The Final Puzzle- how it all started

I tucked in my kid one night with a story about Akbar and Birbal etched in my memory. I reflected on Raja Birbal, confidante and close friend of the third Mughal Emperor Akbar who ruled over Hindustan for five decades. Raja Birbal was a highly intelligent man, I thought. Hard to believe he was killed by his enemies ( something I had read many years ago, but not paid much thought).

If the stories I read in comic books were even half true, he had survived several attempts on his life. So how did they get him this time? Or did they? And who were his enemies?

I went to Wikipedia to find out more.

"His body was never found."

That was the sentence that spurred my curiosity. I was between jobs and had the luxury of time on my hands.

The next few months allowed me to dig deeper into many facets of life in Mughal India. I utilized free resources online ( references below). 

Raja Birbal was a brilliant, yet unassuming man. But, he has not received the recognition he deserved. 

The final puzzle is a fictional narrative of his life-- challenging the description of his final days as the world knows it.

References:

Raja Birbal- Life and times