A portrait of Akbar; Image Source- The New Indian Express

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> If India’s history is seen as a colourful mosaic then the Islamic invasions period is the most integral piece of that mosaic. This was the first time in history that a truly foreign power had established themselves in India with a distinctly separate identity that they upheld. Foreign rulers before this had always assimilated within the cultural mosaic of India, there are written records of Alexander coming and hailing Lord Krishna as Hercules.
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The zenith of the Islamic invasion was seen with the Mughals and many consider Akbar as the real founder of the Mughal dynasty in India because it was under his reign that the Mughal Empire saw great territorial expansion. However, Akbar’s religious policies and secularism are still a hot topic of debate which at times leads to violent outbreaks as well.

> Thus when during the 16th century Elizabethan England was killing off Catholics in the name of religious bigotry Akbar had established the Ibadat Khana to discuss matters of spirituality among his nobles and intellectuals.
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There have been numerous posts on Twitter and Facebook that call Akbar a rapist, killer, looter hailing from a lineage of drunkards, child molesters, and homosexuals. These people want to highlight the achievements of Indian rulers like Maharana Pratap and others. While Maharana Pratap has his own unique place in history, it would not be fair to compare him to Akbar.

Akbar was someone who chose to surround himself with people who are liberal in their outlook. This is seen in his *Navaratna* or Nine Jewels of Court policy. Although he was quite an orthodox Muslim in his early years, he came under the influence of Sufi mysticism and let go of his bigotry.
Jalaluddin Muhammad or Akbar picked out the best aspects of Hinduism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Islam to create his own religion called *Din-i-Illahi.* He also banned the abhorred *jizya* tax, which all non-Muslim subjects had to pay. In fact, he removed the pilgrimage tax from all holy places of worship so that people had the freedom to preach.

> Not only this, he restrained Sati before Raja Ram Mohan Roy and William Bentick in 1829. To not hurt the religious sentiments of people, he allowed sati only if the woman had the will to do it. He also legalised widow remarriage. All of these measures allowed plenty of religious freedom and fostered unity among his vast empire.
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A painting showing the diverse nature of Akbar's court; Image Source- The Better India

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A historical anecdote to support Akbar’s secular is provided by Dr KK Mohammed whereby he says “Once in Hormuz, some Portuguese had toed a copy of the Quran around the neck of an ass and released it in the market. When Hamida Bano Begum, Akbar’s mother, learnt about it, she asked the emperor to tie the Bible around a dog’s neck and release it in Agra. Akbar refused. If the actions of the Portuguese were wrong, then this would be wrong too, he reasoned. His stance showed his remarkable mind and spirit.”

It is indeed a shame that some factions are so ready to erase and besmear the memories of someone as eclectic and tolerant as Akbar. However, it is expected that sensible people will refer to their facts and infer accordingly.

It is almost impossible to talk about the Mughals without delving into politics in our contemporary times. Any films or TV shows made on the Mughals come under the political scanner very quickly. Akbar is one such unique that is detested by both Extremist Hindus as well as Orthodox Muslims.