Raja Birbal (1528-1583) was both a minister in the administration of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, and his court jester.
Born an impoverished Brahmin, Maheshdas (as he was originally named) was a poet and author whose wit and wisdom led the Emperor to recruit him to the court and to bestow upon him a new name.
The exchanges between Akbar and Birbal have been recorded in many volumes, which are still popular. Many of these have become folk stories in the Indian tradition. In these stories, Akbar usually asks a philosophical question and Birbal provides either a funny or a philosophical answer. Birbal's collections of poetry, published under the pen name Brahma, are preserved in Bharatpur Museum.
Raja Birbal died in battle, attempting to quell unrest amongst Afghani tribes in Northwest India. Akbar was said to have mourned for a long time on hearing the news.
