Hyderabad city in India has the privilege of having a robust collection of old manuscripts. Hence the city is also called as hub of manuscripts. Asif Jahi rulers Mir Osman Ali Khan and Nawab Mir Mahboob Ali Khan had a rare collection of old manuscripts brought from various places of the world. They had kept them in their palaces with much reverence. Thousands of manuscripts are found at Daeratul Marif of Osmania University, Salarjung Museum, and Chowmahalla palace. However the in due course the copies starting decomposing.
Princess Esra has taken personal interest in restoring the old Quran manuscripts and directed to put up some of the old Quran manuscripts on public display at the palace by August.
Director Chowmahalla palace G Kishan Rao told that, a team of experts has been formed for restoration work of old manuscripts have begun. He hoped that 28 manuscripts will be restored in the first phase.
Out of the 28 copies only two are printed while others are handwritten. The team working on restoration project comprises of Mohammed Hamed, Mohammed Anas Mohammed Baqer Ali and two girls.
Mr. Kishan Rao told that when princess Esra told the staff to put up the old Quran manuscripts on public display the officials were initially hesitant as the collection is in bad state. But soon, a team of experts was formed, copies selected and the work began in February. Around 300 copies of the Quran could be salvaged from the decomposing collection of printed material belonging to the last Asif Jahi ruler of former Hyderabad State, Mir Osman Ali Khan, and his successor grandson Mir Barkat Ali Khan alias Mukarram Jah. Of these, around 100 are in the form of manuscripts. Twenty-eight of these were chosen for the first round of restoration.
The oldest copy of the Quran is from 1450 CE and is written in Khat-e-Kufi. Among those being restored is also a Quran which was written on a cloth measuring 9 feet by 7 feet around 200 years ago. There are some copies of Quran which have been scripted by the ink made of precious stones and pearls. There are three copies which are from Kashmir and are scripted on rice paper.
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