IN THE YEAR 1556, AKBAR WAS JUST THIRTEEN YEARS OLD. YET HIS MILITARY TRAINING HAD ALREADY BEGUN. HIS FATHER, HUMAYUN, THE MUGHAL EMPEROR, HAD SENT HIM WITH HIB FAITHFUL GENERAL, BAIRAM KHAN, 70 FIGHT IN PUNJAB AGAINST THEIR ENEMY, SIKANDAR SHAH. WHAT |S THE NEWS, +++ YOUR FATHER, THE ILLUSTRIOUS: BAIRAM? YOU LOOK HUMAYUN, HAS LEFT THIS VERY UPSET) < AKBAR') EARTHY ABODEamar chitra katha TWAS AN ACCIDENT, HE FELL. ‘AKBAR WAS HASTILY CROWNED IN AN OPEN eer ie See ne on, FIELD IN KALANAUR IN PUNJAB. IS iD Wi NA SOU ARE EMPEROR NOW. > —— ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR WE SHOULD CRON IES TO YOUR BUT AKBAR WAS STILL A CHILD. HE BUT BROODED OVER HIS FATHER'S DEATH, NOW, AND THE HEAVY WEIGHT OF KINGSHIP, Dye HONOUR — YOU ARE THE RULER AKBAR. THINK OFAKBAR WHAT A CHILD YOU ARE! ALL RIGHT, | WILL LOOK desk AFTER THINGS FOR YOU. @ CAN YOU TRUST ME? WHAT WOULD YOU RIDE ELEPHANTS, HUNT TIGERS! GO LIKE A WHERE | PLEASE, FATHER! BAIRAM, { ‘TO THE FORESTS WHAT WOULD 1 DO) (OR BAZAARS. WITHOUT You? / WHILE BAIRAM, WITH AKBAR, WAS DIRECTING THE CAMPAIGN IN PUNJAB, AN ALARMING EVENT wes Tiss eace ‘AT THE CAPITAL. HEMU, THe HINDU: GENERAL HAD HAD MARCHED TO DELHI, AETER THE MUGHAL GOVE BUT HEMU MADE A SUDDEN FIERCE ety 2 Bir Wea ALIANT SEPENCE 9 GND ATTACK ON THE MUGHAL CENTRE . ROUTED HEMU'G ADVANCE GUARD,amar chitra katha TARD! BEG PANICKED. | WE CANNOT HOLD | | HE FLED, TAKING THE TREASURE W/TH HIM. " Tn F WE WILL HAVE TO" LEAVE DELHI TO THE MY, Poros ee BEG HAS FLED FROM DELHIAKBAR HEMU IS REALLY VERY THEN WHY DON?T | |NO!WE MUST ATTACK HIM AT POWERFUL. WE CAN’T | WE RETREAT TO | |ONCE! WE CANNOT Gao HI KABUL FOR THE TIME BEING, TILL IT 18 SAFE TO LEAVING eeraL Bees BEHIND TO DEAL WITH SIKANDAR, AKBAR AND MARCHED IMMEDIATELY WARES, DELHI. GREETINGS, AKBAR! WE. AND HE GETS WERE FORCED TO LEAVE PRAISED, TOO! DELHI, BUT | HAVE THE LMUST GET RID TREASURE SAFELY OF TARDI! AKBAR HE DOESN'T REALISE TARDI IS A DOLT! VE cue CAPITAL INTO THE ENEMY'S HANDS.amar chitra katha: THE ARMIES OF AKBAR AND HEMU MET AT PANIPAT. [7 WAS AT PANIPAT THAT BABUR, AKBAR’S GRANDFATHER , HAD WON HIS FIRST GREAT BATTLE IN HINDUSTAN. ATEN a siene N Look sHaRe?THUS ENDED THE GECOND BATTLE OF PANIPAT WITH VICTORY FOR THE MUGHALS. THIS VICTORY GAVE THEM GOTH POWER AND WEALTH. IN DELHI, POOR HEMU'S HEADLESS BODY WAS DISPLAYED ON A G/SBET. THIS WAS THE CRUEL PRACTICE IN THOSE DAYS | we:amar chitra katha. AETER THE VICTORY, AKBAR AND BAIRAM se RORSESTILL, RETURNED TO PUNJAB 70 RESUME THE HAS BEGUN CAMPAIGN AGAINST SIKANDAR SHAH, ON THE es COLLECT WAY THEY MET A MUGHAL COMMANDER TAXES. PUNSE WE ARE GLAD TO SEE YOU. THINGS ARE BAD HERE. SIKANDAR HAS DRIVEN BACK OUR ARMY TO LAHORE AND+++ WE MUST VANQUISH SIKANDAR ONCE AND FOR ALL. AGREED, AKBARP, AGREED! \OF THE VICTORY , ‘AT PANIPAT. AMC THEM WAS AKBAR’S MOTHER, HAMIDA, |AND HIS AUNT, VE MADE WHAT A_PLEASURE| .|iT POSSIBLE IT WILL BE TO SEE| |FOR US TO MY pee Boy, RETURN!AKBAR i AKBAR RETURNED TO THE CAMPEN. THE MUGHAL ARMY NOW HAD THE UPPER HAND | ANP SIKANDAR HAD RETREATED INTO THE FORT AT MANKOT. |Z UNDER BAIRAM'S ABLE GUIDANCE, THE SO HE IS HOPING EXACTLY! YOU MUGHAL LAID SIEGE TO THE FOR? AT SOME OF OUR DIVI- ARE LEARNING MANKOT, BUT SIKANDAR HELD OUT FOR. SIONS WILL BE SIX LONG MONTHS, HE KNOWS WE ARE BEING TROUBLED Gi CANCT, pa BY THE SUT SOON AFTER, THERE WAS GOOD NEWS SIKANDAR HAS FROM BENGAL— AGREED TO A TRUCE, IN Re CRN Neamar chitra kathar ‘YOU WERE BORN f MY_ GRANDFATHER, BABUR JUNDER A LUCKY IE SAME SORT OF NOW WE CAN RETURN TO DELHI AND’ HOPE TO REST A BIT. WE HAVE noe DELHI, AGRA AND LEAVA THE HEAVY CARES OF STATE TO BAIRAM, AKBAR NOW LED A PLEAS TL ME WAG OPRCALLY FOND OF HUNTING WITH CHEBTAMG, A VERY BLOOOTHAKBAR |ME TOOK GREAT PLEASURE IN THE DANGEROUS GAME OF Bb, \eemouaner ; ‘RIDING ON ELEPHANTS DURING AN HAS THE PRINCE GONE IMADP HE WILL BE HURT! p 3 HE ISA REAL. DARE-DEVIL! |BAIRAM WAS EFFICIENT, IN FOUR YEARS HE ALL ENEMIES. BUT HI. BAIRAM IS UNWELL, 1 MUST VISIT HIM. SEND A MESS! GER TO TELL HIM | AM COMING. UT THE MESSENGER RETURNED SOON — ale] 9 My LORD, BAIRAM DOES NOT WANT TO SEE YOU NOW. HE SAYS HE IS TOO UNWELL ‘TO RECEIVEamar chitra katha SUCH DISCOURTESY IS_| | POOR, GENTLE: UNTHINKABLE ..1 AM NOT] | TARDI’ DIED. A CHILD ANY MORE! | | DURING OUR CAMPAIGN IN PUNJAB , ‘SHAMS-UD-DIN. AKBAR WAS UPSET, HE WOULD NOT HAVE TREATED YOU LIKE THAT, IF TARD] BEG HAD BEEN AROUND! OE THE SPEAKER WAS SHANS-UD-DIN, THE VAI HUSBAND OF AKBAR’S WET NURSE. ‘MY LORD, TARDI BEG HAD BEEN PUT TO DEATH! THEY SAY BAIRAM WAS JEALOUS OF : 7 TARD] BEG BECAUSE YES, | AM! TARDI\ [ =D BEG, YOU KNOW, OU HRP. Hllh WAS A LOYAL FRIEND AND. YOU ORDERED HIS DEATH,/~ AKBAR, A RULER CANNOT BUT HE WAS QUITE HAVE WEAK MEN AROUND HIM,| HONEST. HE SAVED TARDI WAS A COWARD. THE IMPERIAL HE GAVE UP DELHI TOO ree QUICKLY, HE HAD TO BE PUNISHED. BUT SUPPOSE WE HAD BUT YOU COULD \\ THIS IS JUST A TRIFLING LOST DELHI, AND FLED HAVE CONSULTED \ MATTER. THERE ARE SQ TO KABUL? OF WHAT USE] |ME, YOU KNEW. (AD KNOW YOU WORK, ‘ AND YOU KNOW HARD, BAIRAM, . MY LOYALTY AND x AFFECTION IS _/ LIMITLESS--+-,amar chitra katha BUT AKBAR WAS FAST GROWING UP AND WANTED 70 WIELD MORE AUTHORITY, BECAUSE OF BAIRAM "6 ARROGANCE, THERE WAS ALSO A FEELING OF DISCONTENT IN THE COURT. A FEW AKBAR, MY CHILD, 1,TOO, HAVE. KNOWN IT YOU KNOW EVERYONE |S SAYING FOR SOME TIME. BUT HAT BAIRAM |S BECOMING A GRAND, | OWE BAIRAM SO MUCH, PASHA. HE SPENDS MORE MONEY 1 CAN?T CHIDE HIM. THAN YOU DO— AND HE!S SO. OVERBEARING! MAHAM HAD HER OWN REASONS FOR WI/SH-| ING TO GET RID OF BAIRAM. SHE HAD A GON, ADHAM KHAN, FOR WHOM GHE HAD AMBITIONS, 1AM. NOW, HE'S A MAN YOU CAN RELY ON TO CARRY OUT YOUR WISHES,BAIRAM KHAN WAS SENT AWAY ON A PILGRIMAGE. AKBAR BEGAN TO RELY HEAVILY ON |AS WAS EXPECTED, THE BATTLE WAS A BRIEF ONE WHICH THE MUGHALS WON. ADHAM KHAN TREATED THE VICTIMS CRUELLY, HE MASSACRED INNOCENT CITIZENS , BOTH HINDUS AND MUSLIMS.omar chitra katha. BAZ BAHADUR FLED, LEAVING EVERYTHING SOON THE NEWG OFADHAM'S ACTIVITIES y TO LIVEIN HIS PALACE AS ICHED AKBAR, =< AH! JEWELS HAS: TO DEATH INNOCENT PERSONS, EVEN HOLY }} MEN WITH KORANS —_/4 YC ADHAMS BEHAVIOUR 15 AA SLUR ON THE MUGHAL (Oy NAME. | MUST HANDLE BA THIS MATTER MYSELF YOUR SHAMELESS YOU, AKBARP | HAVE, WON THE BA’ BEHAVIOUR! HAVE IN TTLE ALREADY! SO WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE?AKoAR FORGIVE ME! | WAS ONLY FOR MAHAM E: i esine ey Moree BEOUNS AKBAR AND ADHAM RETURNED TO AGRA. YT BE HARSH WITH I FORGIVE YO\ | CANNOT TRUST ADH 4 | NEE DON! YOUR FOSTER-BROTHER, a OC) a aa Oe a 7a ee ps | QUITE RIGHT, MOTHER! DA! KNOW HOW'TO DEAL / | i, WITH Hilamar chitra katha ONE DAY ATKAH KHAN WAS BUSY WITH STATE! mR AFFAIRS IN A PUBLIC HALL IN THE PALACE, | bose “ADHAM KHAN SUPDENLY APPEARED YOU SCOUNOREL! BN YOU HAVE KILLED MY MINISTER! TAKE ADHAM AWAY THE GUARDS LIE’ THE UNCONSCIOUS ADHAM) AND THROW HIM AND THREW HIM THE PARAPET, = I BNOVER THE PARAPET!AKBAR THIS EPISODE LEFT AN UNPLEASANT (MPRESSION ON AKBAR. ONE DAY WHILE HE WAS OUT HUNTING, HE PONDERED OVER THE PAST. r =7" 1S IT POSSIBLE TO RULE @\_ AND YET AVOID BEING RUTHLESS P cs | BANISHED BAIRAM AND AND NOW THIS MINDLESS SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS! EVEN A WILD BEAST KILLS A CPS eg BUT AKBAR CONTINUED HIS HUNTING AKBAR'S VERY PRESENCE ON THE SCENE EXPEDITIONS FOR POLITICAL REASONS, OF REBELLION HAD, AS USUAL: THE DESIRED) JAHANPANAH y TROUBLE 1S BREWING IN THE EAGT. MAKE ARRANGEMENTS: FOR A HUNTING EXPEDITION IN THE NEIGHBOURING FOREST, 'mar crvtra katha. AKBAR BECAME DEEPLY INTERESTED IN MIDJANUARY 1562, AKBAR WAS ON HIS ANNUAL Y/N RELIGION, HE WAS NOT LITERATE, GO PILGRIMAGE TO THE TOMB OF THE FAMOUS ee HAD THe RELIGIOUS BOOKG READ OUT 70 \ | SAINT OF AMMER, KHWAJA MU"IN-UD-DIN. © all ‘ON THE WAY, THE PARTY WAS MET BY RAIA BIMARI MAL, THE RAJPUT KING OFAMBER, WHO, WITH HIS SON, BHAGWANDAS, HAD COME TO PAY HOMAGE TO THE EMPEROR. Sei! APART FROM THESE GIFTS, MY LORD, ee. | [THE HONOUR IS ALL MINE B\ | WOULD BE HONOURED IF YOU RAJA. IT MAKES ME VERY He — Aine IOV HIS RETURN JOURNEY FROM AIMER, AKBAR’S MARRIAGE 70 THE RAJPUT PRINCESS WAS CELEBRATED AT GAMBHAR. TT WILL BE EVEN BETTER \ |] JE THE THIS 1S A GREATY E PRINCESS BEARS -—] DAY FOR US! HIM AN HEIR! 9 JAKBAR IS NOW = JONE OF Ust THOUGH ONE REASON FOR THIS ALLIANCE WAS TO GAIN HINDU SUPPORT, IT WAS ALSO AN EXPRESSION OF THE DOCTRINE OF RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE, WHICH AKBAR INCREASINGLY PRACTISED 20AKBAR WHAT'S TO BE DONE ZEALOTS THINK THERE IS ONLY ONE PATH TO HEAVEN. THE APPOINTMENT OF THE RAIPUTS, 1 WISH SOME OF AND MAN SINGH, WAG IN LINE WITH HIS SECULAR BELIEFS. MAN SINGH, THE GRANDSON OF THE RAJA OF AMBER, BECAME A CLOSE ASSOCIATE — }OLISHING THE HATEFUL JIZYA® TAX. \MORE IMPORTANT TO Gi GaME THAN THEIR AKBAR EVEN ALLOWED HiS HINDU WIFE TO CELEBRATE HER FESTIVALS IN COURT AND YOINED IN THEM HIMGELF. = MUBARAK, RANI! HOW DOES THIS TURBAN SUIT MEP THE ENLIGHTENED POLICIEG OF THEIR RULER «++. ‘AKBAR HAS GIVEN UP ey |g » HE TAKES THE fl , ‘ ADVICE OF THE TRUE RELIGION! BR ADVICE OFBUT AKBAR WENT AHEAD WITH H/G LIBERAL POLICIES, SOME OF THESE AFFECTEL ORTHODOX HINDUS AS WELL, SUCH AS THE ABOLITION 2 EON hp CLD MAREE. 1 WOULD HAVE ARRANGED MY ISON'S ae, WITH YOUR: DAUGHTER. BUT AKBAR HAS DECREED AGAINST CHILD MARRIAGES!AKBAR THE RAJPUT PRINCES HAD BY NOW ‘YES, A FULL SURVEY HAS BEEN MADE. HERE IS THE P. | FIND THAT CHITTOR: a ALMOST IMPREGNABLE, ig BUILT ON 4 STEEP faecwnesoussies BUT IT WAS ONCE CARTURED BY SULTAN BAKADUR_| BUT HE HAS LEFT GENERAL | $0 HE JAIMAL IN CHARGE OF LEAVES CHITTOR WITH sion THE RANA OF MEWAR: ID RAJPUTS. HAS RETIRED | WITH } If Aireariece a HIS FAMILY TO UDAIPUR! WHAT! HE FLEES FROM, CHITTOR BEFORE WE ARRIVE!‘amar chitra katha NO, MY LORD, THE WE ARE WELL PROVIDED, YOU MAY GO, YOUR REPORT 1S. AS COMPLETE AS IT COULD BE. FORT IS STRONG [COUNTRY AROUN! S50 WE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, AND WE ARE PREPARED. TOMORROW AKBAR MARCHED TO CHITTOR AND ENCAMPED BELOW THE FORT, HIS CAMP EXTENDED FOR OVER TEN MILES. WE WILL BLAST THE WALL OF THE FORT. START DIGGING THE TUNNELS.| Sp TUNNELS ARE eA READY. y Sy & E Ms Ph RN 1d T} THEY MUST EXPLODE AT THE SAME TIME SEE TO THAT. T. | Ss * 4 qamar chitra katha BUT JUST AS THEY SWV/ETLY MOVED IN, THE BREACH, THERE WAS A SECOND EXPLOSION. THEY 'VE BEEN CAUGHT, BY THE SECOND percents e z | ey TWO HUNDRED SOLDIERS LOST! WE CAN'T USE TUNNELS ERE. LET'S TRY MOV- a THE MASONS AND OTHER LABOURERS SET TO WORK TO BUILD THE TEMPORARY STRUCTURE WHICH THE MUGHALS CALLED THE 'GABAT."IT CONSISTED OF SINUOUS MUD WALLS, WITH (OODEN ROOF HELD TOGETHER WITH HIDES, ‘4aAKBAR THE SABAT WAS A STEADILY GROWING FORTIFICATION, AB ITS WALL INCHED FORWARD, THE MUGHAL GUNS, CANWONS AND MEN, COULD ADVANCE UNDER PROTECTION, BUT IT WAS DANGEROUS FOR THE WORKERS IN THE FORWARD AREA. HUNDREDS OF THEM DIED EVERY DAY, VICTIMS OF ARROWS FROM THE CHITTOR FORT, J ‘AS THEY MOVED FORWARD TO THE FOOT OF | | BOTH SIDES FOUGHT COURAGEOUSLY, BUT AS FORTRESS, THE GUNS SNIPED. —| | HE OREW NEARER THE FORT, AKBAR WAS IN A STRONGER POSITION,‘omar chitra katha FINALLY, THINGS WERE SO BAD FOR THE ENEMY THAT THEE COMMANDER, JAMAL, HIM SELF CAME TO THE BREACH 70 DEFEND IT, ll THE WOMEN ARE PREPARING FOR a AT THOSE ‘ JAUHAR.# OBVIOUSLY , THEY EXPECT, FIRES (7 Ye fs THE PRACTICE OF NOMEN MMOLATNE THEMSELVES RATHER THAN BE TAKEN AG CAPTIVES 8‘THEN THE MAN YOU JUST KILLED MUST HAVE BEEN THEIR COMMANDER , JAMAL! a = WELL, IT WAS TIME TO — END THE BATTLE. WE HAVE aay Vee ae FOR A SS CHITTOR WAS CAPTURED, BUT THE RANA, THE MUGHAL COURT HAD BECOME AN IMPOR- UDA! SINGH, REFUSED TO SUBMIT, OTHER | | TANT SEAT OF CULTURE, AKBAR ENCOURAGED PRINCES, HOWEVER, PREFERRED TO MAKE | | MUSIC, BAZ BAHADUR * AND eX MADE PEACE WITH AKBAR.. 1 | THEIR MARK AT THE MUGHAL COU) WED AKBAR'S COURT SOME YEARS AFTER HIS DEFEAT AT MALWA iamar chitra katha HAVING ESTABLISHED H/S KINGDOM ON A FIRM FOUNDATION, AKBAR COULD NOW ENJOY THE LUXURIES OF COURT LIFE.-BUT A GECRET SHONESS TROUBLED HIM. WHAT 1S THE USE OF ALL THIS ++-? | HAVE NO SON, NO HEIR TO CONTINUE MY WORK, | MUST SPEAK OF My TROUBLES TO THE GOOD MAN AT SIKRI. AKBAR UNDERTOOK A PILGRIMAGE ON FOOT TO GHEIKH GALIM CHISHTI OF SIKRI, Na HO ene | DO NOT HAVE AN HEIR! ) | WITHOUT BEING OF WHAT USE THEN IS > ASKED, WILL THIS GREAT KINGDOM Dy | HAVE BUILT? THE HOLY MAN'S PROPHESY CAME TRUE THE VERY NEXT YEAR, THE RAJPUT PRINCEGS OF AMBER GAVE BIRTH TOA SON, HE WAS NAMED SALIM. * WLATER KNOWN AS THE EMPEROR JAHANGIE =AKBAR. WITH THE GUCCEBSION ENSURED, AKBAR TURNED HIS ATTENTION TO (IMPROVING THEE LOT OF THis PEOPLE. HE UNDERTOOK MANY REFORMS AND CONSOLIDATED THE EMPIRE. HB INVITED PEOPLE OF ALL RELIGIONS TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS IN HIG PALACE. WHAT A WASTEOF TIME! 0, sssAND | HAD HOPED OR SOME SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS WHEN | INVITED THESE RELIGIOUS LEADERS! fa HIS. FAVOURITE CONFIDANTE WAS THE SCHOLAR, ABUL FAZL,* ‘NO, OUR DEEDS MATTER MORE! THAN THE FAITH WE PROFESS, GOOD AND BAD, UNDE SUCH A LABEL? LOOK, THIS. IS WHAT THE LOOK AT THOSE HOLY MEN THE TRUTH! AMONG :M ARE TRULY IEEKING:++ THE OTHERS RE SELF-SEEKERS}|amar chitra kath. THIS IS TRUE ABOUT ALL THE OTHERS | HAVE TALKED TO— THE HINDUS, JEWS, ZORO- ASTRIANS AND. CHRISTIANS, THE GOOD FATHERS EVEN THINK | MIGHT CHANGE| MY RELIGION FOR THEIRS, BUT | AM LOOKING FOR: SOMETHING ELSE, ABUL A RELIGION THAT WILL UNITE ALL MEN+++« AKBAR!G QUEST FORA UNIVERSAL RELIGION FOUND EXPRESSION IN DIN-/~ ILAHI. DURING HIS LONG REIGN, HE TRIED TO PUT HIB IDEALS INTO PRACTICE AND CHANGE THE WORLD INTO A MORE HUMANE PLACE, WHEN HE DIED AT THE AGE OF 68, HE BEQUEATHED TO THE FUTURE HI6 (DEAL OF A UNIFIED COUNTRY OF DIVERSE RELIGIONS| AND CULTURES, ABOVE ALL HE IS REMEMBERED FOR HIG LOVE OF THE ARTS AND FOR HIS NT ARCHITECTURE. | 32