Delhiwale: A dagger most extraordinary

A dagger linked to Iran's Shah Tahmasp and Mughal emperor Humayun highlights historical ties as tensions rise in Iran, showcasing a rich legacy.

Two museum visitors stroll past the display, not pausing by the dagger. Yet this object, on permanent exhibition at the Humayun World Heritage Site Museum in central Delhi, has acquired renewed fascination in light of the events unfolding in Iran.

Since the original farman no longer exists, its exact reproduction for the museum was hand-drawn from a manuscript that lies in the custody of the British Library in London. The reproduction’s beautiful Farsi calligraphy was rendered by Abbas Safarnejad, an artist living in Tehran. (HT Photo)

Like India, Iran’s long past has been moulded by the rise and fall of many empires. The dynasty that shaped the Iran we recognise today was the Safavid dynasty, founded by Shah Ismail I about 500 years ago. It was Ismail’s son, Tahmasp I, who went on to become the longest-reigning Shah of Islamic Iran, solidifying the empire during his 50-year reign. A personal souvenir of that ruler rests in Delhi: the aforementioned dagger.

The weapon is simultaneously tied to the eventful life of the second Mughal emperor. Humayun was many things: a soldier who fought battles, an art patron who helped nurture the Mughal school of miniature painting, and a ruler who lost Hindustan after ruling it for about a decade—regaining it 15 years later. After being defeated by the Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri, Humayun turned west to seek support from Shah Tahmasp’s Persia, where he spent 11 months. The dagger on display belonged to this Shah, his name being inscribed on the iron blade. The most plausible explanation for how the dagger moved from Iran to India is that it was gifted by the Shah to Humayun during his stay in Persia, as asserted by the museum curator Ratish Nanda. The museum, which opened two years ago, obtained the dagger from the Archaeological Survey of India.

Alongside the dagger, within the same glass case, the museum displays a reproduction of a firman, a royal decree, issued by the Safavid court. It bears instructions to the Shah’s provincial governors on how Humayun was to be treated as he travelled through Persia. (This was a 10-star treatment!) At each stop, the emperor was to be welcomed with horses fitted with gold stirrups; tents were to be of satin and velvet; and every meal was to comprise of at least 1,200 dishes served on trays of gold and silver. Ratish Nanda points out that “this farman is evidence that, contrary to the common perception, Humayun was not a refugee in Persia but was received as an emperor.”

Since the original farman no longer exists, its exact reproduction for the museum was hand-drawn from a manuscript that lies in the custody of the British Library. The reproduction’s beautiful Farsi calligraphy (seen in the photo) was rendered by Abbas Safarnejad, an artist living in Tehran.

Today, as tensions dominate headlines involving Iran, this mute dagger tells us that Iran’s saga stretches across centuries of wars, peace, exiles and alliances. The conflict of today—grave and tragic as it is—forms only the latest chapter in a long story.