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Fiche says, “It is said that Akbar had 1,000 elephants, 30,000 horses, 1,400 deer, 800 concubines and many panthers, tigers, buffalos, hens, etc."
Akbar had comparatively a small army. He was greedy by nature; and when he died, coins worth £. 2,00,00,000 were found from his treasury at Agra; and he had six such other treasuries. Thus his personal property was worth about £. 20,00,00,000.
His harem was like a big town. There were 5,000 women in his harem. Each one had a separate house to live in. He had appointed female guards on certain groups of women. He had also engaged a special clerical staff to maintain accounts of their expenses, etc.
Akbar had built at Fatehpur Sikri a palace, the whole of which was supported on one pillar only. It was known as 'eka thambhia mahel' - one-pillared palace.
Poet Devavimalgani has thus referred to this palace in his "Hirasaubhagya" :
" उन्नालनीरजमिव श्रियमापदेक
स्तम्भं निकेतनमकब्बरभूमिभानोः॥" i. e., the one-pillared abode of the great king Akbar shines like an opened lotus on one stalk.
Akbar had a constant desire to know the real truth about religion. As he came in contact with the teachers of other faiths, he grew tired of the Islam religion. He had also a strong desire to establish Hindu-Muslim unity in India. With this aim in view he had founded a new religion called "Din-i-ilahi" in 1579. He tried to win over many Hindus and Muslims to this religion, and he was successful in it to some extent.
Some believe that he had done this because he was very fond of power and honour. He called himself 'a prophet.' He was fond of showing miracles. Slowly people believed in his divinity. Vows were kept in his name.
But many Muslims turned against him for his founding this religion. Consequently in 1582 Akbar openly opposed the
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
