Illuminated Ramayanas — an illustration from a Persian translation of the Ramayana
The Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1542 - 1605) is widely regarded as one of the greatest kings ever to rule India. His tolerance for all faiths is well known. Severely dyslexic, he was unable to read and write, and debate and discussion became a important way for him to explore and understand different faiths. Despite his inability to read, he also ordered the translation of important religious texts into Persian, including the Ramayana.
The first translation of the Ramayana into Persian by Akbar’s order was by Badayuni, which he completed in 1589. This was a translation of Valmiki’s Sanskrit epic. It was also elaborately and beautifully illustrated by leading painters in Akbar’s court. I have been unable to ascertain whether the original manuscript of Badayuni’s translation still exists in its entirety, or whether, like many other such manuscripts, it was broken up and its pages dispersed across private and museum collections in Europe and the USA.
I was fortunate to see the following painting at an exhibition on the Great Mughals at the V&A Museum in London. (Luckily, photography without flash was allowed!) It shows Sita, imprisoned by Ravana in Lanka, shying away in fright from Hanuman who she thinks is Ravana in disguise.
The information displayed with the painting says that it “once belonged to a manuscript bearing the seal of Akbar’s mother Hamida Banu Begum, suggesting that it was in her personal library.” Hamida Banu, it seems, had an extensive collection of manuscripts. The painting is dated 16 May 1594. It is opaque watercolour and gold on paper, produced in the Mughal court workshops in Lahore. Notice the painter’s eye for detail—the patterns on the carpet, the tiles on the wall, the folds of the pavilion curtain, the birds on the roof of the pavilion and in the tree, the ducks in the pond, the layout of the garden and the flowerbeds. Notice, too, the fine calligraphy.
I hope you enjoyed this tiny glimpse into our rich and diverse heritage. Please write in and let me know what you think. I love to hear from my readers.
