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Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): First night: Khujasta kills the pet myna
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Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): First night: Khujasta kills the pet myna
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): First night: Khujasta kills the pet myna who advises her not to be unfaithful to Maymun, her husband, c. 1560. This first painting from Akbars Tuti-nama depicts a scene from the books frame story. Using a narrative device common in pre-Mughal India, the painting shows three different moments of time: Maymun sailing away on a merchant ship; his wife, Khujasta, on the roof of her house gesturing to, as the story tells us, a prince on the street below, with whom she falls in love; and Khujasta in the courtyard of her home having dashed the pet myna bird to the floor in anger. An exceptionally important manuscript, the Tuti-nama was painted by Indian artists, many of whom were learning to work in a Persian book format for the first time. Stylistic features of pre-Mughal Indian painting appear throughout the manuscript, such as the flat red floor and the white-on- black horizontal parapet
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Media ID 19636574
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Gold And Ink On Paper Mughal Opaque Watercolour Reign Of Akbar
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This print captures a page from the renowned "Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): First night: Khujasta kills the pet myna". Created around 1560, this exquisite painting is part of Akbar's Tuti-nama and depicts a pivotal scene from the book's frame story. Intriguingly, the artwork employs a narrative technique commonly found in pre-Mughal India, showcasing three distinct moments in time. The first moment portrays Maymun sailing away on a merchant ship, hinting at his impending separation from his wife, Khujasta. Meanwhile, atop her house's roof, Khujasta can be seen gesturing towards a prince passing by on the street below—a fateful encounter that sparks an illicit love affair. The third moment unfolds within the courtyard of their home as Khujasta succumbs to anger and hurls her beloved pet myna bird to its demise on the floor. This act symbolizes her growing infidelity and disregard for Maymun. As one of history's most significant manuscripts, the Tuti-nama holds great importance. Painted by Indian artists who were adapting to Persian book formats for the first time, it showcases stylistic elements prevalent in pre-Mughal Indian painting—such as the striking flat red floor and contrasting white-on-black horizontal parapet. This mesmerizing print offers viewers an opportunity to delve into ancient storytelling traditions while appreciating both artistic mastery and cultural exchange between India and Persia during this period.
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