The story of Akbar’s brightest jewel

Birbal, an Indian folk hero noted for his wit and cleverness, was one of the nine gems of Akbar. This duo is remembered by everyone through the fancy and witty tales. But who was the real Birbal? How did Birbal rise to such prominence in Akbar's court, and what happened to him at the end? Let's have a look.

The painting of Raja Birbal; Image source- WikiPedia

In 1528, Ganga Das and Anabha Davito, a brahmin couple from Kalpi, welcomed a baby boy into their home. They named him Mahesh Das Bhatt, who later emerged as the most intelligent courtier in Akbar's court. As he grew up, he developed a keen interest in poetry, music, and literature. Birbal was a brilliant scholar, and his poetry and music earned him fame and acclaim.

Even though he was becoming well-known for his work, his financial situation remained dire. But life seemed to have better plans for Birbal. His life took a turn when he was appointed as "Brahma Kavi" at the Rajput court of Raja Ram Chandra. This not only gave a boost to his economic status but also to his social standing. Meanwhile, he also got married to his love, Urvashi Devi, and did well in his personal life too. But the best part of Birbal's life was yet to happen.

Birbal was heading for the Rajput court on a regular day when his gaze was drawn to a small box at the corner of his home. His curiosity compelled him to open the box right then, and he was surprised to find a precious ring inside it. It did not take him much time to understand the history of the ring, and Birbal reminisced about his first meeting with the great Emperor Akbar.

Akbar was always fond of hunting. One fine day, he planned to go out on an excursion, but to his chagrin, he lost his way. With great difficulty, he discovered a three-road intersection, one of which was meant to lead to Agra. Akbar was undecided about which path to take, but by chance, he encountered a small kid who turned out to be none other than Birbal. Akbar was overjoyed to see him and inquired, "Hold on a second, young fellow! Do you know which road goes to Agra? "

"Sir, none of these roads lead to Agra," replied the young Birbal, who had no idea who Akbar was. Akbar was enraged, but he knew there was nothing else he could do. "What do you mean by that?" he questioned again after calming himself. "People travel to places; roads don't go anywhere," replied Birbal. Akbar was both astonished and pleased with the response. As a gesture of affection and remembrance, he offered him his ring and invited him to meet in his palace anytime he wished, as he needed such witty people in the Mughal court.

When Birbal saw the ring after so many years, he decided to pay a visit to Akbar's palace. Because of the ring, Akbar recognized him right away. He was once again enthralled by Birbal's intelligence and cleverness and gave him a chance to serve his court. He was appointed as "Kavi Priya" for his melodious poems and music.

Birbal had extraordinary knowledge of Hindi, Sanskrit, and Persian. His poems were famous, but he gained Akbar's trust and love for his wit. Soon, the emperor bestowed upon him the title of Bir Bar (fast thinker), which gradually evolved into Birbal. He also handed him a portion of his kingdom to rule over, earning him the title of "Raja" and he came to be known as "Raja Birbal."

Being a Hindu, he was often underestimated by the orthodox Muslim courtiers of Akbar. His prosperity in the court, even after belonging to a different religion, was not something easily digested by other advisors. Birbal, on the other hand, was always Akbar's first pick, and he never missed an opportunity to laud him. He was also made a religious advisor and a military figure later on. Besides his higher positions, he also developed a close bond with Akbar and became a friend to him.

The tale of Birbal's wittiness became popular, and he gained a considerable reputation. This made him a part of Akbar's Navaratna, the group of nine extraordinary people in his court. He was appointed as the foreign minister and was the first one to join the team. Birbal's life was on track, and he was succeeding in every area of his life. But he had no idea what was in store for him in the future.

In 1586, Akbar's life took a turn when an Afghan tribe, the Yusufzai, launched a rebellion against the Mughal regime on the Indus' east bank. Zain Khan Koka was chosen by Akbar to head the forces as they moved towards the Indus. The Afghans were formidable fighters, and Koka found it difficult to keep his soldiers going against them. He wrote a letter to Akbar about their worsening conditions and demanded extra armed forces for help.

Being the brightest jewel of the Navratna group, he was involved in all sorts of decisions and discussions. At that time, Akbar recognized Birbal as the most effective individual in all domains, and he dispatched him to assist Koka. Birbal was a brilliant thinker, yet he was clueless when it came to wars and strategies. Birbal was ruthlessly slaughtered in the battle, along with all the other soldiers.

When Akbar learned of Birbal's death, he was devastated and sobbed uncontrollably. He instructed his warriors to locate Birbal's body and perform his last rituals, but his body was not discovered among the corpses. This crushed Akbar and his days got more difficult as a result of his companion's death. The great Birbal died a horrible end in this manner, yet the story of Akbar and Birbal will live on forever.