Skip to main content

Amir Khusro(1253-1325). Post 15

Amir Khusro was born in U.P in India in 1253 where his family had settled after leaving Balkh in Afghanistan He was a mathematician, a poet, a Sufi, a musician and a composer. He originated Khayal, Tarana and other forms  of Indian classical music. He  also originated Qawwali. It is said that he introduced Sitar. It is similar to a Persian instrument, the Setar(3 strings).  It is also said that he introduced the tabla. Others say that his name sake Khusrao Khan did. The tabla is an adaptation from Mridangam and Pakhawaj.
Amir Khusro died at the age of 72 in 1325 . The same year Sultan Mohammed Tughlaq became the ruler of Delhi and Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia of the Chisti Order died.
Music and dance is an integral part of Hindu worship and devotion. Khusro introduced Khyal,Tarana and other forms as a secular element of Indian classical music that does not require invoking Radha, Rama and other Avatars.Khaliq).
Here is a sample of Khusro's poetry. Khaliq (May 2008).
Oh Khusrou, the river of love
Runs in strange directions.
One who jumps into it drowns,
And one who drowns, gets across.

Please note that the harmonium, an integral part of North Indian music was introduced by missionaries in the early nineteen hundreds. They brought the stand up version and probably used it  for  hymn  singing in church services. The violin, an integral part of South Indian music, is also an import.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sufism and Islamic sprituality by professor Sayyed Hosain Nasr. (Post 154)

A link to a talk on Islamic spirituality and Sufism by professor Sayyed Hosain Nasr of George Washington University. He is regarded as an authority on Islam and Sufism. His under graduate degree is in physics and mathematics from MIT. Masters from Harvard in earth sciences and  a PhD in history of science and philosophy also from Harvard in 1958. He has published about 50 books and several hundred articles. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=VB5-l299Ikc&t=298s

Masnavi of Rumi..Pain is a ....(Post 128)

Pain is a treasure, for it contains mercies; The kernel is soft when the rind is scraped off. O brother, the place of darkness and cold Is the fountain of Life and the cup of ecstasy. So also is endurance of pain and sickness and disease. For from abasement proceeds exaltation. The spring seasons are hidden in the autumns,   If spiritual manifestations had been sufficient, The creation of the world had been needless and vain. If spiritual thought were equivalent to love of God, Outward forms of temples and prayers would not exist

Omar Khayyam (1040-1134) an overview. Worldly hope..and Thik in..(Post 10)

Continuation  of posts introducing a few scholars of the * Golden age of Islam (8th to 13th century), by giving a short overview and a sample of their work Omar Khayyam  (1040-1134) a Mathematician, a philosopher, scholar of Islam  and a Sufi was born in Naishapur, Iran.  He  Wrote a treatise entitled "Demonstration of Problems of Algebra" (1070) and on the "Triangular array of binomial coefficient known as Pascal's triangle". In 1077 he produced another work, "Explanations of the Difficulties in the Postulates of Euclid", and on "theory of proportions". He also wrote on religion, music and astronomy. Contemporaries included Al Bairuni (973-1048) a philosopher and scientist, who calculated the circumference of the earth quite accurately. He wrote widely on topics including Hindus(religion, Medicine,  philosophy etc.). Abu Sina (Avicenna 980-1057) a great physician, a philosopher and a Sufi, wrote on Islam, P...