Stories of Birbal - The Untold Part

 Folklore or History

Almost every Indian child, schooled or not, would have listened to stories about Birbal, Akbar’s most trusted courtier. Birbal rose to such a position of importance, relevance and trust that the emperor gave him quarters within the palace. He was considered first amongst the ‘navaratans’. Incidents centered around Birbal, true or not, is folklore. While some of the stories going around may be true, most of them are too good to be true, yet substance for interesting folklore. 

Perception Shift

Birbal’s exploits resonated with my childhood naivety seeking triumphant truth. It was exciting to see how Birbal used wit and intelligence as powerful tools to help the emperor understand follies, arrive at correct decisions and administer justice. Birbal was the hero. Evil and deceit were detected and truth triumphed.

As adolescence kicked in, perceptions changed colours. Birbal’s exploits assumed a different form. How could a powerful emperor be so naïve, foolish and blind to the plots that seemed to be hatched on a daily basis? History showed me a different Akbar. If Akbar was dependent of Birbal for daily business how did he become an emperor? May be, Birbal was just a figment of imagination.

As I grew older, I became conscious of decision-making and recognised how integral it is to personal and professional life. I realised the value of quality and quantity of inputs in decision making. I learned to distinguish faces from masks and words from intent. As I revisited Birbal, I recognized the message integral to a story and realised that there was much more than the obvious.  All stories had a common thread, gem of a thread!

The Gem

Look around, the characters in each of the story, are alive and present. While what they say or do may be different, contextual similarities are striking. Plotters, whisperers, greedy, exploited, unreasonable et all, are still around albeit in different forms and shades. One just needs to step back and look through Birbal’s eyes to identify them. The real face of behind the masks and the real intent behind the words become clear. The most important lesson however is something else. Each story is about interpersonal communication and how it can be sustained even in trying circumstances.

Ingredients of Successful Communication

Communication is all about transfer of thoughts. It could be triggered by a deed, word, or sight. It may or may not demand physical action. When we communicate, we have a purpose. Thus, meaningful communication is always agenda driven. That is why great orators can move masses. Interpersonal communication is best possible if carried out in an environment of trust, fearlessness and patience. Each and every Akbar -Birbal story exemplifies successful communication even in heavily loaded inequality.

Akbar had powers over the lives of all his subjects. He was law unto himself. Though Birbal enjoyed unhindered access, he too was at the mercy of Akbar’s whims and fancies. Yet he allowed Birbal to contest his decisions. 

Was it his weakness ?

Was it by design?

Encircling or Enriching?

As one rises in hierarchy and becomes powerful, it is important to have someone beside to truthfully caution one on the right and wrong of deeds and words. Unfortunately, it is human to surround oneself with those who say only what one wants to hear. These are normally self serving entities that mushroom where opportunities exist and slither away when adversity come calling. They invent and attribute virtues and give a sense of invincibility to the boss. while one may feel enriched and exalted in their company, they may actually be isolating the boss from reality. Over time  one becomes captive to their designs. Empires have bitten dust, organisations disappeared and positions rendered irrelevant just because those at the helm chose to encircle themselves with pleasers. 

Longevity of success is better if a leader accepts criticism and shows willingness to change decisions. Ego is human and unavoidable. It feels good when egos are massaged. But  it can be addictive and over time like all addictions lead to doom.

Sweetened Bitter Pill

Interestingly whenever Birbal disagreed with his master he either did it in private or couched it in self-depreciating words and deeds. For Birbal, it could have been a life-saving strategy. 

But it also effectively ensured that decisions are critically evaluated and the long-term impact or the  inherent injustice brought to the notice of the decision maker. 

Birbal showcases how best dissent and disagreements can be expressed and remedies elicited.

With life at stake if the protagonist has puled it off for long, there  can be no better lesson or case study in management communication than Akbar - Birbal Stories.