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Arabic calligraphy played a dominant role in artwork in the Mughal era and the Taj Mahal was no exception. Calligraphy, which mainly consisted of verses from the Qur'an, was integrated into the decorative scheme as it provided a link between the language of the locals and the Islamic religion. The beautiful calligraphy at the Taj was done by inlaying jasper in the white marble panels and are normally seen to frame the architectural patterns. During the Mughal era, the Nasta'liq, Naskh, and Thuluth were usually adopted by the Muslim calligraphers. Under the guidance of Amanat Khan of Shiraz, Iran whose real name was Abd ul-Haq, the calligraphy at the Taj was done in the Thuluth script. This script is thicker and bolder with the letters widely spaced and the curves are more rounded. The calligraphy mainly consists of the verses and passages from the Koran and being a learned holy man himself, Amanat Khan chose the epigraphs of the Taj Mahal. Amanat Khan came to India in 1609, and was entrusted with the entire calligraphic decoration of the Taj. The ornamentation of Akbar's tomb at Sikandara was also done by Amanat Khan. He signed his work inside the calligr aphic inscription on the left side of the southern iwan which reads Amanat Khan al-Shirazi, followed by the date (1638-39). The calligrapher's signature bears witness to his status and renown at the court, since many of his peers remained anonymous. He was so talented that he used an optical trick to inlay the verses at the Taj. The letters seem to be of equal size but they are not. As they move upwards to the peak of the arches, they gradually get bigger. It is a fact that things that are far away look smaller, hence by varying the size of the letters, the inscriptions look perfectly proportioned, no matter where you view it from. Such is the perfection of the Taj!
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