The year was 1290 . A crowd had gathered around a clearing, where broken down pillars marked the presence of an ancient temple, now long gone. A young boy, just 14 years old, leaned against one of those pillars, deep in thought. Then, he began speaking, and the crowd fell silent, listening to his every word. He spoke without any notes, translating the Bhagavat Gita, from Sanskrit, which only the pundits knew, to the language everyone in the village knew and spoke – a variety of Prakrit which developed into the Marathi language. Even as he spoke, one of the men in the audience realized how momentous this event was, and how important this composition would be. He began writing down the words the young boy spoke, and this composition was named by its author and composer, the Bhavartha Deepika – the enlightening meaning (of the Bhagavat Gita). Now, the ancient, holy text, was no longer restricted to the pundits, but accessible to all, understood easily by them, composed as it was, in their...
Sunlight streams in through the fine stone Jaalis, transforming
the gloomy interiors, throwing bright patterns on the hard, cold floors. The Jaalis
themselves shine against the light, as if studded with thousands of diamonds. Soft
instrumental music playing in the background completes the picture, and for
just a moment, I am transported back in time, when the passages I am walking
through would have resounded to musical notes, played and sung by the greatest
of musicians. It is late afternoon, and I am at the tomb of Muhammad Ghaus, in
Gwalior, the spiritual mentor of Tansen, as the Tansen Music festival is in
progress. I couldn’t possibly have chosen a better time.
Tansen is known as one of the nine gems of Akbar’s court, and
as one of the greatest musicians of the era. It is here, in Gwalior that he
truly belongs, the son the city is proud to claim as its own. However, in the
tomb complex where he rests in peace, he is but a student, a disciple of the
great Sufi master, Muhammad Ghaus.
Muhammad Ghaus (~1500 to 1563) was among the most eminent Sufis
of the Shattari order, who came from Persia to India. After spending thirteen
years meditating in the hills near Benaras, under severely austere conditions,
he emerged to spend the remainder of his lifetime teaching a most eclectic
variety of Sufism. A student of Sanskrit, Muhammad Ghaus wrote one book
combining Islamic mystic thought with astrological theories, and another on the
methods of self-discipline and breath control, as practiced by the Yogis. This was
the first treatise on the yogis written by an Indian Muslim*.
Muhammad Ghaus was closely associated with Humayun, and when
Humayun was overthrown by Sher Shah, the Sufi master was forced to flee to
Gujarat. He only returned to Agra and Gwalior when Akbar came to power. This is
also when Tansen came to him as a student, and became his disciple.
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| Muhammad Ghaus' tomb, as seen from Tansen's. |
Muhammad Ghaus’ importance in the Mughal court is clearly seen
in the grandeur of the architecture of his tomb. The domes, arches and minarets
are typical of the period, but it is the jaalis or stone latticework, that sets
the tomb apart.
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| One of the most beautiful Jaali panels. Notice that each square has a different pattern |
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| Another gorgeous panel, incredibly detailed |
The central hall with the tomb has jaali work too,
but it is the outer walls of the passage around the hall that are so impressive
in their design.
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| Painting on the ceiling |
While the effect of the light on the jaalis is
impressive, it also throws light on the sad state the monument is in.
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| This is the panel around the entrance to the tomb. Notice how parts of the jaali have broken |
The tomb is a place of pilgrimage for many, as well as
a major tourist attraction. However, there are bags of cement, and assorted
things lying all around the place, diverting our attention from the gorgeous
play of light.
Parts of the jaalis are also breaking, and it is high
time the authorities take care to keep people from damaging the monument
further.
Muhammad Ghaus’ tomb is the most impressive, but not the
only monument here. There are tombs to many other disciples of the
master, among whom Tansen has an important
place.
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| Other tombs in the complex |
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| Another tomb with beautiful Jaalis |
Tansen’s tomb is simple, in complete contrast to that of
his mentor.
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| Tansen's tomb |
A single man stands by, pointing towards a tamarind tree
which, he assures us, is the secret of Tansen’s magnificent voice! Samhith
quietly takes the leaves, but once we are out, says “If that was true, everyone
who comes here would have had a voice like Tansen!” On that note, we head back
towards our waiting car, our laughter mingling with the strains of music.
*Ref. Richard Eaton, The Sufis of Bijapur 1300-1700, Role of Sufis in
Medieval India
Related Posts:
- Deo Bagh, Gwalior - The Neemrana Experience
- The Colossal Jinas
- The Man Mandir Palace
- The Other Monuments of Gwalior Fort
- The Temples of Gwalior Fort
- The Gujari Mahal Museum
This blog is enriched with ancient and marvelous architecture. It's high time we take care of our heritage.
ReplyDeleteLovely pics,did not know about this place at all,such beautiful places enhance our interest in visiting these places
ReplyDeleteThere is nodoubt that Music is a soothing effect on a Human Mind, and Tansen is something special in that matter
ReplyDelete