In a painting titled "Jahangir's dream", the Mughal Emperor Jahangir is portrayed as embracing:-
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Safavid Shah Abbas
Note 1: The given answer is as per the official NTA Answer Key. However, the question can have more than one correct answer, i.e. both Option (3) and Option (4), as explained below.
The miniature “Jahangir’s dream”, painted by Abu’l Hasan on Jahangir’s orders, shows Jahangir and the Safavid Shah Abbas in friendly embrace. The scene is fictional, as the two rulers had never met; the figure of the Shah is based on portraits made by Bishandas, who went with the Mughal embassy to Iran in 1613.
Option (3) Shah of Iran — Also correct. Shah Abbas was the Safavid ruler of Iran; the Mughal embassy of 1613 went to his court in Iran. So ‘Shah of Iran’ describes the same person.
Option (4) Safavid Shah Abbas — Correct. It names the ruler in full: the Safavid Shah Abbas, whom Jahangir embraces in the painting.
Note 2: This question is taken from the chapter ‘Kings and Chronicles’ which was there in the pre-rationalised NCERT and has been deleted from subsequent editions of NCERT, including the NCERT book (2026-27).
NCERT (Pre-rationalised): “…An inscription on this miniature records that Jahangir commissioned Abu’l Hasan to render in painting a dream the emperor had had recently. Abu’l Hasan painted this scene portraying the two rulers – Jahangir and the Safavid Shah Abbas – in friendly embrace. Both kings are depicted in their traditional costumes. The figure of the Shah is based upon portraits made by Bishandas who accompanied the Mughal embassy to Iran in 1613. This gave a sense of authenticity to a scene which is fictional, as the two rulers had never met.”
Fig. 9.16 Jahangir’s dream (Pre-rationalised) |
