Originally posted by: karkuzhali
Abhay,
You are giving very beautiful accounts of the historical events in this forum and I thank you for all your tireless endeavours.
I am not a History student but love to learn about the Indian History, particularly The Moghul period.
While browsing in the Library, I came across a Book titled "Moghul" by Alan Salvage ( pseudonym of the author byname Christopher John). I presume that the book is a historical fiction as seen from the disclaimer it contains.It says that it is about a couple of Englishmen, "who set off in 1524 in search of a legendary kingdom of Prester John and reached India but they discovered an exotic and capricious land whose wealth far exceeded wildest dreams".This itself is enough for me to go through the book. The Book speaks from the point of view of Thomas and Richard Blunts, who landed at Goa in search of the fabled kingdom.The book narrates the events during the period from the mughal invasion to the last mughul emperor.
I was interested in the Chapters "Akbar" and "Shah of shah" which speak about the greatness of Akbar.
While mentioning about Humayun's accidental death, the author says:
"The whole of Agra had been shaken by a slight earth tremor,but little damage was done save inside the Royal palace.Years later it would be learned that on this same day had occured the greatest earth quake known to history in the province of Shensi in China, where the earth had convulsed for two hours and eight hundred and thirty thousand people were killed.Only one had died in Agra, so many thousands of miles away.But that one was the great Moghul.."
And that was Humayun, who while," engaged in indexing his beloved Library, fell from the top of the ladder and cracked his skull..."
After learning about Humayun's death, "the youthful Sultan had been more distressed by his father's premature death than he had allowed anyone to know.As soon as his grief had dwindled,his nature, naturally sensitive and curious and controlled by a deep intelligence, had begun to consider not only his present situation but what he would inherit, when he had dealt with Hemu, supposing he could.He was keenly aware of his neglected upbringing, when he compared himself with the intellectual brilliance of his father and grandfather.He understood that it was now too late to catch up as regard to literacy, but he still wanted to learn , and during this time of waiting he set aside severalhours a day for long discussions, and not only with his muslim favourites, chiefly the two brothers Sheik Feizi and Abul Fazl ... but also with certain Hindus and Parsees, Jains and Buddhists, seeking to understand why they were all so different."
If the above statement is true, did Akbar have Sheik Feizi and Abul Fazl, in his Dharbar even during his early days?
The author of the book also says that Akbar was advised by Fazal and Feizi to keep Mahamanga and Hamida Bhanu Begam(?) away from influencing him in his politcal affairs. " Hamida Banu Baygam and Maham Anga were to be confined in honourable imprisonment for the rest of their lives, In fact, they both died quickly, of shame it was said..."
Was it a fact that both the mothers died before Akbar married Jodha?
The authors narrates about the marriage of Akbar and Jodha as " for a man who had never truly loved,it turned out to be a love match."
It was after Salim Murad and Danial were born ( he says Murad and Daniyal are Jodha's sons), that "It was to Jodhpur that Akbar rode two hundred and twenty miles in two days to prevent the Rajah from forcing his son's widow to commit suttee- the ghastly Hindu practice by which a widow was burned alive on her husband's funeral pyre."
About his relationship with Jodha the author says,
..."...The mutual affection of Emperor and Empress was plain for all to see, and was enjoyed by all their people. Jodha Bai never sought to interfere in affairs of state;although that she did have opinions and was not afraid to air them in the privacy of their imperial bedroom was obvious from many of Akbar's decisions..."
According to the author, Jodha Bai pre-deceased Akbar.
On a special occasion when Akbar sat with his friends, Abul Fazl presented his long-time-laboured work Ain -i -Akbari, a record of the Moghul's Life. "...Akbar turned the pages. He still could not read with any ease,but the very size and volume was impressive.
He smiled at them."Have I then done so much?"
It was a rhetorical question."
That was AKBAR.
Ahay, I still am not able to believe it is a fiction.
Saraswathi.
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