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The magnificent Persian epic, ‘Dastan-e-Amir Hamza’ (or Hamzanama), was illustrated under the initial supervision of Mir Sayyid Ali and later completed under Abdus Samad. Commissioned by Emperor Akbar early in his reign, this massive project involved hundreds of large-scale paintings, ...

Virat

Madad-i-Maash in the Mughal administration referred to revenue-free land grants given to learned men (ulema), scholars, religious figures and poor or needy persons. These grants were essentially state endowments to support the class of learned or charitable individuals and were ...

Virat

In Mughal administration, the Muhtasib was the Officer of Public Morality. Their primary role was to ensure that the general populace adhered to the established norms of Sharia (Islamic law). Their duties included checking weights and measures in markets, ensuring ...

Virat

The historian Stanley Lane-Poole famously wrote of Emperor Humayun, “He stumbled through life and stumbled to his death.” This quote perfectly summarizes Humayun’s unpredictable career, marked by initial loss of his empire, long exile and his final, accidental death by ...

Virat

Emperor Humayun died in January 1556 after falling down the stairs of his library located in the Dinpanah fort (later called Sher Mandal) in Delhi. He was rushing to answer the call for prayer (Azaan) when the accident occurred. His ...