1237 AD rare manuscripts among 60 holy Qurans being exhibited

Srinagar, Sep 19 (UNI) A hand-written manuscript with Persian translation of holy Quran written in 1237 AD, about 83 years before Muslims assumed political power in Kashmir, will be among rarest of rare Quranic manuscripts to be exhibited here from September 22.

This will be for the first time that Academy of Art, Culture and Languages is exhibiting quranic manuscripts, written by legendry calligraphists of the world hundreds of years ago.

Giving details Zaffar Iqbal Khan Manhas, Secretary Academy said one of the attractions of the exhibition will be the oldest available manuscript of Holy Quran in Kashmir calligraphed by one Fateh-ullah Kashmiri in 1237 AD. This contains the Persian translation also.

He said rarest of the rare Quranic manuscripts are being exhibited by the Academy at Saqafat Ghar on the bank of river Jhelum at Lal Mandi from September 22 for a period of three days.

He said this exhibition will be the first of its kind in which the old rare centuries manuscripts written by renowned calligraphist and scholars of the world will be exhibited.

Mr Manhas said this will include Holy Quran written with an ink made byblending gold with saffron. This is the only manuscript in the world calligraphed in saffron ink. This manuscript bears the colophonoed year and calligraphed in 1594 AD.

He said about 35 hand written manuscripts and nearly 2 dozens printed copies of Quran would be exhibited in this historic exhibition.

The other main attraction of the exhibition will be a manuscript of Persian written in calligraphed with nail of thumb popularly known as Khat-e-Nakhun.

This manuscript is marvel of calligraphy, he said adding that the margin of the manuscript is decorated with illustrations of men, birds, animals and beasts.

Another specimen of calligraphy to be exhibited during the exhibition will be the collection of calligrpahy specimen of Quran by Usman- Qadri, the renowned calligrapher of South Asia.

He said in this exhibition, Academy is going to exhibit a marvellous work done in 1711 AD. These Quranic manuscripts bears Paper Machie cover which may be one of the earliest specimen extinct in Kashmir.

Mr Manhas said another interesting factor is manuscript contains the parables of great philosophers and kings. It is a beautiful specimen of calligraphy. Some of the pages of this manuscript are illuminated with gold. Elegant paintings of major Mughal emperors including the manuscript have added to the grace and value of this manuscript.

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