Is the story of Anarkali true?

There is a popular story related to Akbar and his son Jahangir. In the story, Jahangir fell in love with a court dancer called Anarkali, who was Hindu. Jahangir wanted to marry her but Akbar opposed it, both for her low status and religion. When Jahangir opposed his father, Akbar is said to have buried Anarkali alive, for no fault of hers than loving his son.

I want to know if any historical account has this story, or whether it is folklore.

Akbar, despite his faults, never seemed to me that horrible that he would bury an innocent woman alive, that too when he has his own harem full of many women, and he also married a Hindu princess. Why would he be called "Akbar the Great" when he committed such crimes?

Total fake... and according to my research jodha bai now portraying in history is also fake. "Akbar hae dhashat ka doosra naam ...kasae banaegi jodha ose insaan" funnies line I ever heard.. lolz

Originally posted by: smile.sara

Total fake... and according to my research jodha bai now portraying in history is also fake. "Akbar hae dhashat ka doosra naam ...kasae banaegi jodha ose insaan" funnies line I ever heard.. lolz

I also do believe majority of the story we "think" we know is fake. The character of Hira Bai/Jodha Bai/Marium Uz-Zamani is real, no matter which name we take, but I read that there was no love story between her and Akbar. Apparently, Ruqaiya and Akbar shared the closest relationship in his harem, and after her Salima. Jodha was said to have been a "secondary queen" but she did have a lot of political involvement in the court, and it is also true that she was trained in warrior skills. Akbar valued her more for the Rajput alliance than love...many accounts say that the love story of Jodha and Akbar has been greatly distorted over the years.

Originally posted by: Clumsy_Wings

There is a tomb in Lahore which does give a resonate the fact that the story might be true. Plus, the rumors from Western travelers. I don't know what to make of it.😕😕

I also do believe the story may be true...because Akbar was not a perfect King. But I find it strange that he hated Anarkali when he himself had harem full of low class women who were his concubines. Why be hypocritical with Jahangir's harem?

I don't know the actual history, but i heard that too! And some state that there is no wife named jodha.

Originally posted by: JanakiRaghunath

I also do believe the story may be true...because Akbar was not a perfect King. But I find it strange that he hated Anarkali when he himself had harem full of low class women who were his concubines. Why be hypocritical with Jahangir's harem?

I'm not sure but they say that one of the reason akbar buried anarkali was that he also liked her but she only loved his son. Sorry if I'm wrong 😳

Originally posted by: Clumsy_Wings

Every one has flaws . Akbar was no saint either. Maybe, Anarkali story does hold some kind of truth for a lot of Salim's rebellious behavior. When we start looking for evidence in history, we tend to forget to study his thoughts, his feeling and etc. What he thought in a daily basis? etc.. We fail to answer these questions. I do believe Jodha was the mother of Prince Salim, and between both folklore , and history records, there is a balanced truth to that. I think Jodha gave Akbar a sense of belonging which no other wife did. Maybe he did love her. We don't know. We did not live in that time. Only Akbar can answer it. I think he respected, and cherished 3 of his senior queen relationship than with anyone else. They were his favorite. With Ruqaiya, when he said he wished he remained monogamous, i smell sense of regret of abandonment . 😳Maybe, I just imagining myself. I believe Jhangir did have a solid reason why he never his mother side. I read through his diary. I think there is a huge reason behind it. 😊

I do agree that everyone has flaws. In fact, I believe Akbar was the best Mughal King. No other mughal after him was as tolerant of other religions as Akbar, not even Jahangir! In fact, did you know that Shah Jahan, the man famous for the Taj Mahal, chopped off the fingers of the 24,000 workers who built the Taj Mahal, so that they would never be able to replicate it? Hearing that story made me hate him! I can never respect his character again.

I do believe flaws are different from crimes though. I don't mind the flaws in Akbar's character so much as his crimes. I am not simply talking about battles and conquests over other lands, because all Kings did it, but the way one treats the people beneath him speaks a lot about their character! Anarkali was an innocent woman. If Akbar did indeed bury her alive for no fault of hers, I am not sure I can respect his character anymore.

However, since I do not know whether this story is actually true, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Well I honestly have no idea abour what happened and nor am am I pretending to know coz my history's a bit too weak😛
Anywhoo...Hypothetically speaking:
If he had done all the wrong things people claim that he had done!Well he could have! But the point for me is the fact that even if he did those things, he is mostly remembered as a great and just king..Ensuring that if he did bad, he also did alot of good!
So for me it ends there!
If you don't start loving an evil person just coz he does one great deed, don't hate a great person coz he makes one mistake.
P.S. I know I haven't answered your question at all...but I just felt like expressing this point, so I did!