'Jam' is a Persian word meaning 'battle' or 'war'. The Jamnāmā contains a narrative poem that recounts the battle of Kārbālā. This battle was fought between the grandsons of the Prophet Muhammad - Hāsān and Hussain on one side and Éjid on the other. The text includes songs which are called 'Jāri' songs. This very popular text is ritually read on the Muharram night when the Muslim community gets together to recite passages from the text and to sing the 'Jāri' songs.
The significance of the text lies in its literary innovations and the creativity of the author who weaves a story of a distant land into one which rouses the spontaneous emotions of the region.
The original is an undated photocopy measuring 200mm x 120mm. The main text is found on pages 12-466 and this is all that has been copied. The original is missing the title page and pages 326, 327, 329, 330, 378, 379, 401, 402 and 403.
