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?
Manuscript 998 AH earliest taweel 
11th Rabi Awal 1069 AH Lutufullah endorsement 
Taweel Ms Lutufullah one 
Taweel Ms Lutufullah two 
Taweel Lutufullah three 
Taweel Lutufullah last phase 
Changed custody Azizullah 1069 AH 
Seal Lutufullah 1069 changing 
Seal Lutufullah 
Prince Dara Shikoh 
Dara Shikoh Library Signature
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!
Indeed amazing history. Thank you for shedding light on this otherwise forgotten past.
Finding history is diligent research. Information is always there. Zest for discovery remains.
Difficult research yes well done
Very specific observation
Great archives
I have been compiling notations and seals written and impressed on mss. and independent paintings by Mughal librarians for 35 years. I published a 106-page article on this topic in 1997 (Artibus Asiae) and am close to producing an even larger publication with Mughal and other Indian seals. I am therefore keenly interested in this blog. Which manuscript is this (including institution and accession number)? Are there other mss. with comparable seals and notations in the Chughtai Museum?
Yes but you will have to wait for some time. Some very rare too. But not that many. I will try to help you with my pleasure. Would love to see your article too? Perhaps you can send me a link or same. Best wishes!
I could in the mean time send you some examples. Send me your email. There are two main Lutufullahs of that period. Lutufullah Ahmad Muhandis and Lutufullah Khan son of Saadullah Khan. Nawab Lutufullah Khan has a big seal. I have just written a booklet on his mausoleum. Can send you a copy too.
Question your research found any seal of Lutufullah Muhandis? The references I gave are of him.
Best of luck. Keep it up. Our obsession is research!