And so, colleagues, here we are on the final day of our bibliographical multi-omnibus circumnavigation of the world. Time is eternal, especially in India, so it’s okay if we are a few minutes late today.
The Ministry of Culture of the Indian Government maintains the National Mission for Manuscripts, an autonomous organisation established to survey, locate and conserve Indian manuscripts. The Mission runs 32 conservation units across India, one of them being the razzle-dazzle Raza Library in the city of Rampur in Uttar Pradesh. Hence the Library’s amazing website, which you could spend a lot of time browsing: http://razalibrary.gov.in/
Time is of the essence. This is why in 1975 this grand library, which had fallen into some disrepair, was taken over by the government. Quote: “It contains very rare and valuable collections of manuscripts, historical documents, specimens of Islamic calligraphy, miniature paintings, astronomical instruments and rare illustrated works in Arabic and Persian languages besides 60,000 printed books.”
It has been difficult finding a guide who speaks English. Sometimes a picture paints a thousand words. If we split up into two groups, half of you can go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQZnwjfHsFs
Rampur Raza has been, ever since its foundation in 1774, a treasure house of Indo-Islamic culture, its patrons the successive Nawabs of Rampur. Since 1957 the collection has been housed within Hamid Manzil, a fort designed by W.C. Wright during the Raj. Wright’s architecture synthesizes elements from Islamic, Hindu and Victorian Gothic in a style known as ‘Indo-Saracenic’. You can’t miss it.
Sometimes music speaks louder than words. The other half can go here and we’ll see each other anon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8FANf5beoM
Awesome! But time now to go out for Indian. It would be great to sit down with everyone, crack a poppadom or two together, share reflections on round-the-world-in-twelve-days. As it is, I cannot even go to our favourite Café Saffron in Upper Heidelberg Road because it’s outside the five-kilometre radius for Melburnians in Stage Four Lockdown. It may be time instead just to prepare an old favourite at home from Madhur Jaffrey.
Whatever, until such time as we meet again over dinner, or zoom even, I hope you enjoyed the tour. Stay safe, stay at home, enjoy a steaming cup of milky chai, and talk to anyone who needs your words.
Philip Harvey
Tour Guide
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