Delhi Sultanate: Literature Notes with PDF

Medieval Indian Literature & Historical Texts

I. General Context

• Official Language: Persian was the official and patronized language of the Delhi Sultans.
• Terminology: The term ‘Apabhramsa’ in medieval texts denotes the early forms of many modern Indian languages (e.g., Hindi, Punjabi, Marathi).

II. Authors and Their Works (Chronological Overview)

• Correct Chronological Order of Key Texts:
  1. Kitab-ul-Hind (Al-Biruni)
  2. Prithviraj Raso (Chand Bardai)
  3. Tabaqat-i-Nasiri (Minhaj-us-Siraj)
  4. Fatawa-i-Jahandari (Ziyauddin Barani)

Detailed Author Profiles

I. Al-Biruni

• Real Name: Abu Rehan
• Historical Context: Joined Mahmud Ghazni’s invading army in 1018-19 AD as a non-military observer.
• Work: Famous author of the book ‘Kitab-ul-Hind’.
• Content of Work: Wrote about India’s religious, literary, and political situations.

II. Amir Khusrau

• Personal Life & Identity
  • Full Name: Abul Hasan Yaminuddin Khusrau.
  • Titles: Known as ‘Tuti-e-Hind’ (Parrot of India). He gave himself this title.
  • Birth: Born in 1253 A.D. in Patiyali (present-day Kasganj or Kashiramnagar in the Etah district).
  • Multilingualism: A savant of both Hindi and Persian. Proclaimed, “I speak Turkish, Indian, and Hindi.” He was the first Muslim to proudly identify as Indian.
  • Spiritual Link: A disciple of the Sufi saint Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya.
• Literary Contributions
  • Early Talent: Began writing poetry at the age of 8.
  • Pioneering Role in Language:
    • Played a pioneering role in the development of Khari Boli.
    • Is known as the ‘Father of Hindi Khari Boli’ poetry.
  • Poetic Style: Considered the father of the new Persian poetry style ‘Sabak-e-Hindi’ or ‘Hindustani style’.
  • Famous Works:
    • His first historical poem was ‘Quran-us-Sadin’.
    • Other famous works include Miftah-ul-Futuh, Khazain-ul-Futuh, Nuh Siphr, Tughluq Nama, and the romantic work ‘An Ishqia’.
  • Themes: He was the first Persian poet to depict the Indian environment in his poetry.
• Courtly Associations
  • Longevity: Witnessed the reign of seven Sultans of Delhi.
  • Courts Served: Associated with the courts of:
    1. Ghiyasuddin Balban
    2. Kaiqubad
    3. Jalaluddin Khalji
    4. Alauddin Khalji (most frequently cited as his patron)
    5. Mubarakshah
    6. Ghiyasuddin Tughluq
    7. Muhammad-Bin-Tughluq
  • Early Career: Initially associated with Balban’s eldest son, Mahmud. After Mahmud’s death, he was captured by Mongols but escaped and returned to Balban’s court.
• Other Roles: He was not just a poet but also a historian and a musician.

Medieval Indian Music & Culture

I. Amir Khusrau’s Contributions to Music

• Credited as the originator of Qawwali in India.
• Invented musical instruments like the Sitar (by combining the Persian Tamboora and Indian Veena) and the Tabla.
• Created new musical styles by blending Indian and Persian melodies (e.g., Iman, Zilf, Sajgari).

II. Other Patrons and Musicologists

• Ibrahim Adil Shah II of Bijapur:
  • Wrote Kitab-i-Nauras, a collection of songs in praise of Hindu deities and Muslim saints.
  • Built a new capital city called Nauraspur.
• Rana Kumbha of Mewar:
  • A great patron of music and literature.
  • Wrote important musical texts like Sangeet Raj and Sangeet Mimansa.
• Pundrik Vitthal:
  • A musicologist who wrote Raagmala.

Key Historical Events

Bakhtiyar Khalji’s Invasion of Bihar (1193 AD)

• The earliest description is found in Minhaj-us-Siraj’s Tabaqat-i-Nasiri.
• The text records the destruction of Nalanda University, noting that many monks were burned or beheaded.