Persian Inscriptions on Indian Monuments


Persian Inscriptions on Indian Monuments is a book written in Persian by Dr Ali Asghar Hekmat E Shirazi and published in 1956 and 1958 and 2013. new edition contains the Persian texts of more than 120 epigraphical inscriptions found on historical monuments in India, many of which are currently listed as national heritage sites or registered as UNESCO world heritage sites. The most recent edition, containing an additional 200 epigraphical inscriptions from Indian monuments, has been published in Persian; an English edition is also being printed.
In India, Persian inscriptions are usually found on buildings such as mosques and tombs, or on secular edifices including forts, palaces, gateways, water tanks, wells, gardens and bridges. Certain movable objects such as seals, signets, vases and eating utensils often bear inscriptions too. Most pre-Mughal Indian Islamic and Persian inscriptions in India date from the last decade of the 12th century AD, when Muhammad Ghori conquered Delhi and established his sultanate there. However, a small number of inscriptions have been found in Haryana, Gujarat and Kerala which bear earlier dates.
In Persian, Arabic and Urdu inscriptions found in India, the dynasties represented most prominently are the Mamluks, the Khaljis, the Tughluqs, the Sayyids, the Lodis, the Mughals and Surs. Many other regional dynasties also receive prominent representation in inscriptions within India. When the powerful Mughals and dynasties assumed power, they used Persian as the main language for all academic and administrative matters, including inscriptions, coins, official letters and many others. Under the later Mughals, many of the regional principalities became autonomous and continued using Persian as their official language. Later, when Urdu came into wider use, its existence was also recorded in inscriptions.
In addition to Arabic, Persian and Urdu inscriptions, there are also bilingual and even trilingual inscriptions. Persian and mixed Quranic Arabic with Persian have been used alongside many other languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, English, Portuguese and many others. Examples of such inscriptions can be found in Qutb Minar at New Delhi, the Tomb of Akbar the Great at Sikandara, the Adina Mosque at Pandua, the Taj Mahal at Agra and many other locations. In addition, Arabic and Persian inscriptions can be found written in various different popular scripts or styles of Islamic Persian Calligraphy, including Kufi, Naskh, Thuluth, Riqa and Nastaliq. The book describes many palaces, forts, tombs and mosques inscribed with Persian Inscriptions.

First chapter

The first chapter of the book is dedicated to the history of Persian inscription in India, describing the history of epigraphy up to the initial development of Islam and beyond. Sassanid Persian inscriptions can be found in the Ajanta cave, on many coins dating from the reign of Pulakesin II and on the crosses of churches such as St. Thomas Mount and San Thome Basilica in Chennai and St. Mary's Orthodox Valiyapally in Bangalore.
on large pishtaq at the Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Palaces, citadels

The book describes Persian Inscriptions on many palaces and fort in India including:
  1. Red castle or The Red Fort is a historic fort in the city of Delhi that served as the main residence of the Mughal Emperors. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned construction of the Red Fort on 12 May 1638, when he decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi. Originally red and white, Shah Jahan's favourite colours, its design is credited to architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori, who also constructed the Taj Mahal. It was constructed between May 1639 and April 1648.it was conquered by Nader shah of Persia.
  2. in the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the buildings in this complex there are many persian inscriptions especialy in the hall of Ashoka. is the official residence of the President of India in New Delhi, Rashtrapati Bhavan may refer to only the 340-room main building that has the president's official residence, including reception halls, guest rooms and offices, also called the mansion; it may also refer to the entire 130-hectare Presidential Estate that additionally includes huge presidential gardens, large open spaces, residences of bodyguards and staff, stables, other offices and utilities within its perimeter walls. In terms of area, it is the largest residence of any head of state in the world.

    Mausoleums

The book describes 47 Mausoleum and tombs in India inscribed with Persian Inscriptions.
  1. Mausoleum of Akbar or Akbar's tomb is the tomb of the Mughal emperor Akbar. This tomb is an important Mughal architectural masterpiece. It was built in 1605–1613 by his son Jahangir and is situated in 119 acres of grounds in Sikandra, a sub of Agra, the best marble stone inscribed with Persian Inscriptions and poem.
's Tomb of external entrance from the road, built to imitate the Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri, the city, Akbar founded

Persian inscription in the mosques

The book had described Persian inscription in the 14 mosques in India including:
  1. The Jama Masjid, Delhi of Delhi, is one of the largest mosques in India. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1650 and 1656 The mosque was completed in 1656 AD with three great gates and two 40 metres high minarets constructed with strips of red sandstone and white marble. The courtyard can accommodate more than 25000 people. There are three domes on the terrace which are surrounded by the two minarets. The architectural plan of Badshahi Masjid, built by Shah Jahan's son Aurangzeb at Lahore, Pakistan, is similar to the Jama Masjid.
. Shah Jahan also built the Taj Mahal, at Agra and the Red Fort in Old Delhi, which stands opposite the Jama Masjid.it remained the royal mosque of the emperors until the end of the Mughal period.
  1. Jamia Masjid is a mosque in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Situated at Nowhatta in the middle of the Old City, the Mosque was commissioned by Sultan Sikandar in 1394 CE and completed in 1402 CE, at the behest of Mir Mohammad Hamadani, son of Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, and is regarded as one of the most important mosques in Kashmir.The Mosque is located in Downtown which remains a central zone to the religio-political life in Srinagar. Thronged by Muslims every Friday, it is one of the prime tourist attractions of Srinagar.
with 10 persian plaques,
  1. Jama Mosque, Agra
  2. Jama Mosque, Fatehpur Sikri
  3. Qutb Minar complex
  4. Jama Mosque, Jaunpur
After being forgotten for over 50 years, a third edition of the book has been printed by Dr. Mohammad Ajam. According to the publisher's introduction, the absence of the book was felt particularly keenly by students of the Persian language and literature, as well as linguistics. The new edition includes images of many of the inscriptions it describes, as well as a new and a new seventh chapter consisting of five parts.
The new edition of the book has been published under a different title: Persian Inscriptions on the Indian World Heritage Sites. This is because many of the stone inscriptions it describes have been preserved and registered as sites of world heritage and world spiritual heritage. The new edition contains about 120 images.

First part

The first part of this chapter contains a selection of Persian inscriptions found on the Hyderabad Monuments, dating from the era of the Qutb Shahi dynasty. It also contains inscriptions from the Golkonda fort and the Deccan in the Andhra Pradesh.

Second part

The second part contains details of Persian epigraphy on Bengal stones.

Third part

The third part deals with the Mughal/Persian architecture in India. The influence Persian-style architecture and language in India began with the Tughlaq dynasty; in addition, all the ruling dynasties after them were originally from Greater Khorasan, an area dominated by Persian language and culture. The Mughal dynasty also came from Greater Khorasan, which is why the book describes Mughal architecture as the Khorasanid or Persian style of architecture.
, a prominent example of Islamic architecture in India.
Mughal tombs, made from sandstone and marble, emphasise the Persian influence. Among the architectural achievements of this era are the Red Fort at Agra and the walled city of Fatehpur Sikri, as well as the Taj Mahal, which was built as a tomb for Queen Mumtaz Mahal by Shah Jahan. With its double dome, its recessed archway, its white marble and its parks, as well as the emphasis on symmetry and detail, this building contains many of the key elements of architecture from the period of Shah Jahan. Verses from the Quran were inscribed on the walls of the buildings; problematically, though the depiction of living beings is forbidden by the Islamic religion.

Fourth part

The fourth part describes the Persian language and its influence over other languages such as Hindi, Urdu and Turkic.

Fifth part

The fifth part contains some samples of royal orders, including government instructions, and copies of the Persian drawings found in the museums of Hyderabad and Delhi.

Indian monuments with Persian inscriptions

According to the book Persian Inscriptions on Indian Monuments, there are nearly 15,000 examples of Persian and Quranic inscriptions in India, mostly found in cities such as Hyderabad, Delhi, Agra and Lucknow, amongst others. The list of historical Indian monuments containing Persian inscriptions and Persian calligraphy includes the following:
Mehrauli was built by Qutub-ud-din Aibak and heralded the beginning of a new style of art and architecture which came to be known as the Indo-Islamic style. Other monuments included in the Qutub complex are the Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb, Balban's tomb, Quli Khan's Tomb, Rajon Ki Baoli in Mehrauli Archaeological Park. In addition, Jahaz Mahal and Adham Khan's Tomb are located on a hilltop nearby.
Other monuments with Persian inscriptions include the following:
Pictures of some of the Indian monuments which contain Persian inscriptions: