History
Birbal
1-Birbal (born Mahesh Das; 1528–1586), or Raja Birbal, was a Hindu Brahmin advisor in the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
2-Birbal was appointed by Emperor Akbar as a poet and singer in around 1556–1562.
3- He was the only Hindu to adopt Din-i Ilahi, the religion founded by Akbar.
4-Birbal was born as Mahesh Das in 1528,in a village near Kalpi, present-day Uttar Pradesh, India.
5-His father was Ganga Das and mother, Anabha Davito.
6-Educated in Hindi, Sanskrit and Persian, Birbal wrote prose, specialised in music and poetry in the Braj language
7-He served at the Rajput court of Raja Ram Chandra of Rewa (Madhya Pradesh), under the name “Brahma Kavi”.
8-He became the “Kavi Rai” (poet laureate) of the Emperor within a few years of his appointment.
9-Akbar bestowed upon him the name ‘Birbal’ with the title “Raja”, by which he was known from then on.
10-Birbal comes from Bir Bar or Vir Var which means courageous and great.
11-His growing reputation led him to be part of Akbar’s nine advisers, known as the navaratna or nine jewels.
12-Birbal played the role of a religious advisor, military figure and close friend of the Emperor, serving him for 30 years.
13-In 1572, he was among a large army sent to aid Husain Quli Khan against an attack from the Akbar’s brother, Hakim Mirza, which was his first military role.
14-Akbar’s other orthodox Muslim advisers were known to dislike Birbal.
15-The painting Akbari Nao Ratna in Victoria hall, Kolkata depicts Birbal having a prominent position right next to Akbar.
16-Birbal was said to have received a two-storey house in Fatehpur Sikri within the palace complex, built close to Akbar’s own chambers.
17-Akbar and Birbal folk tales are featured in Amar Chitra Katha and Chandamama.
18-The television channel Cartoon Network in India, has two featured animated series based on him, Chota Birbal and Akbar & Birbal.
19- Salman Rushdie’s novel The Enchantress of Florence has the character of Birbal.
20- Akbar Birbal is a 2014 historical comedy broadcast by Big Magic
21- Birbal Died- 1586 (aged 57–58), Swat valley, present-day Pakistan