Muhammad Salih Tahtawi
Encyclopedia
Muhammad Salih Tahtawi also spelled Muhammad Salih Thattvi (1074 AH/1663-64 AD), Mughal
Metallurgist, Astronomer
, geometric expert and Craftsman
, was born and raised in Thatta
, Sindh
province in Pakistan
, during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
and the governorship of the Mughal Nawab
Mirza Ghazi Beg
of Sindh, who is remembered for the completion of the monumental Shah Jahan Mosque
built in 1647-49. During those years young Metallurgists were recruited, patronized and delivered to the Mughal Court
at Agra
.
celestial globe using a secret wax
casting
method in the Mughal Empire
, the famous celestial globe of Muhammad Salih Tahtawi is inscribed with Arabic and Persian
inscriptions. Twenty other such globes were produced in Lahore and Kashmir during the Mughal Empire. It is considered a major feat in metallurgy.
celestial globe in the Mughal Empire
was Ali Kashmiri ibn Luqman in (998 AH/1589-90 AD) in he created many masterpieces in Kashmir
in the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, and sduring his rule the craft found its way into the city of Lahore
and its workshops were most prolific, because there Metallurgists made making precision seamlessly cast globes. But the most prolific and largest was made during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
by Muhammad Salih Tahtawi in (1074 AH/1665 AD) and is of interest for being inscribed in both Arabic and Persian
. However there after during the centuries to come seamlessly cast globes continued to be made in Lahore up to the mid 19th century (1850s) until the arrival of the British Empire
..
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Metallurgist, Astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
, geometric expert and Craftsman
Master craftsman
A master craftsman or master tradesman was a member of a guild. In the European guild system, only masters were allowed to be members of the guild....
, was born and raised in Thatta
Thatta
Thatta is a historic town of 220,000 inhabitants in the Sindh province of Pakistan, near Lake Keenjhar, the largest freshwater lake in the country. Thatta's major monuments especially its necropolis at Makli are listed among the World Heritage Sites. The Shah Jahan Mosque is also listed...
, Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
province in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
and the governorship of the Mughal Nawab
Nawab
A Nawab or Nawaab is an honorific title given to Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. It is the Muslim equivalent of the term "maharaja" that was granted to Hindu rulers....
Mirza Ghazi Beg
Mirza Ghazi Beg
Mirza Ghazi Beg Tarkhan of Thatta was the most powerful Mughal governor who administered Sindh, during his rule had become a region fiercely loyal to the Mughals, in Sindh a network of small and large forts manned by cavalry and musketeers further extended Mughal power during the reign of Mughal...
of Sindh, who is remembered for the completion of the monumental Shah Jahan Mosque
Shah Jahan Mosque
The Shah Jahan Mosque is the first purpose-built mosque in Britain built 1889 in Woking, 30 miles south-west of London in Oriental Road.-Construction:...
built in 1647-49. During those years young Metallurgists were recruited, patronized and delivered to the Mughal Court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
at Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
.
Masterpiece
In 1559, Muhammad Salih Thattvi headed the task of creating a massive, seamlessSeamless
Seamless means not to have a seam and may refer to:* Seamless robe of Jesus** Seamless garment, an abortion-related phrase referenced to the above*** Seamless Garment Network, a pro-life organization founded in 1987Technology...
celestial globe using a secret wax
Wax
thumb|right|[[Cetyl palmitate]], a typical wax ester.Wax refers to a class of chemical compounds that are plastic near ambient temperatures. Characteristically, they melt above 45 °C to give a low viscosity liquid. Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in organic, nonpolar solvents...
casting
Casting
In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process...
method in the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, the famous celestial globe of Muhammad Salih Tahtawi is inscribed with Arabic and Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
inscriptions. Twenty other such globes were produced in Lahore and Kashmir during the Mughal Empire. It is considered a major feat in metallurgy.
Legacy
According to Historians the first person to create a seamlessSeamless
Seamless means not to have a seam and may refer to:* Seamless robe of Jesus** Seamless garment, an abortion-related phrase referenced to the above*** Seamless Garment Network, a pro-life organization founded in 1987Technology...
celestial globe in the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
was Ali Kashmiri ibn Luqman in (998 AH/1589-90 AD) in he created many masterpieces in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
in the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, and sduring his rule the craft found its way into the city of Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
and its workshops were most prolific, because there Metallurgists made making precision seamlessly cast globes. But the most prolific and largest was made during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
by Muhammad Salih Tahtawi in (1074 AH/1665 AD) and is of interest for being inscribed in both Arabic and Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
. However there after during the centuries to come seamlessly cast globes continued to be made in Lahore up to the mid 19th century (1850s) until the arrival of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
..