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Makhan in the enchanted garden. Nizami. “Hamsa”. MS SPL, PNS 66, f. 166. 1648. Bukhara
MAKHAN IN THE ENCHANTED GARDEN, Nizami «Hamsa»


The Magrib princess told Bakhram Gur the story about Egyptian merchant Makhan. This young man turned out in the desert Sabbath in the night. Luckily, the old man lets him hide on the sandal tree. Makhan should not go down until the morning. But the young man broke his order because of the beautiful women he saw. As the result he was in hugs of the monster (this moment is depicted on the miniature). The young man got up in the desert among skeletons. This awful adventure made him melancholic and he started to wear only dark blue colour wear.
We see the influence of Indian art on Central Asia miniature painting. Dark colours create atmosphere of the magic garden. The monster is in style of Southeast Asia. It says about close relations between Central Asia and Mogul India of XVI-XVII centuries.