Mughal Empress Noor Jahan’s fruit knife, Aurangzeb’s sword, besides hundreds of priceless items from Persia, India and from the Mughal era, collected by Salar Jung III will be on display at the exclus
Mughal Empress Noor Jahan’s fruit knife, Aurangzeb’s sword, besides hundreds of priceless items from Persia, India and from the Mughal era, collected by Salar Jung III will be on display at the exclusive Islamic Art Gallery coming up at the Salar Jung Museum in the city.
Work on the 15,000 sq. feet art gallery is on in full swing and if all goes well, it will be thrown open to the public in August. Salar Jung Museum director Dr A. Nagender Reddy said on Wednesday that about 6,000 priceless items would be on display at the exclusive Islamic art gallery on the eastern side of the museum.
“The items of the Islamic era are presently scattered across the museum in various galleries. Some are yet to be displayed. We have decided to showcase all such items at one place in the new Islamic Art Gallery. The work on the gallery is going on at a fast pace and the gallery is expected to be inaugurated in six months,” Mr Reddy said.
Salar Jung Museum is a repository of artistic achievements of diverse European, Asian and far Eastern countries. Forty years’ collections of Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III are on display at the museum.
The museum houses collections dating from the 2nd century BC to early 20th century AD from different cultures such as Greek, Roman, Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, Christian and Islam.
It has Indian, Middle Eastern, Far Eastern and European art and also a children’s section. Apart from this, a gallery is devoted to the illustrious Salar Jung family, which was mainly responsible for acquiring the collection.
Asked about the rare items in the Islamic Art Gallery, Mr Reddy and the museum’s deputy keeper Mr Veerender said all the items were rare but some, like the fruit knife used by Noor Jahan, wife of Emperor Jahangir, Aurangzeb’s sword, hookah, bidri spittoons, tavis, rare manuscripts and rosary jade beads stand out.
“Nearly 70 to 80 per cent are collections of Salarjung including gifts and those purchased,” he said.
Mr Reddy added that noted city architect and interior designer Mr Kasim Ali Khan has designed the gallery.
