improved when he married the daughter of a respected and rich family, contrary to the notion that he was on poor economic terms before his appointment at Mughal Emperor Akbar's imperial court.[5]
At the imperial court Edit
Titles and name origin Edit
Akbar was known to give his Hindu courtiers titles based on their cultural background.
The details and year of his first meeting with Akbar and his employment at the court are disputed to be between 1556 and 1562.[6] He became the "Kavi Priya" (poet laureate) of the Emperor within a few years of his appointment.[6] Akbar bestowed upon him the name 'Birbal' with the title "Raja", by which he was known from then on.[5]
Birbal comes from Bir Bar or Vir Var which means courageous and great, quite contrary for him since he was not known for his bravery or for his military skill. Akbar gave titles to his Hindu subjects according to their traditions and S. H. Hodivala writes that it could have been taken from a character in the folk tale Vetal Panchvinshati. This featured a courtier called Vir Var who showed great loyalty to his king. Akbar was also fond of literature, having works of Sanskrit and other local languages translated into Persian.[7]
Position and association with Akbar Edit
His growing reputation led him to be part of Akbar's nine advisers, known as the navaratna - the nine jewels. Soon Birbal played the role of a religious advisor, military figure and close friend of the Emperor, serving him for 30 years.[8][9] In 1572, he was among a large army sent to aid Husain Quli Khan against an attack from the Akbar's brother, Hakim Mirza, which was his first military role. He later accompanied the Emperor during his Gujarat campaigns. Despite having no military backgr
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