THEARABIC

CALLIGRAPHY.IN INDIA

Archaeological Survey of India

Origin of theArabic ScriptIt was yd and 4th Century A.D. when the Arabic scriptstarted taking a definite shape. Its basic letters of alphabetwere like some of their other Semitic counterparts, consistof consonants. Its script was derived from the Nabataeanscript which itself had been derived from Aramaic script.It is written from right to left quite different from otherscripts.

Foliated Kufi and bold Naskh.from Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpda, Ajmer.

Arabic, Persian and Urdu languages are written in Arabicscript.The people of Persia, when embraced Islam,adopted the Arabic script for writing Persian languagewhich was earlier being written in Pahlavi script.

The most important factor in the evolution of the artof Islamic calligraphy is the prohibition on depiction ofhuman or living beings in the tenets of Islam. So as aresult all the efforts of graphic artists and calligrapherswere diverted to make written words so beautiful thatthey become capable to adorn their facades and interiorsof buildings, mihrabs, portals, cover and pages of books,epitaphs, wall-hangings etc. in this way the Arabic script

started developingits own art ofcalligraphy.

Earliest Arabic epitaph in Kufi dated age471 (1078A.D.) from Baliapatam, Kerala.

I

There are sevenmajor styles ofIslamic calligraphy,among manyother varieties andregional innovationsmade in it over thecenturies, namely

Specimen of bold Naskh of Klwlji period from Mehrauii, New Delhi.

Kufi,Naskh, Thulth, Muhahhaq, Riqa, Diwani and Nastaliq.

Epigraphs are the most authentic and imperishable sourceof history. Epigraphs also record the evolution of historyof development of the art of calligraphy. The calligraphyhas been done on paper, coins, seals, metal objects, copperplates, arm and armours etc.

Islamic Calligraphy in IndiaAfter the advent of Islam this art of calligraphy has gonea long way from west Asian & Central Asian countries toIndian sub-continent, to achieve the status of such an artthat without its mention the cultural history of medievalIndia will be considered as incomplete.

Indo- Islamic architecture, royal stationary, royal ordersVarmdns), coins, seals,wall hangings (was/is), fabrics, books(in manuscript form) etc. were evidently influenced by thisart.

When Muslim rule was established in India in 12th centuryA.D., the building activities, along with socio-culturalinstitutions started taking shape on this soil and thusstarted a process of innovation and blending experiments inrespect of art of calligraphy.And thus India of the period ofMuslim rule could claim possession of some of the marvelsof calligraphy in the world.

Another specimen of calligmphy of Bengal Sultans' time in 'Bow and Arrow',

KufiAfter the establishment of first Muslim Sultanate inIndia at the end of 12th century, the tradition of adorningmonuments with large scalecalligraphywas set.We get goodspecimen ofKufi on monuments of Sultanate period, whichwere generally comprised of Bismillah, Quranic "\erses,names of Allah etc. Epitaphs from Baliapatnam (Kerala)and Bhadreshwar (Gujarat) are the earliest examples ofSquare Kufi.Facade of Qjrwwatul Islam Mosque near QutbMinar (New Delhi) and Facade of Adhai-din-ka-JhonpdaMosque, Ajmer are good examples of plaited Kufi style.

Chand Minar at Daulatabad Fort near Aurangabad with the epigraph ofSultan Ahmad Shah Bahmani I1 in Tughraform.

NaskhAnother popular style which was flourishing side by side,was Naskh which totally ousted Kufi and had a sway overthe inscriptions till 16th century. Naskh was the mostpopular style for executing inscriptions for the quality ofits consistency and facility of easy writing and reading.Most of the inscriptions of the period of Turk Sultans,Khaljis, Tughluqs, Lodis and early Mughals are executedin this style. All pre-Mughal coins carry legends in Naskhstyle only.

)rm copied from Malda, WestBangal.

I

A panel in Thulih styI.efrom Dargah of Shaikh. Salim Chishti atFaiehpur ikri. Uttar Pmdesh.

ThulthThulth was though introduced in India right from the14th century but it never ousted -askh completely. Thulthwas more dignified and much more artistic. It had a greatornamental value for decorative bands on central mihrabsof mosques medallions etc. Qutb Shahi and Mughalcalligraphers used thi style generou ly. Jami MasjidGolconda, Taj Iahal Agra, among others, are the bestexample of thi styles.The greatest beauty of this style isits accommodative &overlapping quality and visual valuewhich adds elegance and beauty to the monument.

BihariIndia can boast of adding a new style to the world ofIslamic Art i.e. Bihari Style. A record from Kapadwanj(Gujarat) of the time of Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq isthe best and rare example of this style. We do get manymanuscripts of holy Quran written in this style.

-=. ~ r ;.- ~1OO'- ~ - ,~' '~I''i~~~1---; )'" v'l

') ~ \~~~~V,«~G, ..~------------~------~~~~~

~ :.: !...c

~::~~~.ji~~~~~i~mii·~• 11~~~~~;~~~&t.~t~..I.~_~.~i~_r.¥=.~: -..===----====- L.~l._""m..""._.~*l~~l~ !lii*t~=~

.ill,••• ·.Mlj••~.w:tf.w 'f.!¥."F,:.-; ~ ~ ~ ::-:-"~~1~~~;~~~~~.~._ lD~

·i~eimw. •a~.1.: ,'-' .~.-:-" __ 1 J= __

Mesmerising Thulth calligraphyjrom thefacade ofTaj Mahal executedby Abdul Haq Shirazi during Muglwl Emperor Shahjahan's time.

IBengal StyleThe calligraphers from the court of Bengal Sultans wereso innovative that they gave a new dimension to Thulthstyle and created their own variety which very well foundin the epigraphs of Bengal. The vertical strokes in thisvariety are arranged in such a way that they resemblethe stems of coconut trees, a regional factor. The arthistorians have designated it as 'Bow and Arrow'style ormoving swans/boats against a backdrop of coconut treeson the coast.

Elegant Nastaliq on the black throne of Mughal Emperor"Jahangirkept at Agm Fort.

Nasta'liqBy the start of the 16th century the world of art saw avery delicate cursive style called Nasta'liq. It was KhwajaMir Ali Tabrizi (d.1416) who for the first time designeda new style of calligraphy by masterfully blending Naskhand Taliq together;his able disciples who practiced andpropagated the Nastaliq style produced such a largenumber of followers who contributed a great serviceto the field of Nastaliq calligraphy during the time ofSafawids.

Islamic Calligraphy in India is greatly influenced by theSafawid calligraphers ofIran.

Leaving one or two examples, Nasta'liq was introduced

INastaliq caUigmphy with floral backgroundfrom thefacade ofJamaat Khanna in Jami Masjid, Fatehpur Sikri.

and popularized by GreatMughals in India. Mughalspreferred Nasta'liq for writingany thing, except Quranic verses.Farmans, epigraphs, coins, seals,potteries, arms, manuscripts, etc.were inscribed in Nastaliq.

Inscriptions on the Blackthrone of Agra Fort, Epitaphsof Khusrau Bagh, Allahabad(Jahangir's period) Sarai AzamKhan, Ahmedabad (Shah]ahan's period) and Safdar lung'stomb (later Mughal's period)are the excellent specimen ofNasta'liq style.

Ornamented wasli injineNastaliq being the example ofcalligmphy on paper.

ThghraTaghara means bird in Arabic and theword Tughra is derived from this veryword. Tughra is a form of calligraphyin which the names of Allah,Quranic verses, king's name, emblemof government etc. are written in birdor animal form or beautiful geometricarrangement. The Ottoman Sultans Tuqhra in pear's shape.of Turkey used this form to writetheir names and titles on the royal orders, documents,stationery etc. In India also this tradition was adopted bynearly all Muslim rulers.

Tughra is not a separate style as such. Kufi, Naskh, Thulth,Nasta'liq etc. can be arranged in geometric designs, bird /animal or floral forms to be called Tughra. It is generallyfound in medallions, arms, flags, guns, coins, seals and royalorders lfarmans). Some time a mirror effect is also createdwith the true and retrograde image written face-to-face.The retrograde calligraphy is much useful in engraving sealsand dies of coins.

Calligraphy inManuscriptsThe art of Islamic Calligraphy is not limited to the stone

writings only. We get beautiful specimen of calligraphy inthe manuscripts of holy Quran, hand written books, poeticcollections, history chronicles, waslis (wall hangings),farmans etc. These specimen are written not only in blackink on white hand-made paper but folia of opening pagesof these books, specially of the holy Quran, are highlydecorated with gold ornamentation and colour adorning.

Calligraphy on CoinsThe other area which is highly influenced by the art ofIslamic calligraphy is the medieval coinage.

The Mughal Emperors added a new chapter in the medievalcoinage by producing coins with elegant calligraphy onthem. Specially the coins issued by Akbar, Jahangir andShahjahan are considered the most beautiful coins of theworld only because of their calligraphy and layout.

The Epigraphy Branch at Nagpur in fact deals with Arabicand Persian inscriptions. The medieval coins are alsoexamined in this office.

The epigraphs copied mAnnual Report onand historicallyepigraphs arephoto platesjournalIndica- ArabicSupplement

a year are noticed in theIndian Epigraphy

importantpublished within the researchEpigraphiaand Persian(EIAPS).

Coin of Nawwab Usman Ali Khan the VII Nizam of Hydrabad.