Account of Ahmedabad and its buildings, 1272 A.H., 1855 C.E.
Scope and Contents
A work complied by Muḥammad Ḥusayn al-Dīn, the qāz̤ī of Ahmadabad, and dedicated to Mountstuart Elphinstone as a gift upon his trip to the city on December 22nd,1855 C.E.
This is a decorative manuscript, fitting broadly with the characteristics of the muraqqa' (album) genre. The support is paper tinted in bold pink and bound in a concertina-like fashion. The outer margin of each page features text detailing the noteworthy dates in the history of Ahmadabad (from the establishment of the city in 713 A.H. / 1314 C.E.), and including its principal buildings and their dates of construction. In the centre of the folios are gilt frames of various dimensions, within which are pasted lines of poetry, and prose letters, written in a very fine shikastah-nastaʿlīq calligraphy.
Although masterful, these were practice writings by the calligrapher, who writes that he was trying to copy Darvīsh 'Abd al-Majīd Tāliqānī’s shikastah, stating that these exercises are to test his ink and reed, complaining about the quality of both. He gives the date as 1212 A.H. /1797-8 C.E., more than half a century before the transcription of the text in the margins.
Text begins on folio 1b: در احوال بناء احمدآباد و مساجد و اماکن بزرگان به سواد احمداباد و اندرون شهر
The text ends on folio 5a: درین ایام میمنت فرجام بتاریخ بیست و دوم دسمبر سنه 1855 عیسوی مطابق یازدهم شهر ربیع الثانی 1272 هجری جناب نواب معلی القاب کیوان رکاب فلک قباب رفیع الشان عالی مکان کونر لارد الفستن صاحب بادر در شهر خجسته بنیاد احمدآباد رونق افزا شدند بعذا برای اشعار احوال اماکن و مساجد بلده مذکور قاضی محمد حسین الدین قاضی شهر احمدآباد در حضور والا نذر گذرانیده
At the end there is an note, in English, reading: Mohamed Hoossein Oodeen, Cazee of Ahmedabad.
This is very likely the autograph, and the only version of this compliation.
Dates
- Creation: 1272 A.H.
- Creation: 1855 C.E.
Creator
- Ḥusayn al-Dīn, Qāżī Muḥammad (Author, Person)
Language of Materials
Persian (nastaʿlīq/ shikastah)
Physical Description
Black leather cover with brass ornamental onlays, bound in a concertina style. Dimensions 298 by 198 mm. Text is written in different fashions in 270 by 175 mm area.
Conditions Governing Access
Open. Please contact the repository in advance.
Extent
1 volume
Custodial History
This manuscript belonged to Mountstuart Elphinstone (1779-1859), and was part of Carberry Tower Library.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased (via Rankine) at Dowell's sale of the Carberry Tower Library, 20-21 July 1961, lot 280 (23 volumes, £52).
Physical Description
Black leather cover with brass ornamental onlays, bound in a concertina style. Dimensions 298 by 198 mm. Text is written in different fashions in 270 by 175 mm area.
Creator
- Ḥusayn al-Dīn, Qāżī Muḥammad (Author, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
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Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk