‘Considering all the circumstances of time and place, Akbar had appeared
to me, among sovereigns, what Shakespeare was among poets.’ Frederick
Augustus - German author.
Divine
Akbar And Holy India
3rd Moghul emperor
From 1556 to 1605
This historical, biographical saga begins with Akbar as the
bridegroom, riding forth to claim his Hindu bride, the Princess of Amber. Wedded four times already, the young emperor
remains eligible for further alliances by acquiring new brides. His active and exploring mind, though always
reminiscent of the turbulent years after his accession to the throne of Hind,
stays avid and seeking. Seeking always,
love! along with his quest for Truth and
Knowledge. His own wife, Salima, is his
great love, the royal rebel of a bride.
She will not and cannot reciprocate the emperor's love, but with hatred.
During the middle of his reign, Akbar's quest for Truth and
Knowledge accelerates. The Holy Text of
Mahabharata is translated from Sanskrit to Persian. A Jesuit mission from Goa
is invited to participate in religious discussions. Two embassies, one from the Shah of Iran, and
the other from Little Tibet and Great Tibet, are received with a sense of unity
in alliance and friendship. A letter
from Abdullah Khan of TransOxiana, and another one from the Queen Elizabeth1 of
England, receive warm and generous responses from the emperor. Akbar is a great patron of arts too, lending
his support and audience to the artists even during his prolonged
campaigns. Ordering poetry books to be
illumined, and encouraging his court authors to write the history of the
world. Kingdoms upon kingdoms fall his
way on his conquests toward east and south, and more brides are added to his
harem. Three sons are born to him from
different wives, though his love still remains unrequited by Salima.
Akbar visits Kashmir three times
during his turbulent reign. Many a
reforms are enforced, including the edict of complete tolerance for all
religions. Two more Jesuit missions are
received from the Portugal. Jain missionaries from the Central
India are welcomed. The
Jesuits are granted permission to build churches at Agra
and Lahore. Mildenhall from England
sent by Queen Elizabeth 1, secures permission for the free access of English
ships to the Moghul ports. The kingdoms
of Sibi and Sindh are conquered. Birbal
and Faizi, the poet laureates of the Moghul court are dead.
The last few years of the emperor's reign are ravished by
grief and death. The emperor's daughter-in-law,
Man Bai, commits suicide. The emperor's
son, prince Salim, murders the emperor's vizier, Abul Fazl. Only conquests are favorable, Bengal
and Orissa are added to the vast empire of Hind.
Death has made a permanent home at Agra. The ailing emperor is crushed by
tragedies. Two of the emperor's sons die
due to excessive drinking. The emperor's
aunt and mother also succumb to death.
Akbar himself surrenders to the edict of death, holding the lamp of
spiritual bliss to all, who can claim love as Light. The true enlightenment!
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