The Palace Built By a Street Sweeper

Mihtar-I-Mahal in Bijapur, India, was built by a street sweeper. This is the story.

In 1620, King Ibrahim Adil Shah II of Bijapur was afraid because he thought he would soon die. His astrologer gave him advice. The astrologer said the king should leave his palace before sunrise one morning and give a large gift of money to the first person he met. The astrologer wanted part of the money for himself and his friend.

But the astrologer's friend died the evening before. The next morning, the first person the king saw was a street sweeper. The king gave him a fortune in gold. The street sweeper was so surprised and happy that he decided to build a palace and name it Mihtar-I-Mahal, after his job.

It is interesting that the king lived only six more years after this.