YES, LEGEND OF CONCUBINE ANARKALI CRASHES DOWN; THE BIZARRE REVELATION FACE OF QUEEN SAHIB JAMAL; NO WALLS, NO BONES, FROM CHURCH FINAL MAUSOLEUM.

YES, LEGEND OF CONCUBINE ANARKALI CRASHES DOWN;
THE BIZARRE REVELATION FACE OF QUEEN SAHIB JAMAL,
NO WALLS, NO BONES, FROM CHURCH FINAL MAUSOLEUM.

Our historians have written about the legend of Anarkali. The incest stories started by bastard English man William Finch, trader and gossip maker sitting in the bazaar. The concubine wife of Emperor Akbar, buried in Attock in a befitting mausoleum. Her name given by Prince Jahangeer himself in his memoirs as Maryiam Bibi, and his beloved Queen discovered by historians as Sahib Jamal. Yes, C. Grey reveals that the bones of the Queen were taken out and buried under a turret of the mausoleum. Perhaps still there, for in the renovation process of the Tomb of Anarkali, nothing was discovered in the deep dug hole. No walls, no bones, nothing but the treachery of the British in belittling our stalwarts all the time with misleading statements.

Let us see what William Finch says about Islam, and attributes it to Emperor Jahangeer:

“All this is nonetheless show as such with the King about Christianity he affirming before his nobles that it was the soundest faith and that of Mahomet lies and fables”.

Is that even remotely possible for Jahangeer to say something like that. Habitual liar!

Now comes the question as to the body (bones) of Sahib Jamal. C. Grey was the first to write the story of Anarkali, in the Punjab University Historical journal, and points out:

When the tomb was converted to a Christian church in 1852, the body was removed and reburied in the left-hand tower facing the mausoleum where it still remains, not far from the tombstone which once covered the grave within the building”.

It was my long held wish that some fresh digging should take place to clear all the hullabaloo. It finally came true. The Anarkali tomb is finally being renovated. Excellent! The place of burial dug and nothing found there. No walls, no choked concubine. But remarkable a unique thing happened. The walls cleared of the white cement revealed beautiful frescoes. Nothing new. But there were many Mughal Angels on the walls. Not Christian cherubs. BUT THE MOST REMARKABLE THING VARIOUS FIGURATIVE PAINTINGS OF A QUEEN. Finally Sahib Jamal comes out in the open. I have asked a friend to take photographs of all the figures  and we will do a study on it. But rest assured now, that the Legend of Anarkali is just a romantic thought created by writers and films and uninformed people. DO WE KNOW OF ANY MAUSOLEUM IN THE WORLD TO HAVE FIGURATIVE PAINTINGS OF THE LADY  BURIED IN IT? Remarkable finding. Enjoy we will do more on it.

THE PATHOS OF SHAH ALAM AND HIS TIMES; A PUNJ SURA WRITTEN BY HIM BEFORE BLINDNESS; SURROUNDED BY MIR JAFFERS AND MI6 007 SABOTEURS

THE PATHOS OF SHAH ALAM AND HIS TIMES
A PUNJ SURA WRITTEN BY HIM BEFORE BLINDNESS
SURROUNDED BY MIR JAFFERS AND MI6 007 SABOTEURS

If you read even a few pages of the history of Shah Alam, you shudder with the complexities and pathos of that time. The backbone of all nations are the Armies and the enemy knows that to gain inroads to the nation, the Army as to be dismantled. Warriors of the Timurids like Zaheer ud din Babar were not puppets under any hands. Each King in succession had the Army in control. Prince Dara Shikoh lost his battles for he was not battle hardened in any way and sought the recluse of so called Black Magic to try to end the war in Kandahar. Obviously it was lost. Emperor Aurangzeb rose to prominence for he was battle hardened till the very end. At the age of 92 years, he was ready for war with all enemies, When Kings were left to indulge in the charm of the palaces, relish the foods, wear the fancy dresses, entertained by ladies, or sexual gimmicks, the end result is always the same. The rise and fall of civilizations always take place.

Even a brief look at the times of Shah Alam is beyond comprehension. Lack of rain, lack of food, earthquakes, meteor rain, revolt of Army for pay and salaries. Connivance of various Ministers to get to being the Regent of affairs. The end result in 1784 is that Shah Alam is thrown on the floor and his eyeballs removed to be blinded forever. Even a Court painter was called to record the historical scene . And then came the scourge of the Syed brothers, the Ghulam Qadir tyrant of all times. Ghulam Qadir was so cruel, that not only he got Shah Alam blinded, he starved to death member of the Royalty, placed the ladies on walls of the Fort to be observed by all, and to have even Royal Princesses stripped naked and fondled by his soldiers. He asked his soldiers to make them beget illegitimate warriors instead of the wimps they were producing as Mughal Royalty.

When Shah Alam’s eyeball;s were throw out, he was asked what he could see. And he said between him and the asking Minister he could only see the Quran. Strange words for an Emperor, and yet four years before in 1194 AH 1780 AD, the Emperor had finished writing an illuminated Punj Sura (Five surats of the Quran). Shah Alam is no more and yet the Punj Sura is still there. The result of his last years, a treasure of the future.

Ghulam Qadir was to die his consequential end. An historian writes of it like this:

“So Sindia ordered that Ghulam and the former superintendent of the imperial harem were to be tortured to death. Ghulam ears were cut off and hung around his neck. With his face blackened, he was paraded round the city in a bullock-cart. Next day, his nose and lips were cut off and again he was shown to the city. The following day his eyeballs were torn out and yet again he was placed in a cart and trundled slowly though the streets. He eyes were followed b his hands, and then by his feet. Finally his head was cut off and the corpse was hung upside down from a tree.”

“Screams of the tortured filled the harem. Servants were held over fires to make them disclose the whereabouts of hidden jewels. Others had boiling oil poured into the palms of their hands.. Eunuchs were beaten to death. Shah Alam was himself brought out of his prison and subjected to less extreme torture. He was made to sit in the burning sun without food or drink. He was continually threatened, and Ghulam would — without warning— fling his arm round the ex emperors neck and blow a cloud of acrid smoke into his face.
Finally the edge of madness when Shah Alam was thrown to the floor and his eyeballs taken out.”

What had been done to the Mughal ladies had never been done before. Many were starved to death in the eyesight of the people on the Fort walls. Also stripped naked and fondled by common soldiers in front of all. Humiliations were complete and Ghulam Qadir paid the price.

Who gained? First the French General De Boigne and then the British visitor Thomas Twining. Then Lord Wellesley stepped in for the advantages. General Perron took control of northern India. With a pension Shah Alam could stay in the palace, the rest was for the British alone. In fact substantial treasure fell into the hands of the French mercenary Lestenean, who left for British territory and later for Europe with his windfall. DIVIDE AND RULE AND 007 ASSASSINS all were there in full force. It was the Mughal Army which was fist brought down with discord. The House of Timur had finally fallen and Hindustan was left bare for centuries to come.

Did we learn any lessons! Today the situation is still the same. Foreign lobbies are working to throw our army in disarray and take our assets. Hatred destroys people. There is every reason to believe that there is unnatural hatred for Muslims primarily Pakistanis for our CODE OF LIFE. Anarchy is being generated for us but by the Grace of Allah, we will come out of this malaise and be Pakistan again. So be it!

REMEMBERING THE FORGOTTEN FACES AT CHUGHTAI MUSEUM; HARVARD UNIVERSITY ANTHROPOLOGIST LOUIS DUPREE IN 1978.

REMEMBERING THE FORGOTTEN FACES AT CHUGHTAI MUSEUM;
HARVARD UNIVERSITY ANTHROPOLOGIST LOUIS DUPREE IN 1978.

Literally thousands of people visited Chughtai Museum in last fifty years, but also hundreds of foreigners visiting us too. Record in our archives but memories in our hearts too. Louis Dupree Professor was a world famous anthropologist, and his wife Nancy, also an expert on Afghan affairs.Both husband and wife have written many books, and their expertise is obviously Afghanistan.Scratching our archives reveal many things, and surprise us too. 

It was those days that Professor Marjorie Jacobs of University of Sydney was visiting us, and extended an invitation to us to visit Sydney, Australia with a show of Chughtai Art. We also later received His Excellency the Australian ambassador in Pakistan.  

Louis Dupree was a serious worker but as a person he was jovial most of the time. His wife Nancy was totally well versed in history of Afghanistan, and we have her books in our library. Louis Dupree was at that time staying in 12-C Gulberg 2, Lahore, and left his phone with us too, that is 880751. These people were cultural experts and knew the importance of Chughtai Art in Pakistan as well as the Muslim world. They also knew his popularity in the Western world. We enriched their knowledge, they enriched ours. As our usual practice, we gifted them things on Chughtai art.  And as usual people leave our museum happier than when they came in.  

AN UNUSUAL CAMP OF BENGAL ARMY IN LAHORE IN 1809; CPT BENJAMIN BLAKE WRITES ABOUT LAHORE GARDENS.

AN UNUSUAL CAMP OF BENGAL ARMY IN LAHORE IN 1809;
CPT BENJAMIN BLAKE WRITES ABOUT LAHORE GARDENS.

The history of Lahore is traversed by strange sources. One most unusual article is by Captain Benjamin Blake, who was stationed in Lahore suburbs in 1809. It was only a three week camp, but left strong impressions. He printed his experiences in the Journal of Science and the Arts. It was entitled:

           DESCRIPTION OF THE ROYAL GARDENS OF LAHORE.

Benjamin Blake was born in 1788 and died in 1838The article is printed and dated1820.It is rather a very early account and may spotlight some things which are relevant for researchers.

Captain Blake is with C.T. MetcalfeAmbassador of East India Companyand got permission from Ranjeet Singh. He talks of the ruined wall of Lahore City as well as the falling Delhi Gate. He talks of Shalimar Bagh in great detail and mentions three tiers of the  garden. Including details of the buildings and the addition by Ranjeet Singh. Also talks of the novel arrangement of use of water from a well through a bucket system to cool the accommodation of the Sikh ruler.

Captain Blake visits the Mausoleum of Emperor Jahangeer and mentions scanty details. However one interesting thing he adds is the presence of trees of oranges and pomegranates in the courtyard of the mausoleum. He also talks of various fallen buildings of Emirs of Mughal Court. He mentions the white marble jaalis of Lahore Fort.

It is an interesting very early account of the gardens of Lahore but not much is added to our knowledge of same. Any case worthy of being read.

NOBODY KNOWS THE FIRST VISION OF ANY CHUGHTAI WORK; LIKE PROPHECY A COLOURED IMAGE BUT STARTS WITH SCROLL.

NOBODY KNOWS THE FIRST VISION OF ANY CHUGHTAI WORK;
LIKE PROPHECY A COLOURED IMAGE BUT STARTS WITH SCROLL.

It should be kept in mind that Chughtai Art was not created in a vacuum. Days and nights spent in experimenting with  lines as well as colors. That preparation is well understood. But all that is craftsmanship, here we are talking of vision like a prophecy. The vision is like a ready made painting, but translating that vision required working on the composition. The colors would come naturally after that.

The vision starts with an observation. The artist himself confided in me many times the start of such a vision. He once showed me a small drop of paint left behind by a domestic wall painter. The drop had trickled down in a shape.  The artist saw a shepherd in it, and the result a painting of a shepherd. Other events for him was throwing a stone in a pool of water and notice the ripples emanating from it. He even told me that when urinating, when the urine is falling on the floor, he notices its flowing. The natural flowing makes him handle the flowing line perfectly. As far as faces are concerned, he had the habit of sitting in a window and observing passerbys. Or walk in a crowded street and look at people. An observer once noticed that he saw the Zutshki sisters walk in the Arab Hotel outside Islamia College Lahore and was transfixed for a long time. As Paul Drury would say that the artist had a memory bank of faces from where he could issue cheques at will for inclusion in his works. Millions of people have seen the Mona Lisa of Leonardo da Vinci, but how many saw the hidden messages in it. Picasso made a statement that an artist is blind and does not see with his eyes. He paints what he feels. Chughtai Sahib paints what he imagines as a literal prophecy. That is why often people say one important thing about him, he was a gifted artist by Divine role. Not an ordinary make believe artist, he was the exceptional Master of Modern Muslim Civilization.

Tackling composition and symbolism in his works needed desperately.

For the next step read our published blog:
http://blog.chughtaimuseum.com/?p=2977

GROPING IN THE DARK FOR LOSS OF AESTHETIC SENSE; INVASION OF PSEUDO ARTISTS TO PERVERT OUR SENSES.

GROPING IN THE DARK FOR LOSS OF AESTHETIC SENSE;
INVASION OF PSEUDO ARTISTS TO PERVERT OUR SENSES.

I often wonder why museum visitors in the West carry very young children with them. At times even babies in their arms. Or moving in prams. And those young eyes are trained to look at art. I remember many years back a Spanish couple from Islamabad called, working in the UNO, came here with their very young daughter, few years old. She was looking at me wonderstruck, but actually afraid of me. I started showing them paintings and the parents would ask their daughter Anita, her impression of each work. She could hardly speak but she had a mind of her own, and would give judgment of each work. By the time they left, the young girl, a few years old, seemingly fell in love with me. She rewarded me with her affection by pasting stickers of Smiley on my trousers as well as on my face. I allowed her to do that, for she taught me a lesson. Aesthetic training starts very early.

M.A, Rahman Chughtai had an idea to inculcate such aesthetics in the people of Pakistan, by building a museum to house his works as well as works of other artists and build the finest art library in Pakistan. Western lobbies were allergic to the development of Pakistan which would lead them to national consolidation. So perverts in the form of artists, with jeans and pipes in their mouth, came here to dissuade us from developing the same, by jumping in the bandwagon of the Western world, in the most ludicrous way possible. Their inspiration was Picasso, and their style mimicry. It was the start of not Pakistani Art, but so called searching for an ideal landscape, where there was not even a landscape. Absolute Gimmickry! They started worshipping canvasses  of fake Picassos, in the same way the Buddhists worship Siddharta Buddha or the Hindus worship the Lingam of Shiva. Their faith in the pseudo western world was so strong, and they started to ridicule all that was the essence of Pakistan. Indeed it was a clash of our civilization with the make believe world of another civilization.

http://blog.chughtaimuseum.com/?p=10389

It is time to assert ourselves to assert our identity. And by doing it, we need to understand Chughtai Art. We are starting a series of blogs on the Art of M.A.  Rahman Chughtai, to understand same. So that young generations of Pakistanis do not ape the gimmickry of the so called western world, and come face to face the function of Art itself. Art for Art sake indeed, but not without the striking power of Moses staff.

Lesson number one

Each work of Chughtai Sahib starts first from a story. He conceives a story and on that story he bases his concept of art.  Yes story telling through line and colour. More later!

SAID GRASS IS GREENER IN ANOTHER MEADOW; ONLY WHEN YOU STOP NURTURING YOUR OWN.

SAID GRASS IS GREENER IN ANOTHER MEADOW;
ONLY WHEN YOU STOP NURTURING YOUR OWN.

People lose faith in their country. And believe that transporting themselves in another world will solve if not all, at least some of their problems. We get a chance to meet people from all over the world. And share their happiness as well as their anguish. I felt sharing the thoughts of Ahmed Humayoun, a Pakistani designer artist who migrated to Canada has to be shared with others. In Canada from 1965, he narrates all the vows there. Read and start taking your country seriously. Plenty of issues, but can be corrected by looking at them as a challenge. Not creating unimaginable issues for oneself. Sharing!

Ahmed Humayoun

Dear ARC,
If you find paradise on earth, please let me know, I would also like to move  there. I visit Pakistan every two years. I see people eating better and living better there. All my colleagues without exception are part of Pakistani art history. Their names are mentioned and their work is published in books etc. and their names are going to be mentioned after they are dead and gone. They are well respected in the Pakistani society. They are financially comfortable and have no financial debits. All my colleagues including myself, without exception who decided to leave Pakistan, have no place in the art history and will never have one. I am quite sure, had I stayed in Pakistan, I would have been in the same company as my colleagues who decided to stay back. About 8 years ago I met an artist (originally from a very well respected family in Lahore) and later on found out that he passed away suddenly and was cremated by strangers and his ashes scattered somewhere.

My assessment is that only 10% of the migrants make it in the West, the rest 90%  don’t. The immigrants go through loss in 3 areas. One – loss of culture (that includes history, language, cuisine, appreciation of music, family ties etc.). Second – loss of family ties, lack of respect of elders, marriage into other faiths, loss of identity etc. Third – Religion (which to most people is extremely painful).
Police with all the riot gear burst into an Ottawa “desi” house at 3 a.m. three years ago and arrested a young man, born in Canada, who was suspected of terrorism. The case has not come to trial yet. When? No one knows. The cost to fight the legal battle is close to 2 million dollars. The family obviously does not have that kind of money. There is always fund-raising being done for it.

We have had at least two suspicious deaths in police custody of young “desi” boys as well as one case of suspected suicide. Some of the girls as well as boys marrying into “other faiths” is very common. The parents can not do anything about it. The children normally are “independent” after the age of 18 years.
I see two groups amongst the “desis” being formed – one group is extremely religious and the other is not. The not-so-religious people say that all the religions are good because no religion teaches bad things. Therefore, religion is not important and their entire attitude towards life is guided by it.
Today, I read an article in the local newspaper, that a family in Winnipeg (White mother and Somali father) was raided with riot gear when they were celebrating their son’s 5th birthday. The man sued the police for damages. The judge’s threw the case out and commented that he got better treatment here and he should feel himself lucky to be in Canada.

We have three children, two boys and a girl, all married off fortunately to “desis”. The children were born here and studied here. The children have different interests and capacity for education. Our older boy did not go beyond high school and he drives the city bus. The daughter excelled in studies and she is a dentist. The youngest boy did his masters in communications last year and is still looking for a full time job. I am sure, had they been in Pakistan, their attitude towards education would have been the same.
I do not have a brother. My sister in Pakistan has three daughters – the oldest one is an administrator of a famous school system in Lahore. The second one is a school teacher and doing her masters in languages at the same time. The third one is a doctor. The girls were born, educated, and working in Pakistan as well as managing their families and children.
My wife and I worked in Canada since 1965 and paid 60% of our income in direct or in direct taxation for 40 years and are still paying taxes. There is tax on the funeral also. I noticed that a vast majority in Pakistan do not pay taxes and still would like the same privileges as the West. A totally unreasonable expectation I would say.

Pakistan is no bed of roses, neither is the West. Bottom line is that one
ends up trading one type of problems with the other. I remember reading about a Bangladeshi fellow who won the lottery in US green card draw. His village collected money for his fare and sent him off with lot of fanfare. The poor fellow died in a construction accident a month after his arrival there.
I have made 16 visits since 1965. I have never been looted, pick pocketed, threatened there or harassed by the customs officers upon arrival. I have always traveled by bus, train and by car within Pakistan. If I happen to be a target on my next visit, I certainly am not going to blame the country for it. Same way I am not going to blame US if I end up with an unpleasant experience in a crime ridden city like New York.
I think selling all the assets and moving to a new land, where one has
nothing in common with the people – the customs, language, cuisine, lifestyle etc. and starting a new life from scratch – is an extremely personal decision. A decision which is going to affect the lives of the present and the future generations.
Please let me know if I have answered your questions.
All the best. With fond regards.
Ahmad Humayun

HAFEEZ JULLUNDRI AND M.A. RAHMAN CHUGHTAI; POET AND ARTIST IN PERFECT HARMONY; A TALE NOT TOLD BEFORE ANYWHERE

HAFEEZ JULLUNDRI AND M.A. RAHMAN CHUGHTAI
POET AND ARTIST IN PERFECT HARMONY
A TALE NOT TOLD BEFORE ANYWHERE

M.A. Rahman Chughtai was a born Lahori and lived in this atmosphere all the time. But there were others who came from other places. One such name was that of the poet and writer Hafeez who came from Jullundur to Lahore a long time back. A literary group was already here and known as the Niazmandan Lahore, and were reluctant to allow entry to someone from other places. It was M.A. Rahman Chughtai who welcomed this young man into this literary group. A beautiful letter tells us all this in the words of Hafeez Jullundri himself:

“Please believe me when I say that out of all persons alive, your existence is one of which is the greatest source of pride for me, right from the start of my creativity to this day. You were the first to eulogize me, when I came to Lahore, by not only looking at me with favourable perceptive eyes but also concrete help as well as boosting of my morale. A writer can perhaps forget everyone, but never the first source of his encouragement and as far as Abdur Rahman Chughtai is concerned, a pulsating personality of the world, whose influence is spread all over, what can one say more, except that I long to see you soon.
( Translated from letter dated 1959).

A beautiful friendship emerged between the poet and the artist. When Hafeez Jullundri took out a magazine from Lahore, it was encouraged by Chughtai and we find the title as well as contribution of a painting for publication in it. The relation went deeper. When Hafeez Jullundri started his epoch making Shahnama Islam, he completed the first volume in Lahore, and it was read by Mian Nuruddin (known as Nur), a famous voice of Lahore, in the house of M.A. Rahman Chughtai, and there were at least 100 people who attended this reading, including Hafeez Jullundri himself. The wife of M.A Rahman Chughtai recalled how difficult it was for her to cook to entertain so many people at the same time.

The relation between the two touched at many points, including the design of the Pakistani flag, when catering to the idea of a SITARA HILAL, the artist penned down designs for the Pakistani flag for the Quaid e Azam with a rising Crescent in it. A number of people had actually sabotaged the design by having it tailored as a descending Crescent. The tailor Master was a Christian by faith and had no concept of rising and descending crescent and cultural saboteurs were at work to get it done wrongly by him.

The Poet and artist were in touch all the time. He would call at our house all the time. I remember one day I came from school and he was there seated in our drawing room with my father, and I saw an English woman with him. It was one of his wife and that wife held him in great love and reverence.

The poet Hafeez Jullundri was there first on the death of the artist on 17th January, 1975, and went with the funeral to the graveyard and he is seen standing in the front row of the funeral prayers in most pictures of same. On 17th January, 1976, he was there at the first death anniversary of the artist, and recited the national anthem there, while he cursed those in power, who were trying to even undo the National Anthem of Pakistan. Amongst tears Hafeez Jullundri cried and made many in the audience cry too. There he read his last QASIDA on Chughtai artist, entitled ‘CHUGHTAI, ABDUR RAHMAN’. He would pat me on the cheeks all the time and was very proud of me. We maintained a relation till his very end, and he introduced me to his wife and daughter. The daughter was reading the News on Pakistan Television. The family is still in touch with us.

EXPLORING THE ROLE OF THE MAHARANI COOCH BIHAR; IN PUBLICATION OF M.A. RAHMAN CHUGHTAI MURRAQQA.

EXPLORING THE ROLE OF THE MAHARANI COOCH BIHAR;
IN PUBLICATION OF M.A. RAHMAN CHUGHTAI MURRAQQA.

There are many approaches to the past. Well forgotten or well remembered. But the middle ground remains muddled. And when there is mere speculation, it goes wrong many times. It starts with the visit of the famous Indian critic G. Venkatachalam to Lahore and the house of  Chughtai Sahib in Kocha Chabuk Sawaran. The artist invited him to stay in the house. Not only showed him his works but dined with him many times. Obviously the critic, expecting hostility, got surprised at the cordial welcome. In one of his reviews he talks about the personality of the artist in beautiful terms. The working style in the humble house impressed him and he promised to help. In fact more than the paintings, he wrote about the personality of the artist in his review.

Bangalore was a regular place for visitors to visit the gallery of G. Venkatachalam. The year was 1926 and there was a painting exhibited there, entitled “The Extinguished Flame”, and it impressed a lot of people. One visitor was the Maharani of Cooch Bihar, Indira Devi, but the painting was listed as sold. The lady liked the painting so much, that she dispatched a letter to the artist, if he could copy it for her. That letter is on record too. The fascination for the artist started, as well as the name Mirza Ghalib sprang up in the discussion. G. Venkatachalam told her about the proposed program of the artist in the publication of Murraqqa e Chughtai. Although the artist had raised money for the project, but that was not enough. Maharaja Patiala had bought some paintings and the purchase was helpful to the venture. Realizing the  possible success of the project in a financial proposition, she sent an offer of a business deal, in which she would acquire 15 of the original works, along with a portion of the returns on the sale of the book. Amazing terms for a rich lady to give to a humble artist. That letter is on record too.

Then a letter dated 27th March 1927 when the Maharani of Cooch Bihar sent a draft of Rs 5000 to the artist and waived the portion on the sale of books voluntarily on her own. And then a blank portion as to what happened after that, but a letter from the Maharani itself, thanking receipt of the book sent to her, but that is dated 5th May, 1932. The question remains if the book was printed in 1928, why did it take such a long time for the book to be sent to her. There are unanswered questions.

We do know that the Nizam of Hyderabd was approached by Dr Allama Iqbal for a grant of another Rs 5000 to the artist, as funds had run out for the publication. That letter is there in Hyderabad archives but we do not have a copy, only a reference. Funds came or not, the book was dedicated to the Nizam of Hyderabad. But all of the paintings were sold to Princess Durre Shehwar of Hyderabad Deccan. Finally the works were hung in the Nizam’s Palace Delhi. Where are they now? No one knows. 

But what about the fifteen works that were to be taken by Maharani of Cooch Bihar? She wanted a selection of her choice. Not possible that she left pursuit of them. That is an enigma that cannot be solved. But the truth is the works must have been copied by the artist for her. One work rather a different version of the Wasted Vigil, was sold by the Maharani of Jaipur, from her mothers collection. Confirmed to me by Ms Mehreen Rizvi-Khursheed. The Curator Anthony Spira refused to send a HD version of the work for my analysis, and long after the exhibition show is over in the UK. I still haven’t received a copy of the catalogue. Obviously it was promised to me and I cooperated fully with them. They were inclined to put a fake picture of the “Serenade” in the show and I gave them the original one. The UK riots going on these days, suggest the colonial attitude still persists in the UK.

LOST ORIGINAL MINIATURE AND VARIOUS COPIES, OF ACTUAL FUNERAL OF EMPEROR SHAH JAHAN; AND SURPRISING LINK OF THREE MANUSCRIPTS.

LOST ORIGINAL MINIATURE AND VARIOUS COPIES,
OF ACTUAL FUNERAL OF EMPEROR SHAH JAHAN;
AND SURPRISING LINK OF THREE MANUSCRIPTS.

The Mughals created history, and loved the written record of it. They didn’t miss much and their historians wrote whatever they could. But even then things are missing. And no one jumps to their imagination for fear of losing credibility.

The death of Shah Jahan was inevitable. Jahan Ara had programs for a Royal procession, but Aurangzeb permitted Islamic rites, and buried him next to his wife Mumtaz Mahal, although that was not the actual plan. The whole dream of the Black marble Taj Mahal was gone. Certainly there would be original miniatures but seemingly lost with time. One sees copies coming up in the 18th Century and even in the 19th century. And certainly people stood by their Emperor till the end. But the original architect Mimar Ustad Ahmad had died in 1649 AD. The need for a new architect to plan the new burial was there and somebody would be there, along with the administrator of the Taj Mahal complex. Muhammed Salih calls it the “Rauza Munawara”, or the “Illumined Tomb.” So what is new? Three manuscripts reveal startling new information. A little information and background is necessary for the same. The three manuscripts of that period exist in reality.

Manuscript One

A copy of Zain Obain by Mir Waiz Kashfi, written by two partners. One of them is Mir Shah son of Mir Muhammed Ali Al-Hassani Al-Hussaini, and the other Lutufullah, and witten in both hand writings. Plain, no gold ornamentation. The year 1077 AH. Why is the year important? It is the year of death of Emperor Shah Jahan, and there seems to be a need for these both partners to be together at one place. Which one? 

Manuscript two

A copy of the Holy Quran with a hashiya on it. The calligrapher Syed Shah Muhammed Al-Hassani Al-Hussaini. The date 1091 AH. The Hashiya by Lutufullah Ahmad Muhandis. Dated 1092 AH. Whayt is important about this?

Syed Shah calls himself the Khakrob of Astana Munawara.  Who is a Khakrob, a dust cleaner, a maintenance person, or an administrator to keep things working. And what is Astana Munawara? Muhammed Salih the court historian calls the Taj Mahal Rauza Munawara. Syed Shah goes one step further and calls it Astana Munawara. The house of Taj Mahal.

Both partners together in the premises of the Taj Mahal, spending their time in writing books, and working on maintenance and architectural modifications. What can be more clear than that?

Manuscript three

A risalah on MANTIQ by Syed Shah, found in the library of Muhammed Hanif, Imam of Wazeer Khan Mosque, and calligraphed by Luufullah Ahmad Muhandis.

All three linked together. The secrets of history are ever there. It needs intelligence to find the secrets. Vey clear who was there at the Taj mahal doing these things.