SOURCE: THE HINDU

Adil Shahi literature translated to Kannada to fill gap in history of Deccan India

Dr. P.G. Halakatti Research Centre of Vijayapura in north Karnataka has spearheaded the project that is historically significant

Vijayapura-based BLDE Society’s Dr. P. G. Halakatti Research Centre has just completed the ambitious task of translating literature and documents pertaining to the reign of Adil Shahi kings in the 15th and 16th century. The work was carried out in association with the government of Karnataka.

Books in Persian, Arabic and Dakhani have been translated to Kannada. The project generated around 4,500 pages in 19 volumes.

The translated books include epics like Tareekh-e-Farishta, a history of the kingdom by Mohammad Kasim ‘Farishta’, Basateen-e-Salateen by Ibrahim Zuberi, Ibrahim Nama by Ibrahim Dehelvi in Dakhani, Guldasta-e-Bijapur by Mir Ahmed Ali Khan, Hafta Kursi by Fitur Khan Lari, and Futuhat-e-Alamgeer by Eshwar Das Nagar.

Challenge of finding experts in Persian language as well as Kannada

“This is a milestone in the cultural history of Karnataka,” says Krishna Kolhar Kulkarni, director of the centre. “It has been completed after painstaking work by scholars and translators who are good in both the original language and the target language. It was not easy to find them, as there are few persons who are well-versed in Persian or Dakhani. It also took us a lot of time to visit libraries and research centres to gather the books and documents.”

Procuring the books was not easy. Committee members visited Hyderabad, Delhi and Kolkata, to get copies of various books. The books were collected from the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, the archives of Andhra Pradesh, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) headquarters in New Delhi, and some individuals.

“It was tough work, but we persisted. For example, we got one of the only two copies of ‘Mohammad Nama’ by Kazi Nurallah. Even these copies are reproductions, and not originals,” he said.

Important historical project

“Though there have been a few books in English and Kannada about the history of medieval Karnataka, a lot of work needs to be done. The translation project hopes to fill that void. It will tell us not only about the history of Karnataka and the Deccan region, but also about India in those times,” he said. “Apart from documenting the life and times of medieval India, the translation project will help us drop our prejudices and dispel misconceptions about this phase of history.”

The project has been in the works for several years, says Dr. Kulkarni who is also the director of Adil Shahi Literature Translation Committee set up by the Ministry of Kannada and Culture. He worked for several years with M.M. Kalburgi who was vice-chancellor of Kannada University in Hampi

M.B. Patil, BLDE Society chairman and founder of the research centre, recalls the contribution of Irrigation Minister Govind Karjol, who supported the project during his tenure as the minister for Kannada and Culture Minister.

The volumes were released in Bengaluru on December 18 in the presence of former Union Minister Salman Khurshid, writer Sudheendra Kulkarni, former Minister M.B. Patil, literary critic Devu Pattar, Mansoor Ali Khan of Centre for Research and Communication, G.K. Patil, president of Dr. P. G. Halakatti Research Centre.