MANY MUGHAL MANUSCRIPTS THROUGH SEALS AND NOTATIONS; REVEAL HISTORY. ARCHITECTS LIKE LUTUFULLAH WERE LIBRARIANS.

MANY MUGHAL MANUSCRIPTS THROUGH SEALS AND NOTATIONS;
REVEAL HISTORY. ARCHITECTS LIKE LUTUFULLAH WERE LIBRARIANS.

The calligrapher of the Taj Mahal Amanat Khan Shirazi after his work on monuments, ended up as the Royal Librarian for the Mughals. His seal is on various manuscripts. Similarly the architect engineer Lutufullah Muhandis ended up as Librarian Incharge of the Manuscripts of Prince Dara Shikoh. Although his notations and seals are here and there, but mostly the same are related to the year 1069 A H. And the most important notation in one of the Royal Manuscripts of Prince Dara Shikoh is dated 21st Ramazan, 1069 A.H, which is a very important date in  Mughal history. It corresponds to 12th June, 1658 A.D. What was happening at that time?

The official chronicle of “Maaseray Alamgeeri” records that the fight of Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb was in full swing. Dara Shikoh entered his palace in Agra , with his son and a few servants on 1st June, 1658 A.D, that is 10th Ramazan, 1069 A.H. Then he took a flight to Delhi. Aurangzeb on Friday, the 11th June 1658 A.D, that is 20th Ramazan 1069 A.H, entered the city sand took possession of Dara Shikoh’s palace, which means library too. Learning that Dara Shikoh had left for Delhi, Aurangzeb on 13th June, 22nd Ramazan  started for Delhi. The Lutufullah seal is dated 21st Ramazan 1069 A H that is 12th June, 1658. What does that mean? That means Lutufullah was loyal to Prince Dara Shikoh even at the last moment when his own life would be in danger of being executed. What happened later is later? Eventually Lutufullah was forgiven by Aurangzeb and served Aurangeb as well as his sister Roshan Ara Begum as records of remain of same. After 21st Ramazan, 1069 or 12th June, 1658 A D, he was replaced by Azizullah Shahjahani as taweeldar of the manuscript.

The same manuscript carries a notation from Dara Shikoh himself as the same being put in his library. That is amazing history!

5 thoughts on “MANY MUGHAL MANUSCRIPTS THROUGH SEALS AND NOTATIONS; REVEAL HISTORY. ARCHITECTS LIKE LUTUFULLAH WERE LIBRARIANS.”

  1. Finding history is diligent research. Information is always there. Zest for discovery remains.

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