Stories written by
Ursula Sims-Williams
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The oldest surviving Zoroastrian scriptures were found not in Iran or India, but in China
In its Epic Iran exhibition, the British Library will be displaying its unrivalled collection of manuscripts.
Ursula Sims-Williams
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Muhammad Najib Khan, a Sufi soldier and manuscript collector in 18th-century southern India
Caught up in the conflict between the rivals of Hyderabad, the French and the East India Company, he was killed in the Battle of Ambur in 1749.
Ursula Sims-Williams
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Old manuscripts, letters show how Christian influences were depicted in Mughal art and life
A document talks about Christmas celebrations in Lahore in 1597.
Ursula Sims-Williams & Malini Roy
Trending
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‘The bell-eared demon’: When Swami Vivekananda warned how worship could become fanaticism
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Opinion: Why is Modi the only prime minister who is haunted by Nehru’s ghost?
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Badminton, Thailand Open Super 500, as it happened: Sindhu defeats world No 1 Yamaguchi to reach SF
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Four strange symptoms of Covid-19 you might not have heard about
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‘Farzi’ organisation: Why Hindu petitioners in Gyanvapi case have split
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Glimpses of ‘Divan-i-Hijri’, a book of poems in the collection of Humayun’s wife Hamidah Banu
The Mughal empress was known to have a rich library.
Ursula Sims-Williams
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Photos: The medieval-era Qurans with 30 leaves, one for each day of the month
These copies are based on the 30 equal sections.
Ursula Sims-Williams
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Royal seals on old books tell a fascinating story of Tipu Sultan’s penchant for calendar systems
They also show the ruler of Mysore’s fondness for the tiger motif.
Ursula Sims-Williams
Video
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Watch: Ukrainian president Volodymr Zelenskyy is the protagonist of a new comic book
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Caught on camera: Panic at metro station in Santiago, Chile, after explosion due to electrical fault
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Watch: Rajasthan Royals cricketers do the hook step to a song from the movie ‘Phir Hera Pheri’
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Watch: Dust storms engulf cities, cut down visibility in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
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Watch: Actor Aamir Khan asks former cricket coach Ravi Shastri to recommend him for a cricket team
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Rare manuscripts: A look at an illustrated Mughal copy of Nizami’s tragic romance ‘Layla Majnun’
The manuscript tells of the fateful romance between Layla and Qays who, driven to madness, took refuge in the desert with wild creatures.
Ursula Sims-Williams
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Photos: An 18th-century Persian medical manual commissioned by Tipu Sultan that featured unicorns
The text seems to be a translation of a European manual by Pierre Pomet, chief druggist of Louis XIV.
Ursula Sims-Williams
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How a Hindu munshi’s Persian work came to influence English scholarship on Indian religions
Sital Singh’s Silsilah-i-Jogiyan, which describes 48 ascetic groups, was commissioned in 1800.
Ursula Sims-Williams
The Reel
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‘12th Man’ review: Oversharing between friends is overrated (it can lead to murder)
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‘Dhaakad review: All work and no play makes Agni a dull girl
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‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ review: A spiritual and spirited sequel
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‘Panchayat’ season 2 review: An entertaining game of trivial pursuit
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‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ trailer: Meet Hulk’s lawyer cousin
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Photos: Chinese and Islamic influences come together in the Qurans printed in China
With Muslim traders working in the Asian country, an Islamic community is said to have been established there in centuries past.
Colin F Baker & Ursula Sims-Williams
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When pirate Henry Avery hijacked a Mughal ship, souring Aurangzeb’s ties with East India Company
Assurances that the pirates, though English, had nothing to do with the East India Company, did not convince the Mughal establishment.
Ursula Sims-Williams
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In photos: From ornate to simple, bindings on manuscripts from Tipu Sultan’s court
The manuscripts originate ultimately from a number of different, largely unspecified, locations.
Ursula Sims-Williams
The Field
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IPL 2022: R Ashwin’s brilliance against CSK helps RR finish second and earn berth in Qualifier 1
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Tennis: ATP and WTA say no ranking points for 2022 Wimbledon over Russia, Belarusia ban
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Indian football: Final whistle for Praful Patel as SC hands over AIFF to committee of administrators
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Watch: MS Dhoni – ‘Definitely I will be working hard to come back strong for next year’s IPL’
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Thailand Open Super 500: How Sindhu prevailed in a topsy-turvy battle against world No 1 Yamaguchi