‘Nujum al-Ulum’ manuscript was completed under which of the following Bijapur ruler?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Ali Adil Shah I
The Nujum al-Ulum is a richly illustrated encyclopaedia of Bijapur, dated 1570, with 876 miniatures. The Bijapur school was patronised by Ali Adil Shah I (1558–1580) and then by his successor Ibrahim II (1580–1627). The year 1570 falls in the reign of Ali Adil Shah I, so the manuscript was completed under him; Ibrahim II later owned it.
NCERT (2026-27): “Bijapur School of Painting Paintings from Bijapur in the sixteenth century have a richly illustrated encyclopaedia known as the Nujum al-Ulum dated 1570. Among the 876 miniatures, which adorn this remarkable little volume, many illustrate weapons and utensils, while others the constellations. The women are shown in south Indian dress, tall and slender as those in the Ragamala paintings. The school of Bijapur was patronised by Ali Adil Shah I (1558–1580) and his successor Ibrahim II (1580–1627), both patrons of art and literature. The latter was also an expert in Indian music and author of a book on this subject, Nauras-nama. He was the owner of Nujum al-Ulum manuscript and might have commissioned the Ragamala series in the 1590s.…”
Nujum al-Ulum: The Throne of Prosperity, Bijapur, 1570, The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, Ireland |
