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{{Short description|Indian calligrapher}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox artist
| known_for = [[Islamic calligraphy]]
| education = Diploma in [[fine arts]] (dropped out)
| style = Calligraphy
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age | 1970}}
| children = 2
| birth_name = Anil Kumar Chowhan
}}

'''Anil Kumar Chawhan'''{{efn|Also spelled in sources as '''Chauhan''' or '''Chowhan'''.}} (born 1970) is an Indian [[Calligraphy|calligrapher]] from [[Hyderabad]]. He is known for painting Quranic verses on the walls of [[Mosque]]s and [[Dargahs]] in India. He received the ''Rehmat Alam International Peace Award'' in 2021.

== Life ==
Chawhan hails from a humble [[Marathi people|Marathi]] [[Hindu]] family from [[Maharashtra]], his maternal grandmother is from Hyderabad, where they eventually moved.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Wajidullah |date=21 October 2021 |title=Anil Chauhan has painted verses in 100 Hyderbad mosques |url=https://www.awazthevoice.in/culture-news/anil-chauhan-has-painted-verses-in-hyderbad-mosques-798.html |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=awazthevoice.in |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Today |first=Telangana |date=2021-03-20 |title=Watch: Hindu calligrapher paints Quranic verses in Hyderabad's mosques |url=https://telanganatoday.com/watch-hindu-calligrapher-paints-quranic-verses-in-hyderabads-mosques |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=Telangana Today |language=en}}</ref>

His father, mother and grandfather were also [[painting artist]]s, which sparked his interest in art from a young age.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hindu Artist Paints Mosques With Arabic Verses In Hyderabad |url=https://www.brut.media/in/videos/hindu-artist-paints-mosques-with-arabic-verses-in-hyderabad |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=www.brut.media |language=en-IN}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Fatima |first=Nikhat |date=2021-07-10 |title=Meet Anil Kumar Chauhan the Arabic calligrapher from Hyderabad |url=https://muslimmirror.com/meet-anil-kumar-chauhan-the-arabic-calligrapher-from-hyderabad/ |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=Muslim Mirror |language=en-US}}</ref>

He had to leave school after the [[10th grade]] to support the family. He was quite skilled in drawing and painting, so he decided to pursue a career as a painter.<ref name=":2" />

He later enrolled in the SV College of Fine Arts at [[HITEC City|Hi-Tech City]], Hyderabad, to pursue a three-year [[diploma]]; however, after one year, he was unable to continue due to financial problems.<ref name=":1" />

However, his children have not pursued painting or calligraphy. His younger brother Rajesh assists him in his work.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

== Learning languages ==
In Hyderabad, where [[Urdu]] was commonly used in commerce, knowledge of the language was important, as the majority of shopkeepers were Urdu-speaking Muslims. This context motivated him to learn Urdu, which also facilitated his study of [[Arabic script|Arabic writing]].<ref name=":2" />

He initially lacked familiarity with the Urdu language. He self-studied and learned Urdu without formal education or a teacher.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

He began by writing Urdu words without comprehension. Over time, he recognised letters and words, practising by copying from Urdu books and creating [[signboards]].<ref name=":2" />

In addition to Urdu and Arabic, Chawhan is proficient in [[Hindi]], [[English language|English]], [[Telugu script|Telugu]], [[Marathi language|Marathi]], and [[Bengali alphabet|Bengali]]. He has not received formal education in any school or madrasa; rather, he attributes his abilities to a divine gift.<ref name=":2" />

== Career ==
Chawhan is known for painting Quranic Arabic verses on Mosque and Dargah walls for over 30 years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Anees Ur Rahman |title=Hindu by Faith, Quranic Calligrapher by Passion: How a Painter in Hyderabad Keeps Arabic Art Alive |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/hindu-by-faith-quranic-calligrapher-by-passion-how-a-painter-in-hyderabad-keeps-arabic-art-alive-3396791.html |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=News18 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kantak |first=Raj |title=Hyderabad: Hindu calligrapher paints Quranic verses in mosques |url=https://www.businessworld.in/article/hyderabad-hindu-calligrapher-paints-quranic-verses-in-mosques-377103 |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=BW Businessworld |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Lal |first=Neeta |title='Art has no religion': Hindu man paints Quranic verses on mosques |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/29/india-hindu-calligrapher-quran-art-mosques |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref>

Initially starting his career by painting [[Urdu]] signboards, Chawhan learned the language to enhance his skills. His first opportunity to paint on a mosque came from a patron impressed by his calligraphy in 1995.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hindu Calligrapher in Hyderabad enriches Mosques with Quranic verses |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/city/hyderabad/hindu-calligrapher-in-hyderabad-enriches-mosques-with-quranic-verses/videoshow/81276825.cms |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2021-07-23 |title=Hindu calligrapher's art is in over 200 Indian mosques |url=https://islamchannel.tv/hindu-calligraphers-art-in-over-200-indian-mosques/ |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=Islam Channel |language=en-US}}</ref>

He has worked in over 200 mosques, painting their walls with beautifully written Quranic passages. He states that he has not requested payment from at least a hundred mosques, receiving instead letters of gratitude for his contributions.<ref name=":4" />

While he faced no opposition from his community regarding his calligraphy in mosques, some individuals from the Muslim community expressed disagreement. To address this, Chawhan obtained a ''[[fatwa]]'' in his favour from Jamia Nizamia, which helped to silence his critics.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Yunus |first=Sheikh Muhammad |title=A fatwa that saved the art of Anil Chauhan |url=https://www.awazthevoice.in/culture-news/a-fatwa-that-saved-the-art-of-anil-chauhan-4000.html |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=awazthevoice.in |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-04-20 |title=A Hindu artist who paints Koranic verses in mosques |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/a-hindu-artist-who-paints-koranic-verses-in-mosques/article3336878.ece |access-date=2024-12-18 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

His work is also displayed in the library of [[Jamia Nizamia|Jamia Nizamia University]], showcasing verses from the [[Quran]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-02-13 |title=Hindu calligrapher paints Quranic verses in mosques in Hyderabad, India |url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/hindu-calligrapher-paints-quranic-verses-in-mosques-in-hyderabad-india-1.77171621 |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=gulfnews.com |language=en}}</ref>

He has been employed by two mosques in [[Secunderabad]] to write ''[[Hadith]]'' (Sayings of Prophet Mohammad) on the [[blackboard]] of the masjid once a week.<ref name=":1" />

He has also painted 30 temples with images of Hindu gods and goddesses, as well as countless dargahs (mausoleums) and monasteries.<ref name=":4" />

Chawhan advocates for communal harmony, emphasising the peaceful coexistence of Hindus and Muslims ([[Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb]]).<ref name=":0" />

{{Blockquote|text=I believe art has no religion. God, Allah, Jesus: they are all one. And we’re God’s children. Today, most of my friends are Muslims. We eat together, hang out together, participate in mehfils [gatherings] and enrich each other’s lives|author=Anil Kumar Chowhan|source=[[Al Jazeera]]}}

== Awards and honours ==
Chawhan received the '''''Rehmat Alam International Peace Award''''' on [[Eid Milad-un-Nabi]] in 2021. The award, presented by Islamic scholar Maulana Shamim-ul-Zaman Qadri from [[Kolkata]], recognized Chauhan's voluntary contributions to writing Quranic verses in mosques. Additionally, ''Bazm Rehmat Alam'' organized an exhibition of his calligraphy works in celebration of Milad-un-Nabi.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Younis |first=Sheikh Muhammad |date=21 October 2021 |title=Artist Anil awarded for writing Quranic verses in mosques |url=https://www.awazthevoice.in/lifestyle-news/artist-anil-awarded-for-writing-quranic-verses-in-mosques-6896.html |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=awazthevoice.in |language=en}}</ref>

== Miracles ==
Chawhan has several intriguing experiences from his work in the mosques, some of which he describes as spiritual. He shared two encounters with [[Muslim Mirror]] that he considers miraculous, feeling a divine presence during these moments.<ref name=":1" />

One such experience occurred during [[Ramadan]], after the [[Night Prayer (Islam)|night prayers]] when most people had left the mosque. While painting verses from the [[Quran]], he became tired and drowsy, eventually falling asleep while standing on a high stool with the brush in hand. When he awoke more than an hour later, he found that the verses had already been painted.

Another experience was particularly harrowing, as he narrowly escaped a fall.

After completing his calligraphic work in a mosque, Chawhan descended a wooden ladder. Just as he stepped off the last rung, the entire ladder collapsed.<ref name=":1" />
{{Blockquote|text=It was as if the ladder was waiting for me to finish my work so it could break. It all happened within a fraction of a second, I was dumbstruck.

Such incidents, where I feel a divine presence around me, remind me of how fortunate I am. Even God seems pleased with my work|author=Anil Kumar Chawhan|source=Muslim Mirror}}

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{portal|India|Arts}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chawhan, Anil Kumar}}
[[Category:Indian calligraphers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male artists]]
[[Category:Artists from Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male artists]]
[[Category:Calligraphers of Arabic script]]
[[Category:21st-century calligraphers]]
[[Category:1970 births]]

Anil Kumar Chawhan - Revision history

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