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Rachel Hajar's Blog: My Life in Doha - Posts Tagged "amulet"
TO CURE A BROKEN HEART
One Thursday morning I visited the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. Designed by the world-renowned architect I.M. PEI, the museum is lovely and stands on a man-made island on the south side of the Corniche, sixty meters from the shore. Under the sun, its simple and distinctive architectural lines come to life: squares, rectangles, triangles, and arcs play in the sun, their shadows constantly changing as the sun moves through the sky. Its geometric simplicity is one of the captivating features of the museum. It is one of my favorite buildings in Qatar.
The exterior simplicity contrasts with the use of decorative patterns and forms inside. On entering the museum, you find yourself overwhelmed by the sense of space generated in the spectacular atrium. Dramatic architectural elements compete for your attention: the sculptural Double Grand Stair, the enormous 45-meter window with magnificent view of the Arabian Gulf, intricate geometric patterns on the floor, the dome capturing light in its facets, shafts of sunlight moving across the dome’s surface giving light and movement to the space below. This area must be seen to be appreciated.
The collection consists of manuscripts, ceramics, calligraphy, metalwork, pages from the Qur’an, fabulous jewels, textiles, and carpets from across the Islamic world from the 7th century onwards. The objects in the museum are rather modest compared to other collections but one item in the galleries stood out for its eloquence and medical interest: The Jade Pendant of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. It is one of the prized collections of the museum
The pendant, carved from pure white jade, has finely incised inscriptions consisting mainly of verses from the Qur’an as well as detail of the full titles of Shah Jahan and the date AH 1041 [1631], the year of his wife’s death. Shah Jahan was heartbroken at the loss of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal who died in childbirth in June of that year. He built the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, in her memory. The shah wore the pendant to help ease his grief at the loss of his wife and therefore, the pendant was used as amulet. Such pendant is called a haldili.
Amulets, charms, and talismans have been worn since ancient times as protection against evil such as disease or witchcraft. They are made of wood and stone, clay, metal, plants and dead animals. They are carved into crude shapes and in the most exquisite forms. They are also comprised entirely of words, which are believed to have power and magical properties. Amulets and charms have been used by pagans, Christians, Jews, Muslims and followers of every faith and tradition known across the world. Some are considered direct links to the gods, others to local spirits. All are links to the supernatural. Regardless if they are called amulets, charms or talismans, these objects are credited with cures, health and prosperity. Amulets continue to be an important part of our modern culture.
There were other more magnificent objects in the collection such as the fabulous jewels, vases, and ceramics but the pendant – the haldili – made a lasting impression on me. It gave expression to the universality of human emotions. It is a touching relic of human need and aspirations.
Rachel Hajar, M.D.
My Life in Doha: Between Dream and Reality
http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.c...
www.amazon.com
www.barnesandnoble.com.
The exterior simplicity contrasts with the use of decorative patterns and forms inside. On entering the museum, you find yourself overwhelmed by the sense of space generated in the spectacular atrium. Dramatic architectural elements compete for your attention: the sculptural Double Grand Stair, the enormous 45-meter window with magnificent view of the Arabian Gulf, intricate geometric patterns on the floor, the dome capturing light in its facets, shafts of sunlight moving across the dome’s surface giving light and movement to the space below. This area must be seen to be appreciated.
The collection consists of manuscripts, ceramics, calligraphy, metalwork, pages from the Qur’an, fabulous jewels, textiles, and carpets from across the Islamic world from the 7th century onwards. The objects in the museum are rather modest compared to other collections but one item in the galleries stood out for its eloquence and medical interest: The Jade Pendant of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. It is one of the prized collections of the museum
The pendant, carved from pure white jade, has finely incised inscriptions consisting mainly of verses from the Qur’an as well as detail of the full titles of Shah Jahan and the date AH 1041 [1631], the year of his wife’s death. Shah Jahan was heartbroken at the loss of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal who died in childbirth in June of that year. He built the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, in her memory. The shah wore the pendant to help ease his grief at the loss of his wife and therefore, the pendant was used as amulet. Such pendant is called a haldili.
Amulets, charms, and talismans have been worn since ancient times as protection against evil such as disease or witchcraft. They are made of wood and stone, clay, metal, plants and dead animals. They are carved into crude shapes and in the most exquisite forms. They are also comprised entirely of words, which are believed to have power and magical properties. Amulets and charms have been used by pagans, Christians, Jews, Muslims and followers of every faith and tradition known across the world. Some are considered direct links to the gods, others to local spirits. All are links to the supernatural. Regardless if they are called amulets, charms or talismans, these objects are credited with cures, health and prosperity. Amulets continue to be an important part of our modern culture.
There were other more magnificent objects in the collection such as the fabulous jewels, vases, and ceramics but the pendant – the haldili – made a lasting impression on me. It gave expression to the universality of human emotions. It is a touching relic of human need and aspirations.
Rachel Hajar, M.D.
My Life in Doha: Between Dream and Reality
http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.c...
www.amazon.com
www.barnesandnoble.com.
