Amīr
Khusrow (also Khusrau,
Khusro) Dehlawī (meaning
Amir Khusrow of Delhi)
( ﺍﻣﯿﺮ ﺧﺴﺮﻭ ﺩﮨﻠﻮﯼ ) was a
Sufi musician, great poet
and scholar. A polymath an
iconic figure in the cultural
history of the Indian
subcontinent. A mystic and
a spiritual disciple of
Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi .
Amīr Khusrow was not only
a notable poet but also a
prolific and seminal
musician in the time of the
Delhi Sultanate, being
reputed to have invented
both the Sitar and the
Tabla. He wrote poetry
primarily in Persian , but
also in Hindavi. He
compiled the oldest known
printed dictionary ( Khaliq-
e-bari ) in 1320 which
mainly dealt with Hindvi
and Persian words.[2]
He is regarded as the
"father of Qawwali " (the
devotional music of the
Sufis in the Indian
subcontinent).Introduced
the Ghazal style of song
into India. These traditions
have been kept very much
alive in India and Pakistan
to this day. [3][4] He is also
credited with enriching
Indian classical music by
introducing Persian, Arabic
and Turkish elements into
it and was the originator of
the khayal and tarana styles
of music.
A musician and a scholar,
Amir Khusrow was as
prolific in tender lyrics as
in highly involved prose
and could easily emulate all
styles of Persian poetry
which had developed in
medieval Persia , from
Khāqānī's forceful qasidas
to Nizami's khamsa . He
used only 11 metrical
schemes with 35 distinct
divisions. The verse forms
he has written in include
Ghazal, Masnavi, Qata,
Rubai, Do-Beti and
Tarkibhand. His
contribution to the
development of the g͟hazal,
hitherto little used in India,
is particularly significant. [5]
Alexander Visits the
Sage Plato , from the
Khamsa of Amir Khusro
Early life and background
Amīr Khusrow was born in
Patiyali in Etah Uttar
Pradesh. His father, Amīr
Sayf ud-Dīn Mahmūd, was
a Turkic officer and a
member of the Lachin tribe
of Transoxania , themselves
belonging to the Kara-
Khitais .[5][6][7] His
mother was the daughter
of Rawat Arz, the famous
war minister of Balban ,
and belonged to the Rajput
tribes of Uttar Pradesh. [7]
[8]
Life and career
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A)
was the son of Amir
Alachin, a Turk from
Laccheen. His actual name
was Saifuddin Mahmood
Shamsi. At the invasion of
Genghis Khan, he migrated
from his native place Kesh
near Samarkand to Balkh.
Saifuddin was the chieftan
of Hazara. Shamsuddin
Iltutmish , the king of Delhi,
welcomed them to his
capital. He provided shelter
to the dislodged princes
artisans, scholars and rich
nobles. Saifuddin was
among them. It was
around 1226 CE. In 1230,
he was granted a fief in the
district of Patiali (in Etah
District of present Uttar
Pradesh).
He married Bibi Daulat
Naz, who bore him three
sons and one daughter.
Yaminuddin (Khusro) was
one among them born at
Patiali, presently known as
Hazrat Amir Khusro Nagar
in Etah in the year 1252-53
CE. Yaminuddin’s (Khusro)
father Saifuddin died in
1260 CE.
Khusro was an intelligent
child. Poetry came to him
at the early age of eight.
After the death of his
father, he came to Delhi to
his grandfather’s
(maternal) Imadul Mulk
(Rawat Arz) house. He grew
under his grand father’s
guardianship. When Amir
Khusro was 20 years old,
his grandfather who was
113 years old in 1271 CE
passed away.
Deeply saddened by this
event he was desperate to
find some meaning and
purpose in his life. He
joined as a soldier in the
Army of Malik Chajju a
nephew of Sultan Balban.
This in turn brought his
poetry to the attention of
the Assembly of the Royal
Court where he was highly
honoured. His devoted
mother brought him up
and little is known about
his mother Hazrat Bibi
Daulat Naz, but no doubt
she was an inspiration for
him throughout his life.
Then a double tragedy
struck him when he was
forty seven years old (1298
A.D.) and on the crest of a
wave in his career. His
beloved mother and
brother died.
He cried like a child and
said:
"A double radiance left my
star this year
Gone are my brother and
my mother,
My two full moons have set
and ceased to Shine
In one short week through
this ill-luck of mine."
Khusro's homage to his
mother on death was:
"Where ever the dust of
your (mother) feet is found
it is like a relic of Para dise
for me."
Despite all this
tragedy,Khusro buried his
sorrow in the power of
verse and melody. Bughra
Khan son of Balban was
invited to listen Amir
Khusro. He was so
enchanted that he
bestowed countless gold
coins. The prize impaired
the relations with his
master Chajju Khan. Khusro
left him and went to his
new patron Bughra Khan,
where he served for four
years and came to fame. In
677 A.H/1277 A.D. Bughra
Khan was then appointed
ruler of Bengal but Amir
Khusro decided to return
to Delhi. The eldest son
Khan, Mohd of Balban (who
was in Multan) came to
Delhi. When he heard
about Amir Khusro he
invited him to his court.
Finally Amir Khusro
accompanied him to
Multan in 679 A.H/1279
A.D. Multan at that period
was the gateway to Hind
and a center place of
knowledge and learning.
The caravans of scholars,
tradesmen and emissaries
transited from Baghdad,
Arab, Iran to Delhi via
Multan. Amir Khusro says
that:
"I tied the belt of service
on my waist and put on the
cap of companionship for
another five years. I
imparted lustre to the
water of Multan from the
ocean of my wits and
pleasantries." Amir Khusro
and another poet Amir
Hassan Sijzi were happy
under the patronage of
Mohd of Balban. Amir
Hasan Sijzi was younger to
Amir Khusro by two years.
Both were in the company
of the celebrated historian
Hazrat Moulana Ziauddin
Barni the writer of
"Tareekh-e-Ferozshahi".
The work was completed
thirty one years after Amir
Khusro’s death. His Shrine
lies south to Hazrat Amir
Khusro’s (R.A) Shrine in
Nizamuddin (Delhi).
In the year
683A.H./1283A.D Jinar Khan
a Mongol, invaded India.
Khan Mohd his patron was
killed in battle trying to
stop the invasion. The deep
grief of brave Prince Khan
Mohd remained in his heart
forever. He wrote the two
elegy (sorrowful poems) of
Prince Khan Mohd
describing him the most
generous, brave and good
human being. At the old
age of eighty, King Balban
called his second son
Bughra Khan from Bengal,
but he refused to come
back to Delhi. After King
Balban’s death his
grandson Kikabad was
made the King of Delhi who
was 17 years of age.
Khusro remained in his
service for two years (686
A.H to 687 A.H/1286 to
1287 A.D.).
After the death of Kikabad,
a Turk soldier Jalaluddin
Khilji took power and
became the King. He was a
poet and loved poets.
Khusro was highly
honoured and respected in
his Darbar and was known
as "AMIR KHUSRO". He was
made secretary to the King
"Mushaf-Dar". His status
was raised to ‘Amarat’. The
darbar life made Amir
Khusro focus more on
literary works. Khusro’s
Ghazals which he
composed in quick
succession were set to
music and were sung by
singing girls every night
before King Jalaluddin Khilji.
Amir Khusro was rewarded
beyond expectations and
was acknowledged in a
following verse.
"The King of the world Jalal
uddin, in reward for my
infinite pain which I
undertook in composing
verses, bestowed upon me
an unimaginable treasure
of wealth."
King Khilji was a brave
soldier and an able
administrator. He
expanded his Empire and
won four battles in a year.
He ruled for 6 years from
689A.H/1289A.D to
695A.H/1295A.D. He was
murdered by the men of
Allauddin Khilji, his nephew
and son-in-law. Allauddin
Khilji then ascended the
throne of Delhi on 22nd
Zilhaj 695A.H/1295A.D.
Amir Khusro wrote a short
auto-biographical Masnavi
called "Shah Name mun"—
of Allauddin’s life. Amir
Khusro was the few
notables who blessed
Allauddin Khilji.
Alauddin Khilji was one of
the great ruler’s of India in
the Delhi Sultanate empire.
He was a strong man, hard
in nature, brave and
intelligent soldier. He
expanded his Empire to
Deccan in South and far to
East and west of India. He
ruled for twenty one years.
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A)
enjoyed his patronage and
developed much of his
works. Amir Khusro in his
book "Khazinatul-
Futuh" (the treasures of
victory) penned down
Allauddin’s construction
works, wars, peace and
security, administrative
services. Further in another
poetical work Masnavi
"Matta-ul-
Anwaar" (Fountain of light)
consisted of 3310 verses
(completed in 15 days) had
the theme of "Love of
God". The second masnavi,
"Shireen" consisted of 4000
verses. The third Masnavi
"Laila Majnu" story of Laila
and Majnu and their
romance. The fourth
voluminous Masnavi was
"Aina-e-Sikandari" had
4500 verses relating to the
heroic deeds of Alexander
the Great. The fifth Masnavi
was "Hasht Bahisht"
related to the events of
King Bahram Gaur. All
these works made Amir
Khusro a leading luminary
in the poetical world. The
King Allauddin Khilji was
highly pleased by his works
and rewarded him
handsomely.
After Alauddin Khilji's
death, his son Qutubuddin
Mukarak Shah became the
king. Amir Khusro wrote a
Masnavi on Mubarak Shah
as "Nahsi Pahar" (Nine
Skies), a historical poetry
relating the events of
Mubarak Shah. He
classified his poetry in nine
chapters, each part is
considered as a sky. In the
third chapter he wrote
about India and its
environment, the
atmosphere and seasons,
flowers their varieties
beauty and the fragrances,
the chirping of birds and
their colourful gaiety the
animals world, education
and sciences, ideology and
religions of India,
languages spoken and their
zones etc. This shows how
patriotic Khusro was to his
motherland and had deep
knowledge of it. He wrote
another voluminious book
in the period of
Qutubuddin Mubarak Shah
by name "Ejaze Khusravi",
the book consisted of five
volumes. Thus it reflected
Amir Khusro’s ocean of
knowledge and scholarship.
After Mubarak Shah,
Ghyasuddin Tughlaq came
to the throne. Amir Khusro
wrote a historic Masnavi
"Tughlaq Name" on him.
Thus all Kings of their
period, honoured Amir
Khusro as the jewel of their
crown. They felt proud of
his writing. In total Amir
Khusro served under Seven
Sultans. He was also an
astronomer and an
astrologer. When
Qutubuddin Mubarak Shah
son was born, he prepared
the horoscope of child
where certain predictions,
were made. This horoscope
is included in the Masnavi
"Saqiana". [9] In 1321
Mubarak Khilji (sometimes
spelled "Mubarak Khalji")
was murdered and Ghiyath
al-Din Tughluq came to
power.
Khusro started to write the
Tughluqnama. Then in 1325
Sultan Muhammad bin
Tughluq came to power.
On 3rd April 1325 Hazrat
Nizamuddin Auliya passed
away, and six months later
so did Hazrat Amir
Khusrow. Khusrow 's tomb
is next to that of his
master in the Nizamuddin
Dargah of Delhi.
Khusrow (also Khusrau,
Khusro) Dehlawī (meaning
Amir Khusrow of Delhi)
( ﺍﻣﯿﺮ ﺧﺴﺮﻭ ﺩﮨﻠﻮﯼ ) was a
Sufi musician, great poet
and scholar. A polymath an
iconic figure in the cultural
history of the Indian
subcontinent. A mystic and
a spiritual disciple of
Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi .
Amīr Khusrow was not only
a notable poet but also a
prolific and seminal
musician in the time of the
Delhi Sultanate, being
reputed to have invented
both the Sitar and the
Tabla. He wrote poetry
primarily in Persian , but
also in Hindavi. He
compiled the oldest known
printed dictionary ( Khaliq-
e-bari ) in 1320 which
mainly dealt with Hindvi
and Persian words.[2]
He is regarded as the
"father of Qawwali " (the
devotional music of the
Sufis in the Indian
subcontinent).Introduced
the Ghazal style of song
into India. These traditions
have been kept very much
alive in India and Pakistan
to this day. [3][4] He is also
credited with enriching
Indian classical music by
introducing Persian, Arabic
and Turkish elements into
it and was the originator of
the khayal and tarana styles
of music.
A musician and a scholar,
Amir Khusrow was as
prolific in tender lyrics as
in highly involved prose
and could easily emulate all
styles of Persian poetry
which had developed in
medieval Persia , from
Khāqānī's forceful qasidas
to Nizami's khamsa . He
used only 11 metrical
schemes with 35 distinct
divisions. The verse forms
he has written in include
Ghazal, Masnavi, Qata,
Rubai, Do-Beti and
Tarkibhand. His
contribution to the
development of the g͟hazal,
hitherto little used in India,
is particularly significant. [5]
Alexander Visits the
Sage Plato , from the
Khamsa of Amir Khusro
Early life and background
Amīr Khusrow was born in
Patiyali in Etah Uttar
Pradesh. His father, Amīr
Sayf ud-Dīn Mahmūd, was
a Turkic officer and a
member of the Lachin tribe
of Transoxania , themselves
belonging to the Kara-
Khitais .[5][6][7] His
mother was the daughter
of Rawat Arz, the famous
war minister of Balban ,
and belonged to the Rajput
tribes of Uttar Pradesh. [7]
[8]
Life and career
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A)
was the son of Amir
Alachin, a Turk from
Laccheen. His actual name
was Saifuddin Mahmood
Shamsi. At the invasion of
Genghis Khan, he migrated
from his native place Kesh
near Samarkand to Balkh.
Saifuddin was the chieftan
of Hazara. Shamsuddin
Iltutmish , the king of Delhi,
welcomed them to his
capital. He provided shelter
to the dislodged princes
artisans, scholars and rich
nobles. Saifuddin was
among them. It was
around 1226 CE. In 1230,
he was granted a fief in the
district of Patiali (in Etah
District of present Uttar
Pradesh).
He married Bibi Daulat
Naz, who bore him three
sons and one daughter.
Yaminuddin (Khusro) was
one among them born at
Patiali, presently known as
Hazrat Amir Khusro Nagar
in Etah in the year 1252-53
CE. Yaminuddin’s (Khusro)
father Saifuddin died in
1260 CE.
Khusro was an intelligent
child. Poetry came to him
at the early age of eight.
After the death of his
father, he came to Delhi to
his grandfather’s
(maternal) Imadul Mulk
(Rawat Arz) house. He grew
under his grand father’s
guardianship. When Amir
Khusro was 20 years old,
his grandfather who was
113 years old in 1271 CE
passed away.
Deeply saddened by this
event he was desperate to
find some meaning and
purpose in his life. He
joined as a soldier in the
Army of Malik Chajju a
nephew of Sultan Balban.
This in turn brought his
poetry to the attention of
the Assembly of the Royal
Court where he was highly
honoured. His devoted
mother brought him up
and little is known about
his mother Hazrat Bibi
Daulat Naz, but no doubt
she was an inspiration for
him throughout his life.
Then a double tragedy
struck him when he was
forty seven years old (1298
A.D.) and on the crest of a
wave in his career. His
beloved mother and
brother died.
He cried like a child and
said:
"A double radiance left my
star this year
Gone are my brother and
my mother,
My two full moons have set
and ceased to Shine
In one short week through
this ill-luck of mine."
Khusro's homage to his
mother on death was:
"Where ever the dust of
your (mother) feet is found
it is like a relic of Para dise
for me."
Despite all this
tragedy,Khusro buried his
sorrow in the power of
verse and melody. Bughra
Khan son of Balban was
invited to listen Amir
Khusro. He was so
enchanted that he
bestowed countless gold
coins. The prize impaired
the relations with his
master Chajju Khan. Khusro
left him and went to his
new patron Bughra Khan,
where he served for four
years and came to fame. In
677 A.H/1277 A.D. Bughra
Khan was then appointed
ruler of Bengal but Amir
Khusro decided to return
to Delhi. The eldest son
Khan, Mohd of Balban (who
was in Multan) came to
Delhi. When he heard
about Amir Khusro he
invited him to his court.
Finally Amir Khusro
accompanied him to
Multan in 679 A.H/1279
A.D. Multan at that period
was the gateway to Hind
and a center place of
knowledge and learning.
The caravans of scholars,
tradesmen and emissaries
transited from Baghdad,
Arab, Iran to Delhi via
Multan. Amir Khusro says
that:
"I tied the belt of service
on my waist and put on the
cap of companionship for
another five years. I
imparted lustre to the
water of Multan from the
ocean of my wits and
pleasantries." Amir Khusro
and another poet Amir
Hassan Sijzi were happy
under the patronage of
Mohd of Balban. Amir
Hasan Sijzi was younger to
Amir Khusro by two years.
Both were in the company
of the celebrated historian
Hazrat Moulana Ziauddin
Barni the writer of
"Tareekh-e-Ferozshahi".
The work was completed
thirty one years after Amir
Khusro’s death. His Shrine
lies south to Hazrat Amir
Khusro’s (R.A) Shrine in
Nizamuddin (Delhi).
In the year
683A.H./1283A.D Jinar Khan
a Mongol, invaded India.
Khan Mohd his patron was
killed in battle trying to
stop the invasion. The deep
grief of brave Prince Khan
Mohd remained in his heart
forever. He wrote the two
elegy (sorrowful poems) of
Prince Khan Mohd
describing him the most
generous, brave and good
human being. At the old
age of eighty, King Balban
called his second son
Bughra Khan from Bengal,
but he refused to come
back to Delhi. After King
Balban’s death his
grandson Kikabad was
made the King of Delhi who
was 17 years of age.
Khusro remained in his
service for two years (686
A.H to 687 A.H/1286 to
1287 A.D.).
After the death of Kikabad,
a Turk soldier Jalaluddin
Khilji took power and
became the King. He was a
poet and loved poets.
Khusro was highly
honoured and respected in
his Darbar and was known
as "AMIR KHUSRO". He was
made secretary to the King
"Mushaf-Dar". His status
was raised to ‘Amarat’. The
darbar life made Amir
Khusro focus more on
literary works. Khusro’s
Ghazals which he
composed in quick
succession were set to
music and were sung by
singing girls every night
before King Jalaluddin Khilji.
Amir Khusro was rewarded
beyond expectations and
was acknowledged in a
following verse.
"The King of the world Jalal
uddin, in reward for my
infinite pain which I
undertook in composing
verses, bestowed upon me
an unimaginable treasure
of wealth."
King Khilji was a brave
soldier and an able
administrator. He
expanded his Empire and
won four battles in a year.
He ruled for 6 years from
689A.H/1289A.D to
695A.H/1295A.D. He was
murdered by the men of
Allauddin Khilji, his nephew
and son-in-law. Allauddin
Khilji then ascended the
throne of Delhi on 22nd
Zilhaj 695A.H/1295A.D.
Amir Khusro wrote a short
auto-biographical Masnavi
called "Shah Name mun"—
of Allauddin’s life. Amir
Khusro was the few
notables who blessed
Allauddin Khilji.
Alauddin Khilji was one of
the great ruler’s of India in
the Delhi Sultanate empire.
He was a strong man, hard
in nature, brave and
intelligent soldier. He
expanded his Empire to
Deccan in South and far to
East and west of India. He
ruled for twenty one years.
Hazrat Amir Khusro (R.A)
enjoyed his patronage and
developed much of his
works. Amir Khusro in his
book "Khazinatul-
Futuh" (the treasures of
victory) penned down
Allauddin’s construction
works, wars, peace and
security, administrative
services. Further in another
poetical work Masnavi
"Matta-ul-
Anwaar" (Fountain of light)
consisted of 3310 verses
(completed in 15 days) had
the theme of "Love of
God". The second masnavi,
"Shireen" consisted of 4000
verses. The third Masnavi
"Laila Majnu" story of Laila
and Majnu and their
romance. The fourth
voluminous Masnavi was
"Aina-e-Sikandari" had
4500 verses relating to the
heroic deeds of Alexander
the Great. The fifth Masnavi
was "Hasht Bahisht"
related to the events of
King Bahram Gaur. All
these works made Amir
Khusro a leading luminary
in the poetical world. The
King Allauddin Khilji was
highly pleased by his works
and rewarded him
handsomely.
After Alauddin Khilji's
death, his son Qutubuddin
Mukarak Shah became the
king. Amir Khusro wrote a
Masnavi on Mubarak Shah
as "Nahsi Pahar" (Nine
Skies), a historical poetry
relating the events of
Mubarak Shah. He
classified his poetry in nine
chapters, each part is
considered as a sky. In the
third chapter he wrote
about India and its
environment, the
atmosphere and seasons,
flowers their varieties
beauty and the fragrances,
the chirping of birds and
their colourful gaiety the
animals world, education
and sciences, ideology and
religions of India,
languages spoken and their
zones etc. This shows how
patriotic Khusro was to his
motherland and had deep
knowledge of it. He wrote
another voluminious book
in the period of
Qutubuddin Mubarak Shah
by name "Ejaze Khusravi",
the book consisted of five
volumes. Thus it reflected
Amir Khusro’s ocean of
knowledge and scholarship.
After Mubarak Shah,
Ghyasuddin Tughlaq came
to the throne. Amir Khusro
wrote a historic Masnavi
"Tughlaq Name" on him.
Thus all Kings of their
period, honoured Amir
Khusro as the jewel of their
crown. They felt proud of
his writing. In total Amir
Khusro served under Seven
Sultans. He was also an
astronomer and an
astrologer. When
Qutubuddin Mubarak Shah
son was born, he prepared
the horoscope of child
where certain predictions,
were made. This horoscope
is included in the Masnavi
"Saqiana". [9] In 1321
Mubarak Khilji (sometimes
spelled "Mubarak Khalji")
was murdered and Ghiyath
al-Din Tughluq came to
power.
Khusro started to write the
Tughluqnama. Then in 1325
Sultan Muhammad bin
Tughluq came to power.
On 3rd April 1325 Hazrat
Nizamuddin Auliya passed
away, and six months later
so did Hazrat Amir
Khusrow. Khusrow 's tomb
is next to that of his
master in the Nizamuddin
Dargah of Delhi.
No comments:
Post a Comment