Promotion of Learning in India during Muhammadan Rule (by Muhammadans) c17.65

c17.65

The descendants of Tīmūr seem to have had a great partiality for writing their memoirs, *e.g.* Bābar and Jahāngīr. But those who did not write their own biographies provided for a record of their lives and actions to be written. This was done in the case of Akbar. The Wāqi’navīs used to make a *ta’līqah* of the daily actions of the Emperor; for instance, what he ate or drank, what books were read to him, and so forth. The diary had to be approved by Akbar and several other officers before it could be taken as an authentic record fit for preservation. This office of Wāqi’navīs also existed in former reigns, but, according to Abul Faẓl, it was not turned to any useful purpose.²