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IN SEARCH FOR REFERENCES ABOUT HAMID MIMAR;
AND THE LINK WITH USTAD AHMAD MIMAR LAHORI.

The official histories of Emperor Shah Jahan record the construction of the Red Fort in Shahjahanabad as being done by two architects, namely Ustad Ahmad Mimar Lahori, and Ustad Hamid Mimar. Whereas a lot is known about Ustad Ahmad, literally only a few references keep the identity of Ustad Hamid alive.

One is a havelli in Delhi, known as Mohalla Hamid khan, having belonged to Ustad Hamid. It is at present known as Krishna galli, as photographed for us by the esteemed Ms Naheed Anwar Malik. Residents there refer to the enquiry of Sulaiman Nadwi, that Hamid was the brother of Ustad Ahmad. A number of jewelers in Lahore and Delhi refer to Hamid as their ancestor and call themselves even in Delhi as Lahore Walas. They have written their own history books on same but carry mostly memories, not documented evidence of their roots. And they even refer to Mansoor Musawwir as their ancestor. Okay indeed.
Then there is an inscription in the tomb of Hoshaing Shah in Mandu. It is fixed on the right jamb of the door and is in white marble. Although eroded with time, it has been recorded by many visitors, including the Archeological Survey of India. But still there and not taken care by the department. The engraving needs to be filled with stone or ink to make it legible. But the name of Lutufullah Ahmad Muhandis is on it, as well as the name of Ustad Hamid Mimar. Fixed in 1659 A D, it is exactly ten years after the death of the other architect.

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As said before Hamid Mimar has been called the brother of Ahmad Mimar by an old resident of Mohalla Hamid Mimar, but that too was a vague assertion. We have come about a beautiful manuscript dated around 1106 A H, and it has a seal on it, as well as a beautiful written end like an architectural diagram, telling us that Hamid is the son of Abdul Kareem. Now Abdul Kareem is the famous architect of Emperor Jahangeer, associated with the Emperor on many projects, including his mausoleum in Lahore, the Lahore Fort, the monuments in Mandu, even the Taj Mahal, as well as the Red Fort Delhi. Abdul Kareem has been rewarded by the Emperor many times. His period can be calculated between 570 A. D to 1646 A. D, and that is in fact the period of Ustad Ahmad Mimar too, as the architect died in 1649 A.D. Fellow workers yes, but both from Lahore.

The manuscript owes its authenticity the way the end is handled, less of an end, more of an architectural design in writing. It establishes the writer of the manuscript as an architect itself. It also establishes that Hamid was much younger than Ahmad in all cases and more a partner of Lutufullah Ahmad Muhandis. Writers of the biography of Imam uddin Riazi also state that Lutufullah was also himself involved in the construction of the Red Fort Delhi too.  We continue to seek more evidence.

WAS QUAID E AZAM A FILM FAN?
THE LEADER KNEW POTENTIALS OF FILM INDUSTRY

Aspects of nation building

Films are not our line. But we enjoy films all the time. The films made before partition were of a different kind in all ways. Muslims contribution to film making in many ways was spectacular. But the most amazing thing is that the Quaid e Azam had eyes on this subject too. He wished Mussulmans to indulge in productive film making.

The name of the first Pakistani films tell us a lot about the minds of those people. The very first film envisaged in Pakistan was named JEHAD. What lovely inspiration those people had? Poignant settings, truly Pakistani stories. The rubbish and trash of these days was not there.

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Foreign lobbies are rescuing our film industry for their own ends. No more views of the kind that were made in the past. Trash of another kind. Hit at the Ideology of Pakistan. Make heros of the zeros of our history.

An English writer was writing a script of a film on M.A. Rahman Chughtai. I do not know what happened to it but they were ready to make it. Again they wanted to give it their own twists and turns and I did not agree to same. A number of documentaries were made in the past. It included ones made by Russian and Japanese teams. Even a number of them made by Pakistani Films and Publication department and shown in cinema houses. Even Burmah Shell made a documentary in the 1960 s. More in the future.

Films can be used for uplift of nations or to degrade them. We know that all the more now.

RARELY KNOWN UNFNISHED ALL STONE MOSQUE OF HINDAL MIRZA;
BELOVED SON OF EMPEROR BABAR; SUPPORTER PRINCE HUMAYOUN.

It was the custom of victorious armies to conslidate their presence, by activation of building activities. Mughals were no exceptions. Wherever they went building activities started in full swing. Very few of buildings of Emperor Babar were built and very few left intact after lapse of many centuries. In our region we have some things qualified as being built by Emperor Babar himself. This is particularly true of the Jamia mosque in Haryana which is visited by people all the time, but even that is not often spotlighted at all. But there is another unfinished mosque in stone built by his son, Hindal Mirza. A favourite son of Emperor Babar and father-in-law of Emperor Akbar. It was built between 1526 to 1530 A D.

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Hindal Mirza sided with his brother Prince Humayoun in struggle for supermacy and also fought against Prince Kamran. He died a tragic death and both brothers were very sorry to the loss of his life. The mosque started by him is called Lall masjid, and rremains under lock and key all the time. Unfinished minarets and even domes. It is tragic reminder of a lost Prince of the Mughal Empire. In any case Hindal Mirza thought big and the Jamia Masjid is a silent reminder of his grandeur. The funny part is that he was named Hindal by his father as omen of his conquest of India. Indeed well done!