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Article: Tales of Akbar and Birbal.
- Article from:
- Calliope
- Article date:
- March 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The emperor Akbar was looking for entertainment. He did not realize that a poor Brahmin man called Maheshdas, from the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India, could offer truth with wit.
In their first meeting, Maheshdas won Akbar's approval by demonstrating his spunky humor. Akbar held a contest to create an exact portrait of himself, but he rejected every entry, finding problems with each artist's work. But Maheshdas brought the ultimate portrait of Akbar a mirror.
This first meeting established the flavor of their lifelong relationship a touch of wit, a bit of truth, and a dash of disrespect. Akbar appointed Maheshdas to his court, and Maheshdas ...