“_Akbar and Bīrbal._”—Both Akbar and Bīrbal have their place in
history, about A.D. 1586, and doubtless this tale is told amongst many
others current in India in order to keep in memory the wit and humour
of Akbar’s most favourite minister. It is not old folk-lore, but finds
a place here as oral tradition on the Indus, in the valley of which
river Akbar was born.
“_Bīrbal._”—Another tale is told of the same minister who when
tauntingly asked by the Emperor Akbar why he did not make an effort to
turn all Moslems into Hindus, replied, “Oh King! that is too serious a
question to answer off-hand, but give me time and I will tell you why.”
Hearing some days afterwards that the Emperor was going down to the
riverside Bīrbal contrived to have a man vigorously washing and
lathering a donkey with soap. “See here,” said the Emperor, “here is a
novel sight!” “Yes,” replied Bīrbal, “and a very good reply too to the
question your Majesty put to me the other day. We believe that Hindus
are to Mahomedans as horses are to jackasses, and you see, your
Majesty, that all the washing and lathering in the world will not make
the donkey into a horse, neither can I by any power that I possess
transform a Moslem into a Hindu.”
Yet another tale is current on the Indus, intended to perpetuate the
wit and wisdom of Bīrbal.
One day the Emperor begged of his minister to solve the problem of
there being so many religious sects in the Kingdom, such as the
“Roshan.”[5] Bīrbal, it is said, took the Emperor to a large hall,
supported by many pillars all similar, but one of which only was of
fine gold. There was but a dim light in the hall, and without it, was a
large concourse of people. Bīrbal addressed them and said, “You know
that all the pillars are much of a shape, but one is of gold; who shall
discover this? Let me see.”
Footnote 5:
A Heresy under “Bayazid,” who set aside the Qorān, and the many
divisions amongst the Hindus.
In an instant there was a rush for the hall, and in a little time when
light was thrown on the scene, each pillar had its man clutching it in
strong embrace, but only Bīrbal knew that which was of gold.
“Behold, oh King!” he said “the scramble for the prize; so it is in the
world around us: all rush and divide off into sects to lay hold of the
prop and support of immortal happiness, each in the firm belief of
exclusive possession. It will only be when the true Light shines, that
the Deity who alone has the secret shall pronounce the reward.”
There is a class of Hindu boatmen of Attock who keep themselves
entirely apart from the other boatmen who are Mahomedans.
They are called Mullâhs, from the Arabic and meaning boatmen, and their
tradition is that their ancestors were brought up to Attock by Akbar
from further south, as being skilful oarsmen.
Another local legend at Attock is that the native engineer who made the
plans for the old fort had his hands cut off by the native Rajah, lest
he should design another for an enemy; and this is current in Ghazi to
this day.
With reference to the extended hand to keep off the Evil Eye, and
carried as an emblem on the right of Akbar’s throne, it should be
stated here also that it is often carried on a pole by Mahomedans of
the Shiah sect during the Maharram. It is often imprinted too on huts
and houses for the same purpose.
The standard of the fish, or in the Persian, “Mahee-Moorâtib,” conveys
special honours to princes and nobles. “Mahee” in Persian means Fish;
the Fish on which the earth is supposed to rest. The word “Moorâtib” is
from the Arabic “Martibah” and means Dignity and Honour.
“The Fish is the vehicle of “Kwâja Khizr,” the water god, and hence has
become a sort of totem of Shiah Mahomedans, and the crest of the late
Royal Family of Oudh.”—_Crooke._
Pictures of fish are often drawn on houses as a charm against
demoniacal influence, and we know, that the “Matse Avatar,” represents
the incarnation of Vishnu in the form of a Fish; and emblematic also of
the Deluge.
There are many expedients resorted to, to keep off the Evil Eye,
amongst others, iron rings, precious stones, colours (particularly red
and yellow), the triangle of equal sides, and pots and chattis, or
earthenware pots, smeared with lime. The triangle might possibly be
traced to the three Genii, or Hindu Triad, seated in a triangle, or
“Tricuta.”[6]
Footnote 6:
In the abode of the departed, said to have been seen by Thespesius of
Soli.—Purânâs. When the apex of the triangle points downwards Kishnu
is symbolized, if upwards it is the symbol of Siva.
Armlets to the same intent, and called “Tawiz,” from the Arabic word,
Auz, “fleeing to God for protection,” are in constant use, as a charm,
and it would seem that the Jews recognized the same practice, possibly
from the command in Deuteronomy xi. 18.
To speak in praise of a child to its face before the parent is to call
up the Evil Eye, and is a cause of much alarm. If unwittingly done by a
friend, the parent will ask him to spit in his hand in order to take
off the spell.
A particular woodpecker, called the Babeeâh, has an evil spell and is
dreaded on account of its bringing heavy rains, to the injury of
agriculture, and in a village called Vasnal the farmers and villagers
all turned out and drove it from the district, and the rain, they say,
at once stopped.
Very often, in a large melon field there are placed one or two black
chattis, so that the eye of passers-by may rest on these first, before
they see the melons, and so take off any evil spell.
We may add here what is not generally known, that the Emperor Akbar,
who gave the greatest encouragement to literary accomplishments,
appointed Bīrbal to be the Royal poet under the name of “Katrāe.” None
of the poems he wrote have, as far as we know, been preserved by
Abul-Fazl or others, but we presume that they would have been of the
usual figurative type of those days, as for instance the comparing of
the narcissus flower to the eye, and the feeble stem of that plant
bending over with the weight of the flower, to the languor of the eyes.
Pearls again signifying tears or teeth, and the lips to carnations or
rubies, while the gums are said to be as the flower of the pomegranate
tree, and the dark foliage of the myrtle, is thought to be like the
dark hair of the one beloved; or again the eye is said to be like a
sword, and the eyelids scabbards, the white complexion to be like
crystals of camphor, while the musk plant is said to betoken a beauty
spot on the face. (See _Hughes_.)
“_Peacock Throne._”—This was studded with valuable diamonds and
precious stones, and was considered to be worth seven millions of
money.
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