THE EVOLUTION OF ISLAMIC CALLIGRAPHY AND THE MUGHAL CONTRIBUTION IN SOUTH ASIA

Abstract

The paper traces the origins of Islamic calligraphy, examining its theological and historical roots. It inspects the evolution of reproducing the sacred scripts of the Quran in the seventh century to till to the refined visual art form that unifies faith and design. The development of the script from the early Nabatean roots towards Kufic to its cursive forms as Naskh, Thuluth, Muhaqqaq, and Rayhan. The focus is set on the Mughal period in South Asia, highlighting the imperial patronage for the development of styles like Nastaliq, Khat-i-Babari and Shikasta. The blend of Persian elegance with the indigenous craftsmanship is found in political and cultural ornamentation. The research also features the technical principles of proportions, geometry established by the early calligraphist and theorist Ibn Muqla, who shaped the penmanship. The paper demonstrates through the analysis of Arabian, Persian, Ottoman and Mughal Indian approaches towards Islamic calligraphy in shaping the visual languages of the Muslim world. Although the manual calligraphy declined due to the advent of print, it continues to serve as a sacred and devoted cultural identity, inspiring contemporary artists and designers up to the digital era.

Keywords: Islamic Calligraphy, Mughal Art, Visual Culture of Islam, South Asian Manuscript.

Keywords: Sentiment Analysis, Linguistic, Corpus, Support Vector, Approaches