The city will soon have a one-of-its-kind ‘Quran Museum’ at the majestic Chowmahalla Palace with 31 priceless Quranic manuscripts dating back to the 16th century on display, officials said.
The core of the museum’s holdings include the collection of the Asaf Jahi Nizams and a chunk of the Quranic manuscripts belonging to the VII Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan.
According to historians, the VII Nizam was always pleased to receive copies of the Quran in finest calligraphy on his birthdays.
Quranic manuscripts in various sizes, including giant-sized ones measuring 75 centimeters and 59 centimetres, from various parts of the Islamic world, New Delhi and Kashmir representing a progression of calligraphic traditions will be on display. The manuscripts are lavishly decorated with ornamental work of precious stones ink including ruby and pearls, besides gold ink.
The oldest Quran manuscript in the collection dates back to 1400 AD handwritten during the Mamluk period and a valuable manuscript written on a large nine feet by five feet cloth which is around 300 years old.
Palace officials said the museum will be housed at the council hall located adjacent to Khilwat, popularly known as ‘Gaddi’, and will be thrown open to the public in about two months.
“It will be a religious gallery but all interested visitors are allowed. It will be an integral part of the palace exhibits,” said G Kishan Rao, director of Chowmahalla Palace.“It took us six months to complete the restoration work. The holy books were lying in the different palaces, including Nazri Bagh Palace at King Koti, Chiraan Palace and at Chowmahalla Palace. Their restoration was a herculean task as they had suffered a bad attack of termites and wood louse,” he added.
The Chowmahalla Palace is a huge tourist attraction with hundreds of tourists coming to visit the sprawling grounds to catch a glimpse of artifacts on display, hitherto used by the Nizams.
Chowmahalla was once the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and the residence of the Nizams.
