Todar Mal
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Raja Todar Mal (1523-24 – 8 November 1589) was an Indian minister, economist, and military commander who served as the
Finance Minister A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfoli ...
(Diwan-i-Ashraff) of the
Mughal empire The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...
during the reign of Akbar I. He was also the Vakil-us-Sultanat (Counsellor of the Empire) and Joint Wazir. He was one of the premier nobles in the Mughal Empire and was a
Mansabdar The Mansabdar was a military unit within the administrative system of the Mughal Empire introduced by Akbar later used in all over in early modern India. The word ''mansab'' is of Arabic origin meaning rank or position. The system determined th ...
of 4000. He was one of the ''
Navaratnas Navaratnāḥ (Sanskrit dvigu ''nava-ratna'', , ) refers to a distinguished assembly of nine learned and virtuous individuals who adorned the royal sabhā (court) of certain illustrious List of Indian monarchs, bhūpati-s (kings) in History of ...
'' in Akbar's court. Under Todar Mal, there were 15 other Dewans nominated for 15 Subahs of
Akbar Akbar (Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, – ), popularly known as Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped the young emperor expa ...
.


Life

Todar Mal was born in the town of
Laharpur Laharpur is a town, tehsil headquarter and a municipal board in Sitapur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. History The foundation of this town was laid by Emperor Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351–1388 AD) in 1370 AD, while he was on ...
in present-day
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
in a
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
family, considered by historians as either
Agrawal Agrawal (Agarwal, Agerwal, Agrawala, Agarwala, Agarwalla, Aggarwal, Agarawal'', ''Agarawala'', or Aggrawal) is a Bania caste. The Banias of northern India are a cluster of several communities, of which the Agrawal Banias, Maheshwari Banias, Osw ...
,
Khatri Khatri () is a caste system in India, caste originating from the Malwa (Punjab), Malwa and Majha areas of Punjab region of South Asia that is predominantly found in India, but also in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Khatris claim they are war ...
or
Kayastha Kayastha (or Kayasth) denotes a cluster of disparate Indian communities broadly categorised by the regions of the Indian subcontinent in which they were traditionally locatedthe Chitraguptavanshi Kayasthas of North India, the Chandraseniya Ka ...
. Todar Mal's father died when he was very young leaving no means of livelihood for him. Todar Mal started his career from the humble position of a writer but slowly moved up the ranks when
Sher Shah Suri Sher Shah Suri (born Farid al-Din Khan; 1472 or 1486 – 22 May 1545), also known by his title Sultan Adil (), was the ruler of Bihar from 1530 to 1540, and Sultan of Hindustan from 1540 until his death in 1545. He defeated the Mughal Empire, ...
, the Sur emperor, assigned him to the charge of building a new fort of Rohtas in
Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...
with the objective of preventing Ghakhar raids and to also act as a barrier to the
Mughals The Mughal Empire was an early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to the highlands of pre ...
in the north-west. After the
Sur dynasty The Sur Empire was an empire ruled by the Afghan (ethnonym), Afghan-origin Sur dynasty in North India, northern India for nearly 16 or 18 years, between 1538/1540 and 1556, with Sasaram (in modern-day Bihar) serving as its capital. It was fou ...
was overthrown by the Mughals, Todar Mal continued in the service of the ruling power, which was now the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Under
Akbar Akbar (Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, – ), popularly known as Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped the young emperor expa ...
, he was placed in charge of
Agra Agra ( ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is the ...
. Later, he was made governor of
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
. At various times, he also managed Akbar's Mint at
Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
and served in
Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...
. Todar Mal's most significant contribution, which is appreciated even today, is that he overhauled the revenue system of Akbar's Mughal empire. Raja Todar Mal built a fortress-palace at
Laharpur Laharpur is a town, tehsil headquarter and a municipal board in Sitapur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. History The foundation of this town was laid by Emperor Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351–1388 AD) in 1370 AD, while he was on ...
in the
Sitapur Sitapur is a city and a municipal board in Sitapur district in the States and territories of India, state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located 90 kilometres north of state capital, Lucknow. The traditional origin for the name is said to be by ...
district of
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
. Todar Mal also translated
Bhagavata Purana The ''Bhagavata Purana'' (; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam)'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' () or simply ''Bhagavata (Bhāgavata)'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen major Puranas (''Mahapuranas'') and one ...
into
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
. Beveridge records that Raja Todar Mal had got leave from Akbar and was on his way to
Haridwar Haridwar (; ; formerly Mayapuri) is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district. The city is s ...
, but he received a letter from Akbar in which the latter is said to have written that "it was better to go on working and doing good to the world than to go on a pilgrimage." Believing it morally wrong to disobey the emperor, he returned to resume his duties in Lahore, where he died a few days later on November 8, 1589, at the age of 66. Following his death in
Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...
, his body was cremated according to the Hindu traditions. Raja Bhagwan Das, his colleague in the charge of Lahore, was present at the ceremony. Of his two sons, Dhari was killed in a battle in
Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...
. Another son, Kalyan Das, was sent by Todar Mal to subdue the Raja of Kumaon in the
Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...
. He rose to become the Finance Minister in Akbar's Darbar.


As a soldier

Todar Mal is recognized as an able warrior, who led in various battles. In the 19th year of Akbar's reign, a significant event unfolded that showcased the strategic acumen and bravery of Man Singh. Following the conquest of Patna, Man Singh was honored with a Salam and naqqara and was ordered to accompany Munim Khan to Bengal. This expedition was crucial in maintaining Mughal dominance in the region, and Man Singh emerged as the soul of this campaign. The journey to Bengal was fraught with challenges. The region was known for its rebellious factions and the powerful Afghan chief, Da'ud Khan-i-Kharani. The battle with Da'ud Khan was particularly intense. Khan Alam, a notable Mughal commander, was killed in action, and Munim Khan's horse fled the battlefield, creating a moment of potential chaos. However, Man Singh's unwavering resolve turned the tide. Holding his ground bravely, he not only prevented a defeat but secured a resounding victory. Todar Mal, another key figure in Akbar's court, famously remarked, "What harm if Khan Alam is dead; what fear if the Khan Khanan's horse has run away, the empire is ours!" This statement underscored the resilience and determination of the Mughal forces under Man Singh's leadership. Man Singh's successes in Bengal were numerous. After founding Akbarnagar, he continued to suppress rebellions, demonstrating his strategic brilliance and unyielding spirit. He personally marched against Isa Bhati and his Afghan forces, resulting in their retreat and the annexation of their lands. Despite falling ill, Man Singh's command did not waver. He dispatched his trusted lieutenant, Himmat Singh, to handle the renewed uprisings, and once again, his forces emerged victorious. The relationship between Man Singh and the local rulers also played a pivotal role in his campaigns. His support for Raja Lakshmi Narayan of Cooch Behar was instrumental in securing a strategic alliance. The grateful Raja offered his sister in marriage to Man Singh and pledged his allegiance to the Mughal Emperor. This alliance not only strengthened Mughal control over Bengal but also reinforced the importance of diplomacy and marital alliances in maintaining stability. Man Singh's tenure in Bengal was marked by continuous military engagements. His brief departure to Ajmer saw the resurgence of rebellion in Bengal. However, he swiftly returned to restore order. On February 12, 1601, near Sherpur-Atia, Man Singh defeated the rebels, chasing them for eight miles. His relentless pursuit of the rebels showcased his commitment to maintaining Mughal authority. His campaigns extended to Dacca, where he forced the submission of Kedar Rai, the zamindar of Bhushna, and defeated other notable rebels like Jalal Khan and Qazi Mumin. In the battles that followed, Man Singh's forces triumphed over numerous adversaries, including the successor of Qatlu Khan, Usman, and the Arakan pirates. His strategic acumen and military prowess ensured the suppression of the most formidable rebels. The capture and subsequent death of Kedar Rai further demonstrated Man Singh's effectiveness as a military commander. ''Man Singh's tenure in Bengal solidified his reputation as one of Akbar's most trusted and capable generals. His relentless dedication, strategic brilliance, and ability to forge alliances were instrumental in maintaining Mughal control over Bengal. His legacy as a formidable military leader and a pivotal figure in Mughal history continues to be remembered and revered. Through his unwavering efforts, Man Singh not only expanded the Mughal Empire but also ensured its stability in a region rife with challenges.''


In Malwa

In July 1564, Todar Mal accompanied Akbar in his campaign against Abdullah Khan Uzbeg, the subahdar of Malwa, who had revolted against the imperial authority. No reason of 'Abdullah's rebellion is furnished by the contemporary writers. Probably, having got the post of a governor he became corrupt due to power and decided to become independent. Akbar became very much disturbed and decided to punish him. The emperor started his march on the pretext of elephant hunting on 2 July 1564. The imperial army reached the village Liwani in Indore on 5 August and on the 6th completely defeated 'Abdullah Khan Uzbeg, who fled to Gujarat. The imperial forces returned to the capital on 9 October 1564. According to Abu-l-Fazl there were 300 officers with the emperor on the day of victory. He gives the name of thirty (30) officers including that of Todar Mal As there is no other mention of Todar Mal's activities, it can be stated that he was with Akbar in his Malwa expedition from start to finish (2 July – 9 October 1564).


As a Finance minister of Akbar

Todar Mal succeeded Khwaja Malik I'timad Khan in 1560. Raja Todar Mal introduced standard weights and measures, a land survey and settlement system, revenue districts and officers. This system of maintenance by Patwari is still used in Indian Subcontinent which was improved by British Raj and Government of India. Raja Todar Mal, as finance minister of Akbar, introduced a new system of revenue known as ''zabt'' and a system of taxation called '' dahsala''. His revenue collection arrangement came to be known as the "Todarmal's Bandobast". He took a careful survey of crop yields and prices cultivated for a 10-year period 1570–1580. On this basis, tax was fixed on each crop in cash. Each province was divided into revenue circles with their own rates of revenue and a schedule of individual crops. This system was prevalent where the Mughal administration could survey the land and keep careful accounts. For the revenue system, Akbar's territory was divided into 15 Subahs, which were further subdivided into a total of 187 Sarkars across 15 subahs, and those 187 sarkars (sirkar) were further subdivided into a total of 3367 Mahals or
Pargana Pargana or parganah, also spelt pergunnah, equivalent to Mohallah as a subunit of Subah (Suba), was a type of former administrative division in the Indian subcontinent during the time of the Delhi Sultanate, Mughal and British Colonial empire ...
. Several Mahals were grouped into Dasturs, a unit between Mahal and Sirkar. Portion of larger Mahal or Pargana was called ''taraf''. Mahals was subdivided into standardised Bighas. A Bigha was made of 3600 Ilahi Gaj, which is roughly half of modern acre. Unit of measurement was standardised to ''Ilahi Gaj'', which was equivalent to 41 fingers (29-32 inches). Lead measuring rope, called Tenab, was also standardised by joining pieces of Bamboo with iron rings so that the length of Tenab did not vary with seasonal changes. ndian History, VK Agnihotri, pp.B249 /ref> he Challenges of Indian Management, B R Virmani pp.57/ref> Sometime between 1582 and 1584, as finance minister, Raja Todar Mal issued a decree which stated that all Mughal administration was to be written in
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
and in the "Iranian style". The decree also stated that the Mughal administration was to be staffed by
Iranian Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...
and Hindu clerks, secretaries and scribes. His systematic approach to revenue collection became a model for the future Mughals as well as the British.


Death

Todar Mal died in
Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...
on 8 November 1589.


Legacy

The
Kashi Vishwanath Temple Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. It is located in Vishwanath Gali, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple is a Hindu pilgrimage site and is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines. The presiding deity is kn ...
was rebuilt in 1585 by Todar Mal. This temple was later demolished by
Aurangzeb Alamgir I (Muhi al-Din Muhammad; 3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707), commonly known by the title Aurangzeb, also called Aurangzeb the Conqueror, was the sixth Mughal emperors, Mughal emperor, reigning from 1658 until his death in 1707, becomi ...
, who had the
Gyanvapi Mosque The Gyanvapi Mosque is a mosque located in Varanasi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The mosque was constructed in Common Era, CE, a decade after Aurangzeb's demolition of a Shiva Hindu temple that was on the site. Vishweshwar temple ...
built on its ruins. The current
Kashi Vishwanath Temple Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. It is located in Vishwanath Gali, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple is a Hindu pilgrimage site and is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines. The presiding deity is kn ...
was built later by Ahilyabai Holkar on an adjacent plot of land. The academic consensus holds that Persian rose to become the dominant language of the Mughal government after the 1582-1584 administrative decree was issued by Raja Todar Mal. Persian would hold such status within the Mughal bureaucracy all the way into early colonial India; eventually, in the 1830s, it would lose such status as the British made coordinated attempts to replace it with English (see also;
English Education Act 1835 The English Education Act 1835 was a legislative Act of the Council of India, gave effect to a decision in 1835 by Lord William Bentinck, then Governor-General of the British East India Company, to reallocate funds it was required to spend on ...
).


In popular culture

In the historical serial, Bharat Ek Khoj, Todar Mal was played by popular character actor,
Harish Patel Harish Patel (; born 5 July 1953) is an Indian character actor. He has appeared in a variety of Hindi films, but in recent years has begun to appear in American projects like reimagination of ''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' on Hulu and the MCU ...
in the two episodes (Episodes 32 and 33) on the life and times of Emperor
Akbar Akbar (Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, – ), popularly known as Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped the young emperor expa ...
. Todar Mal is featured in the video games '' Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword'', ''
Sid Meier's Civilization V ''Sid Meier's Civilization V'' is a 4X turn-based strategy video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K (company), 2K. It is the sequel to Civilization IV, ''Civilization IV'', and was released for Microsoft Windows, Windows in Sep ...
: Gods and Kings'', and most recently in
Sid Meier's Civilization VI ''Sid Meier's Civilization VI'' is a 2016 4X turn-based strategy video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. The mobile and Nintendo Switch ports were published by Aspyr Media. It is the sequel to '' Civilization V'' (2010), a ...
as a "great merchant". In the Indian movie
Jodhaa Akbar ''Jodhaa Akbar'' is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language historical drama film directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. It stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the titular roles. Set in the 16th century, the film shows the fictional life and lo ...
, Raja Todar Mal is portrayed by Pramod Moutho. In the Indian historical fiction television series Jodha Akbar, Todar Mal is portrayed by Shaurya Singh.


References


Resources


"Abū al-Fażl “ʿAllāmī” ibn Mubārak, Šayḫ" and "The Ain i Akbari", vol. 1.
Persian Texts in Translation, The Packard Humanities Institute. * The Akbarnama is also available online at: http://persian.packhum.org/persian/


External links

*http://www.engr.mun.ca/~asharan/TODARMAL/TODARMALV6.pdf {{DEFAULTSORT:Todar Mal, Raja Mughal nobility 16th-century nobility 1589 deaths Indian Hindus 1520s births People from the Sur Empire 16th-century Mughal Empire people