I grew up reading a lot of Akbar Birbal stories, and watched a couple of shows on the same too. When I think back on these tales, they are less like kids tales, and more like life lessons that can be implemented or seen in workplaces or in our day to day life.
During the time when Akbar was the king, his court was filled with ministers who would agree to what ever he said. And then there was Birbal. This is one story from the many tales of Akbar and Birbal that offers a deeper lesson in leadership and personal integrity
A Walk Through the Orchard
One pleasant afternoon, Akbar took a walk through the palace’s mango orchard. The trees were heavy with fruit, the air smelled sweet, and Akbar was in a wonderfully expansive mood. He gestured proudly at the trees around him.
“Tell me,” he said to the courtiers walking with him, “isn’t this the finest mango orchard in the entire land?”
And the courtiers agreed. Enthusiastically. Each one trying to top the last. The trees were magnificent! The fruit, unmatched! The whole arrangement, a stroke of genius! Quite possibly the most beautiful orchard that had ever existed, anywhere, ever.
Birbal Looks Around — Properly
Akbar turned to Birbal, who’d been quiet through all of this.
“And you, Birbal? What do you think of my orchard?”
Birbal looked around slowly. Really looked at the trees, the fruit, how everything was arranged.
“It’s a fine orchard, Jahanpanah,” he said. “The trees are healthy, the fruit looks good, and it’s well looked after. With a little attention to the eastern corner the watering there looks a bit uneven and perhaps replacing two or three of the older trees that aren’t giving much fruit anymore… it could be truly exceptional.”
There was a brief, slightly uncomfortable silence among the courtiers.
“Take Charge of It, Birbal”
Akbar looked at Birbal for a long moment. Then he nodded slowly.
“Take charge of the improvements to the orchard, Birbal. Let’s see what ‘truly exceptional’ looks like.”
A Year Later
Birbal spent the next season overseeing the changes. The watering was fixed. The older trees were replaced. New varieties were planted.
By the following year, the orchard’s yield had doubled and it really was considered one of the finest in the region. And the same courtiers who’d praised it so lavishly the year before? They praised it again. But this time… it actually deserved it.
When we read the story, the very obvious lesson we learn is about honesty. But, read it again, you will feel that there is something else going on here. King Akbar could have been easily annoyed with Birbal. Everyone else was praising the orchard, and Birbal was the only one pointing out what was wrong.
Instead of getting angry or annoyed, he asked Birbal to fix it. This I guess is the part I like the most. Honest feedback comes in handy, only when we are willing to hear it, and work on it. While the courtiers made Akbar feel good about the orchard, Birbal with his honesty made it look better.
Also, I think we still see this everywhere. At work, in families, even among friends.
It’s easy to be the person who agrees. Being the person who says, “I think there’s a better way,” is harder.
And honestly, I think most of us need a Birbal around us once in a while.
Read More Akbar Birbal Stories Here
Have you ever had a Birbal in your life? Someone who told you what you needed to hear rather than what you wanted to hear?
Sources & Cultural Context
The narratives in our Akbar-Birbal series are adapted from historical court records and regional oral traditions:
Historical Basis: Court accounts of the Mughal Empire, documenting the real-world relationship between Emperor Akbar and his counselor Mahesh Das (popularly known as Raja Birbal).
Literary Traditions: Classical regional folklore compilations and traditional oral retellings passed down through generations across the Indian subcontinent.