Who actually wrote this?
deedawar
I had always thought that Khusrau wrote the following couplet. I am
told that it was possibly written by Shah Jahan. Is there any proof
available as to who actually wrote it?
Agar firdaus bar rué zamin ast;
hamin asto, hamin asto, hamin ast!
Many thanks for your help
Farah
Rajiv Chakravarti
aadaab -- The attribution of the couplet to Shahjahan is new to me.
Could you provide any background on this source? I would be interested
in knowing.
Though a lot of online material attribute the verse to Khusrau, I did
some digging and found this tidbit:
http://www.annonline.com/delhi-travel-guide/old-delhi.html
<quote>
The famous Kohinoor Diamond, taken from the throne, is now on display
in the Tower of London, set in a crown belonging to the Queen Mother
(see boxed text 'The Adventures of the Kohinoor Diamond'). The marble
pedestal on which it used to sit is all that remains of the Peacock
Throne in Delhi. In 1760, the Marathas also removed the silver ceiling
from the hall; the gilt work on the ceiling dates to the time of the
Coronation Durbar (see the Coronation Durbar Site section in this
chapter) of 1903. Inscribed in gold on the walls of the Diwan-i-Khas
is that famous Persian couplet, attributed to Shah Jahan's wazir,
Saadullah Khan:
Agar firdaus bar rue zamin ast Hamin ast o hamin ast o hamin ast.
If there is a paradise on earth it is this, it is this, it is this.
</quote>
So, is it Khusrau, or Shah Jahan or his vazeer Sa'adullah Khan?
[ Aside: Was Shah Jahan known for composing verses? If so, are there
any verses documented by him? ]
The mystery thickens!
Regards,
RC
Afzal A. Khan
Interesting. When I was in school, one of our teachers
had told us that the Faarsi sher was something of an
inspired outburst from Emperor Jahangir, when he first
visited Kashmir.
About ShahjahaaN, I remember reading in some history
text that he used to compose ghazals in "Zabaan-e-Hindi".
This term is to be understood in the sense of old Urdu;
a sort of proto-Urdu (Hindi = of India, Indian).
Afzal
arahim
This is the version I was told.
> About ShahjahaaN, I remember reading in some history
> text that he used to compose ghazals in "Zabaan-e-Hindi".
> This term is to be understood in the sense of old Urdu;
> a sort of proto-Urdu (Hindi = of India, Indian).
>
> Afzal- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Rajiv Chakravarti
Afzal sahab, the same 'story' was repeated to me yesterday by someone
else, but the person attributed was "Babur!"
RC
Naseer
wrote:
>
> - Show quoted text -
But I thought Babur was a Turkish speaker!
Naseer
arahim
Yes Turkic Chagatay. That was the language of the original Baburnama
which does not survive. The persian translation, which survives, was
compiled for Akbar.
> Naseer- Hide quoted text -
Afzal A. Khan
As far as I can recollect from our history texts, Kashmir
(already under Muslim rule) first became part of the Mughal
Empire during the reign of Emperor Akbar.
Although I had read Tozak-e-Baburi (in English translation),
I can't recall whether he mentions any visit to Kashmir.
Afzal
Rajiv Chakravarti
I wrote to a friend in India (Irfan Zuberi) who works as a consultant
for "Aalam-e-Khusrau" in Delhi and asked him if he had any conclusive
evidence for the authorship of the verse.
Here's his response:
------- quote ----------
Rajiv,
Interesting posts and discussion following them!
There is considerable debate about this couplet's attribution... I've
met Persian Professors who have been equally divided... apparently
there are multiple differences between the oral history of its
attribution and the literary trail is not conclusive enough...
however, the two Persian scholars I spoke to put it to me in this way:
"It certainly appears to be Khusrau's sentiment but not Khusrau's
literary style..." and the discussion goes on!
Irfan
--------- end quote ---------
So we still don't seem to have a resolution (sigh!)
RC
v
wrote:
90% of the billing of experts depends on lack of clarity. my
experience with tax experts confirms this. now even in literature! ya
allah! :)