A MUGHAL PRINCESS THAT STAYED WITH QUAID-E-AZAM,
TILL THE VERY END AT ZAIRAT’S RESIDENCY

LINKS OF ARTIST M.A. RAHMAN CHUGHTAI WITH FOUNDER OF NATION

Chughtai Museum has already documented the links of artist M.A. Rahman Chughtai with Quaid e Azam. Letters from Liaquat Ali Khan in 1946 refer to requests for designs from the Quaid e Azam himself. Approval of the first Postage Stamp of Pakistan by Quaid himself. The painting of General Bairam Khan hanging in the residence of the Governor General in Karachi. More are being found everyday.

We present a very interesting view of a Chughtai’s etching at Ziarat’s residency. It means that even in his last days the Quaid had excess to this etching and was viewing it, to relax him in his troubled times. It is the first version of Mughal Princess, which was later converted into an aquatint. Media has termed it as Anarkalli, in the theme of the Mughals. It was either presented by the artist Chughtai, when he met the Quaid in Lahore, at the reception hosted by a famous Pakistani doctor. It is told that a 16mm film existed of the meeting but stands lost with time. Or alternatively, it was the work of Colonel Majeed Malik of the Information Department, who before partition was working for the MI5 of Britain. He was one of the best friend of Chughtai and also Editor of one of his Magazine Annuals, namely KARAVAN, LAHORE. So much history is there.

To this day when international events are being held in Pakistan, we see the LOGOS of Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television representing the artist Chughtai in his design roles for the country. The quest of Chughtai to make Pakistan a country with strong aesthetics, to put its stamp in the world.