Photo: Govardhan · Public domain
Chronicle · Completed c. 1598 CE

Ain-i-Akbari of Abul Fazl

Found
Written in Persian by Abul Fazl as the third volume of the Akbarnama
Kept at
Manuscripts in many libraries; English translation by Blochmann and Jarrett (1873–1894)

A gazetteer of Akbar’s empire: its provinces, revenue, army, mints, prices and peoples.

What it says

It sets out Todar Mal’s land-revenue assessment, describes each suba with its sarkars and revenue, and gives a long section on the learning of the Hindus: the darshanas, astronomy, music, the avatars and the tirthas, drawn from pandits at court.

What it proves

It is the most detailed statistical record of 16th-century Bharat and shows how much of the empire’s administration rested on Hindu officers.

Evidence for