RAS question
The Padshahnamah, the official history of Shah Jahan's reign, was written by:
Correct answer: (A) Abdul Hamid Lahori.
The Padshahnamah, the official history of Shah Jahan's reign, was written chiefly by Abdul Hamid Lahori, with Muhammad Warith continuing it after Lahori.
Explanation
Padshahnamah was the official chronicle of Shah Jahan's reign. Banglapedia identifies Abdul Hamid Lahori as the third official historian and the author of the most important official Padshahnamah. Lahori wrote the history of the first twenty years of Shah Jahan's rule and completed the work in 1648. After Lahori's death, his pupil Muhammad Warith continued the history until the end of Shah Jahan's reign. This is why Abdul Hamid Lahori is the expected MCQ answer, even though the larger chronicle tradition also involved continuation by Warith. The work matters because it records court life, administration and architectural projects in detail.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Abul Fazl was not the author of Shah Jahan's official Padshahnamah; Banglapedia names Abdul Hamid Lahori for the key official history.
- (C) Amir Khusrau was not the identified author of the Padshahnamah; Banglapedia attributes the important official history to Abdul Hamid Lahori.
- (D) Barani was not linked to Shah Jahan's Padshahnamah; Banglapedia states that Abdul Hamid Lahori wrote the first twenty years of the official history.
Concept
This tests Mughal court historiography, especially the link between emperors and their official chronicles. It recurs in RAS because medieval Indian history often asks aspirants to match Persianate texts with their authors and patrons.