<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>SOHAN L&#256L S&#362R&#298</TITLE>
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<p class="C1">&#65279SOHAN L&#256L S&#362R&#298, <i>v&#257k&#299l</i> or attorney at the Lahore court, is famous for his monumental work in Persian, <i>'Umdat ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i>, a chronicle of Sikh times comprising five <i>daftars</i> or volumes. Little is known about Sohan L&#257l's early life except that he was the son of L&#257l&#257 Ga&#7751pat R&#257i, a <i>munsh&#299</i> or clerk successively under Sard&#257r Cha&#7771hat Si&#7749gh and Sard&#257r Mah&#257&#7749 Si&#7749gh of the Sukkarchakk&#299&#257 <i>misl</i>. Ganpat R&#257i had kept a record of important events of his own time which he passed on to his son around 1811 enjoining upon him to continue the work of writing a history of the Punjab. L&#257l&#257 Sohan L&#257l who, according to his own statement, was well versed in Persian, Arabic, mathematics, astronomy and numerology, was inspired to take to historiography by, besides the example of his father, Suj&#257n R&#257i Bh&#257&#7751&#7693&#257r&#299's <i><u>Kh</u>ul&#257s&#257t ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i> which covers the period from Hindush&#257h&#299 rulers of the tenth and eleventh centuries to 1704 in the reign of Aura&#7749gz&#299b. While acknowledging his debt to Suj&#257n R&#257i Bh&#257&#7751&#7693&#257r&#299, Sohan L&#257l S&#363r&#299 mentions another motive that prompted him to write his book. In the beginning of the first <i>daftar</i> of <i>'Umdat ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i>, he remarked referring to himself in the third person : "In fact the purpose and reason for which he undertook the novel and noteworthy compilation was that ever since the time of the Sultanate the writing of such works was looked upon as the proof of literary ability, which distinguished a scholar from an ordinary man. Learned men received due recognition and encouragement from the rulers of the time..." The sources for his voluminous Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u>, 7,000 pages of manuscript in <i>shikast&#257</i> or running Persian script covering the period from the birth of Gur&#363 N&#257nak in 1469 to the annexation of the Punjab in 1849, are his own knowledge of contemporary events, the notes bequeathed to him by his father and the historical or legendary material bearing on the subject available to him.</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Besides his <i>magnum opus</i>, the <i>'Umd&#257t ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i>, L&#257l&#257 Sohan L&#257l S&#363r&#299 wrote <i>'Ibrat N&#257mah</i>, lit. an account that teaches a lesson. It is a small poetical composition on the tragic murders of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Sher Si&#7749gh, R&#257j&#257 Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh and the Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257 Sard&#257rs and their associates in September 1843. The title of another work of his, <i>Selections from Daftar II</i>, is deceptive. The manuscript contains brief notes on courtiers, <i>r&#257j&#257s, d&#299w&#257ns</i>, learned men, saints and ascetics living in the year 1831; a genealogical table of the author's family up to 1836; a funeral oration on the death of his father, an account of the cis-Sutlej chiefs, a description of the institutions of the English; a brief description of the author's meeting with Captain Wade, later Colonel Sir Claude Martin Wade, British political agent at Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257, and copies of certain letters and testimonials. He is also said to have written treatises on mathematics, astronomy and geometry. Faq&#299r 'Az&#299z ud-D&#299n, Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh's favoured minister, introduced Sohan L&#257l to Captain Wade as a historian of the Sikh court. At Captain Wades request the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 allowed Sohan L&#257l to visit Ludhi&#257n&#257, where he used to read out to his host from the <i>'Umdat ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i> twice a week. He also presented the latter with a copy of the work which is still preserved in the Royal Asiatic Society Library in London.</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;	After the annexation of the Punjab to British dominions in1849, L&#257l&#257 Sohan L&#257l S&#363r&#299 was awarded a <i>j&#257g&#299r</i> worth Rs.1,000 per annum in the village of M&#257&#7749g&#257, in Amritsar district, to which he probably retired to pass his remaining years.</p>
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BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1">S&#363r&#299, V.S.(tr.) <i>'Umd&#257t ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i>. Chandigarh, 1972-74<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">V. S. S&#363r&#299<br></p><BR>
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