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Primary sourcePaintingc. 1605

Akbar Holds a Religious Assembly in the Ibadat Khana

Nar Singh · c. 1605

A Mughal miniature painting showing Akbar presiding over a debate between Muslim scholars and Jesuit priests at his House of Worship.

This painting depicts Akbar himself presiding over the interfaith debates he established at the Ibadat Khana.

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Mughal miniature painting of a seated ruler in yellow robes under a red canopy, surrounded by courtiers, scholars with books, and a night sky with a domed building above. Below, figures include a horseman and beggars.
Nar Singh, Akbar Holds a Religious Assembly in the Ibadat Khana, c. 1605. Chester Beatty Library, Dublin.

About this source

What it is

This painting, made by the artist Nar Singh around 1605 for an illustrated Akbarnama, shows Akbar seated under a canopy presiding over a religious discussion at the Ibadat Khana, the House of Worship he built at Fatehpur Sikri in 1575. The painting is held at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin.

Why it matters

The Ibadat Khana was where Akbar gathered scholars from many faiths, including Muslims, Hindus, Zoroastrians, Christians and even atheists, for debate on religion. This image is visual evidence of that unusual royal project, showing the emperor as an active seeker of religious knowledge rather than an enforcer of a single faith.

Look closer

  • Who is placed closest to Akbar in the painting, and what might that tell you about who held influence at court?
  • Why might a Mughal emperor want to be shown listening to debates between scholars of different religions?
  • This painting was made after Akbar's death — how might that affect how he is shown here?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Akbar the Great on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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