History & Civics [3 Mark Question Answer]

Akbar built Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri for discussions on religious matters. Scholars, philosophers, priests, missionaries, and religious leaders were invited here to hold discussions. These Dignities assembled in the Ibadat Khana and explained the principles and teachings of their respective religions.

The revenue system benefited both the state and the farmers. This system provided the state with a fixed and steady source of income whereas to farmers it helped in many ways like the farmers were able to get loans on easy installments for buying seeds, cattle, and implements. The calculation of revenue was also based on the type of land i.e. good, bad, or middle. If the crops of the farmers failed due to drought or flood the revenue was also remitted by the state.

Survey and assessment of land: The land was surveyed and measured with a bamboo jarib joined together with iron rings. The land was grouped into four categories depending on whether it was regularly or occasionally cultivated. It was further classified into good, middle, and bad categories.

The big empire was divided into fifteen provinces or subs. A governor or subedar was in charge of each province. The subedar had control over both military and civil affairs. The provinces were subdivided into districts or Sarkars, which were further subdivided into smaller units of administration called Parganas. Each of these units had a team of government officials to manage all the affairs and the villages were managed by the village panchayats.

Under this system, every official was given a rank or a mansab. The rank depended on the nature and importance of the job. The lowest rank was that of an officer in charge of ten horsemen, while the highest mansab was that of an officer maintaining 7,000 horsemen. The mansab’s were given salary in accordance with their rank. They were usually paid in the form of jagirs.

Abul Fazl was Akbar’s court historian. He wrote the Akbarnama, which is an excellent historical work in Persian. Hindi was also used in the Mughal court. Raja Birbal was made the Hindi Kavi Raj or poet laureate in Akbar’s court. The Ramacharitamanas was written by Tulsidas, the greatest Hindi author in those tunes.

Akbar introduced a number of social reforms to rid Indian society from some cruel practices like:

1. Akbar issued orders to the kotwals to check the forcible practice of Sati or the burning of a widow on the funeral pyre of her husband. However, the women who committed Sati of their own free will were allowed to do so.
2. Akbar legalised widow remarriage.
3. Akbar was against anyone having more than one wife unless the first wife could not bear children.

Akbar’s position was unstable and insecure when he ascended the throne of Delhi because his empire was surrounded by enemies on all sides. Adil Shah who was the nephew of Sher Shah was determined to capture Delhi and re-establish the Afghan rule. Even the Rajputs were waiting for a suitable opportunity to throw the Mughals out of India.