ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>TW&#256R&#298KH-I-PAÑJ&#256B</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>TW&#256R&#298<u>KH</u>-I-PAÑJ&#256B</i>, by <u>Gh</u>ul&#257m Muhaiy ud-D&#299n Ludhi&#257&#7751av&#299, popularly known as B&#363&#7789e Sh&#257h, is an unpublished Persian work on the history of the Punjab from ancient times to the end of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh's reign. Copies of the manuscript are preserved in the British Library, London; India Office Library; Pañj&#257b University, Lahore; Department of Punjab Historical Studies, Punjabi University, Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257; <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 College, Amritsar; and the Punjab State Archives, Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257. B&#363&#7789e Sh&#257h was a <i>munsh&#299</i> or clerk in the service of the British Political Agency at Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257, enjoying confidence enough to be one of the emissaries sent to wait upon Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh on behalf of the Political Agent in October 1837. Written at the instance of Mr (later Sir) George Russell Clerk (1800-89), who succeeded Lieut-Colonel (later Sir) Claude Martin Wade (1794-1861) as the Governor-General's political agent at Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257 in 1840, the work was completed in 1848. It is divided into five <i>daftars</i> or sections with an introduction and a conclusion. The introduction gives an account of Punjab's geographical conditions and its important places and towns. Daftar I deals with the Hindu rulers up to R&#257i Pithor&#257 (Prithvi R&#257j Chauhan), the account being based, According to the author, on the religious books of the Hindus. <i>Daftar</i> II carries the History of the Punjab from the <u>Gh</u>aznavids to Emperor Aura&#7749gz&#299b. The author's sources for this section are historical chronicles such as <i>Hab&#299b us-Sayy&#257r, T&#257r&#299<u>kh</u>-i-Yamin&#299, T&#257r&#299<u>kh</u>-i-Alf&#299, Jama 'ul-Hik&#257y&#257t, Tabq&#257t-i-N&#257sir&#299 and Tar&#299<u>kh</u>-i-Guz&#299dah</i>. Daftar III contains short life-sketches of the ten Gur&#363s of the Sikhs. For this section, B&#363&#7789e Sh&#257h claims to have utilized the traditional sources particularly the <i>Janam S&#257kh&#299s</i>. This part also contains the names of some of Gur&#363 N&#257nak&#8217s disciples with brief notes on a few of them, description of the Sikh institutions of <i>la&#7749gar</i> and <i>mañj&#299s</i> and the <i>b&#257ol&#299</i> at Goindv&#257l, and a somewhat detailed account of events such as the martyrdoms of Gur&#363 Arjan and Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur, Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh's battles, the creation of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 and Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh's death in the Deccan. <i>Daftar</i> IV deals with the rise, growth and achievements of Sikh <i>misls</i> and their polity and administration. B&#363&#7789e Sh&#257h's approach in this section is more factual and critical. <i>Daftar</i> V, forming nearly one-half of the entire volume, is devoted to Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh, his conquests and consolidation of power. Here B&#363&#7789e Sh&#257h, with his personal knowledge of contemporary events and his probable access to official records and correspondence at the Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257 Agency, is more authentic. He also appears to have had access to Sohan L&#257l S&#363r&#299's <i>'Umdat ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i> of which a copy was presented by the author to Claude Wade. In fact, B&#363&#7789e Sh&#257h's account in this <i>daftar</i> appears to be an intelligent summary of Sohan L&#257l's diary; at places even the text of his manuscript is the same as that of the latter's work. However, in contrast to the official diarist of the Lahore Darb&#257r, B&#363&#7789e Sh&#257h has a more critical historical sense. He records only the more important events of the time, omitting much that is of little historical value. Because of his closer contact with the British, his use of English names is more correct. His dates follow the Christian calendar.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1">Kirpal Singh, ed, <i>A Catalogue of Persian and Sanskrit Manuscripts</i>. Amritsar, 1962<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Bhagat Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>