Amir Khusro was the first popular poet of Hindi Khadi Boli, in the fourteenth century who composed many Ghazals, Khayal, Qawwali, Rubai and Tarana etc. He was a Sufiyana poet and also a murid of Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya. His real name was Abul Hasan Yameenuddin Muhammad.
Amir Khusro Dahlavi was in an atmosphere, which is full of political deceit. Yet he worked with sincerity for Hindu-Muslim and national unity, love, harmony, humanism and cultural co-ordination.
Amir Khusro Early Life
- Amir Khusrau was born in 1253 AD in the Patiyali (Uttar Pradesh) on the banks of the Ganges. His father named him ‘Abul Hasan’. His father and mother name was Amīr Sayf Ud-Dīn Mahmūd and Hazrat Bibi Daulat Naz respectively.
- His father, Amīr Saif-ud-Dīn Mahmūd was a high official at the court of Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish. His mother Bibi Daulatnaz was the daughter of Rawat Arz and hailed from an Indian Rajput family. Khusro had two brothers and one sister.
- He was an intelligent child who developed an early interest in poetry and music. He lost his father when he was just nine years old and was then brought up in his maternal grandfather, Nawab Imadul Mulk’s care.
- He received a good education and learned the arts and literature as well as Fiqh, astronomy, grammar, philosophy, logic, religion, mysticism and history. He became well versed in the Turkish, Persian and Arabic languages and also acquired proficiency in various Indian dialects in the multi-ethnic environment of Delhi. He also became a spiritual disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi.
Career of Amir Khusro
Amir Khusro was a royal poet. He was associated with the royal courts of more than 7 rulers of the Delhi Sultanate. Khusro has written many playful riddles and songs. Khusro is famous particularly in the Northern India and Pakistan. The poetry of Khusro is still sung at Sufi shrines throughout India and Pakistan.
Amir Khusro wrote poetry in Persian and Hindavi. He could follow all styles of Persian poetry. He used 11 metrical schemes with 35 distinctive divisions. He has written ghazals, masnavi, qata, rubai, do beti and tarkibhand. In 1271 he compiled his first “divan” of poetry, “Tuhfatus-sighr”. He got his first job as a court poet with king Balban’s nephew Malik Chhajju in 1272.
He later started working with the son of Balban. His “mathnavi” (poems) include “Qiranus Sa’dain”, “Miftahul Futooh”, “Duval Rani-khizr Khan”, and “Noh-Sepehr” among others. His collection of poetry include “Tuhfa-tus-sigjr”, “Wastul-hayat”, “Ghurratul-Kamaal”, “Baqia-Naqia”, . He wrote “Khamsa”. His work was one of the great classics of Persian poetry.
Khusro’s verses are still fresh and relevant. Some of his most beautiful verses include “Khusro! Dariya prem ka…… jo ubhra so dub gaya, jo duba so par”, “Sej vo suni dekh ke rovun main din rain, piya piya main karat hu pahron, pal bhar sukh na chain”.
Amir Khusro As Musician
Amir Khusro has made significant contribution to the development of music in India. Khusro is regarded as the father of qawwali. He was the originator of the “khayal” and “tarana” styles of music. The invention of the “tabla” is also attributed to Amir Khusro. He introduced the tabla as a split version of the “Pakhawaj”. According to popular lore he also introduced the “sitar”. Khusro has made significant contribution to the development of ghazal in India. Amir Khusro is credited with enriching Hindustani classical music by introducing Persian and Arabic elements in it.
Amir Khusro As Prose Writer
Amir Khusro was a prolific writer. He was the writer of both tender and highly involved prose. His most notable works include “Ejaaz-e-Khusrovi”, “Tughlaq nama”, “Khazain-ul-Futooh”, among others. Khazain-ul-Futooh (The Treasures of Victories) has been one of his more controversial books, in prose (1311–12).
Amir Khusro Books
| 1 | The Tale of the Four Dervishes |
| 2 | Two Master Sufi Poets and Friends of Delhi |
| 3 | perfection’s Handiwork |
| 4 | Hasht-Bihisht |
| 5 | Sufi Poets of the Thirteenth Century |
| 6 | Divan of Amir Khusrau |
| 7 | Tales of the Four Darweshes |
| 8 | Amir Khusaro Ki Paheliyan |
| 9 | Amīr Khusrau’s Prose Writings on Music |
| 10 | The Indian Orpheus |
| 11 | Ten Great Sufi Poets of Delhi |
Amir Khusro Poetry
| 1 | A News Came |
| 2 | Aaj Basant Manaalay (Celebrate Spring Today) |
| 3 | Aaj Rung Hai |
| 4 | Babul |
| 5 | Bahut Kathin Hai |
| 6 | Beholding Your Appearance |
| 7 | Celebrate Spring Today |
| 8 | Chaap Tilak |
| 9 | Chashmay mastay |
| 10 | Couplet |
| 11 | Couplet 1 |
| 12 | Couplet 10 |
| 13 | Couplet 11 |
| 14 | Couplet 2 |
| 15 | Couplet 3 |
| 16 | Couplet 4 |
| 17 | Couplet 5 |
| 18 | Couplet 6 |
| 19 | Couplet 7 |
| 20 | Couplet 8 |
| 21 | Couplet 9 |
| 22 | Dear Father |
| 23 | Dye Me In Your Hue |
| 24 | Ecstatic Eyes |
| 25 | Every Secthas A Faith |
| 26 | Har Qaum Raast Raahay |
| 27 | I’Ve Just Had An Affair |
| 28 | Just A Glance |
| 29 | Ke Saawan Aaya {Rains Have Come} |
| 30 | Khabaram raseed imshab |
| 31 | Main to piya say naina lada aayi ray |
| 32 | Man Kunto Maula |
| 33 | Master |
| 34 | Mohay Apnay Hi Rung Mein |
| 35 | Mora Jobana (My Youth) |
| 36 | My Youth |
| 37 | Nami Danam… |
| 38 | Persian Poem |
| 39 | Rains Have Come |
| 40 | Sakal Bun |
| 41 | The Yellow Mustard Is Blooming |
| 42 | Too Much Difficult |
| 43 | Tori Soorat Kay Balihaari |
| 44 | What A Glow Everywhere I See |
| 45 | What Was The Place |
Amir Khusro Death
Khusrau died in October 1325, six months after the death of Nizamuddin Auliya. Khusrau’s tomb is next to that of his spiritual master in the Nizamuddin Dargah in Delhi.
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