‘Shahnameh’ manuscript unveiled in Mashhad as Iran honors Ferdowsi’s legacy
A rare 350-year-old manuscript of Ferdowsi’s ‘Shahnameh’ (Book of Kings) was unveiled Tuesday at the Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi in Iran in Mashhad, as Iranian cultural institutions launched a series of events marking Ferdowsi National Day (May 15) and celebrating the Persian epic’s enduring international stature.
The handwritten volume, preserved at the Astan Quds Razavi manuscript center, was presented during the shrine complex’s 289th weekly cultural and academic gathering, according to IRNA.
Scholars said the lavishly produced manuscript was likely copied in Mughal India in the late 17th or early 18th century before being endowed to the Razavi shrine in 1753.
“This edition was clearly prepared for a prominent figure in India,” manuscript expert Amir Mansouri said, citing its six-column format, fine Nasta’liq calligraphy and large folio dimensions. The 325-page manuscript, cataloged under No. 4127, is now accessible to researchers and literary scholars.
Mansouri said the library currently houses 34 handwritten volumes centered on the Shahnameh, many of them produced in India, reflecting centuries of cultural and literary ties between Iran and the Indian subcontinent as well as Indian patrons’ devotion to Persian heritage.
The unveiling coincides with nationwide tributes ahead of May 15, officially observed in Iran as Ferdowsi National Day. The Iranian National Works and Cultural Figures Association is set to host a virtual ceremony titled ‘Shahnameh, the Epic of Iran’s Resilience,’ bringing together leading Persian literature scholars and cultural figures.
Widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest epic poets, Ferdowsi safeguarded the Persian language through the ‘Shahnameh,’ a monumental work chronicling Iran’s ancient history, mythology and civilizational memory across generations.