THE TRADITION OF MUSHAIRAS IN OUR CULTURE; POETIC GATHERING IN LAHORE IN YEAR 1044 A H. INAUGURATION OF MASJID WAZEER KHAN LAHORE.

THE TRADITION OF MUSHAIRAS IN OUR CULTURE;
POETIC GATHERING IN LAHORE IN YEAR 1044 A H.
INAUGURATION OF MASJID WAZEER KHAN LAHORE.

The Wazir Khan mosque in Lahore was completed in 1044 AH. All this is on record. Also on record is that efforts were made from day one to make it a total cultural center. With the mosque a madrassa was generated and opportunities for literary gatherings. In an indirect way in a copy of Diwan Mahmood Lahori, the year of 1044 AH is given as a day of mushaira in Lahore. It seems that Mahmood Lahori who had come to the region in those times, presented a Masnavi of Mahmood and Ayaz, that is Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi and the Governor of Lahore Ayaz,. This collection is there in many copies of same. We have seen copies dated in 18th and 19th century. But the initial reference is about a poetic gathering in 1044 AH. With this Diwan of Mahmood Lahori is attached another Diwan of Ahmad Nadir. And just who is this, Ahmad Nadir? It is a diwan of Ustad Ahmad Lahori, who had the takhallus of Nadir, after Shah Jahan had decorated him with the title of Nadir ul Asar or Wonder of the Age. This title of Nadir is confirmed in other books, including the statement by his son Attaullah Rushdi. The writing of poetry was there with many members of the family, and the famous Diwan of Muhandis, that is Lutufullah Ahmad. The Diwan of Khairullah Muhandis was discovered too recently. Poetry was in the blood of the family, as expressed in their architectural creations.

An actual clue to these gatherings come from an inscription written by a poet Mirak Dost Muhammed in 1053 AH which is there on the wall facing the south bazaar of the mosque. The complete inscription could not be deciphered but the date and name are very clear. The name Mirak appears in the Tazhkiras of that time, but also finds reference in architects of that period.

And the inauguration of the mosque was not merely Mushairas. But philosophical and religious discussions as well. By Grace of Allah, we have a small religious discussion done in the same event, and the writer is one Muhammed Hamid, and the date is again 1044 A H. Picking up clues from past is a lot of hard work as well as sheer luck at moments. This Hamid may be Hamid Mimar, partner, friend, cousin or even brother of Ustad Ahmad Mimar.  Obviously, speculations! But there is more to discover. It talks of a session of discussion over QATIL HAMZA or the murderer of Hazrat Hamza, and the people involved are all living legends. The name is of Qazi Sufi, Allama Rabbani, Mulla Saad ud din Ali Kashfi, and Imam Quli Bakhtawar. The session was chaired by Mulla Baqi. And here is another clue. Abdul Baqi was a leading calligrapher of those times and came from Iran and later went back to Iran. All these people were alive and inter related to each other through various means.

The meetings in Wazeer Khan Mosque continue to be mentioned in various times. Dara Shikoh’s Munshi Brahman mentions same. Mufti Ali uddin in his Ibrat Nama of Punjab mentions same too.  A book can be written on those sessions alone. A rich cultural legacy set in motion, and stopped by the British. But that is another story!

THE HINDU CALLIGRAPHERS OF LAHORE; A FAMOUS “LAHORE MAL” FAMILY OF KATIBS

THE HINDU CALLIGRAPHERS OF LAHORE;
A FAMOUS “LAHORE MAL” FAMILY OF KATIBS

Lahore was always a culture center, where in all nationalities mixed with each other. It was here that Hindu students were trained by Muslim Masters in the art of miniatures. Many famous mussawars are on record. But we have Hindu students excelling in Muslim calligraphy, both in the Arabic and Persian script. These “Katibs” made a name for themselves. Our blog is on the subject and a link is provided for the same. Here we refer to the Mal family of calligraphers of Lahore.

We have seen and heard of many manuscripts written by Hindu calligraphers, on many subjects. Mostly we come across Inshas composed by Hindu Munshis and written as well by Hindu Calligraphers. But the subject does not end here. Astronomical tracts are there too but mostly we find them in Sanskrit script and language.  But these calligraphers were at many subjects, including Ilm Najoom. The most interesting is religious subjects related to Islam. We find manuscripts like Masnavi Maulana Rum, written by them. I have myself seen a two-volume huge Masnavi written by Hindu calligraphers in Lahore in times of Aurangzeb. A Quran written by a Hindu calligrapher was offered to us once.  Obviously, we come across many Qitas written by Hindu calligraphers. We have in our collection a Punj Sura written by a Hindu Calligrapher in times of Emperor Jahandar Shah, who was Emperor for one year only in 1039 AH or 1713 AD.

Tracing the Hindu caste “Mal” implies relation to Bengal and Jharkhand, and although they come in terms of “Shudra”, the profession associated with them mainly is that of wrestlers and snake charmers. But attaching themselves to Mughal Courts is revealing in their development. In any case the name Lahore Mal means that this calligrapher was associated with the city of Lahore, and follower of Emperor Jahandar Shah. Jahandar Shah was imprisoned by Farrukh Siyar, and spent prison with wife Lal Kunwar. That he wrote the Punj Sura in a most unique way possible. Large and few lines to make it easy to read and easy to write.

http://blog.chughtaimuseum.com/?p=270
THE ISLAMIC HINDUS OF LAHORE

RAJA JAI SINGH’S INTEREST IN ASTRONOMY AND MUHAMMED SHAH; INVOLVEMENT OF KHAIRULLAH, ABID, AKBAR AND USHOOR BAIG IN ZIJ: ALL MUHANDISEN BELONGING TO FAMOUS MIMAR FAMILY OF LAHORE.

RAJA JAI SINGH’S INTEREST IN ASTRONOMY AND MUHAMMED SHAH;
INVOLVEMENT OF KHAIRULLAH, ABID, AKBAR AND USHOOR BAIG IN ZIJ:
ALL MUHANDISEN BELONGING TO FAMOUS MIMAR FAMILY OF LAHORE.

Maharani Jaipur Gayatri Devi was visiting Lahore and Chughtai Museum. We had invited her to inaugurate one of our shows but she was not allowed to come at that time. She was at odds with Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India. I told her about our ancestor Khairullah Muhandis, who was In charge of the many observatories of Raja Jai Singh for many years. He had already written his notes on Zij Muhammed Shahi. Our own manuscript of same includes his name, but also that of Abid Muhandis, Akbar Muhandis and Ushoor Baig. All dated around 1130 AH, the year of the Zij Muhammed Shahi itself.

What exactly is this ZIJ? Simply astronomical tables compiled with use of instruments at the various observatories of Raja Jai Singh, mainly the Jantar Mantar at Delhi. Although credit is given to Raja Jai Singh for all this, the confirmation obviously was required of the Emperor for same, and that is why the Zij is called after Emperor Muhammed Shah. Keep in mind that the Emperor is painted as a pleasure-loving nincompoop by the Western media, and reviled as such a depraved person cannot be responsible for giant steps in astronomical research. Khairullah Muhandis was in fact working for the Emperor himself. According to compiler STOREY he was the designer of these astronomical instruments, and InCharge of all these observatories for a long period of time. The amazing thing is that many of these astronomers were sent abroad to Europe in those times to harness themselves with latest knowledge on the subject. We have a treatise written by Khairullah at the port of Surat in those days, suggesting visit abroad. Various copies of his Sharh Zij Muhammed Shahi is available in various libraries. Various generations of Khairullah worked on Sharh Zij Muhammed Shahi, and the last one recorded is Mirza Gul Baig, and he writes his name as Mirza Gul Baig, son of Mirza Zainul Abedeen, son of Mirza Muhammed Ali, son of Khairullah Muhandis, son of Lutufullah Muhandis Lahori. 

Lahore was the center of Astrolabe makers, famous all over the world. It was Khairullah’s genius which transferred precise small instruments into huge concrete structures. Research went miles ahead with such advances in observation. There was Mulla Chand with Emperor Akbar, Fareed Dehlavi with Shah Jahan, Khairullah with Muhammed Shah, and others. Emperor Humayoun died when he fell from the stairs in his observatory. And lest we forget there was an observatory tower in Lahore Fort too, which is no more, but record of same exists in various writings. The Mughals were very fond of astronomy, and had scholars to back their research. Well done!

VISUAL IMAGERY OF SIR THOMAS ROE IS IN CONFLICTFALSE – ATTRIBUTION BY ENTHUSIASTS VERSUS REALITY

VISUAL IMAGERY OF SIR THOMAS ROE IS IN CONFLICTFALSE ATTRIBUTION BY ENTHUSIASTS VERSUS REALITY

So much desire to prove Sir Thomas Roe that internet bombarded with imaginary and assumed images of Thomas Roe. Of course the real Thomas Roe can be seen in official portraiture but nothing to do with the reality. The only old one is an attributed imaginary miniature of Thomas Roe and it is deliberately faded and with so much wrong in it. Thomas Roe raises his left hand to salute Emperor Jahangeer. In right he holds something like a book. Maybe a bible. Or the image has been made from a khaka (sketch) in reverse. Actually it looks like a flipped tracing. The noble is kissing left hand of Jahangeer, but when flipped it becomes the proper right hand. His level of importance can be judged by no respect being afforded to him even by the courtiers. But look at his face and dress. He does not have an upper covering on his so called trousers.  But his face shows hair growing after a possible TEEND (head with no hair) and shaved beard. Drooping mustaches against upright ones in official picture. No beard at all, no hair on head, just a few days stubble. Fresh from a prison may be, or a sick bed. Look at the eye brows, certainly it is not Roe in any way. But it is a possible 18th or 19th century work and fading may have been done to hide the age or some wrong imagery under the erased part. The European could be an addition on a destroyed work. 

It is not Sir Thomas Roe but perhaps a missionary priest assumed to be the diplomat. Edward Terry writes about the meetings of the diplomat with Emperor Jahangeer in his travelogue, in a very elusive way, as:

“The Mogul looked to be presented with some things or other, when my Lord Ambassador came to him, and if he saw him empty handed, HE WAS NOT WELCOME; and therefore the East-India company were wont very year to send many particular things, unto him, in the name of the King of England, that were given to him at several times, especially then when the Ambassador had any request unto him, which made a very fair way unto it.”

And the most funny statement (they hardly knew anything) from Edward Terry is:

He is called the Great Mogul, as the chief of the circumcised , or Chief of the Circumcision.

Great knowledge they had, when they thought Mogul meant one who is circumcised.

The lack of details in the journal says many things unsaid. Making baywaqoof of us in all ways. Chittay angrez day agay seer newan (in front of white Englishman, the head bows down). Tell us documentation, not varied stories. Whereas Edward Terry tell us the various things presented to Emperor Jahangeer, internet story tells he rejected most but a portrait by John Hoskins of Thomas Roe’s wife which saved the day. From where does all this comes from. Proof or probabilities.

The so called journal of Sir Thomas Roe found and printed around 1899 AD. Where was it all those years? Re-written in 1926 and then even further casting in 2016. Hiding the truth is the main aim of this sporadic doings of a journal which is about 1615 to 1618 AD. The truth is an illusion. In fact it is said:

“The reader should be grateful for the omission of parts of Roe’s MS, often so provokingly obscure in meaning and so full of repetition”.

Even the white man is not happy with the contents of the MS. Can we believe same? Particularly when they are not ready to believe pages after pages of historical research by our own historians. Truth does not come on its own. It is sought!