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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[OCTOBER, 1926
THE TAJ AND ITS ENVIRONMENTS, with 8 illus. trations from Photographs and 4 plans, by MAULVI MOIN-UD-DIN AHMAD, with a Foreword, by KHAN SAHIB SAIYAD ABU MOHAMMAD, M.A., Agra, 1924.
This is a second and revised edition of a useful hand book to the famous Taj Mahal, which visitors to that peerloos monument of Mughal architecture will do well to study. For not only does it contain succinct accounts of the famous historical figures connected with the tomb and its neighbourhood, but it also supplios many details of the monument itself, culled from original sources, which are not to be found in the ordinary guide book. The opening pages are devoted to a short biographical account of Shah Jahan's queen, whose mental equipment and physical beauty were in no way inferior to those of her famous aunt, Nur Jahan: and the author incidentally endeavours to disprove the view that Shah Jahan was guilty of bigotry and that Mumtaz Mahal herself was in great measure responsible for this alleged shortcoming of the Emperor. While I am disposed to agree with the author that no blame on this score can attach to the queen, I hesitate to accept his statement that "Shah Jahan dealt with men of other religions as kindly as Jahangir and Akbar." This assertion strikes me as too sweeping, for it runs counter to the statement of that careful historian, Pringle Kennedy, to the effect that the reign of Shih Jah&n offers the first indication of the abandonment of the policy of toleration, devised by Akbar and followed by Jahangir. There is little reason to doubt that, not long after the death of Mumtaz Mahal, the emperor ordered the destruction of all temples throughout the empire, particularly in Benares, which had been begun but were still unfinished. The order could not be fully carried out: but its proinulgation is nevertheless indicative of a decided relapse from the wise tolerance of the previous reigns.
In his discussion of the planning and construction of the Taj Mahal the author seems to stand on firmer ground. He gives from original sources the names of the chief architects, masons, artista etc., employed in designing and constructing this marvellous building, and the salaries which each of them drew, and thereby shows that the Taj Mahal owes nothing to European influence, but was purely the work of Indian, Persian, Arabian and Turkish craftsmen. The actual designer of this architectural masterpiece was one Isa Afandi, whom the author describes as a Turko-Indian; and his contention that the Italian, Geronimo Veroneo, had no part or share in the design, seems
to me to rest on a basis of solid fact. This decision, therefore, disposes of the late Dr. Vincent Smith's view that the Taj is "the product of a combination of European and Asiatic genius". He disproves even more clearly the view that the Frenchman, Austin de Bordeaux, played a part in the decoration of the Taj. This erroneous opinion reste primarily upon Sleeman's misreading of Ustan for Ustad in the Persian account, and his mistake and his con. sequent blunders have in the past misled many writers. Mr. Moin-ud-din Ahmad has done well to lay the error finally to rest.
The first half of this book is concerned with the structural details and measurements of the tomb, and its interior arrangement and workmanship; and gives the text and an-English rendering of the epigraphs in various parts of the building: while the later pages are devoted to a description of the Jilo-khana and other auxillary buildings, and to a brief account of the notable persons, e.g., Sati-un. nissa Khânam and Sarhindi Begam, whose tombe lie within the precincts. The author also investi. gates the question of the endowment assigned by Shah Jahan for the maintenance of the Taj, which apparently consisted of the revenues of 30 villages, supplemented by receipts from shope, bazaars and sarais. The gardens and buildings in the neighbourhood of the tomb are noticed, as also are the chief landmarks in the environs of Agra. Finally, an appendix containing descriptive accounts of the Taj Mahal by various authors of note, including Shah Jahan's own Persian verses on his wife's tomb, completes a careful and succinct summary of all facts and details of the history, construction, character, and cost of this priceless memorial of Asiatic art.
8. M. EDWARDES.
INQUIRIES INTO THE POPULAR RELIGIONS OF CEYLON,
Pt. I. Singhalese Amulete, Taliemans and Spelle, by DR. OTAKAR PERTOLD. Prague, Caroline Uni. versity.
The above, at any rate, is the translation of the original title which runs: "S. Doc. Ph., Dr. Otakar Pertold, Príspevky ke studiu Lidovych Nabozenstir Ceylonskych : Cast prvnl; Simhalskē Amulety, Talismany & Rikadla," The whole fasciculus is in Czekh and therefore useless to Indian scholars, and most English ones as well. This is a great pity, as it is clearly an earnest and useful study of a very interesting subject. At p. 87 is an English summary, which only enhances our regret that the whole of it is not in English. Perhaps some day the author may be induced to write it in that language.
R. C. TEMPLE.
