BAZ BAHADUR AND RUPMATI HUNTING, INDIA, MUGHAL, 17TH CENTURY

Gouache heightened with gold on paper, laid down on an album page with narrow gold border rules. Painting: 25 by 17 cm. Leaf: 35.5 by 25.5 cm.

Verso: A nastaliq quatrain, signed Abu Al-Baqa’ (Al-Musawi) circa 1680-1690. Ink and pigments on paper, the calligraphy in six lines of elegant black nastaliq script, each line in cloud on illuminated gilded floral ground, with cream borders, Panel: 35 by 25.5 cm. Calligraphy: 25 by 12 cm.

CATALOGUE NOTE Baz Bahadur had discovered Roopmati in music and hence it was dearer to him than even his kingdom. One day, when on a hunting expedition a melody piercing the column of trees reached him. He moved along the melody and reached Roopmati, an exceptional beauty. He instantly fell in love and when her father Thakur Than Singh did not agree to their marriage, he obtained her in a fierce battle. Their love lasted till 1661 when Akbar’s military general Adam Khan defeated him and captured Mandu, Roopmati preferring death to being a Mughal captive. In 1561, Akbar’s army led by Adham Khan and Pir Muhammad Khan attacked Malwa and defeated Baz Bahadur in the battle of Sarangpur on 29 March 1561. One of the reasons for Adham Khan’s attack seems to be his lust for Rani Roopmati. Rani Roopmati poisoned herself upon hearing of the fall of Mandu. Baz Bahadur fled[1] to Khandesh. Akbar soon recalled Adham Khan and made over command to Pir Muhammad, who attacked Khandesh and proceeded up to Burhanpur but was soon defeated by a coalition of three powers: Miran Mubarak Shah II of Khandesh, Tufal Khan of Berar and Baz Bahadur. Pir Muhammad died while retreating. The confederate army pursued the Mughals and drove them out of Malwa, and thus Baz Bahadur regained his kingdom for a brief period.