Prof Naman P Ahuja of JNU delivers Prof M Athar Ali Memorial Lecture at AMU
ALIGARH : The Aligarh Historians Society, Aligarh Muslim University organized the 21st Prof M Athar Ali Memorial Lecture, which was delivered by Prof Naman P Ahuja, School of Art and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, who is also the General Editor of the prestigious art journal, Marg, published from Mumbai.
Prof Ahuja spoke on an early medieval text, Chandayan, also known as Laur Chanda, which is an early medieval indigenous love story, written down by Maulana Daud and which has also been referred to by Mulla Abdul Qadir Badauni.
He said that a number of early 15th – 16th century illustrated manuscripts of this text, all written in Awadhi, have survived the time. The titles to the cantos are written in Persian indicating that they were being read by the people well versed in both Persian and Awadhi. In a large number of illustrations, the portrait of Mulla Daud is also included, he added.
Prof Ahuja pointed out that composed in Hindavi (using the Old Hindi dialect of Jaunpuri Avadhi), the Chandayan is regarded as one of the foundational texts of the history of Hindi literature. The remains of copies that were profusely illustrated sometime between the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries are also foundational for studies in art history. They form the largest corpus of evidence of pre-Mughal painting in north India.
He highlighted the features of the paintings of this popular tale reflecting on how the “vernacular” Chandayan is a valuable source of social and cultural history that allows scholars to map the politics of language and patronage in the domains of the Sultanates.
In his presidential remarks, Professor Emeritus Irfan Habib drew parallels between the Sufi writings of the period which, like Chandayan, also depict social interactions between Hindu and Muslim communities.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Convener and Treasurer of AHS, Prof Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi introduced the speaker and the late Prof M Athar Ali who was one of the most popular historians produced by Aligarh school, who has contributed much to the history of medieval India.
Prof Shireen Moosvi extended a vote of thanks.