In the year 1574, Akbar established a department called Maktabkhana in Fatehpur Sikri. The issue of this department was to translate Sanskrit texts into Persian. For this, a joint team of Hindu scholars and Muslim translators was formed. It is worth noting that Mullah Abdul Qadir Badauni, who was famous for staunch ideas. He was also included in this work. Fundamentalists like Badaunni consider it not only Akbar but also to consider themselves. However, this process introduced Akbar to texts like Ramayana and Mahabharata, which led to a widespread change in his religious thinking. Abraham Irali, in his book ‘Emperors of the Picock Thron: The Saga of the Great Mughals’, cited Akbar’s contemporary historian Mulla Abd-ul-Kadir Badayuni (1540-1615), writing that Akbar was influenced by Hindu traditions.

Akbar’s mind leaned towards distance from non -violence and living killing from Hindu teachings such as Purushottam and Devi. He ordered that meat should not be eaten on certain days and festivals of the year. On Sunday, eating meat was banned in the entire state. Jeeva murder was prohibited for 18 days starting from Sawan month and Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. Gradually, Akbar declared so much fasting day that the subjects started spending half the time of the year without meat. Badauni writes that Akbar wanted that this feeling should be deep in his subjects that eating meat is not necessary.

Surya worship and influence of Hindu traditions
In Hijri 991 (1583 AD), Akbar made Surya Puja a part of the court. He ordered that four times a day – morning, midday, evening and midnight – sun should be worshiped. Akbar started chanting 1000 names of the Sun daily. He started applying tilak on the frontal like Hindus. He converted mosques and prayers into stores and Hindu style worship sites. This change started to make the courtiers and the mullahs. Badauni taunted and wrote that Akbar wants to run the religion on his own will.

Bhandare and service for both Hindu-Muslim
Akbar made three places near Fatehpur Sikri to increase social goodwill, which is as follows:

• Dharmapura – Where Hindus would be served food.
• Khairpura – Where there was a system for poor Muslims.
• Jogipura – Where food and yoga practice were arranged for the Jogis.

Jogis taught Akbar the method of making yoga, chemistry and gold. Akbar was so impressed by them that he reduced the time spent in the harem, made the food and drink distance from meat.

Criticism of Badauni and Akbar’s beliefs
Badauni made sharp satire on Akbar’s religious policies. He wrote that Akbar is getting away from Islam by following Surya Puja, Tilak and Hindu traditions, but Akbar’s attitude was different. He was building a new religious system (Deen-e-Ilahi) by combining the essence of all religions. He was convinced that the human soul could take rebirth and longevity is possible with yoga and practice.

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