The court of Emperor Akbar had
many people who envied Birbal. One day the courtiers met outside the palace and
decided to get rid of Birbal forever.
They met and began conspiring
against Birbal. In a plan to kill Birbal before Akbar, they approached the king’s
barber. The barber had been serving the king since years. He was very close to
the king. The ministers promised a hefty amount to the barber if they succeed
in their plan and Birbal dies. The barber was miser. He readily agreed. He was
briefed about the plan and the plot.
Next day, when the barber went to
Akbar he started talking to him about his father's valor and his great
achievements. He spoke highly about them and attributed Akbar's qualities and
political standing to them in honor. Akbar was very happily to hear such rarely
heard words about his lineage. He was already feeling indebted towards his
great ancestry when the barbed chipped in and said, 'My Majesty, there should
be some way to thank our great ancestors. May be with their continual blessings,
your state will prosper further'.
The barber had made a convincing
point. Akbar was delighted. But he asked, 'Indeed, I want to serve them. But
can I serve the dead?'
The barber told Akbar about a
magician who could send a person to the heaven. The person would enquire about
the well being of all ancestors and then return home on the Earth. The barber
added, 'My Majesty, though it sounds easy, not every person can be send up for
such a tasks. The persons needs to e both honest and witty. He should be able
to follow the magician's instructions and follow them precisely. The person
should be reliable, responsible and intelligent'.
The barber had already hinted
towards Birbal through his words indirectly. But when Akbar asked him, 'Where
can we find such a person?', he gave an assuring reply.
The barber said, 'My Majesty, you
need not worry about such a person. In fact, you are blessed to have him with
you always. He is Birbal'. The barber smiled as he said Birbal's name.
Akbar was convinced. He had no
second thoughts about Birbal, who was honest, reliable and intelligence enough
to handle as the situation may demand. He asked the barber to bring the
magician to the court and he went to convey the task to Birbal.
The king was very excited about
hearing from his dead father and asked the barber to go ahead and make the
arrangements immediately. He asked him what was needed to be done. The barber
explained that they would take Birbal in a procession to the burial grounds and
light a pyre. The magician would then chant some ‘mantras’ as Birbal would
ascend to the heavens through the smoke. The chanting would help protect Birbal
from the fire.
Akbar called Birbal and briefed
him about the plan. He said, ‘Birbal, you are most trustworthy courtier. It is
a matter of my ancestor, and I can assuredly confide it to you. I want you to
visit my ancestors and convey my regards to them. Bring back the news of their
wellbeing and seek their blessings for us and our coming generations’.
Birbal replied, ‘My Majesty, I
feel privileged that you are sending me on much a great mission. Sure I would
convey your regards and seek blessings from your ancestors. In fact we what we
today depends largely on our lineage and great work of our ancestors! The idea
is appreciable and rewarding’.
Hearing this Akbar narrated how
the barber came with this idea. Birbal was alerted. He agreed to visit the
heaven but conditioned, ‘My Majesty, the journey to the heaven would be long
and tiring. It would make about a month’s time for me to settle my family
before I leave for heaven. I would stay there for some time with your ancestors,
serve them, and understand their conditions before I return. Meanwhile, my
family would require money for sustaining. I request you to give me time and
money for this noble task’.
The emperor happily agreed. He
gave a heft sum to Birbal and told him to make arrangements for his family
within a month’s time. During this time, Birbal got some of his trustworthy men
to build a secret tunnel leading from the funeral ground to his house.
After the tunneling was complete,
Birbal returned to the court of Akbar and asked him to initiate the work of
sending him to heaven. The king ordered the barber to bring the magician.
On the day of the ascension, the king,
his courtiers, barber and the magician gathered in the funeral ground. The
magician began pretending and chanting mantras. He asked the royal men to lay
Birbal on the pyre. Soon as the pyre was set on fire above, Birbal escaped from
bottom. He walked through the secret tunnel to his home. He hid in his home for
few months.
All these months, the courtiers
who had conspired against Birbal, rejoiced. They went dancing, singing, dining
and merry making thinking the end of their most competitive foe. The barber
received a heft sum for his work.
One day, a man with long beard and
unruly hair walked into the court of Akbar. None of the courtiers, including
the king recognized him. Finally the man said, ‘My Majesty, proudly your
servant Birbal has returned after seeing and serving your ancestors’.
Akbar was both surprised and pleased.
He asked, ‘Birbal, is that you? What has happened to your hair?’
Birbal smiled and said, ‘My
Majesty, your ancestors are good in the heaven. They have sent their blessings
for the entire royal family. They say they are proud of your valor and standing.
But they have no barber, and have requested you to send a barber for them’.
Akbar exclaimed, ‘No barber! Now
I understand why your hair and beard is so grown’. Akbar laughed out heartily.
The king asked his men to call
the barber and the magician. He told the barber that his ancestors up in the
heaven require a barber, ‘You have served me for years. I trust you. Therefore,
I shall send you to my ancestors. It is now time for you to serve them’.
The barber trembled in fear. He was
defenseless and could not reveal the truth to the king. The king asked the
magician to perform the rituals. Thus a pyre was set and the barber was burnt
alive. He was caught in his own trap and died.
Later Birbal told Akbar about the
plan and conspiracy behind the events to kill him alive.
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