Taj Mahal exhibition exploring Sufi philosophy opens at Salar Jung Museum

An exhibition exploring the spiritual, theological, and philosophical dimensions of the Taj Mahal was inaugurated on Sunday at the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad. Curated by historian and author Rana Safvi in collaboration with DAG, 'The Mute Eloquence of the Taj Mahal' will run for three months from July 6 to October 4.

The exhibition seeks to present the 17th-century monument through its architecture, inscriptions, symbolism, and philosophy, rather than merely as a white marble mausoleum. It is the second major exhibition hosted by the Salar Jung Museum this year.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Ms. Safvi said her own understanding of the Taj Mahal had transformed over the years. While she initially viewed it as a testament to Emperor Shah Jahan’s love for Mumtaz Mahal and the might of the Mughal Empire, deeper study of Islamic architecture, Sufi philosophy, and Persian poetry led her to recognise it as an architectural meditation on mortality, resurrection, and divine harmony.

According to Ms. Safvi, Shah Jahan, a follower of the Chishti Sufi order, consciously designed the monument around the Islamic concepts of duniya, representing the temporal world, and akhirah, representing the after-life. Every element of the monument, from the gardens and calligraphy to the proportions, light, and spatial arrangement, was intended to guide visitors on a symbolic spiritual journey.

Ms. Safvi noted that this journey begins at the Great Gateway, where Quranic verses invite visitors to enter paradise. However, she remarked that many contemporary visitors overlook these inscriptions while stopping to take photographs and selfies. She also explained that the original Mughal garden represented the Quranic vision of paradise, complete with waterways symbolising the rivers of heaven, before it was remodelled into an English-style lawn during the colonial period to cater to European tastes.

Salar Jung Museum Curator Joyoti Roy said the exhibition is part of the museum’s ongoing efforts to showcase its cosmopolitan character by bringing significant travelling exhibitions from across India and the world to Hyderabad. She added that the exhibition attempts to communicate the deeper historical, architectural, and poetic meanings of the monument to its visitors.