Mahmud of Ghazna at the Temple of Somnath
Mahmud of Ghazna at the Temple of Somnath
Fol. 97r from a manuscript of the Nigaristan of Ahmad Ghaffari
Iran, Shiraz, 1573-1574
Opaque watercolour, ink, and gold on paper
AKM272
Mahmud (r. 999–1030), a ruler of the Ghaznavid dynasty of Central Asia, is a controversial figure in history. His raids on Indian temples were both celebrated and vilified in works of literature for centuries. In his famous attack on the temple at Somnath, he is said to have looted about 20 million dinars and destroyed the temple’s idols. This illustration depicts a legend about the raid, in which Mahmud encounters an iron idol floating in the air. Upon careful investigation, he finds that the sculpture is not imbued with mystical powers, but suspended by a magnetic stone in the building’s ceiling, thereby justifying his pillaging.