Persian language In India
Encyclopedia
The Persian language
, before the British colonized India, was the country's second official language (in Gorkanid official language) and was considered the language of culture and science. However, after colonization by the British, it was replaced with English in 1832.
Mughal Persian
-speaking rulers influenced the spread of the Persian language in India in literature, poetry, culture, and science. With the establishment of the Mughal Empire
in India, Persian reached its peak of development and was the official language of India.
Like the great poets of Persia, Indians such as Bedil Dehlavi, Amir Khusrow Dehlavi, and Muhammad Iqbal
also wrote poetry in Persian.
Also the contribution of Persian of Indian Parsi
s, sufists, and writers including dictionaries that can collect valuable Persian culture Ebrahim Foroughi Qavam, culture Nndraj of Mohammed Pasha, noted.
For five centuries prior to the British colonization
, Persian was widely used as a second language in South Asia
. It was the language of culture and education in several Muslim
courts in South Asia
and became the sole "official language" under the Mughal
emperors. During the Safavid
rule over Iran, when (royal) patronage of Persian poets was curtailed, the centre of Persian culture and literature moved to the Mughal Empire. The Mughal emperors had the financial resources to employ a veritable army of Persian courtly poets, lexicographers, and other literati. Beginning in 1843, though, English
gradually replaced Persian in importance in South Asia. Evidence of Persian's historical influence there can be seen in the extent of its influence on the languages of the South Asia
, as well as the popularity that Persian literature
still enjoys in that region. Use of Persian words is common in Pakistan
and north India
. Almost all languages of these areas have been influenced by Persian not only in literature but also in the speech of the common man. Persian exerted a strong influence on Urdu
, Punjabi
, and Sind hi in India
and Pakistan
. Other languages like Hindi
, Marathi
, Gujrati
, and Rajasthani
have many loanwords from Persian.
, a Persian speaking Mughal emperor. Humayun lost Mughal
territories to the Pashtun
noble, Sher Shah Suri
, and, with Persian aid, regained them 15 years later. Humayun's return from Persia, accompanied by a large retinue of Persian noblemen, signaled an important change in Mughal court culture, as the Central Asian origins
of the dynasty were largely overshadowed by the influences of Persian art, architecture, language
, and literature
. There are many carved stones and thousands of Persian manuscripts in India from the time of Humayun.
Subsequently, in a very short time, Humayun was able to expand the Empire further, leaving a substantial legacy for his son, Akbar. His peaceful personality, patience, and non-provocative methods of speech earned him the title Insan-i Kamil (انسان کامل), among the Mughals.
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, before the British colonized India, was the country's second official language (in Gorkanid official language) and was considered the language of culture and science. However, after colonization by the British, it was replaced with English in 1832.
Mughal Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
-speaking rulers influenced the spread of the Persian language in India in literature, poetry, culture, and science. With the establishment of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
in India, Persian reached its peak of development and was the official language of India.
Like the great poets of Persia, Indians such as Bedil Dehlavi, Amir Khusrow Dehlavi, and Muhammad Iqbal
Muhammad Iqbal
Sir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
also wrote poetry in Persian.
Also the contribution of Persian of Indian Parsi
Parsi
Parsi or Parsee refers to a member of the larger of the two Zoroastrian communities in South Asia, the other being the Irani community....
s, sufists, and writers including dictionaries that can collect valuable Persian culture Ebrahim Foroughi Qavam, culture Nndraj of Mohammed Pasha, noted.
For five centuries prior to the British colonization
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, Persian was widely used as a second language in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. It was the language of culture and education in several Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
courts in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and became the sole "official language" under the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
emperors. During the Safavid
Safavid dynasty
The Safavid dynasty was one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Iran. They ruled one of the greatest Persian empires since the Muslim conquest of Persia and established the Twelver school of Shi'a Islam as the official religion of their empire, marking one of the most important turning...
rule over Iran, when (royal) patronage of Persian poets was curtailed, the centre of Persian culture and literature moved to the Mughal Empire. The Mughal emperors had the financial resources to employ a veritable army of Persian courtly poets, lexicographers, and other literati. Beginning in 1843, though, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
gradually replaced Persian in importance in South Asia. Evidence of Persian's historical influence there can be seen in the extent of its influence on the languages of the South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, as well as the popularity that Persian literature
Persian literature
Persian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
still enjoys in that region. Use of Persian words is common in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and north India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Almost all languages of these areas have been influenced by Persian not only in literature but also in the speech of the common man. Persian exerted a strong influence on Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
, and Sind hi in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Other languages like Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
, Gujrati
Gujrati
Gujrati may refer to anything of or relating to:* Gujrat, a city in Punjab, Pakistan* Gujrat District, the corresponding district of Punjab...
, and Rajasthani
Rajasthani
Rajasthani is an adjective formed from the proper-noun Rajasthan.It can refer to:* Rajasthani people* Rajasthani language* Rajasthani architecture* Rajasthani art* Rajasthani cuisine* Rajasthani music* Rajasthani Painting...
have many loanwords from Persian.
Persian inscriptions
There are many stone carvings and plasters of Persian inscriptions in India. There are also thousands of handwritten books mostly from the time of HumayunHumayun
Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one...
, a Persian speaking Mughal emperor. Humayun lost Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
territories to the Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
noble, Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
, and, with Persian aid, regained them 15 years later. Humayun's return from Persia, accompanied by a large retinue of Persian noblemen, signaled an important change in Mughal court culture, as the Central Asian origins
Moghulistan
Moghulistan or Mughalistan is a historical geographic unit in Central Asia that included parts of modern-day Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and the Chinese Autonomous Region of Xinjiang...
of the dynasty were largely overshadowed by the influences of Persian art, architecture, language
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, and literature
Persian literature
Persian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
. There are many carved stones and thousands of Persian manuscripts in India from the time of Humayun.
Subsequently, in a very short time, Humayun was able to expand the Empire further, leaving a substantial legacy for his son, Akbar. His peaceful personality, patience, and non-provocative methods of speech earned him the title Insan-i Kamil (انسان کامل), among the Mughals.
Sources
- زبان فارسی در هندوستان — Persian Wikipedia
- "History of Persian or Parsi Language" — Iran Chamber Society
- http://www.soas.ac.uk/southasia/research/nilc/indopersian/ — soas.ac.uk