Last Mughal emperor's private prayer book unveiled in London

LONDON: India's last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar's personal prayer book in exquisite Arabic and Persian calligraphy - containing hymns meant for use only by the royalty - was unveiled at a function at the Nehru Centre here.

India's acting high commissioner, Ashok Mukherjee, said in his inaugural address Sunday: "I have had the rare privilege of holding and browsing through this magnificent illustration of calligraphy and indeed a priceless piece of Mughal history. It is a milestone reminder of India's rich heritage."

Several historians and academics attended the unveiling function organised by Khidmet International. An invaluable historical find, the 19th century collection of hymns drew a sense of awe and wonder as people queued up to hold and browse through its pages.

Salman Asif of Khidmet International said, "On September 14, 1857, British forces under General Delmahoy marched into the inner sanctum of the Red Fort - the Diwan-e-Khaas. The General seized the emperor's hand written book of manajaat or prayers."

"The book contains prayers that are neither drawn from the Muslim holy book Quran nor are found in any other part of the Islamic world as a general body of religious verses. It is a collection of private, custom made prayers whose right of recitation was reserved strictly for regal lips."

"It was during the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb Alamgir's long censorious rule (1658 - 1707) when some Mughal royalties began to compile these prayers lest they were prohibited under some decree by the puritanical emperor.

"The final collection was orchestrated under the scholarly Bahadur Shah Zafar. The prayers were circumspectly guarded and memorised by young Mughal princes and princesses," Asif said.

The book is currently in the private collection of Nazrulislam Bose, director of Khidmet International.

Commenting on the book, Bose said, "It is our hope that this invaluable book generates sufficient philanthropic interest from a motivated institution or individual willing to acquire it so that Khidmet International is able to continue and sustain its march through dialogue - bringing hearts, souls and minds together for peace, tolerance and inclusion to assure a secure future for our next generations."

Historian, author and vice-chancellor of Delhi's Jamia Millia University Mushirul Hasan and Polly O'Hanlan of Oxford University also addressed the gathering.

Hasan stressed that it was important to pay attention to the voices of the people, the unsung heroes of the war of independence. He said, "There is an urgent and pressing need to collate information comprising these voices that highlight the human cost of this historical event and the incalculable damage that it caused."

"It is equally important not to forget that the British rule was also perceived by many amongst Indian intelligentsia, at the time, as an opportunity to become abreast with a new age. They wished India to seize the possibilities that this colossal adversity also presented and move ahead with the times," he added. 

O'Hanlan held that the 1857 uprising was a peasant resistance against social, economic and political injustice at the time. She said, "It is important not to forget that the popular resistance movement initiated in 1857 is still a relevant threshold as vast numbers of people in many parts of the world are struggling to claim their basic human rights and to achieve socio-economic and political empowerment."