How and why was the ‘character of Birbal’ coined?

The Akbar-Birbal pair and the clever exploits of Birbal have been heard by everyone from children to old people and from women to men. Even today many stories in the name of Akbar-Birbal are prevalent among the people. But what then when someone comes and says about the stories which have been entertaining for so many years that the stories which you are listening and reading with great pleasure considering it to be history are lies because there was no person named Birbal. Then the person listening to the story will definitely get a shock once and will be forced to think that what I was reading and listening to as history turned out to be a lie.

If we review the history of India other than Akbar-Birbal, to a large extent we get to see that historians have written history from a wrong perspective to prove their selfishness. The stories of Akbar-Birbal also seem to be of this type. That’s why today we will try to prove on the basis of various facts that there was no person named Birbal nor there used to be a pair of Akbar-Birbal in history. These are just fabricated stories, which people have been telling to each other from generation to generation for so many years.

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fictional character created?

In fact, in the history of medieval India, when it comes to Navratnas of the Mughal Sultanate, Birbal’s name is definitely taken. It is told about him that he was an intelligent person and his cleverness was famous in all the courts of that time. His real name is said to be Mahesh Das. But after studying the history, it is known that there was no person named Birbal in the Mughal court, but the exploits of an advisor named Tenali Raman or Tenali Ram in the court of King Krishnadeva Raya between 1509 AD and 1529 AD. Impressed by his intelligence, a fictional character named Birbal has been created.

Actually the stories which are told in the name of Birbal are of Tenali Raman. Tenali Raman was a good friend and advisor to King Krishnadeva Raya of Karnataka. According to historical records, Tenali Raman played an important role in defending the empire several times. He also saved Krishnadev many times from court conspiracies. The pair became famous throughout South India during the reign of King Krishnadeva Raya, on which many stories were later created.

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There is no mention of Birbal even in Akbar Nama.

Akbar, the most influential ruler of the Mughal Sultanate, ruled from 1556 AD to 1605 AD. Also, the history of Akbar has been scripted in the form of Akbarnama and Ain-i-Akbari. But if both these books are studied regarding the existence of Birbal, then no mention of any person by this name is found. Nor is there any story about the pair of Akbar-Birbal. Apart from this, the surprising thing is that after 200 years of Akbar’s rule, the name of Birbal was mentioned in a book named Mathir al-Umra, whereas in Akbarnama and Ain-i-Akbari composed during the time of Akbar, this type of reference is made. No mention is found. Not only this, Akbar was an illiterate king and depended on his ministers to run the administration. But in Mathir al-Umrah, which came in the 18th century, Akbar has been described as a lover of literature, an encourager of poets and litterateurs like King Krishnadeva Raya. After independence, historians created history on the basis of such books and presented Akbar as a great king.

If it is said in brief about the existence of Birbal, then no such person happened in the Mughal court. Rather, in order to show Akbar as great and kind, the life stories of King Krishnadev Rai have been presented in the name of people by telling them in the name of Akbar.

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