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UPPCS Mains 2012

Sufism and the Mughal State

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Akbar visited the Dargah of which Chishti Saint?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept Akbar’s early religious life was deeply influenced by the Chishti order of Sufis, which he credited with his military successes and the birth of his heirs.

Explanation Akbar was a devoted follower of Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti. He made his first visit to the Ajmer shrine in 1562. Throughout his life, he visited the Dargah 14 times, famously walking barefoot from Agra to Ajmer in 1570 to offer thanks for the birth of Prince Salim.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: He also respected Salim Chishti (of Fatehpur Sikri), but the 'Dargah' at Ajmer belongs specifically to Muinuddin Chishti, the founder of the order in India.
Logic 2: Akbar's support for the Ajmer shrine helped popularize it as a site of interfaith pilgrimage, a status it maintains today.

Active Recall

Question

Why did Akbar walk barefoot to Ajmer?

Answer

It was a sign of extreme humility and a vow of gratitude for the birth of his first son, Salim (later Jahangir).

Core Insight

Akbar's public displays of Sufi devotion were a strategic way to integrate his Islamic identity with local Indian traditions of saint-worship.

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