Mughal Emperors' Health Secret: Why Akbar Only drank Gangajal

Image Source: Times Of India

In an intriguing piece of information from the history books, it has been revealed that Mughal emperor Akbar, India's greatest king, consumed nothing but Gangajal—the holy water of the Ganga river—during his entire reign. It was not a quirk but a closely preserved royal custom that Gangajal was shipped over hundreds of miles from Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Soron to imperial capitals such as Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, and Lahore.

Akbar's love for Gangajal was due to its mythological purity, long life, and believed medicinal properties. During an age when the existence of germs was unknown, Gangajal's freshness and immunity from contamination made it a valuable commodity. The emperor felt that it would cure diseases and regarded it as the "mineral water" of his age. His meals were prepared using water from the Jamuna and Chenab rivers, but to drink, nothing but the Ganga would suffice.

This practice was not exclusive to Akbar; other Mughal emperors, such as Babur, Humayun, and even Aurangzeb, liked Gangajal for its quality and purity. The status of the water as a luxury item and symbol of power was so high that only the emperor and his immediate nobles could enjoy it, and commoners made do with local wells and ponds.

Akbar's peculiar custom underscored not only his own health routine but also his deference to Indian customs and his progressive mindset to wellness—years before "bottled water" became trendy.

Source: IndiaTimes