[Solved] Who is the author of Shahjahannama? Inayat Khan

Who is the author of Shahjahannama?

[Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2015]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

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.

Authentic Source Evidence

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.

Analytical Breakdown

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.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"How does Shahjahannama differ from Padshahnama?"

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

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"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."

Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

Shah Jahan 11 Persian Chronicles 2

Analysing authentic Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre)previous year questions is non-negotiable for serious aspirants. Thoroughly decoding past exam trends related to Mughal Historiography helps you understand the examiner's mindset. Mastering specific entities like Shahjahannama and Inayat Khan builds the analytical intuition needed to clear the exam. Practice Previous Year Questions here →