Maharaja Ram Singh was the Prince of Rewa(Madhya Pradesh) and the childhood friend of Akbar. Akbar remained very close to him through out his life and they attended each others special ocassions whether weddings or other ocassions. In childhood both Ram Singh and Jalal were given the same upbringing and tutors and education. Though Akbar who was dyslexia could not really become literate and was more interested in hunting, ridding camels, asses etc but both spent their childhood in company of each other.
Two of the Navratnas of Akbar, Tansen(Tannu Pandey) and Birbal(original name Mahesh Das.) were sent from Rewa court by Maharaja Ramchandra Singh once Akbar became the Emperor of India. Birbal was born in Sidhi District of Rewa Kingdom and was working in Maharaja Ram Singh’s court and so was the famous Tansen. Akbar’s love for taming and keeping tigers as pets also came from Rewa only. Rewa was famous for white tigers and the first one that was caught was caught was called Mohan.
Maharaja Ram Singh ruled Rewa independently although Akbar had subjugated all the other Rajput princes. The Mughal army never was a threat for the citizens of Rewa thanks to Akbar and Ram Singh’s friendship. It was believed that Akbar even accompanied his friend to temple on special ocassions(festivals like diwali, rakhi) in childhood and was very well aware of the hindu customs like aarthi, prasad(unlike what was wrongly shown in movie/serial that he learned it after marrying Hira Kunwari) as these were conducted in.the palace of Rewa King.
History and Chronicles 