Jahangir receives Prince Khurram Ajmer Diwan 1 AMM, April 1616.

Folio 192B Attributed to Abid, Circa 1635 Jahangir receives Prince Khurram, was likely created by Abid, who was a unique court artist. Abids illustrations were atypical depictions of nobility, expressions, and his placement of prominent figures. This illustration has three levels, with the bottom tier being smallest. One is given an impression that the foreground is at the bottom, with these characters separated by gates on either side. Amongst them is the smiling man, also typical of Abid. This man, along with other figures within the work, has his hands in a mudra. Mudras were usually done with the hands and were indicative of spiritual approval. Some depth and three-dimensionality is created with the roof and the jharoka in which the Shah sits. Atypically, Shah Jahangir is smaller than the nobility and holy men below him. This was unusual because the focus in making Jahangir smaller was to be accurate in the distances. In Indian artwork this was uncharacteristic because regardless of correct dimensions, important figures such as Jahangir would have been largest to denote their status. Overall the illustration is colorful with more shifts in color towards the top and bottom. Color throughout the rest of the illustration is rather uniform with natural hues. The middle layer contains the mint green tapestry which has a border around the sage. A border isolates the ethereal sage, giving him a translucent look when divided from the men on either side of him. The tapestry depicts two angels above a sage holding a sphere. Angels were not unusual in Mughal art; however, these angels clearly have a European influence, as is noted in their garb. Akbar, Jahangirs father, brought

the western influence to Mughal culture with his inclusion of European visitors. Above, on the top layer, are Jahangir and Prince Khurram. Prince Khurram bows before his father, Jahangir. A gold halo surrounds Prince Khurrams head, which is indicative of Samsara, the cycle of life and reincarnation. One is born, lives, dies and is reincarnated according to how they behaved in each life. Prince Khurram may have the halo as he will be the future ruler of the Mughals, and by extension be their life force. Conversely, Jahangir also has a halo, though it is obscured and black, which may be indicative of the closing of his reign. The illustration is rich throughout with patterns. There is an abundance of gold, greens, oranges, tans, with a sparring use of red, blue, purple, black and yellows. This illustration is meant to illustrate either the departure of Prince Khurram for Deccan or it may also illustrate when Prince Khurram gifted his father, Shah Jahangir, with the ruby. The latter is most likely because this is the only illustration in the Padshanama, in which Jahangir wears armlets. It is somewhat contrary to the story, as he wears two rather than the one armlet Prince Khurram contributed to. The tale is from the Jahangirnama and it is said that Prince Khurram gave his father a priceless ruby and later a pearl to match the one Jahangir received from Muqurrab Khan. The pearls and ruby were set together into a gold armlet the Shah wears in this illustration. It is for this reason that historians believe this illustration is reflective of the gift. Little is truly known of this illustration. Much is conjecture.