The Monument of Yakin Shah Story
It was King Akbar’s birthday. On that day, every year many kings and ministers visited his royal court to wish him. Along with them came many Brahmins, Fakirs, and mahatmas also would come. The King was placed on a scale and food and coconuts, hundred times his weight were given away to them. As they blessed the King, Birbal watched them.
He thought to himself, “His Majesty is so pure of heart. He can’t make out that most of them are imposters who have come only for the alms he is giving away. The King believes in them and gets influenced by them easily.”
As he smiled to himself, King Akbar saw Birbal.
Later on, King Akbar enquired, “Birbal, the miracles that Brahmins, fakirs, and mahatmas do are great. Do you think they are due to the learned men’s powers or the belief of the followers?”
“I think it’s purely blind faith that does it, Your Majesty,” Birbal replied.
“But aren’t these great men the messengers who carry our words to God?”
“No. Your Majesty, it’s our faith that makes them the honored men.”
“Oh! I think you are insulting them by saying such words,” King Akbar said angrily.
“No. Your Majesty. I am a Hindu. All Hindus are idol worshippers. It’s our belief in the idol that makes our prayers come true and not the idol itself.”
“Oh, you are being derogatory. But I think you must be given a chance to prove your words. You have a month to do or you’ll be sentenced to death.”
Birbal accepted the challenge. He went out of Agra. At the outskirts of the city, he saw a deserted land area. He ordered some masons to make a monument there. When the monument was built, Birbal asked his servants to go around spreading words about Yakin Shah’s monument. In Urdu, YAKIN means BELIEF. Soon the servants made up some stories about miracles performed by Yakin Shah whose monument had been built recently. In a few days, crowds thronged the monument to wish for miracle cures and solving of other such problems.
The tales of Yakin Shah soon reached King Akbar’s ears. He, too, paid a visit to the monument. Birbal and other courtiers accompanied him. At the monument, there was already a large crowd waiting to offer prayers. King Akbar approached the monument and bowed in reverence. Everyone else did the same except Birbal.
“Why aren’t you paying regards, Birbal?”
“I’ll only do that when you’ll agree that belief is greater than fakirs and mahatmas,” replied Birbal.
King Akbar did not pay heed. He bowed his head and wished that Rana Pratap of Mewar must be defeated in the battle that was being fought by Prince Salim. A few minutes later a soldier on horseback brought the news of Rana’s defeat. King Akbar was overjoyed. He turned to Birbal and said, “Do you see how Yakin Shah has fulfilled my wish? What more do you want as proof?”
“No. Your Majesty,” Birbal disagreed. “It’s your belief in Yakin Shah that has fulfilled the wish.”
At this King Akbar got very irritated. “Birbal, your one month time to prove your words is over. Now you must prepare to die.”
At this Birbal blurted out, “Oh Yakin Shah! If you save my life, I'll build a marble memorial for you.
“Oh, Birbal, think about what you are saying,” laughed the King. But then Birbal swept away the carpet of flowers from the site of the monument and put his hand in a gap there. Then he pulled out a bundle. It was King Akbar’s Pashmina shawl. While opening the bundle of Pashmina shawl, he said, “Your Majesty, here’s your Yakin Shah,” and then dropped King Akbar’s shoe from the shawl’s bundle.
Birbal continued, “Your Majesty, now tell me, are the fakirs and mahatmas or the belief in them that fulfills our wishes?”
King Akbar understood everything. He ordered immediately that the memorial must be turned into Yakin Shah’s Sarai where travelers could rest for a while.