Birbal
| Raja Birbal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1528 Ghoghara, Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh, India |
| Died | 1586 ashes immersed in the Ganga River at Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India |
| Religion | Hindu Din-i-Ilahi |
| Occupation | Grand Vizier (Wazīr-e Azam) of the Mughal court |
Raja Birbal (1528–1586) (real name: Mahesh Das or Maheshdas Bhat) was the Grand Vizier (Wazīr-e Azam) of the Mughal court in the administration of the Mughal emperor Akbar. He one of his most trusted members along with being a part of Akbar's inner council of nine advisors, known as the navaratna, a Sanskrit word meaning nine jewels. Birbal was the only person other than Akbar who was a Din-i-Ilahi believer. He is considered one of the world's most intelligent and clever administrator during the medieval period.
Birbal's duties in Akbar's court were mostly military and administrative, but he was also a very close friend of the emperor, who appreciated Birbal for his wit and wisdom, often involving humorous exchanges. These and other stories have become part of a rich tradition of folklore and legend.
Early years
Born Mahesh Das in 1528 in the village Ghoghara, Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh. A Brahmin by birth, he grew up in a moderate household and was educated in the regional and Persian languages. Birbal was a poet and author, whose wit and wisdom led the Emperor Akbar to invite him to be a part of the royal court and to bestow upon him a new name - Birbal (Bir means Brain, Bal means Strong). Akbar also conferred on him the title of Raja.
Meeting with Sikh Guru
According to Giani Gian Singh, the author of the Book Twarikh Guru Khalsa in 1626, Raja Birbal met Guru Amar Das, the third guru of Sikhism. He and his army had their meals in the Langar, when some unscrupulous individual told him that Guru Amar Das had a precious Rasayana (a rejuvenating ointment that promised eternal youth according to Ayurveda's Rasayana Vidya). He demanded this Rasayana from Guru Amar Das. But, Guru Amar Das replied God's name is the true rasayana and this Rasayana is only gifted to the previous Gurus. Birbal did not believe him and instead got angry. He said that he would take the Rasayana the next day but at night. However, he had orders to reach Malandri (Muhim) the next day. Abandoning his plans for the Rasayana, he journeyed onward.
Death
"The Yousafzai and Khattak tribes of the Afghans in the North West had started low level skirmishes and looting raids against the Mughal Empire's outposts and trading routes along the East Bank of the River Indus, Attock and the Malandari pass. Attempting to crush the unrest, Akbar sent troops for the battle. However, the troops faced resilient resistance from the Afghans and suffered many losses. At this time, the Afghan Lashkar's (army) front was concentrated on one end in what is now the Katlang area of Lund Khwar to the other end near the Malandari Pass at the head of the Barkua Stream, about 30 miles N. E. of Hoti Mardan.[1]
After a succession of defeats in the February of 1583 A.D. Akbar sent Birbal his Grand Vizier (Wazīr-e Azam), closest advisory and chief among the navaratnas to help Zain Khan in the battle. Birbal took command of the troops and around mid February marched into a concentrated formation of the Afghans in the Katlang area of Lund Khwar. On the 16th of February, 1583 A.D. during a major skirmish and while in the thick of the battle, Birbal along with his personal troops advanced into a narrow pass in Katlang at night. The Yousafzai and the Khattak Afghans were well prepared and were ready on the hills. Many men on Birbal’s side lost their way or were killed in the holes and the caverns and it was a terrible defeat, in which Birbal fought with bravery but died on 16 Feb 1583 A.D. Birbal’s death was said to be caused by treachery, not military defeat. Akbar was very shocked by the death of Birbal and he didn’t attend court for two full days and didn’t eat or drink anything and mourned for a long time.
Birbal's last wish was that upon his death, his ashes be immersed in the River Ganga at Haridwar. Akbar did not grant this wish, instead burying the ashes at a well he had dug near the river.
See also
References
Further reading
- 50 Wittiest Tales of Birbal (ISBN 81-7806-050-7) by Clifford Sawhney (Publishers: Pustak Mahal, Delhi)
- Solve Your Problems Author: Luis S. R. Vas (ISBN 81-223-0800-7)