A MINIATURE FROM JAHANGEER ALBUM IN BASTAN MUSEUM;
DIFFERENT PERCEPTIONS RUBY LAL AND CHUGHTAI MUSEUM.

Truth and falsehood are different things, and so are perceptions. Here we talk about a miniature which remains unpublished, and was transferred from Iranian Imperial library to Bastan Museum in Tehran, during the tenure of the Shahenshah of Iran, commemoration of 2500 years of monarchy. It was printed in a souvenir of commemoration in a RCD publication. It is now not only rare but rarest and gone into oblivion. The actual miniature must be there intact, but out of reach of most.

An analysis of the work is required. It is a rare work but workmanship isn’t of Akbari standards. The group of Akbar painters had already left Lahore with migration of the Emperor. It is less than a great work of any standard. All signs point to a hurried thing. It is even a torn painting. Areas missing in it. Not much attention paid to the subject as Saleem is only a Prince at that time but the plume on head dress gives his status. Sahib Jamal had given birth to Sultan Pervez in Kabul in 1589 or 999 hijri. Sahib Jamal was probably pregnant when she died in 1008 as history record loss of few children in that period. So everything fits including death in open sky in Bagh Anaran in Lahore. The scene records so many details including pomegranate tree where Great Mian Mir used to rest. More in blogs. And the interesting part is that it is a very small miniature in size, it can easily be said of size six inches by four inches. Hardly much for a Royal portrait. But the importance is no less.

A series of blogs on the Legend of Anarkali were made by us. A revelation of so many things hidden from Western eyes, and closed minds of others. Fascinating were miniatures of the Queen surrounding the mausoleum itself. A one of a kind burial with intense love of Prince Saleem for his wife Sahib Jamal, who died in Lahore. Sikh and Hindu lovers of Lahore will try their best to derail this, for they have one agenda. Everything is Sikh or Hindu. Embarrassment of anything Muslim. Total loss of confidence in one’s own culture. It makes me laugh at the obsession of these people loyal once to Angrez, now loyal to others. Lackeys of this kind are roaming Lahore all the time putting things in different perspectives. Rewriting history all the time. Our job is to reconcile scientific data with visual examination. This house has seen hundreds of paintings of all types and we know how to recognize subject and rendering. I therefore look at all these with observant eyes of my ancestors.

It was breathtaking to find this painting on the same subject done by an artist of Lahore, namely Nadeem Lahori. The miniature would be dated 1595, or just before the death of the Princess. The Princess is not inside a Mahal, but in the inside of a garden. The garden is styled as a Bagh Anaran or Garden of Pomegranates. The whole retinue of ladies are surrounding the sick Princess. Bastan Museum gives the date to be from 1580 to 1600. The museum also has another Nadeem Lahori, which is entitled Sultan with Princess. Must be worth seeing but I have no access to same.

Princess Gulbadan died in 1603. The sweet, smiling and hard working writer Ruby Lal thinks that the lady standing on the railing is Princess Gulbadan herself. It could be, as her face resembles that of the image used by the writer on her research on Gulbadan Begum styled wrongly as the Vagabond Princess. However amazing that image is merely of a Mughal Princess and does not specify title of same. Another painting in the British Library claims that in the celebration of Akbar’s circumcision, Gulbadan is certainly sitting in the group viewing the dance. But again merely attribution. Nothing solid. The claim that Gulbadan is standing outside the railing is mere speculation. One point to note is that if it is Gulbadan, she cannot be shown so young here, and without proper adornments. Yes, age differs. Princess should be much older in the miniature. Ruby Lal thinks that the classification is wrong and the miniature reflects another period that of Gulbadan. And she talks of the death of another Princess, the family  of Gulbadan. But if it was Gulbadan would be sitting next to the sick Princess. So the result? Attribution, speculation, not solid identification.

No one can prove this way or that. If there was a description by name the matter would be solved easily. But here there are perceptions. MINE IT IS SAHIB JAMAL, RUBY LAL it is not. Perhaps may be added to it! Who is right? Maybe time will tell more. I boldly stick to my perception based on study of so many details. Ruby Lal is welcome to hers! I told her she can write her perception anytime but in description she must give mine too. All sides represented the best solution. And fair to all. Desire in research pushes us in one direction. A clash of head and heart. Our love to all, our sincere gratitude to Ruby Lal to invite us to this attention.