Musicians - Amir Khusro

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	Musicians - Amir Khusro

Abul Hasan Yaminuddin Khusro (1253-1325 CE), better known as Amir Khusro Dehlavi (in Persian اميرخسرو دهلوى), is one of the iconic figures in the cultural history of the Indian subcontinent. A Sufi mystic and a spiritual disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi, Amir Khusro (or Khusrau or Khusraw) was not only one of India's greatest poets, he is also credited with being the founder of both Hindustani classical music and Qawwali (the devotional music of the Sufis).

Amir Khusro was born in Patiali, Etah (Uttar Pradesh). In 1260, after the death of his father, Khusro went to Delhi with his mother. In 1271 he compiled his first divan of poetry, "Tuhfatus-Sighr". In 1272 he got his first job as court poet with King Balban's nephew Malik Chhajju. In 1276 he started working as a poet with Bughra Khan (Balban's son). In 1279, while writing his second divan, Wastul-Hayat, Khusrau visited Bengal. In 1281 he was employed by Sultan Mohammad (Balban's second son) and went to Multan with him. In 1285, Khusro participated as a soldier in the war against the invading Mongols. He was taken prisoner, but escaped. In 1287, Khusro went to Awadh with Ameer Ali Hatim (another patron). In 1288 his first mathnavi, "Qiranus-Sa'dain" was completed. In 1290, when Jalal ud din Firuz Khilji came to power, Khusro's second mathnavi, "Miftahul Futooh" was ready. In 1294 his third divan "Ghurratul-Kamal" was complete. In 1295, Ala ud din Khilji came to power and invaded Devagiri and Gujarat. In 1298 Khusro completed his "Khamsa-e-Nizami". In 1301, Khilji attacked Ranthambhor, Chittor, Malwa and other places, and Khusro remained with the king in order to write chronicles. In 1310, Khusro became close to Nizamuddin Aulia, and completed Khazain-ul-Futuh. In 1315 Alauddin Khilji died, and Khusro completed the mathnavi "Duval Rani-Khizr Khan" (a romantic poem). In 1316 Qutb ud din Mubarak Shah became the king, and the fourth historical mathnavi "Noh-Sepehr" was completed. In 1321, Mubarak Khalaji was murdered, and Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq came to power. Khusrau started to write the Tughluqnama. In 1325, Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq came to power. Nizamuddin Aulia died, and six months later so did Khusro. Khusro's tomb is located next to that of his master in the Nizamuddin Dargah of Delhi.

Khusro was a prolific classical poet associated with the royal courts of more than seven rulers of the Delhi Sultanate. He is popular in much of North India and Pakistan, because of many playful riddles, songs and legends attributed to him. Through his enormous literary output and the legendary folk personality, Khusro represents one of the first (recorded) Indian personages with a true multi-cultural or pluralistic identity.

He wrote in both Persian and Hindustani. His poetry is still sung today at Sufi shrines throughout Pakistan and India.

Amir Khusro was the author of a Khamsa which emulated that of the earlier Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi. His work was considered to be one of the great classics of Persian poetry during the Timurid period in Transoxiana.

Amir Khusro and the origins of the Sitar and the Tabla

Amir Khusro is credited with fashioning the tabla as a split version of the traditional Indian drum, the pakhawaj.

Popular lore also credits him with inventing the sitar, the Indian grand lute, but it is more likely that the sitar was invented by a different Amir Khusro several centuries later. This later namesake is said to be an 18th century descendant of the son-in-law of Tansen, the celebrated classical singer in the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. For an article about this theory, see

Some samples of Khusro's poetry

;Farsi couplets Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast,
Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast.

If there is a paradise on earth,
It is this, it is this, it is this (India)

;Farsi poems Kafir-e-ishqam musalmani mara darkaar neest
Har rag-e mun taar gashta hajat-e zunnaar neest;
Az sar-e baaleen-e mun bar khez ay naadaan tabeeb
Dard mand-e ishq ra daroo bajuz deedaar neest;
Nakhuda dar kashti-e maagar nabashad go mubaash
Makhuda daareem mara nakhuda darkaar neest;
Khalq mi goyad ki Khusrau but parasti mi kunad
Aarey aarey mi kunam ba khalq mara kaar neest.

I am a pagan and a worshipper of love: the creed (of Muslims) I do not need;
Every vein of mine has become taut like a wire,
the (Brahman’s) girdle I do not need.
Leave from my bedside, you ignorant physician!
The only cure for the patient of love is the sight of his beloved –
other than this no medicine does he need.
If there be no pilot in our boat, let there be none:
We have god in our midst: the sea we do not need.
The people of the world say that Khusrau worships idols.
So he does, so he does; the people he does not need,
the world he does not need.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Amir Khusro ]

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