Sair-Ul-Hind (An Old and Rare Book)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Andhra Pradesh Government Oriental Manuscripts Library has a very rich collection of Persian Manuscripts dealing with political, socio-economic and religious aspects of the history of Deccan, Sair-ul-Hind is one among the 17,000 manuscripts which deal with the period from the Bahmanis to that of Asafjahis till 1932 A.D. Munshi Khan, a contemporary historian of the time of Mir Osman Ali Khan Bahadur, the VIIth Nizam who had access to the original sources of literary and religious developments in the Deccan.

He has chronologically attempted a systematic study of the influx of foreign writers who were patronized during the period of the above dynasties.

In Sair-ul-Hind various political personalities that served under the respective Deccan Sultanates is a rare compilation. Under the Programme of Editing rare manuscripts, Sair-ul-Hind was takenup for publication as the subject matter throws more light on the politico social and religious developments besides art and architecture during a span of nearly 400 years in the Deccan.

The richness and vitality of Indian history, culture and literature is the result of a syntheses and reconciliation of various trends. This aspect of culture in meeting and mingling of two strongly developed and radically dissimilar cultures, as Hindu and Muslim.

on The greatest achievement of the Medieval period was the atonement of these conflicting and contrasting culture outlooks and evolution of Indo-Persian culture.

The inhabitants of the Deccan Plateau have faced numerous political, socio-cultural and economical upheavals and strong storms during the tenure of their political life. They were attacked by neighbouring as well as far off countries. They showed a national awakening at every stage and waged wars of liberation against the tide of invaders. They have given continuous sacrifices, courageously to preserve the independence of their country.

nattaten It has emerged from the pages of history that conquerors, after some time, influenced by the culture and traditions of Deccan adopted it with great pleasure and felt pride in it. It would be difficult to present another example from the literary history of the world that a country has mastered a foreign language to the extent that India has provided in the Medieval period. It is really difficult to provide a parallel to Indo-Persian literature in Medieval India either in variety, volume of rich- ness. The gigantic output served as potent instrument to promote the intellectual out look of India as the relies of the past.

The art of recording history had been a favourite occupation of Persian men of letters from the earliest. Actually historiography was more than an art, a literary undertaking, than a scientific performance. It was more a kin to story telling and highly ornate expression farway from the simple of facts, though all the events were narrated authentically. So this trend of ornamental writing is reflected in the historical works of the Deccan also.