Rare Manuscripts
 25 May 2013 Rare Manuscripts
Miniature of Rama, Sita, Laksmana and Hanuman from the Rama-carita-manasa of Tulasidas
Gouache

Credit: Wellcome Library, London Read More
 25 May 2013 Rare Manuscripts
Rama-carita-manasa by Tulasidasa
Miniature
Sita presenting the garland to Rama
Gouache

Credit: Wellcome Library, London Read More
 13 Mar 2013 Rare Manuscripts
Firman of the Emperor Aurangzeb
1661-62

Mughal dynasty

Ink, color, and gold on paper
H: 110.0 W: 47.5 cm
India

The firman—dated to Aurangzeb's fourth regnal year, corresponding to A.H. 1072/A.D. 1661-62—is written in clear and legible nast'liq and consists of fourteen lines of text... Read More
 12 Feb 2013 Rare Manuscripts
Page of text from the Susruta Samhita, an ayurvedic textbook, on various surgical procedures and surgical instruments. The text presents itself as the teachings of Dhanvantari, King of Kasi (Benares) to his pupil Susruta.

Credit: Wellcome Library, London Read More
 25 Jan 2013 Rare Manuscripts
Page from a large Qur’an in kufic script
Asia, late 8th century - early 9th century AD

Although severely damaged, this folio gives us a glimpse of the unique quality of the codex that once comprised it. The style in which it is written, characterized by a marked horizontal stretch in some let... Read More
 18 Jan 2013 Rare Manuscripts
Copy of the Asokan inscription on the pillar at Lauriya-Nandangarh, with a small drawing of the lion capital and elevation of the pillar with measurements - 1797

Pencil and pen and ink drawing by James Nathaniel Rind of a copy of the Ashokan inscription on the pillar at Lauriya-Nandangarh, with... Read More
 17 Jan 2013 Rare Manuscripts
Alexander Cunningham and his contribution to the archaeological surveys in India :

"...The fresh proposal put by Alexander Cunningham was given due attention by Lord Canning, who sanctioned a scheme of survey in northern India . It was defined as: - “an accurate description-illustrated by plan... Read More
 7 Jan 2013 Rare Manuscripts
Selections from the Guru Granth Sahib - 1603

This is the oldest known manuscript copy outside India of a substantial part of the Sikh scripture, the 'Guru Granth Sahib' or 'Adi Granth'. The original 'Adi Granth', containing verses by the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, and other Sikh Gurus and... Read More
 7 Nov 2012 Rare Manuscripts
Manuscript of 'Sons of the Sea', a setting of a poem by Sarojini Naidu (c.1910)

Copyright © The British Library Board Read More
 1 Nov 2012 Rare Manuscripts
Firman of the Emperor Aurangzeb
1661-62

Mughal dynasty
Ink, color, and gold on paper
H: 110.0 W: 47.5 cm
India

The firman—dated to Aurangzeb's fourth regnal year, corresponding to A.H. 1072/A.D. 1661-62—is written in clear and legible nast'liq and consists of fourteen lines of text. It begin... Read More
 4 Aug 2012 Rare Manuscripts
Samgrahanisutra or Samgrahaniratna
18th century, Rajasthan

The Sangrahanisutra is a cosmological text composed in 1136 by Shrichandra that includes Jain ideas about the structure of the universe and the mapping of space. The manuscript, made in the eighteenth century, includes illustrations and ... Read More
 4 Aug 2012 Rare Manuscripts
Samgrahanisutra or Samgrahaniratna; Trailokya dipi
Rajasathan, 18th Century

A complete illustrated manuscript of the Samgrahanisutra or Sangrahanisutra, a Jain cosmographical text in Sanskrit composed in A.D.1136 by Shrichandra Muni, whose name appears on f.52 of this copy. The work is also name... Read More
 3 Aug 2012 Rare Manuscripts
The Bakhshali Manuscript

An extract on the Bakhshali Manuscript from Rohini Chowdhury's upcoming book on Indian Mathematics:

"Probably written during the 3rd or 4th century AD, it is a manual on the mathematics of ancient India and contains mathematical rules, example problems and their solutio... Read More
 27 Jun 2012 Rare Manuscripts
Painted seal of Mughal Emperor Awrangzib ibn Shah Djahan I, Abul Muzzaffar Muhammad Alamgir surrounded by the names of his predecessors.
Calligraphy c. 1669

Credit: Wellcome Library, London Read More
 21 Jun 2012 Rare Manuscripts
Image:
A Monk is Greeted at the Gate of the Coronation Hall: Folio from a Kalpasutra Manuscript
Master of the Devasano Pado Kalpasutra (active late 15th century)
Date: ca. 1475
India (Gujarat, possibly Patan) Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

This manuscript, executed on ... Read More
 10 Feb 2010 Rare Manuscripts
EXTREMELY RARE :
Please read all three pages in a sequence. An amazing eye witness account of Tipu's fall....A contemporary account of Tipu's death, from "The True American Commercial Advertiser" (Philadelphia), March 18, 1800 - PAGE 1. Read More
 10 Feb 2010 Rare Manuscripts
A contemporary account of Tipu's death, from "The True American Commercial Advertiser" (Philadelphia), March 18, 1800 - PAGE 2. Read More
 10 Feb 2010 Rare Manuscripts
A contemporary account of Tipu's death, from "The True American Commercial Advertiser" (Philadelphia), March 18, 1800 - PAGE 3. Read More