Shahji muses on his beloved Mahji, Indian painting from Pem-nem, composed by Poet Hams

Shahji muses on his beloved Mahji, an Indian painting from Pem-nem, composed by Poet Hams. The Pem-nem is a romance in Dakhini Urdu, written by the poet Hasan Manjhu Kaliji in A.D. 1591 in which the hero Shahji wins his beloved Mahji after overcoming many trials and tribulations.

This beautiful painting depicts Shahji day dreaming about his beloved Mahji. It is quite possible that the depiction of the youthful hero is based on the appearance of Ibrahim II, the ruler of Bijapur. Indian paintings serve as mirrors of India reflecting the state of art and culture of the times.