This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Utcursch (talk | contribs) at 06:26, 16 November 2005 (wikified a bit, categorized, removed stub msgs). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 06:26, 16 November 2005 by Utcursch (talk | contribs) (wikified a bit, categorized, removed stub msgs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Abul Hasan Yaminuddin Khusro (1253-1325 CE), better known as Amir Khusro Dehlavi, is one of the iconic figures in the cultural history of the Indian subcontinent.
A Sufi mystic and a spiritual disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi, Amir Khusro (or Khusrau or Khusraw) was not only one of India's greatest poets, he is also credited with being the founder of both Hindustani classical music and Qawwali (the devotional music of the Sufis).
He was a prolific classical poet associated with royal courts of more than seven rulers of the Delhi Sultanate. He is also popular in much of North India and Pakistan, because of many playful riddles, songs and legends attributed to him. Through his enormous literary output and the legendary folk personality, Khusrau represents one of the first (recorded) Indian personages with a true multi-cultural or pluralistic identity.
He wrote in both Persian and Hindustani. His poetry is still sung today at Sufi shrines throughout Pakistan and India.
Amir Khusro was the author of a Khamsa which emulated that of the earlier Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi. His work was considered to be one of the great classics of Persian poetry during the Timurid period in Transoxiana.
Amir Khusro and the origins of the Sitar and the Tabla
Amir Khusro is credited with fashioning the tabla as a split version of the traditional Indian drum, the pakhawaj.
Popular lore also credits him with inventing the sitar, the Indian grand lute, but it is more likely that the sitar was invented by a different Amir Khusro several centuries later. This later namesake is said to be an 18th century descendant of the son-in-law of Tansen, the celebrated classical singer in the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. For an article about this theory of the origin of the Sitar by David Courtney, Ph.D., visit: Origin Of Sitar
Works
- Tuhfa-tus-Sighr (Offering of a Minor) his first divan, contains poems that he composed between the age of 16 and 19 years.
- Wastul-Hayat (The Middle of Life) his second divan, contains what he composed at the peak of his poetic career.
- Ghurratul-Kamaal (The Prime of Perfection). Works he composed between the age of 34 and 43.
- Baquia-Naquia (The Rest/The Miscellany) compiled at the age of 64
- Nihayatul-Kamaal (The Height of Wonders) Compiled probably a few weeks before his death.
- Qiran-us-Sa’dain (Meeting of the Two Auspicious Stars) Mathnavi about the historic meeting of Bughra Khan and his son Kyqbad after long enmity.
- Miftah-ul-Futooh (Key to the Victories) in praise of the victories of Jalauddin Khalaji
- Ishquia / Mathnavi Duval Rani-Khizr Khan (Romance of Duval Rani and Khizr Khan) A tragic, but one of his most beautiful, love poem about Gujarat’s princess Duval and Alauddin’s son Khizr.
- Mathnavi Noh Sepehr (Mathnavi of the Nine Skies) Khusrau’s perceptions of India and its culture
- Tughlaq Nama (Book of the Tughlaqs) in prose.
- Khamsa-e-Nizami (Khamsa-e-Khusrau) (Five Classical Romances: Hasht-Bahisht, Matlaul-Anwar, Sheerin wa Khusrau, Majnun wa Lyla and Aaina-e-Sikandari)
- Ejaaz-e-Khusrovi (The Miracles of Khusrau) An assortment of Khusrau’s prose compiled by himself.
- Khazain-ul-Futooh (The Treasures of Victories) Khusrau’s one of the more controversial books (prose)
- Afzal-ul-Fawaid (Utterances of Nizamuddin Aulia),
- Khaliq-e-Bari (A versified glossary of Persian and Hindvi words and phrases),
- Jawahar-e- Khusrovi often dubbed as the Hindvi divan of Khusrau.