Hamzanama - A convincing demonstration of physical strength obtained upon adopting Islam
Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna
Inv. No. BI 08770-26r
Full Title in the original:
“Two brothers pick up an elephant on the field; Farrukhnizhad goes, picks the elephant and converts them to Islam”
Zumurrad Shah, referred to as the villainous giant, once lost not in battle but had been bound by trickery played on him by an Ayyar (...) Lifting an elephant single-handed Farrukh Nizhad so astonished two brothers that they converted to Islam. The brothers returned (home) and found Zumurrad Shah cursing and asking for a warrior (to fight with)... A man named Hizabran b. Mahabat entered and wounded him. (Then) Farrukh Nizhad entered and cut (the warrior) in two...
A heavy elephant is shown being lifted by a comparatively ordinary looking soldier without any special effort applied. The elephant looks quite astonished himself and makes no move to get free while both a horse and his rider in the right corner look flabbergasted and the two brothers who had brought the elephant to the fore look pitiably dumbfounded. A fair amount of soldiers assembled in the background appear to be enjoying the performance as if watching a circus acrobat on duty.
