Ab'ul Hasan Yamīn al-Dīn Khusrow (Persian: ابوالحسن یمین‌الدین خسرو, Devanagari: अबुल हसन यमीनुददीन ख़ुसरो) (1253-1325 CE), better known as Amīr Khusrow Dehlawī, was the greatest Persian-writing poet of medieval India 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, Amīr Khusrow was not only a notable poet but also a prolific musician. He has been termed as the "father of qawwali" (the devotional music of the Indian Sufis).^[1][2] He is also credited with enriching the Hindustani classical music by introducing Persian and Arabic elements in it, and was the originator of the tarana style of music.^[3] As noted in Encarta, the "classical music tradition in both India and Pakistan traces its roots" to him, who "composed the earliest ragas, the traditional rhythmic form."^[4] The invention of the Indian Tabla is also traditionally attributed to Amīr Khusrow.^[5] “Farsi” redirects here. ... Rigveda manuscript in Devanagari (early 19th century) DevanāgarÄ« (देवनागरी — in English pronounced ) (ISCII – IS13194:1991) [1] is an abugida alphabet used to write several Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Bihari, Bhili, Konkani, Bhojpuri and Nepali from Nepal. ... For broader historical context, see 1250s and 13th century. ... Events January 7:Alfonso IV becomes the King of Portugal. ... Persian literature (in Persian: ‎ ) spans two and a half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. ... Map of South Asia (see note) This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia. ... Sufism (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) is a system of esoteric philosophy commonly associated with Islam. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Nizamiddun Bawli Nizamuddin Auliya (1238 - 1325 AD) also known as Hazrat Nizamuddin, is a famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order in India. ... For other uses, see Delhi (disambiguation). ... Qawwali (Urdu: قوٌالی, Hindi: क़वाली) is the devotional music of the Chishti Sufis of the Indian Subcontinent. ... Hindustani Classical Music is an Indian classical music tradition that took shape in northern India in the 13th and 14th centuries AD from existing religious, folk, and theatrical performance practices. ... Tarana is a type of composition in Hindustani classical vocal music in which certain syllables are used in a medium-paced (madhyalay) or fast (drut lay) rendition. ... Encarta is a digital multimedia encyclopedia published by Microsoft Corporation. ... A typical set of Tabla. ...

Amīr Khusrow was born in Patiali near Etah in northern India. His father, Amīr Sayf ud-Dīn Mahmūd, was a Turkic officer and a member of the Lachin tribe of Transoxania, themselvs belonging to the Kara-Khitais.^[6][7][8] His mother was a native of India and belonged to the Rajput tribes of Uttar Pradesh.^[8][9] Etah is a town which is also the district headquarters of Etah district of Uttar Pradesh state, India. ... This article is about the various peoples speaking one of the Turkic languages. ... Transoxiana (sometimes also spelled Transoxania) is the now-largely obsolete name used for the portion of Central Asia corresponding approximately with modern-day Uzbekistan and southwest Kazakhstan. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Rajput is a Hindu Kshatriya caste. ... , Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: , Urdu: , translation: Northern Province, IPA: ,  ), [often referred to as U.P.], located in central-south Asia and northern India, is the most populous and fifth largest state in the Republic of India. ...

A musician and a scholar, Amīr Khusrow was as prolific in tender lyrics as in highly involved prose and could easily try to emulate all styles of poetry which had developed in medieval Persia, from Khāqānī's forceful qasidas to Nezāmī's khamsa. His contribution to the development of the ghazal, hitherto little used in India, is particularly significant.^[6] Greater Iran (in Persian: ایران بزرگ pron: Iran-e Bozorg, also ایران‌زمین pron: Iran-zameen) is a term for the Iranian plateau in addition to the entire region where Iranian languages are today spoken as a first language, or as a second language by a significant minority. ... Sclupture of Khaqani in Tabriz. ... Qasida (also spelled qasidah) in Arabic قصيدة, in Persian قصیده, is a form of poetry from pre-Islamic Arabia. ... External links The Legend of Leyli and Majnun Nizami, Jamal al-Din Ilyas. ... Information in this article or section has not been verified against sources and may not be reliable. ...

Major life events in chronological order

1. 1253 Khusro was born in Patiali near Etah in what is today the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. His father Amir Saifuddin came from Balkh in modern day Afghanistan and his mother hailed from Delhi.
2. 1260 After the death of his father, Khusro went to Delhi with his mother.
3. 1271 Khusro compiled his first divan of poetry, "Tuhfatus-Sighr".
4. 1272 Khusro got his first job as court poet with King Balban's nephew Malik Chhajju.
5. 1276 Khusro started working as a poet with Bughra Khan (Balban's son).
6. 1279 While writing his second divan, Wastul-Hayat, Khusrau visited Bengal.
7. 1281 Employed by Sultan Mohammad (Balban's second son) and went to Multan with him.
8. 1285 Khusro participated as a soldier in the war against the invading Mongols. He was taken prisoner, but escaped.
9. 1287 Khusro went to Awadh with Ameer Ali Hatim (another patron).
10. 1288 His first mathnavi, "Qiranus-Sa'dain" was completed.
11. 1290 When Jalal ud din Firuz Khilji came to power, Khusro's second mathnavi, "Miftahul Futooh" was ready.
12. 1294 His third divan "Ghurratul-Kamal" was complete.
13. 1295 Ala ud din Khilji (sometimes spelled "Khalji") came to power and invaded Devagiri and Gujarat.
14. 1298 Khusro completed his "Khamsa-e-Nizami".
15. 1301 Khilji attacked Ranthambhor, Chittor, Malwa and other places, and Khusro remained with the king in order to write chronicles.
16. 1310 Khusro became close to Nizamuddin Auliya, and completed Khazain-ul-Futuh.
17. 1315 Alauddin Khilji died. Khusro completed the mathnavi "Duval Rani-Khizr Khan" (a romantic poem).
18. 1316 Qutb ud din Mubarak Shah became the king, and the fourth historical mathnavi "Noh-Sepehr" was completed.
19. 1321 Mubarak Khilji (sometimes spelled "Mubarak Khalji") was murdered and Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq came to power. Khusro started to write the Tughluqnama.
20. 1325 Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq came to power. Nizamuddin Auliya died, and six months later so did Khusro. Khusro's tomb is next to that of his master in the Nizamuddin Dargah of Delhi.

For broader historical context, see 1250s and 13th century. ... Etah is a town which is also the district headquarters of Etah district of Uttar Pradesh state, India. ... , Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: , Urdu: , translation: Northern Province, IPA: ,  ), [often referred to as U.P.], located in central-south Asia and northern India, is the most populous and fifth largest state in the Republic of India. ... Today Balkh (Persian: بلخ) is a small town in the Province of Balkh, Afghanistan, about 20 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital, Mazari Sharif, and some 74 km (46 miles) south of the Amu Darya, the Oxus River of antiquity, of which a tributary formerly flowed past Balkh. ... For other uses, see Delhi (disambiguation). ... The magnificent Cathedral of Chartres was dedicated in 1260. ... For other uses, see Delhi (disambiguation). ... For broader historical context, see 1270s and 13th century. ... Deewan, sometimes spelt Divan, is the word for either a collection of the works, or the whole body of work of an Urdu, Persian or Ottoman Turkish poet. ... For broader historical context, see 1270s and 13th century. ... Ghiyas ud din Balban (1200 – 1286/1287) was a ruler of the Delhi Sultanate during the Slave Dynasty that ruled between 1206 and 1290. ... January 21 - Pope Innocent V succeeds Pope Gregory X as the 185th pope. ... For broader historical context, see 1270s and 13th century. ... Bengal (Bengali: বঙ্গ Bôngo, বাংলা Bangla, বঙ্গদেশ Bôngodesh or বাংলাদেশ Bangladesh), is a historical and geographical region in the northeast of South Asia. ... For broader historical context, see 1280s and 13th century. ... Multan shown on a 1669 world map (Urdu: ملتان) is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. ... For broader historical context, see 1280s and 13th century. ... The name Mongols (Mongolian: Mongol) specifies one or several ethnic groups. ... Construction of the Uppsala Cathedral began in 1287. ... Location of Awadh Awadh (Devanagari अवध) (also known in various British historical texts as Oudh, Oundh or Oude) is a region in the center of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before Independence known as the United Provinces of Oudh and Agra. ... Events February 22 - Nicholas IV becomes Pope. ... For broader historical context, see 1290s and 13th century. ... Jalal-ud-din Firuz Khilji (d. ... For broader historical context, see 1290s and 13th century. ... Events Mongol leader Ghazan Khan is converted to Islam, ending a line of Tantric Buddhist leaders. ... Ala-ud-din Khilji (Persian: علاء الدین خلجی ) (real name Juna Khan) (d. ... The Khilji or Khalji were a dynasty of Indian rulers. ... Daulatabad (from Persian دولت‌آباد meaning Built by the Government), also called Deogiri or Devagiri, is a hill-fortress in Maharashtra state, India, in about 40 miles northwest of the city of Aurangabad in Aurangabad district. ... This article is for the Indian state. ... Events July 2 - The Battle of Göllheim is fought between Albert I of Habsburg and Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg. ... Events February 7 - Edward of Caernarvon (later King Edward II of England) becomes the first Prince of Wales End of the reign of Emperor Go-Fushimi, emperor of Japan Emperor Go-Nijō ascends to the throne of Japan Dante was sent into Exile in Florence. ... Ranthambore is a national park and tiger reserve in Rajasthan state of western India. ... Chittorgarh (also Chittor, Chittaur, or Chittaurgarh) is an ancient city in Rajasthan state of western India. ... Malwa (Malvi:माळवा) is a region in western India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin in the western part of Madhya Pradesh state and the south-eastern part of Rajasthan. ... [edit] Events May 11 - In France, 64 members of the Knights Templar are burned at the stake for heresy Abulfeda becomes governor of Hama. ... Nizamiddun Bawli Nizamuddin Auliya (1238 - 1325 AD) also known as Hazrat Nizamuddin, is a famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order in India. ... Events August 13 - Louis X of France marries Clemence dAnjou. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Events Pope John XXII elected to the papacy. ... Qutb-ud-din Mubarak Shah (d. ... Events Births September 29 - John of Artois, Count of Eu, French soldier (d. ... Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq (real name Ghazi Malik; died in 1325), founder and first ruler (1320–25) of the Muslim Tughluq dynasty in India. ... Events January 7:Alfonso IV becomes the King of Portugal. ... Sultan (Arabic: سلطان) is an Islamic title, with several historical meanings. ... A coin of Muhammad bin Tughlaq Muhammad bin Tughluq (Arabic: محمد بن تغلق) (born c. ... For the New York prison see The Tombs. ... The dargah of Khwaja Nizamuddin Awliya, New Delhi. ... For other uses, see Delhi (disambiguation). ...

Khusro the Royal poet

Khusro was a prolific classical poet associated with the royal courts of more than seven rulers of the Delhi Sultanate. He is 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, Khusro represents one of the first (recorded) Indian personages with a true multi-cultural or pluralistic identity. The Delhi Sultanate (دلی سلطنت), or Sulthanath-e-Hind (سلطنتِ ہند) / Sulthanath-e-Dilli (سلطنتِ دلی) refers to the various Muslim dynasties that ruled in India from 1210 to 1526. ...

He wrote in both Persian and Hindustani. He also spoke Arabic and Sanskrit.^{[10][11][12][13][14][15][16]} His poetry is still sung today at Sufi shrines throughout Pakistan and India. “Farsi” redirects here. ... The word Hindustani is an adjective used to denote a connection to India, or, more precisely, the historical region that encompasses Northern India, Pakistan, and nearby areas. ... Sufism (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) is a system of esoteric philosophy commonly associated with Islam. ...

Amir Khusro was the author of a Khamsa which emulated that of the earlier Persian-language poet Nizami Ganjavi. His work was considered to be one of the great classics of Persian poetry during the Timurid period in Transoxiana. Khamsa used as a pendant The Khamsa (Arabic: ‎, literally five, Hebrew: ). An alternative Islamic name for this charm is the Hand of Fatima or Eye of Fatima, in reference to Fatima Zahra, the daughter of Muhammed. ... External links The Legend of Leyli and Majnun Nizami, Jamal al-Din Ilyas. ... Timurid can refer to several entities, related to Timur: Timurid Dynasty Timurid Empire Timurid Emirates This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Map showing modern 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. A typical set of Tabla. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Popular lore also credits him with inventing the sitar, the Indian grand lute, but it is more likely that the Amir Khusro associated with the sitar lived in the 18th century (he is said to be a descendant of the son-in-law of Tansen, the celebrated classical singer in the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar). Even this 18th century Amir Khusro probably made significant contributions to the sitar, but did not invent it. See Origin Of Sitar and About Sitars. Diagram of some sitar parts. ... Tansens tomb in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India Tansen (1506–1589) was a North Indian musician, believed to be the greatest of all time. ... The Mughal Empire (alternative spelling Mogul, which is the origin of the word Mogul) of India was founded by Babur in 1526, when he defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans at the First Battle of Panipat. ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Some samples of Khusro's poetry

Persian couplets

اَگر فِردؤس بر رُو-ائے زمین اَست،
ہمین اَست-او ہمین اَست-او ہمین اَست۔

Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast,
Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast.

If there is paradise on face of the earth,
It is this, it is this, it is this (Hindustan)

Persian poems

Kafir-e-ishqam musalmani mara darkaar neest
Har rag-e mun taar gashta hajat-e zunnaar neest;
Az sar-e baaleen-e mun bar khez ay naadaan tabeeb
Dard mand-e ishq ra daroo bajuz deedaar neest;
Nakhuda dar kashti-e maagar nabashad go mubaash
Ma khuda daareem mara nakhuda darkaar neest;
Khalq migoyad, ki Khusrau butparasti mikunad
Aare-aare mikunam, ba khalq mara kaar neest.

I am a pagan (worshipper) of love: the creed (of Muslims) I do not need;
Every vein of mine has become (taut like a) wire the (pagan) girdle I do not need.
Leave from my bedside, you ignorant physician!
The only cure for the patient of love is the sight of his beloved –
other than this no medicine does he need.
If there be no pilot in our boat, let there be none:
We have god in our midst: the pilot we do not need.
The people of the world say that Khusrau worships idols.
So I do, so I do; the people I do not need,
the world I do not need.

Hindvi couplets

ख़ुसरो दरिया प्रेम का, उलटी वा की धार,
जो उतरा सो डूब गया, जो डूबा सो पार.

Khusro dariya prem ka, ulṭī vā kī dhār,
Jo utrā so ḍūb gayā, jo ḍūbā so pār.

Khusro! the river of love has a reverse flow
He who enters will drown, he who drowns will get across.

सेज वो सूनी देख के रोवुँ मैं दिन रैन,
पिया पिया मैं करत हूँ पहरों, पल भर सुख ना चैन.
Sej vo sūnī dekh ke rovun main din rain,
Piyā piyā main karat hūn pahron, pal bhar sukh nā chain.

Seeing the empty bed I cry night and day
Calling for my beloved all day, not a moment's happiness or rest.

Unique Multi-lingual Poem

Zeehaal-e miskeen makun taghaful,
duraye naina banaye batiyan;
ki taab-e hijran nadaram ay jaan,
na leho kaahe lagaye chhatiyan.

Shaban-e hijran daraz chun zulf
wa roz-e waslat cho umr kotah;
Sakhi piya ko jo main na dekhun
to kaise kaatun andheri ratiyan.

Yakayak az dil do chashm-e jadoo
basad farebam baburd taskin;
Kise pari hai jo jaa sunaave
piyare pi ko hamaari batiyan.

Cho shama sozan cho zarra hairan
hamesha giryan be ishq aan meh;
Na neend naina na ang chaina
a aap aaven na bhejen patiyan.

Bahaqq-e roz-e wisal-e dilbar
ki daad mara ghareeb Khusrau;
Sapet man ke waraaye raakhun
jo jaaye paaon piya ke khatiyan.

NOTES

The phrase "Zeehaal-e-miskeen" comes from a poem of Amir Khusrau. The unique thing about this poem is that it is a macaronic, written in Persian and Brij Bhasha. In the first verse, the first line is in Persian, the second in Brij Bhasha, the third in Persian again, and the fourth in Brij Bhasha. In the remaining verses, the first two lines are in Persian, the last two in Brij Bhasha. The poem showcases Amir Khusrau's mastery over both languages. The English translation is:

Do not overlook my misery by blandishing your eyes,
and weaving tales; My patience has over-brimmed,
O sweetheart, why do you not take me to your bosom.
Long like curls in the night of separation,
short like life on the day of our union;
My dear, how will I pass the dark dungeon night
without your face before.
Suddenly, using a thousand tricks, the enchanting eyes robbed me
of my tranquil mind;
Who would care to go and report this matter to my darling?
Tossed and bewildered, like a flickering candle,
I roam about in the fire of love;
Sleepless eyes, restless body,
neither comes she, nor any message.
In honour of the day I meet my beloved
who has lured me so long, O Khusrau;
I shall keep my heart suppressed,
if ever I get a chance to get to her trick.
Macaronic refers to text spoken or written using a mixture of languages. ... Brij Bhasha (or Braj Bhasha) is a language spoken in India by more than 42,000 people in the undefined region of Brij Bhoomi, which was a political state in the era of the Mahabharata wars. ...

Hindvi poems

छाप तिलक सब छीनी रे मोसे नैना मिलाइके
प्रेम भटी का मदवा पिलाइके
मतवाली कर लीन्ही रे मोसे नैना मिलाइके
गोरी गोरी बईयाँ, हरी हरी चूड़ियाँ
बईयाँ पकड़ धर लीन्ही रे मोसे नैना मिलाइके
बल बल जाऊं मैं तोरे रंग रजवा
अपनी सी रंग दीन्ही रे मोसे नैना मिलाइके
खुसरो निजाम के बल बल जाए
मोहे सुहागन कीन्ही रे मोसे नैना मिलाइके
छाप तिलक सब छीनी रे मोसे नैना मिलाइके

Chhāp tilak sab chīnī re mose nainā milāike
Bāt atham keh dīnī re mose nainā milāike
Prem bhaṭī kā madvā pilāike
Matvālī kar līnhī re mose nainā milāike
Gorī gorī baīyān, harī harī chuṛiyān
baīyān pakaṛ dhar līnhī re mose nainā milāike
Bal bal jāūn main tore rang rajvā
Apnī sī kar līnhī re mose nainā milāike
Khusro Nijām ke bal bal jaiye
Mohe Suhāgan kīnhī re mose nainā milāike
Bāt atham keh dīnī re mose nainā milāike

You've taken away my looks, my identity, by just a glance.
By making me drink the wine from the distillery of love
You've intoxicated me by just a glance;
My fair, delicate wrists with green bangles in them,
Have been held tightly by you with just a glance.
I give my life to you, Oh my cloth-dyer,
You've dyed me in yourself, by just a glance.
I give my whole life to you Oh, Nijam,
You've made me your bride, by just a glance.
Nizamiddun Bawli Nizamuddin Auliya (1238 - 1325 AD) also known as Hazrat Nizamuddin, is a famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order in India. ...

Hindvi riddles

1. Nar naari kehlaati hai,
aur bin warsha jal jati hai;
Purkh say aaway purkh mein jaai,
na di kisi nay boojh bataai.

Is known by both masculine and feminine names,
And lightens up (or burns up) without rain;
Originates from a man and goes into a man,
But no one has been able to guess what it is.

2. Pawan chalat weh dehe badhavay
Jal peevat weh jeev ganvavay
Hai weh piyari sundar naar,
Naar nahin par hai weh naar.

With the blow of wind she flares up,
And dies as soon as she drinks water;
Even though she is a pretty woman,
She’s not a woman, though she’s feminine.

Answers

1. Nadi (River) 2. Aag (Fire)

Works

• Tuhfa-tus-Sighr (Offering of a Minor) his first divan, contains poems composed between the age of 16 and 19
• Wastul-Hayat (The Middle of Life) his second divan, contains poems composed at the peak of his poetic career
• Ghurratul-Kamaal (The Prime of Perfection) poems composed between the age of 34 and 43
• Baqia-Naqia (The Rest/The Miscellany) compiled at the age of 64

• Qissa Chahar Darvesh The Tale of the Four Dervishes
• 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
• Ishqia/Mathnavi Duval Rani-Khizr Khan (Romance of Duval Rani and Khizr Khan) a tragic 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-Khusrau, Majnun-Laila and Aaina-Sikandari
• Ejaaz-e-Khusrovi (The Miracles of Khusrau) an assortment of prose compiled by himself
• Khazain-ul-Futooh (The Treasures of Victories) one of his more controversial books, in prose
• Afzal-ul-Fawaid utterances of Nizamuddin Auliya
• Ḳhāliq Bārī a versified glossary of Persian, Arabic, and Hindvi words and phrases attributed to Amir Khusrau, but most probably written in 1622 in Gwalior by Ẓiyā ud-Dīn Ḳhusrau
• Jawahar-e- Khusrovi often dubbed as the Hindvi divan of Khusrau

• Laila Majnu
• Ayina-i-Sikandari
• Nuh siphir
• Mulla-ul-Anwar
• Shrin-wa-Khusrau
• Khazain-ul-Futuh

A collection of allegorical stories by Amir Khusro in the late 13th century. ... The Hasht-Bihisht (lit. ...

References used

• E.G. Browne. Literary History of Persia. (Four volumes, 2,256 pages, and twenty-five years in the writing). 1998. ISBN 0-7007-0406-X
• Jan Rypka, History of Iranian Literature. Reidel Publishing Company. ASIN B-000-6BXVT-K
• Shīrānī, Ḥāfiż Mahmūd. “Dībācha-ye duvum [Second Preface].” In Ḥifż ’al-Lisān (a.k.a. Ḳhāliq Bārī), edited by Ḥāfiż Mahmūd Shīrānī. Delhi: Anjumman-e Taraqqi-e Urdū, 1944.

Bibliography

Annemarie Schimmel (April 7, 1922 - January 26, 2003) was a well known and very influential German Iranologist and scholar who wrote extensively on Islam and Sufism. ... Encyclopædia Iranica is a project in Columbia Universitys Center for Iranian studies, to create an English language encyclopedia about Iran and Persia. ...

External links

• Amir Khusro Website
• Amir Khusro at Kavita Kosh

See also

• List of Persian poets and authors
• Indian literature