Birbal: story

It is estimated that Birbal gained employment in Akbar's court between 1556 and 1562.

Birbal had a quick and adaptable mind, lively intelligence, and engaging wit.

Birbal was one of the brightest jewels in Akbar's court and his closest confidante.

New Delhi: The tales of Birbal are something that most of us have read while growing up. His wit and intelligence, his exchanges with Emperor Akbar and his outmanoeuvring of the royal courtiers who tried to bring him down are part of the popular folklores of India, much like the stories of Tenali Ramakrishna and Gopal Bhar. But, was Birbal really like what has been depicted in those stories? The short answer is, no. Birbal was one of Akbar’s ‘navaratna’ (nine jewels) and he was intelligent for sure, but the myths and legends originated long after his death.

Birbal: The man and his legends

The original name of Birbal was Mahesh Das, and he was born in 1528 to a Brahmin family in Uttar Pradesh. He studied Hindi, Sanskrit and Persian, and wrote prose, and specialised in music and poetry in the Braj language. He served at the Rajput court of Raja Ram Chandra of Rewa in Madhya Pradesh under the name “Brahma Kavi”. His economic and social status improved considerably after getting married to a woman of a wealthy family.

Birbal and his entry into Akbar’s court

It is estimated that Birbal first met Akbar and gained employment in the emperor’s court between 1556 and 1562. Ira Mukhoty, in her book ‘Akbar: The Great Mughal’ states that Birbal joined Akbar’s court as early as 1556. Within a few years of his appointment, he became the “Kavi Priya” (poet laureate) of the emperor. It was Akbar who gave him the name ‘Birbal’ with the title “Raja”, and Mahesh Das would become immortal in the pages of history by that name only.

Birbal had a quick and adaptable mind, lively intelligence, and engaging wit. But above all, he was devoted to Akbar. He also had a naturally generous nature and all these traits made him the ideal Mughal courtier. He became a part of Akbar’s ‘navaratna’, and also played the role of a religious advisor, military figure and close friend of the emperor. In 1572, he was among a large army sent to aid Husain Quli Khan against an attack from Akbar’s brother, Hakim Mirza, which was his first military role. He accompanied Akbar during his Gujarat campaigns, and in other campaigns as well, despite having no military background.

Abul Fazl and Abdul Qadir Badayuni were historians of the court, and while the former respected Birbal, the latter distrusted him. When Akbar was building his new city at Fatehpur Sikri, he had ordered ‘the erection of a stone palace for Birbal. Interestingly, Birbal, in his 30 years of service at the court, never incurred the wrath of Akbar. Only the poet Faizi and the musician Tansen hold this distinction apart from Birbal. The emperor used to rebuke even his closest courtiers when found lacking, as when Man Singh had not pursued Rana Pratap after Haldighati. In fact, Birbal was one of the few people and the only Hindu who followed Akbar’s unique religion called Din-i-Ilahi.

When Akbar saved his life

Ira Mukhoty in her book narrates an interesting story of Akbar saving Birbal’s life. In 1583, during an elephant fight organised on the grounds of Akbar’s court in Fatehpur Sikri, one of the elephants suddenly rushed towards Birbal and seized him with his trunk. Akbar turned his horse around and galloped towards the elephant, charging at him, while all around him his soldiers and courtiers shouted out in alarm. The elephant then turned towards Akbar but, inexplicably, faltered, and Birbal was saved.

Birbal was one of the brightest jewels in Akbar’s court and his closest confidante. He was the only courtier to get a special place near Akbar’s palace in Fatehpur Sikri and one of the seven gates is known as “Birbal’s gate”.

The death of Birbal

In early 1586, Akbar sent Zain Khan Koka and Birbal on an expedition against the troublesome Pashtun Yusufzais in the Swat and Bajaur regions. But disagreement and mistrust took place between the two leaders, and Birbal fell into a trap of the Yusufzais in Kabul’s mountains. The Mughals suffered the worst defeat of Akbar’s reign, in a massacre called the Yusufzai Disaster, in which more than 8,000 Mughal soldiers, including Birbal, were killed.

Birbal’s death devastated Akbar, and he did not take any food or drink for two days. He was anguished since Birbal’s body could not be found for cremation, and lamented that it was his greatest tragedy since his coming to the throne.

According to Abul Fazl, Akbar ‘grieved him exceedingly, and his heart turned away from everything’. The entire court mourned Birbal and the poet Keshavdas wrote verses in Brajbhasha in memory of him. Akbar even wanted to go to Kabul to find Birbal’s body but was dissuaded by his courtiers, and comforted by them with the idea that the light of the sun was enough to purify the body of his fallen friend.

Birbal and myths in folklore

In the popular Akbar-Birbal folk tales, Birbal outsmarts envious courtiers who try to trap and portray him in poor light in front of the emperor in a witty and humorous way. In some, Akbar tests Birbal’s wit and he makes the emperor realise his folly, and in the end, Akbar invariably gets amused and impressed.

According to scholar CM Naim, these stories also tend to try and ‘humanize’ Akbar and transform him into someone who was accessible and approachable. Naim pointed out that the earliest known reference to Birbal’s wit is in the 18th-century biographical dictionary, ‘Ma’athir al-Umara’. It depicts Birbal using his poetry and wit to become a member of Akbar’s inner circle and gradually outrank other courtiers. In later years, a third character, Mulla Do-Piyaza began to appear and is likely a fictional character.

Are the stories true? According to historians, no. Ira Mukhoty writes that while Akbar did enjoy witty and sharp observations, he also demanded complete devotion and loyalty. No courtier would have been allowed the liberties depicted in the Akbar-Birbal stories, certainly not from one who had such a long and special career at court. Antonio Monserrate, the Portuguese priest who came to Akbar’s court, wrote that though the emperor loved lively discussions and intelligence, he was ‘full also of dignity and when he is angry, of awful majesty’, as he had an anger that most courtiers wanted to avoid.

Birbal in popular culture

The folk tales about Akbar and Birbal are there in ‘Amar Chitra Katha’ and ‘Chandamama’ and various other books. The television channel Cartoon Network in India has two featured animated series based on him, ‘Chota Birbal’ and ‘Akbar and Birbal’. The character of Birbal is there in noted author Salman Rushdie’s novel ‘The Enchantress of Florence’. In 2014, Big Magic broadcasted a historical comedy show ‘Akbar Birbal’ and it was followed by Hazir Jawab Birbal in 2015. In 2020, Star Bharat aired a historical comedy show named ‘Akbar Ka Bal Birbal’.