Question

What does the translation of the Tuzuk-i-Baburi into Persian during Akbar’s reign indicate about the Mughal approach to literature and administration?

• A. The Mughals preferred Turkish over all other languages for official records.
• B. Persian was considered essential for cultural and administrative integration.
• C. Autobiographies were banned during Akbar’s rule.
• D. Akbar discouraged translations and focused only on original Persian works.

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Persian was considered essential for cultural and administrative integration.

Persian Literature Arabic and Persian entered India with the arrival of the Turks and Mongols. Persian, in particular, served as the language of the royal court for several centuries. The Mughal emperors were enthusiastic supporters of learning and literature. Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, wrote his autobiography, the Tuzuk-i-Baburi, in Turkish. However, his grandson Akbar later had it translated into Persian. Akbar also supported numerous scholars and commissioned the translation of the Mahabharata into Persian. Jahangir, another Mughal ruler, authored his autobiography, the Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri, in Persian, which stands out as a remarkable literary work.