Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World

RSPA 69 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)

India Office Library

Jones Collection

Royal Society Arabic and Persian

Contents

1 copy of Hazār Dhrupad by Nāyak Bakhshū

Language(s): Persian

Incipit: الله اکبر. وچون نقوس مقدسه تجرد نهاد را میل بلذات روحانی
Explicit: ادتر آدت کاهی ابیات

This is a collection of 1004 dhrupad (traditional north-Indian musical genre) composed by Nāyak Bakhshū (active in the 16th century) which were translated into Persian under the direction of Shāh Jahān, to whom the work is dedicated and whose name is introduced in every chorus.

The final folio (f211v) bears a seal from 1109AH of a man called Qābil Khān in the court of Aurangzeb.

There is a blue and gold headpiece on f1v.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Gold-flecked strong white woven paper.
Extent: ff.ii+211+iv
Dimensions (leaf): 260 × 190 mm.
Dimensions (written): 170 × 100 mm.
Foliation:

European numerals in pencil.

Condition

Extensive worm damage. Supports and guards.

Layout

The layout is variable depending on the contents of the dhrupad.

Hand(s)

Black ink Indian-style taʿlīq script with rubrications.

Decoration

The manuscript is covered in gold flecks and the margins of each folio are also gilded.

Additions:

There are marginal notations on some folios in the same hand as the scribe.

Binding

Standard India Office half leather binding with wine-coloured marbled endpapers.

Accompanying Material

History

Origin: 1627 - 1697 CE ; India

Provenance and Acquisition

RSPA 1-118 were presented to the Royal Society in January 1792 by Sir William and Lady Jones. This manuscript was presented by Lady Jones.

The Royal Society's collection of 280 Persian and Arabic, and 86 Sanskrit manuscripts were transferred to the India Office Library in 1876.

1876

India Office Library

Record Sources

Manuscript description based on E. Denison Ross and E. G. Browne, Catalogue of two collections of Persian and Arabic manuscripts preserved in the India Office Library (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1902), p.55 no.LXIX

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card for admissions procedures contact British Library, Registering for a Reader Pass. Contact apac-enquiries@bl.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript. For information on catalogues and ordering manuscripts see Finding and ordering Persian manuscripts in the British Library.

Funding of Cataloguing

BL


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