A Hindu or Muslim official or functionary, particularly in Indian history; also a type of traditional mirror in Indian culture.
From Persian 'dāl' or 'dail' meaning an official or agent. The term was used in Mughal India and persists in South Asian contexts.
The dayals were crucial administrators in Indian kingdoms long before modern bureaucracies existed—they handled everything from tax collection to dispute resolution, making them the original middle managers!
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