One day a famous
astrologer from a far country visited the court of Emperor Akbar.
The astrologer spoke
on various aspects of astronomy and talking about the Solar System. He
illustrated how the Earth appeared.
When the astrologer
said that the Earth was round, Akbar interrupted and asked him, ‘The earth is
round. So if one traverses only in one direction, he would reach the same spot
from where he has started the journey’.
The astrologer
replied, ‘It is a correct interpretation theoretically’.
Akbar asked the
astrologer why it was not true in real life. The astrologer explained, ‘To
reach the same point where one started from, one has to cross oceans, travel
across difficult terrains such the mountains and forests to keep the path
straight’.
Hearing this Akbar
said, ‘This can be done. We can sail through the oceans, make tunnels in the
mountains and ride on the elephants to cross the forests’.
But the astrologer
said, ‘It would still be impossible. It takes time of years and years to make
such journey’.
Akbar asked the
astrologer about the possible number of years, it might take to complete the
journey around the Earth. The astrologer surrendered – he said it was
impossible to determine the number of years needed for such a journey.
Akbar told the
astrologer, ‘My ministers have good acumen. I would ask them’.
There were mixed
answers – some reinforced that it was impossible to calculate, while gave
various numbers such as twenty five years, fifty years, eighty years, and so
on.
The king then turned
to Birbal and said, ‘Birbal, I think you have some answer for this question?’
Birbal said, ‘My
Majesty, it would take just one day’s time to go round the earth’.
Akbar reputed. He
replied, ‘Birbal it takes more than one month to cross our country to reach
country of Persia .
How can you justify that it would take only one day to circumnavigate the
Earth?’
Birbal said, ‘If we
travel at speed of sun, we can go around the Earth in just one day!’
The entire court stood
speechlessly.
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