Akbar married maid, not Rajput princess, claims Rajasthan Governor; says no mention of "Jodha Bai" in Akbarnama

Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagde has stirred controversy by challenging the popular belief that Mughal emperor Akbar married a Rajput princess named Jodha Bai. Speaking on the eve of Maharana Pratap’s birth anniversary at the Pratap Gaurav Kendra, Bagde claimed Akbar actually married the daughter of a palace maid, not a princess.

“Jodha Bai is a myth,” says Governor

Bagde said, “It is said Jodha and Akbar got married, and even films were made on this story. But it is a lie.” He argued that history books followed a false narrative, and blamed British historians for twisting facts. He claimed Akbar’s wife, whom history refers to as Mariam-uz-Zamani or Harka Bai, was not of royal blood. Though King Bharmal of Amer arranged the marriage, Bagde said the woman was not his daughter.

He added that there is no mention of “Jodha Bai” in the Akbarnama, the official court record of Akbar’s rule, which he used to back his claims.

Rajput pride and British influence

Bagde accused British historians of deliberately downplaying Indian warriors and glorifying foreign rulers. “The British changed the history of our heroes. They wrote it wrong, and Indian historians blindly followed,” he said. He called for a critical relook at Indian history from a native point of view.

He also rejected claims that Rajput king Maharana Pratap ever wrote a letter of surrender to Akbar. “It’s completely misleading. Maharana Pratap never gave up his pride,” Bagde said.

Focus on Maharana Pratap and Shivaji

The Governor criticised school textbooks for giving more space to Akbar than Maharana Pratap. He praised the National Education Policy (NEP) for bringing Indian heroes back into the spotlight and promoting cultural pride.

He also pointed out the recent installation of Maharana Pratap’s equestrian statue in Sambhajinagar as a symbol of national pride. Calling both Maharana Pratap and Chhatrapati Shivaji icons of resistance, he said, “If they had joined hands, they could have changed India’s future.”

Inputs from TOI