EXPLORING THE ROLE OF THE MAHARANI COOCH BIHAR;
IN PUBLICATION OF M.A. RAHMAN CHUGHTAI MURRAQQA.

There are many approaches to the past. Well forgotten or well remembered. But the middle ground remains muddled. And when there is mere speculation, it goes wrong many times. It starts with the visit of the famous Indian critic G. Venkatachalam to Lahore and the house of  Chughtai Sahib in Kocha Chabuk Sawaran. The artist invited him to stay in the house. Not only showed him his works but dined with him many times. Obviously the critic, expecting hostility, got surprised at the cordial welcome. In one of his reviews he talks about the personality of the artist in beautiful terms. The working style in the humble house impressed him and he promised to help. In fact more than the paintings, he wrote about the personality of the artist in his review.

Bangalore was a regular place for visitors to visit the gallery of G. Venkatachalam. The year was 1926 and there was a painting exhibited there, entitled “The Extinguished Flame”, and it impressed a lot of people. One visitor was the Maharani of Cooch Bihar, Indira Devi, but the painting was listed as sold. The lady liked the painting so much, that she dispatched a letter to the artist, if he could copy it for her. That letter is on record too. The fascination for the artist started, as well as the name Mirza Ghalib sprang up in the discussion. G. Venkatachalam told her about the proposed program of the artist in the publication of Murraqqa e Chughtai. Although the artist had raised money for the project, but that was not enough. Maharaja Patiala had bought some paintings and the purchase was helpful to the venture. Realizing the  possible success of the project in a financial proposition, she sent an offer of a business deal, in which she would acquire 15 of the original works, along with a portion of the returns on the sale of the book. Amazing terms for a rich lady to give to a humble artist. That letter is on record too.

Then a letter dated 27th March 1927 when the Maharani of Cooch Bihar sent a draft of Rs 5000 to the artist and waived the portion on the sale of books voluntarily on her own. And then a blank portion as to what happened after that, but a letter from the Maharani itself, thanking receipt of the book sent to her, but that is dated 5th May, 1932. The question remains if the book was printed in 1928, why did it take such a long time for the book to be sent to her. There are unanswered questions.

We do know that the Nizam of Hyderabd was approached by Dr Allama Iqbal for a grant of another Rs 5000 to the artist, as funds had run out for the publication. That letter is there in Hyderabad archives but we do not have a copy, only a reference. Funds came or not, the book was dedicated to the Nizam of Hyderabad. But all of the paintings were sold to Princess Durre Shehwar of Hyderabad Deccan. Finally the works were hung in the Nizam’s Palace Delhi. Where are they now? No one knows. 

But what about the fifteen works that were to be taken by Maharani of Cooch Bihar? She wanted a selection of her choice. Not possible that she left pursuit of them. That is an enigma that cannot be solved. But the truth is the works must have been copied by the artist for her. One work rather a different version of the Wasted Vigil, was sold by the Maharani of Jaipur, from her mothers collection. Confirmed to me by Ms Mehreen Rizvi-Khursheed. The Curator Anthony Spira refused to send a HD version of the work for my analysis, and long after the exhibition show is over in the UK. I still haven’t received a copy of the catalogue. Obviously it was promised to me and I cooperated fully with them. They were inclined to put a fake picture of the “Serenade” in the show and I gave them the original one. The UK riots going on these days, suggest the colonial attitude still persists in the UK.

LOST ORIGINAL MINIATURE AND VARIOUS COPIES,
OF ACTUAL FUNERAL OF EMPEROR SHAH JAHAN;
AND SURPRISING LINK OF THREE MANUSCRIPTS.

The Mughals created history, and loved the written record of it. They didn’t miss much and their historians wrote whatever they could. But even then things are missing. And no one jumps to their imagination for fear of losing credibility.

The death of Shah Jahan was inevitable. Jahan Ara had programs for a Royal procession, but Aurangzeb permitted Islamic rites, and buried him next to his wife Mumtaz Mahal, although that was not the actual plan. The whole dream of the Black marble Taj Mahal was gone. Certainly there would be original miniatures but seemingly lost with time. One sees copies coming up in the 18th Century and even in the 19th century. And certainly people stood by their Emperor till the end. But the original architect Mimar Ustad Ahmad had died in 1649 AD. The need for a new architect to plan the new burial was there and somebody would be there, along with the administrator of the Taj Mahal complex. Muhammed Salih calls it the “Rauza Munawara”, or the “Illumined Tomb.” So what is new? Three manuscripts reveal startling new information. A little information and background is necessary for the same. The three manuscripts of that period exist in reality.

Manuscript One

A copy of Zain Obain by Mir Waiz Kashfi, written by two partners. One of them is Mir Shah son of Mir Muhammed Ali Al-Hassani Al-Hussaini, and the other Lutufullah, and witten in both hand writings. Plain, no gold ornamentation. The year 1077 AH. Why is the year important? It is the year of death of Emperor Shah Jahan, and there seems to be a need for these both partners to be together at one place. Which one? 

Manuscript two

A copy of the Holy Quran with a hashiya on it. The calligrapher Syed Shah Muhammed Al-Hassani Al-Hussaini. The date 1091 AH. The Hashiya by Lutufullah Ahmad Muhandis. Dated 1092 AH. Whayt is important about this?

Syed Shah calls himself the Khakrob of Astana Munawara.  Who is a Khakrob, a dust cleaner, a maintenance person, or an administrator to keep things working. And what is Astana Munawara? Muhammed Salih the court historian calls the Taj Mahal Rauza Munawara. Syed Shah goes one step further and calls it Astana Munawara. The house of Taj Mahal.

Both partners together in the premises of the Taj Mahal, spending their time in writing books, and working on maintenance and architectural modifications. What can be more clear than that?

Manuscript three

A risalah on MANTIQ by Syed Shah, found in the library of Muhammed Hanif, Imam of Wazeer Khan Mosque, and calligraphed by Luufullah Ahmad Muhandis.

All three linked together. The secrets of history are ever there. It needs intelligence to find the secrets. Vey clear who was there at the Taj mahal doing these things.