Ain-i-Akbari

  • Ain-i-Akbari is a 16th century document.
  • Written by: Akbar’s court historian Abu'l Fazl in Persian language.
  • Deals with: the administration of Mughal Emperor Akbar.
  • Background: Beginning in 1589, Abu’l Fazl worked on the ‘Akbar Nama’ for thirteen years. The Akbar Nama is divided into three books:
    • The first book dealt with Akbar’s ancestors.
    • The second recorded the events of Akbar’s reign.
    • The third is the Ain-i Akbari. It deals with Akbar’s administration, household, army, the revenues and geography of his empire. It provides rich details about the traditions and culture of the people living in India. It also got statistical details about crops, yields, prices, wages, and revenues.
  • In the early twentieth century, the Akbar Nama was translated into English by Henry Beveridge.
  • Other Literary Work during Akbar’s Reign:
Sr. No. Book Author
1. Muntakhab ul-Tawarikh (also known as Tarikh-i-Bidauni) Abdul Qadir Badaoni
2. Tabakat-i-Akbari Nizamuddin
3. Takmila-i-Akbarnama Inayatulla
4. Sursagar (written in Brij Bhasha) Sur Das
5. Ramcharitmanas (written in Awadhi- eastern hindi dialect) Sant Tulsi Das

Source: TH