What is the story of Jodha Bai? How/why did she get married to Akbar?

 The story of the Mughal Emperor Akbar and Jodha Bai has been turned into a romantic tale by many. As a result of this romanticization of this relationship in the modern world, many people assume Jodha Bai to have been similar to what Mumtaz Mahal was to Shah Jahan. The truth is quite the opposite.

Let’s begin with the name. Her name was actually Mariam-uz-Zamani. Though this was not her birth name. Her real name in lost to us, but she is known by many names. Names such as Harkha Bai or Harkhan Champavati. The Mughal sources refer to her as Mariam-uz-Zamani. One thing to note is that her name was never Jodha Bai. This is a very popular misconception.

Depiction of Mariam-uz-Zamani.

The marriage between Akbar and Mariam-uz-Zamani was never a love affair. It was a political union. Mariam-uz-Zamani was the daughter of Raja Bharmal, the Rajput ruler of Amber. He was in conflict with and being harassed Sharif-ud-din Mirza, the Mughal governor of Mewat and Akbar’s brother in law. Raja Bharmal asked Akbar to intervene in the matter. In return, Raja Bharmal had to submit to Akbar and this was to be solidified via marriage. Mariam-uz-Zamani was to marry Akbar. As it can be seen, the marriage was completely political in nature.

The marriage took place on 6 February 1562 in Sambhar. At the time of marrige, both of them are believed to have been around twenty years of age. This union bound the family of Raja Bharmal into the service of the Mughals. This was not the only marital alliance between the Mughals and Rajput rulers. There were many others as well.

Despite the common misconception, Mariam-uz-Zamani received no special treatment from Akbar. She was just one of the many wives and concubines of the Mughal emperor. She only rose in status after she gave birth to Akbar’s eldest son, Jahangir, in August 1569. She was granted the title Mariam-uz-Zamani, the name used for her by the Mughal sources.

Mariam-uz-Zamani (Mary of the era/age) gives birth to Salim (future Jahangir)

She rose in rank and influence after the death of Akbar. Akbar was succeeded by his son Jahangir, Mariam-uz-Zamani’s son. The reason that she became more well known and influential was because of her status as the mother of the new Mughal Emperor. Not because of any special relationship that she previously had with Akbar.

Jahangir, the son of Mariam-uz-Zamani

How different was the real Birbal from folklore?

 Very very different. The Akbar Birbal Stories get a lot of things wrong.

Akbar is shown as a fat, old man and Birbal as a young lean man. Birbal didn't looked like the way he is shown. Birbal was 14 years older than Akbar. Birbal was born in 1528 and Akbar in 1542.

Birbal is often shown in stories cribbing about money and finding ways to get gifts and rewards from Akbar. He is sometimes also shown as a poor man before entering the Mughal court. Historically, Birbal became prosperous after getting married to a rich woman and thus never had money problems. So Birbal was economically well off even before he met Akbar.

Birbal was not the most senior or influential official in the Mughal period. He was the one closest to Akbar personally which allowed him to live close to Akbar’s palace, a privilege not accorded to other senior officials. But Birbal had a rank of 2000 mansabdari which was good enough rank but lower than the likes of Man Singh, Todarmal, Rahim Khan E Khana and Abul Fazl etc.

The biggest enemy of Birbal in these shows is shown to be Mulla Do Pyaza, a man whose historicity is contested. According to most of the historians, Mulla Do Pyaza was a character created by the Muslim clerics as a competition to the Akbar Birbal Stories as Birbal was a Hindu. Historically the biggest detractor of Birbal was Badauni who has used the choicest of abuses for Birbal in his work Muntkhab ul Tawarikh.

Also in most of the shows on Akbar Birbal, Birbal is often shown as some sort of a spy who solved the puzzles and problems in the court. Birbal came to Akbar's court after recommendation from a local ruler, and was employed as a poet. He was given the title Kavi Priya, before he was given the title Raja Birbal (named after Virvar of Betaal Pacchisi). Birbal was not a spy or judge, he was a poet and later a close advisor of Akbar.

Lastly, Akbar Birbal Stories often show Birbal saving the life of Akbar through his wit. Historically it was Akbar who saved the life of Birbal twice in expeditions. Birbal was not a military commander by training and therefore he was brutally murdered in 1586 where he was sent on expedition.