‘Majority of book written in prose’

JAIPUR: The first adaptation of Mahabharata in Persian language commissioned by Mughal emperor Akbar in 1582 is ‘safe and sealed’ in Jaipur’s City Palace vault.The 18-volume treasure trove ‘Razmnama’ (book of war) is out of the reach for scholars, historians and enthusiasts as the prized possession remains locked in a long, legal battle among the royals.According to historians, Akbar had commissioned the project to the Brahmin Sanskrit scholars of Benaras and Persian language experts in his court, who had completed the first translation in two years (1584). The book, also called as a collection of illustrations, remained with the Mughals before it was purchased by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh I in 1753 from the Mughal court.Rama Dutt, executive trustee of Sawai Man Singh-II Museum Trust told TOI, “The book Razmnama is at the City Palace. The property is under the receiver as per the Supreme Court."Historians describe the work as a ‘masterclass amalgamation’ of Indo-Persian aestheticism. It is in the form of illustrations and includes translation of about a lakh Sanskrit verses.A former official of the City Palace, who claimed to have seen the adaptation, says that the book had signatures of almost all Mughal rulers after Akhbar. “The book has signatures of all - Jahangir (1605-1627 to Rafi-Ud-Darajat (1719). As per the Mughal tradition, successors would visit a few important places including the royal library. Jahangir, who was said to have been mesmerized, even wrote a remark and left an impression of his hand on it," said the former official.The first edition attained international attention after author TH Hendly authored ‘Memorials of Jaypore Exhibition’, which was published in 1883 and presented the illustration of Razmnama.Jaipur: US-based author and academician Audrey Truschke, who is presently in the city for the Jaipur Literature Festival, on Friday told TOI, “The majority of the book was written in prose but translators inserted occasional poetic verses throughout the text. The poetry was quoted from the great masters of Persian literature such as Nizami, Hafiz, Sa’di, Sana’I, Anvari, Radaki and Mu’izzi."Truschke said that her research is based on the colophon of second edition of Razmnama (1599), also commissioned by Akbar and presently housed at the British Library, London. She said, “The books are largely unchanged, complete with several side stories and digressions.”Truschke said that Abu al-Fazl, the author of Akhbarnama, who wrote the preface for the book, had said, “I see such agitation in myself from hearing such stories that what can I write? And In this book, such extraordinary things are on every page, every section and every chapter.”