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Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2015

Mughal Historiography

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Who is the author of Shahjahannama?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: D

Concept While official imperial chronicles exist, contemporary private histories like the Shahjahannama provide additional details on the cultural and political life of the Mughal court.

Explanation Inayat Khan (also known as Muhammad Tahir) authored the Shahjahannama in the 17th century. He was the superintendent of the Royal Library under Shah Jahan.

Logical Breakup
Option D is Correct: Inayat Khan summarized the first thirty years of the reign into a readable narrative.
Logic: Abdul Hamid Lahori (Option C) wrote the *Padshahnama*, which is the more elaborate, official visual chronicle, while Inayat Khan's work is a concise textual record.

Active Recall

Question

How does Shahjahannama differ from Padshahnama?

Answer

Padshahnama by Lahori is an extremely detailed official court record, while Shahjahannama by Inayat Khan is a more accessible, summarized version of the era.

Core Insight

Inayat Khan’s position as a librarian allowed him access to official files, making his 'summary' highly accurate yet more thematic than the court annals.

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