ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>KHUL&#256SAT UT-TW&#256R&#298KH</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279<i><u>KH</u>UL&#256SAT UT-TW&#256R&#298<u>KH</u></i>, a chronicle in Persian by Munsh&#299 Suj&#257n R&#257i Bha&#7751&#7693&#257r&#299 of Ba&#7789&#257l&#257, completed in the 40th year of Aura&#7749gz&#299b's reign (A.H. 1107/AD 1695-96), edited by Zafar Hasan and published at Delhi in 1918. Suj&#257n R&#257i was a professional <i>munsh&#299</i> and had served as such under various Mu<u>gh</u>al <i>n&#257zims</i> or provincial governors. His work became instantly popular. Numerous manuscript of it exist --- in the Punjab State Archives, Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 (No. M-428); Bibiliotheque Nationale, Paris, France (No. 544); Asiatic Society, Calcutta (No. D-156); 'Al&#299ga&#7771h Muslim University Library, 'Al&#299ga&#7771h (No. 954/10); National Library, Calcutta (No. 183, Bb, 91.9); and elsewhere. For its style and tone of sobriety in dealing with historical events, the <i><u>Kh</u>ul&#257sat ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i> became a model for future writers. Sohan L&#257l S&#363r&#299, the celebrated author of the <i>'Umd&#257t ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i>, openly acknowledges his debt to this work.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The <i><u>Kh</u>ul&#257sat ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i> covers the period from the early Hindu kings of Delhi to the war of succession among the sons of Emperor Sh&#257h Jah&#257&#7749, cursorily dealing with the reign of Aura&#7749gz&#299b also. Broadly, the work is divided into three parts : the geographical description of Hindust&#257n, the Hindu kings of Delhi, and the Muslim kings of Delhi. In the part dealing with the divisions of the Mu<u>gh</u>al empire, Suj&#257n R&#257i gives a detailed account of the province of Lahore within which fell his own native town of Ba&#7789&#257l&#257. He describes the annual fair at the nearby Achal, and as he refers to Gur&#363 N&#257nak's place (<i>mak&#257n</i>) on the bank of the River R&#257v&#299, he inserts a whole section embracing the lives of the founder of the Sikh faith and his successors. At a few other places in the text is also given some incidental information about the Gur&#363s and their followers. According to the author, Gur&#363 N&#257nak was a great mystic who depicted the reality and the truth of the Supreme Being in his compositions and emphasized the unicity of the Godhead. He was born at Talva&#7751&#7693&#299 R&#257i Bhoe in the reign of Bahlol Lodh&#299 and, through God's grace, he was endowed with the power of working miracles at an early age. He travelled in many parts of the world, got married in Ba&#7789&#257l&#257 and eventually settled down in a village on the bank of the R&#257v&#299, in the <i>parganah</i> of Ba&#7789&#257l&#257. People from all directions used to come in large numbers to become his disciples. Between the age of 70 and 80, in the reign of Sal&#299m Sh&#257h, Gur&#363 N&#257nak departed this life. At the time of his death he chose Lahi&#7751&#257, a Treha&#7751 Khatr&#299, as his successor and installed him on his seat as Gur&#363 A&#7749gad.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; About Gur&#363 N&#257nak's successors, Suj&#257n R&#257i provides scanty detail. Gur&#363 A&#7749gad remained on the spiritual <i>gadd&#299</i> for thirteen years and nominated before his end Amar D&#257s, a Bhall&#257 Khatr&#299, as his successor. Suj&#257n R&#257i errs when he says that Gur&#363 A&#7749gad had no sons and that Amar D&#257s was his son-in-law. Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s guided his people for twenty-two years and, though he had sons, chose his son-in-law, R&#257m D&#257s, a So&#7693h&#299 Khatr&#299, as his successor, who adorned the seat for seven years. After him, came his son Gur&#363 Arjan. Akbar, who had once visited him, was greatly pleased to listen to the compositions of Gur&#363 N&#257nak. On Gur&#363 Arjan's suggestion, the Emperor had reduced the rate of land revenue chargeable from farmers. Gur&#363 Arjan's son and successor, Gur&#363 Hargobind spent some of the thirty-seven years of his life at K&#299ratpur. His son, Gurditt&#257, having died in his lifetime, he nominated his grandson, Har R&#257i, as his successor. Gur&#363 Har R&#257i lived at K&#299ratpur. When D&#257r&#257 Shukoh, pursued by Aura&#7749gz&#299b, came towards the Punjab, Gur&#363 Har R&#257i went to him with a large contingent. Gur&#363 Har R&#257i nominated his young son, Har Krishan, who was succeeded by Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur, a younger son of Gur&#363 Hargobind. Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur was imprisoned by some <i>am&#299rs</i> (nobles) and executed in Sh&#257hjah&#257n&#257b&#257d in the seventeenth regnal year of Aura&#7749gz&#299b under royal orders. At the time of completing the <i><u>Kh</u>ul&#257sat ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i>, the son of Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur, named Gobind R&#257i, had held the spiritual office at M&#257khov&#257l for twenty-two years.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Suj&#257n R&#257i's account is not free from errors, but its overall accuracy is really striking. He gives the impression of care and diligence in the collection of his information. Of special significance is his impression of the Sikhs of his day. "Most of the followers of Gur&#363 N&#257nak," observes Suj&#257n R&#257i, "have an exalted state, with the spiritual status of those whose prayers are accepted. Polite in conversation, they lead austere lives. In the recitation of their Gur&#363s' verses and reflection upon them lies the essence of their worship. Playing on musical instruments, they sing these verses in fascinating melodies. They have purified their hearts of worldly affections and attachments, and have thus cast away the dark veil of temptations. A kinsman and a stranger, a friend and a foe are alike in their eyes. In harmony with their friends, they have no quarrel with their enemies. The kind of faith which they repose in their Gur&#363 is not witnessed among any other group of people. For them, one of the best forms of worship is the service of a wayfarer in the Gur&#363's name which is constantly on their lips. If a person arrives at midnight and mentions the name of B&#257b&#257 N&#257nak, they feed him and lodge him as a brother and friend to the best of their means, though he may be a total stranger or even a thief, a highway man or a profligate."</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A Punjabi translation of the work was published by Punjabi University, Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257, in 1972.</p> </ol><p class="CONT">J. S. Grew&#257l<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>