Akbar Spoke in Punjabi
By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
09 June 2026
Recently, Bollywood's new 'polymath' Javed Akhtar stated in one of his videos that the Mughal emperor Akbar spoke in Punjabi! This annoyed a lady from the audience and she argued with Javed. While the lady over-reacted, there's no refusing the fact that Javed was also factually wrong in claiming that Akbar spoke Punjabi. Javed must know that Akbar's native language was Chagatai Turkic. As the Emperor, he was highly fluent in Persian (the official court language) and Hindustani (the spoken lingua franca of the region). While he ruled Punjab and likely understood basic conversational or regional dialects, there is no historical record that he actively spoke or composed in Punjabi. To communicate with his subjects and bridge cultural divides, Akbar learned various local vernaculars and Braj Bhasha. While he spent significant time in Lahore and interacted with Punjabi subjects, formal communications were written in Persian, and his day-to-day interactions were generally conducted in Persian or Hindustani.
While Akbar was illiterate (he could neither read nor write), his command of colloquial or everyday Persian was admirable. Muhammad Mujeeb (former V C of Jamia Millia Islamia) wrote an authentic book, Akbar, a concise and highly regarded biographical study of the third Mughal emperor, Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar. It was published by the National Book Trust in 1969. In this book, nowhere does Professor Mujeeb mention that Akbar conversed in Punjabi with the masses. But he certainly spoke in Braj dialect with his subjects because even during the Mughal rule, Persian wasn't a language of the masses and was confined only to the Mughal courts, courtiers and highly accomplished Hindu, Muslim and also Zoroastrian Persian poets. Urdu was in its nascent stage during Akbar's time. By the way, Zoroastrians (Parsis) spoke in Persian at that time because their ancestors came from Iran a millennium ago. Gujarati became their everyday language only 250 years ago.
In the same video, Javed said that Akbar would wear a lungi and bandi (vest) and speak with his subjects in Punjabi! As if Akbar was an idler like him (Javed)! The problem with Javed Akhtar is his over-exposure. An intellectual's over and easy availability dilutes his intellect and finally relegates him to the level of a clown. This has happened to Javed. He's ubiquitous. You get to see him everywhere whether it's Rekhta's crowded, chaotic and claustrophobic gatherings or an infra dig Mushaira at Mumbra in Thane district. Since the man is loquacious, he keeps talking to flaunt his 'erudition.' Many times, he's factually incorrect. Recently he said in a video that the word Bawarchi was Turkish. Sorry, it's a Persian word ( 'Baawar ': A Persian word for Yaqeen, Trust).
Seldom, if ever, has the Hindi film industry produced true intellectual giants. Barring Balraj Sahani, Girish Karnad and a few others, most of the people associated with Bollywood have been mediocre. Until three decades ago, no one considered Javed more than a script writer who wrote highly successful scripts with Salim Khan, Salman Khan's father. Once they professionally separated, Javed emerged as a 'versatile genius', writing poetry and lecturing on all possible issues and subjects under the vast firmament. That actually cheapened him with the passage of time. Today, Javed is a poet and public intellectual for those whose knowledge of poetry leaves a lot to be desired and who seriously lack discernment.
Javed should cut down on his frequent public appearances and think before he opens his mouth. The hoi polloi and the Great Unwashed may adulate him, but the people with even a semblance of knowledge and correct information will frown upon.
URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/akbar-spoke-in-punjabi/d/140319
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