Many of the stones were donated to Shams by the Kohinoor Jewellers adjacent to the showroom, Mathur said.
The single edifice captured on the embroideries on show is the Taj Mahal. The elaborate tribute to the wife of Emperor Shan Jahan after she died in childbearth in 1631 is depicted by Shams in white as it is seen in the brilliance of midday.
Equisite symmetry and harmony are the keynotes of the tapestry, as they are of the world-renowned mausoleum.
Although nearly blind in his later years, Shams continued his work, relying on family members to help him recreate in three dimensions his beloved subjects.
The technique is carried on now by his sons and other relatives, working out of their homes.



