Posted:
Hi All-
Whatever is happening in the show these days will go on... But, I wanted to share an interesting source of history I found. They will not replace the beautiful historical research that was shared by Abhay and others. However, I wanted to share a great source if you want to get the feel for history in a self-service way.
I found online English translations of the Akbarnama and Ain-i-Akbari online. Here are the sources and I want full credit to go to these sources. This website has an amazing search tool and indices - though the spelling can be challenging.
There are other texts as well.
You can read a lot about Jalal and his wars, love for the arts, and other achievements. Unfortunately, there is not much about Jodha directly- you have to dig in relation with her parents, brothers, or children.
I am pasting two excerpts from the Akbarnama ... One was the wedding of Jalal-Jodha and the other is the birth of the twins.
For the Jodha-Jalal wedding, there are a lot of commonalities to what we saw on the show- the war by Sharifudhin and Sujamal, the capture of three sons. Chetgai Khan serving as the mediator, and referring to Jodha "in whose forehead shone the lights of chastity and intellect."
And with the impending birth of the twins, I hope the CVs show it as beautifully as described in the excerpt below given it is an occasion of such happiness to both Jalal and Jodha.
And from Ain-i-Akbari, I have also included on how Todarmal reformed the financial system (well, that's me 😆) Hope you enjoy!
Note: I cannot speak to the historical accuracy and context. My main purpose was to share the source and not discuss the actual history.
From the Akbarnama:
About Jodha-Jalal's wedding (I have put in bold the most relevant pieces)
CHAPTER XXXIX.
HIS MAJESTY'S VISIT TO AJMR, AND HIS MARRIAGE WITH BIHR
MAL'S DAUGHTER.
As the Shhinshh's holy soul searches after knowers of the Truth and is inquisitive about reputations founded on reality, he determined on the very hunting-ground to pursue spiritual game, and though his followers urged that he should not go to remote places, and spoke of the dangers of them and the numbers of refractory persons there, he did not give heed to them, for his mind was set upon going, and only became more determined to make the expedition. On the day of Shhriyr 4 Bahman, Divine month, corresponding to Wednesday 8th Jamda-al-awwal (14th January, 1562), he set off to Ajmr with a few attendants who belonged to the hunting-party. An order was also issued that Mham Anaga should convey the seraglio to Ajmr by way of Mewat, and in accordance with it she hastened thither. When His Majesty reached the village of Kalaval (?)* Caghatai Khn, who as an intimate courtier had means of speaking to him, represented the facts of the loyalty of Rajah Bihr Mal who was head of the Kacwha clan which is a distinguished tribe of Rajputs. The Rajah, he said, was eminent for wisdom and valour and had always been loyal to the sublime family and had done excellent service. He had in Delhi kissed the threshold and had conducted himself as one of those who were firmly bound to the sublime saddle-straps. For a long time he had been apprehensive on account of his bad treatment by Sharifu-d-dn usain Mrz and had taken refuge in the folds of the hills. If a ray from the sun of the Shh were to fall upon him and he were raised from the dust and so freed from the tribulations of the age, perchance his services would be approved of by the holy glance which is an elixir of auspiciousness.
The brief details of the oppression that he had suffered are that when Mewt was made Muammad Sharifu-d-dn usain's fief, he wanted to take possession of the town of Amber which is in Mrwr and was the seat of Rajah Bihar Mal's ancestors. At this time Sj the son of Pran Mal, the Rajah's elder brother, out of wickedness and because he wanted the chiefship for himself came and paid his respects to the Mrz and raised troubles. The Mrz led an army against Rajah Bihr Mal and as the times were unfavourable and the Rajah had not a large force he came to terms. A fixed contribution was laid upon him, and his son Jagannth, Raj Singh, the son of Askaran, and Kangr the son of Jagmal, who were the Rajah's brothers' sons, were taken as hostages, who in Hindi are called ol.* The Mrza then went off to Ajmr and Ngor, and this year it was his fixed intention to collect troops and to extirpate the family.
When the tale of the loyalty of this old family had been communicated to His Majesty he graciously gave permission for the introduction of the Rajah. When the cavalcade reached Deosa* most of the inhabitants fled from fear. His Majesty said, "We have no other intention than to do good to all mankind. What can be the reason of the flight of those people? Apparently these rustics of the valley of desolation have drawn an inference from the oppression they have undergone from Sharifu-d-dn usain and so have run away." At the close of the day Jaimal the son of Rps, Rajah Bihr Mal's brother, and the headman of this district, came and was introduced by the courtiers and did homage. They represented that the son of the headman was coming into service. His Majesty said: "His coming cannot be taken into account, Rps must recognise our advent as a great gift of God and himself come and kiss the threshold." Of necessity Rps came in person and made the dust of fortune's threshold the antimony of the eye of auspiciousness. He was exalted by royal favours. Next day when the village of Sngnr* was made the camping ground Caghatai Khn introduced Rajah Bihr Mal together with many of his relations and leaing men of his clan. Rajah Bhagwant Das, the Rajah's eldest son, was excepted as he had been left in charge of the families. His Majesty with his discerning glance read devotion and sincerity in the behaviour of the Rajah and his relatives. He captured his heart by kindness and exalted his rank. The Rajah from right-thinking and elevated fortune considered that he should bring himself out of the ruck of landholders and make himself one of the distinguished ones of the Court. In order to effect this purpose he thought of a special alliance, to wit that he should by means of those who had the right of entre introduce his eldest daughter, in whose forehead shone the lights of chastity and intellect, among the attendants on the glorious pavilion. Inasmuch as graciousness is natural to His Majesty the Shhinshh his petition was accepted and His Majesty sent him off from this station along with Caghatai Khn in order that he might arrange for this alliance, which is the material of the eternal glory of the family, and quickly bring his daughter.
One of the dominion-increasing events of this time and which was an instance of the daily increasing distribution of justice by the Shhinshh, and a cause of tranquillising a crowd of the terrified inhabitants of the district, was the punishment of a leopard-keeper (ctabn). The brief account of this is that as the Shhinshh made the hunting with the cta one of the veils of his world-adorning beauty and showed a strong passion for it and often indulged in it, one of the ctabns waxed proud in his ignorance and forcibly took off a man's pair of shoes and appropriated them. The owner was lamenting, and accidentally his cries came to His Majesty's ears and the truth was discovered. The redresser of injustice as soon as he heard of the tyranny, ordered that the ctabn should be seized and brought to him. An order was issued for cutting off his feet, and this was a warning to men of the world, and a lesson in wisdom to the savages* of the fields of heedlessness. It became known in the country and afterwards no one thought of running away or becoming a vagabond. Peace and tranquillity appeared in the country. When the standards were pitched at Smbar Sharifu-d-dn usain Mrza had the bliss of doing homage, and brought suitable gifts. His Majesty the Shhinshh demanded Jagannath, Raj Singh and Kangr, whom the Mrz had taken as hostages, in order that Rajah Bihr Mal might be entirely free from apprehensions. The Mrz agreed to surrender them, but put off the time of doing so by subterfuges. His Majesty thought the excuses were genuine and waited in expectation of the arrival of the hostages. At this stage Adham Khn came from behind and joined the camp. From here the expedition went with all possible speed to Ajmr and arrived at that bliss-conferring city in an auspicious hour. The visit to the illustrious shrine of his holiness the Khwja was performed, and the persons in charge of that sacred city were the recipients of fortune. Mham Anaga brought the ladies by way of Mewt and had the bliss of accomplishing her service. His Majesty decided that the return-journey should be quickly undertaken. Sharafu-d-dn usain Mrz, to whom the task of taking Mrtha had been entrusted ignorantly suggested that in order to his accomplishing this work His Majesty should go thither to hunt. When he was convinced that this plan was impracticable he fell into the notion that His Majesty would remain encamped at Ajmr for some days. But as the holy heart was bent upon returning to the capital all the officers who held Jgrs in the neighbourhood such as Tarsn Muammad Khn, Shh Budgh Khn, his son 'Abdu-l-Malab, Kharram Khn, Muammad usain Shaikh, and a number more were appointed to assist the Mrz, and His Majesty moved towards Agra. A stringent order was issued for the production of the hostages and when the camp had been pitched at Smbhar the Mrz brought before His Majesty Jagannath, Rj Singh, and Kangr. Rajah Bihr Mal from the sincerity of his disposition made the arrangements for the marriage in the most admirable manner and brought his fortunate daughter to this station and placed her among the ladies of the harem. For the purpose of holding the marriage-feast the imperial cavalcade halted for a day in Smbhar. At the same place leave to depart was given to Sharafu-d-dn usain, and His Majesty set off rapidly on his march. When he came near Rantanbhr,* Rajah Bihr Mal and all his children and other relatives were exalted by doing homage. Mn Singh, the son of Rajah Bhagwant Das, the heir of Rajah Bihr Mal was then exalted by the auspicious ray of His Majesty's glance, and was made a permanent servant. Rajah Bihr Mal wished that His Majesty the Shhinshah should honour his house by visiting it so that the promotion of his family's glory might obtain completion. As His Majesty was fixed in his intention of rejoining Agra, and was in a great hurry the fulfilment of this wish was put off to another time. The Rajah was encompassed with favours and given leave to depart. Rajah Bhagwant Singh, Mn Singh, and a number of their officers and relatives attached themselves to the stirrup of fortune and proceeded on to the capital. The long distance was accomplished in less than three days and on the day of Isfandrma 5, Isfandrma, Divine month, corresponding to Friday 8 Jamdia-al-akhr His Majesty arrived alone (manfarid) at the capital. The city received celestial exaltation by the halo of the advent, and the eyes of the spectators gained the glory of stars from the rays of his. The camp proceeded in his wake, stage by stage, and all, high and low, uttered congratulations and thanks to God for the advent. The Khedive of the age sate on the masnad of rule, and undertook the discharge of the intricacies of administration. As the daily-increasing fortune glorifies the state every new day confers a special blessing. Wonderful regulations were promulgated. As the principles of the rule of the Lord of the Age were good, the results appeared in the return of a time of auspiciousness. Every class obtained a career suitable to its condition, and worldly aspirants had their desires gratified.
Birth of the twins:
One of the occurrences, which occurred during this happy time, was the birth of twins. Two priceless jewels appeared from one matrix, two world-lighting stars emerged by one ascension, two (pairs of) glorious eyes received brightness, two (sets of) earrings were exalted, two precious necklaces shone, two powerful arms came into being, two wrists of success appeared, two beauteous eyebrows came into being, two ears of joy were opened. That is, two twin-princes were born. The worlds expanded with joy, and the parterres of flowers smiled. The carpet of joy was spread from shore to shore and happiness was proclaimed to mankind. The sound of the drum of rejoicing was heard throughout the nine heavens, and the strains of the organ of felicity resounded over the six sides of the world.
Verse.
There was such a round of bumpers
That patience deserted patience, and sense left sense.
H.M. took the blooming of these two rose-bushes as an omen of the auspiciousness of two worlds. He returned thanks to God, and named one of the twins Mrz asan, the other Mirza usain. Qsim Arsln made this chronogram about the birth of those two royal pearls.
Verse.
The unique king had two sons as successors
Two jewels came into the hands from the casket of success.
Time searching for the date wrote thus:
Two* moons appeared from the zenith.
These two unique pearls of the ocean of holiness, returned to the ample domain of the other world after one month. They flung down the coin of their lives for their father. H.M. felt grieved at the departure of those two early fruits, but trod the pleasant path of acquiescence and resignation, for to the farseeing there is no remedy save submission and resignation against the inevitable Divine decrees.
About Todarmal from the Ain-i-Akbar about how he changed the currency system:
The currency underwent several changes. First, when (in the 27th year) the reins of the government were in the hands of Rjah Tdarmal,* four kinds of muhurs were allowed to be current: A. There was a La'l i Jall, which had the name of his Majesty stamped on it, and weighed 1 tlah, 1 surkhs. It was quite pure, and had a value of 400 dms. Again, there existed from the beginning of this glorious reign, a muhur with the imperial stamp, of which three degrees passed as current, viz., B. This muhur, when perfectly pure, and having the full weight of 11 mshahs. Its value was 360 dms. If from wear and tear it had lost in weight within three grains of rice, it was still allowed to be of the same degree, and no difference was made. C. The same muhur, when it had lost in weight from four to six rice grains; its value was 355 dms. D. The same muhur when it had lost in wright from six to nine rice grains; its value was 350 dms.
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
Bindi
