Who wrote the book - 'Ain-i-Akbari'?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:
The book 'Ain-i-Akbari', which translates to 'Administration of Akbar', is the third and most important volume of the voluminous official history of the Mughal Emperor Akbar's reign, titled *Akbarnama*. This extensive historical and administrative document was meticulously compiled by Abul Fazl, one of the 'Nine Jewels' (Navaratnas) of Akbar's court. As the court historian and Akbar's close confidant, Abul Fazl was commissioned to systematically record the emperor's life and the administrative apparatus of his empire. The *Ain-i-Akbari* is essentially a detailed administrative gazetteer, providing a comprehensive account of the empire's statistics, revenue system, geography, and social structure, making it an unparalleled primary source for Mughal history.

The incorrect option is 1:
Akbar, though the central figure of the book and the ruler who commissioned it, was the patron and subject, not the author. The entire *Akbarnama*, which includes the *Ain-i-Akbari*, serves as the official historical chronicle of his rule. It was the convention of Mughal courts for scholarly works, especially historical and administrative records, to be composed by highly learned officials. Akbar delegated the task of this complex historiography to his trusted court scholar, Abul Fazl, ensuring a comprehensive and detailed account befitting a great empire.

The incorrect option is 2:
Keshav, often referred to as Keshav Das, was a highly respected contemporary of Akbar, but his primary contributions were in the field of literature and poetry. He was an influential poet from the court of Orchha, known for his works in Hindi and Braj Bhasha, particularly the classics *Rasikpriya* and *Kavipriya*. Keshav's focus was on aesthetics and poetic theory within the *Riti* tradition, not on the complex administrative and historical record-keeping of the Persian-speaking Mughal court. He was thus not the author of the 'Ain-i-Akbari'.

The incorrect option is 4:
Daswant was one of the most celebrated and highly skilled painters in the royal atelier during Emperor Akbar's reign. His professional role involved illustrating and decorating the court's precious manuscripts, such as the *Hamzanama* and the *Razmnama*. Daswant was an artist and illustrator, famed for his talent in visual composition and drawing. Writing a voluminous, detailed administrative chronicle in the Persian language, like the 'Ain-i-Akbari', was a task reserved for highly educated historians and officials, a role outside of Daswant's sphere of artistic contribution.