A Persian Inscription from Gwalior State
Summary
The article publishes a Persian inscription discovered at Nurabad, a village north of Gwalior, that had been noticed by General Sir A. Cunningham but never published. The inscription was found built into the northern wall of a modern mosque outside a Mughal‑era sarai, although it likely originated from an earlier mosque. Nurabad, originally called Sihora, lies on the old road from Delhi to the Deccan. A large sarai and bridge built under Mughal rule suggest that the site was once a significant stopover. The inscription is carved on a stone tablet measuring 4′4″ by 1′7″; it consists of three verses in Persian written in Nastaʿlīq script with decorative relief border. The inscription states that a mosque was founded by a person named Nūr during the reign of Alamgir (Emperor Aurangzeb) in the year 1072 A.H. (1661 CE). The date is given both in numerals and as a chronogram; a copyist error records it as 172 instead of 1072. The identity of Nūr remains uncertain; he may have been Motamid Khan, also called Nūr‑ud‑din, who served as governor of Gwalior under Aurangzeb. The article provides context on Nurabad’s decline. Despite attempts by the Maratha ruler Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia to develop the site, it remained a small village. The inscription is a rare epigraphic record from the Mughal period in this region and corroborates architectural evidence that the sarai, bridge and mosque were built under Aurangzeb. The author correlates this inscription with other records and suggests that Nūr may have financed these structures. By publishing the text and translation of the inscription, the article contributes to the study of Mughal architecture and administration in Gwalior State. It illustrates the role of local officials in establishing religious buildings and demonstrates the spread of Persianate culture into regional contexts.
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Conclusion
The article concludes that the Nurabad inscription is an important document of Mughal architectural patronage in central India. Carved in 1661 CE, it records that a mosque was founded by a person named Nūr during Aurangzeb’s reign, possibly Motamid Khan. The stone’s reuse in a later mosque underscores the decline of the original sarai complex. Together with the surviving sarai and bridge, the inscription reveals Nurabad’s significance as a way‑station on the road to the Deccan. Publishing this epigraph enriches our understanding of local history and the penetration of Persianate culture into provincial settings.