Kokan News, Vol.3, No.1, 2011

‫آآ
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Kokan News
Volume 3, Issue 1 | January — March 2011
THE e-NEWSLETTER OF THE KOKANI DIASPORA COMMUNITY
Editor: Dr. Siraj Mohammed Bijle
FOREWORD
ESTAWOO (Arrange yourselves)… Allah-o-Akbar (Allah is Great)

… And within seconds, the whole scene changed and the crowd of 3
million Muslims arrived from different part of world arranged
themselves in well-organized rows in NO TIME. This is the scene
every year and this year too when the millions of pilgrims assembled
for Haj in Makkah.
King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, chose to focus

on the unity of Islam and the importance of interfaith dialogue in his
address to this year’s pilgrims. That unity is clearly on display with the
enormous mix of nationalities, ethnic backgrounds, race and gender
that makes its way to Makkah every year. The King said Muslims
should use the Haj to “revive and renew their relations and strengthen
the bonds of fraternity, love and cohesion”.
The Monarch said he is always filled with “great delight and pleasure”
to see Muslims from all over the world come together for Haj. He said
Haj is “a clear sign of the Divine Will to unite the Ummah and reaffirm
the oneness of the Creator”. Haj also embodies “equality and justice”.
“Almighty Allah ordained this annual obligation to serve as a gathering
place for the believers, the sons of one religion.”
This annual obligation, of course, falls on Saudi Arabia as the host of

the Two Holy Mosques and other holy sites. Despite the
overwhelming logistical coordination to make Haj a successful event,
“Almighty Allah has made matters easy for us to fulfill our obligations
toward the worshippers,” the King said.
Indeed, this year’s Haj offered some significant innovations to

make the pilgrimage a more accessible event for everyone. Even
the wheel-chair bound are visiting the Grand Mosque and other
holy sites. This year additional floors added at JAMARAT not
only made pilgrims life easy but also the event was incident free.
Inauguration of train facilities especially for Haj and traveling
first time in train provided comfort to pilgrims. MUMBAI WAS VISITED BY THREE GREAT RELIGIOUS AND
POLITICAL LEADERS (see page 6)
Muslim leaders, scholars and intellectuals have a daunting task
before them. They must bring Muslims back to their basics; guide Dr. Sheikh Saud Bin Ibrahim
Bin Muhammad Al-Shuraim
them to set aside their differences and cultural influences to embrace Imaam and Khateeb of
Masjid Al Haram,
the legislation of the Qur’an and Sunnah. This is necessary to stop Makkah Al Mukarramah (left)
the current deterioration, stagnation and confusion the Ummah is &
going through now. U.S. President Barack Obama
with Indian Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh
Haj comes every year. But we seem to overlook the important lesson
it teaches for our success.
Dr. Siraj Mohammed Bijle
A delight to eyes – Flowers

IN THIS ISSUE in Kokan in rainy season
Indian Kokanis Celebrate Iftar Party and Family Gathering 2

Good News for Kokan
Arabic, Persian and Urdu Literature published in Mumbai 10
Navi Mumbai Airport gets nod
Kokanis in Cape Town, South Africa 22 ====================
Books on Kokan 26
NEW DELHI | Mon Nov 22, 2010
A long-delayed project to build a second international
airport in India's commercial hub of Mumbai took a
Big step forward on Monday the November 22, 2010
KCR — ‫ض‬+,‫ ر‬./01‫ آ‬3‫آ‬4‫آ‬ 31 After it received clearance from the country’s
environment minister. Cont...P4
Kokan News ‫ـ@ز‬B‫ـ‬C D‫آـ@آـ‬
Kokan Committee Riyadh (KCR) Organizes Iftar Party

And Family Gathering 2010
‫اں ں ﮯﮯ ں ﮯ ﮩ دور
ﮯ ۓ‬
‫ﮉﮯ ﮨﮟ‬+‫اوں "ﮟ ۓ ـــــ ڈه‬#$ ‫ﮨ' &ب ﮯ‬
RIYADH: Kokan Committee Riyadh (KCR), a Riyadh-based social organization, hosted a huge Iftar party on 20th August, 2010 (10th Ramdhan 1431)
for Indian Kokani community at an istraha (tent) in industrial area. More than 750 Kokanis gathered under one roof which never happened till this
function was organized.
The program was started by recitation of Sura Al-Adiyat from Qur'an by Mr. Zeshan Yahya Ukay. Mr. Qalander Abdulhamid Dabhilkar made commen-
tary in beautiful Kokani language on Qur'anic verses of Sura Al-Adiyat. Wajihuddin Parker spoke on this occasion on importance of Ramdan and huqu-
qul Ibad. In the presidential address by Mr. Rafique Dalwai, said enthusiasm among office-bearers and other social activists was motivating. He
thanked people for showing the trust and faith in KCR and told them that it is important to have continuous such faith for success of any event. At
Iftar time people were served with dates, juice, batata-wada, laban and bottles of water and biryani which were prepared and contributed by members
of KCR themselves.
A website www.kokancommitteeriyadh.com was also launched at this time. Mission, Vision and Strategic plans was also launched. Beautiful banners
and brochure of the society were also distributed and displayed.
On another occasion more than 400 Indian Kokanis and their family members turned up at the Istraha Al Fares, in Hai Al-Manaqh at the weekend to
celebrate family gathering and wonderful evening on Thursday 28th October, 2010.
Of the two million Indians in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, around 50,000 Kokanis live and work in different cities. Thus for scattered community
throughout the country, such family gathering provides a good and unique opportunity to socialize, network and to understand little known cultural
nuggets of their own country and community. “The turnout was beyond expectations,” admitted Mr. Rafiq Dalwai, the key organizer and President of
KCR who works as a Finance Manager with GSM service providing company “Mobily”. “When we thought of organizing such event, we never knew
that we would attract these many people. Even some families attended this function coming all the way from Dammam and Buraida. This only
indicates the sense of camaraderie that still exists among the members of Kokani community.
Mr. Rafiq Dalwai gave brief information of KCR achievements during the 2010 and about the EASE (Education Adoption Scheme) program. Under
EASE program about 70 children were adopted by the members of Kokani Community in Riyadh. On the other hand scholarships to 158 students
were sanctioned for which a sum of Rs.600,000+/= was paid to them through the KCR coordinators directly to students or their schools. He also
mentioned and applauded about historic great Iftar Milan Party event on 10th Ramdhan 1431(20/08/2010) ever held on soil of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
by Kokani community where more than 750 members participated. He honored many members of the KCR by giving them rose flowers. He specially
thanked Mr. Nazir Mukadam and his team of Mr. Mansoor Ashtikar, Mr. Abdullah Hunerkar, Mr. Dilawar Parkar and Mr. Shoyeb Dalwai for arranging
such an excellently organized family gathering and wonderful evening.
He gave special thanks to Mrs. Salma Nazir, Principal Taqwa International School Riyadh for voluntarily accepting the responsibility of organizing
events of ladies wing. As a token of respect and appreciation Mrs. Nargis Tajammul Pangarkar wife of KCR Vice president Mr. Tajammul Pangarkar
handed over flowers to her on behalf of President.
He also thanked Mr. Tajammul Pangarkar, Mr. Hidayat Jamadar, Mr. Faiz Malim, Mr. Munawar Pathan, Mr. Tanveer Karbelkar for their efforts and
success of this event. He specially mentioned that Mr. Tajamul Pangarkar and Mr. Munwar Pathan. President also mentioned about two advisors,
Dr. Abdul Gani Dalvi and Dr. Siraj Mohammed Bijle; whom he described as back bone of KCR and thanked for their efforts to make every event of
KCR a grand success. He extended special thanks to the KCR coordinators Mr. Imtiaz Sable, Mr. Sajid Surve, Mr. Javed Dimtimkar, Mr. Asghar
Khan Sarguroh, Mr. Arif Pathan, Mr.Adeeb Husain Mujawar, Mujeeb Dalwai, Mr. Faiz Maruf and Maulana Wajihuddin Parkar and gave them flowers.
“Washishti Welfare Society for the Disabled”

For more information please contact: Dr. Siraj Mohammed Bijle
smbijle@yahoo.co.uk
.
Page 2
Volume 3, Issue 1 | January-March 2011
Mr. Abdulaziz Shaikh, of Al-Kabir Co. and M/s Baker Adhikari and Iqbal Kazi of Kwality Ice Cream Co. were also honored by offering the flowers to
them. President thanked them for distributing their products and ice-cream respectively during this occasion.
Abdurrahman Rawal who few years back accepted Islam delivered excellent and educative lecture on the importance of Islam, Quran and
Education. He also mentioned that people can approach him for any help required to understand Islam and its teachings.
Dr. Abdul Ghani Dalvi, Scientist at SWCC a Saudi Government entity, who also played an instrumental role in bringing all Kokanis together,
promised to make more such events in future. He thanked Mr. Rafiq Dalwai for taking the captain’s responsibility of sailing KCR ship through the
sea that has many rocks and his efforts to achieve exceptional result in short period of time. He also thanked all the committee members and the
participants coming together along with families for a day of fun.
For sumptuous dinner Chicken Biryani, Mutton Korma and sweets were served on this occasion and everybody enjoyed this pink and blue evening
which was supported by nice weather. Dinner session was brilliantly managed by team of Mr. Javed Dimtimkar consisting of Mr. Asghar Khan
Surguroh, Mr. Farooq Mhaldar, Mr. Mujeeb Dalwai, Mr. Afzal Dalwai Mr. Sajid Surve and others. This event again is one additional feather in the
achievements of the KCR under the leadership of Mr. Rafiq Dalwai, President, Kokan Committee Riyadh.
Preparing future strategic planning
Preparation for Iftar by KCR members in Riyadh
KCR VISION
BRIGHTEN UP THEIR LIVES
BECOME A LIFE -CHANGER
SPONSOR A CHILD NOW!
By donating SR500/= annually

Through Education Adoption Scheme (EASE) Program of
Kokan Committee Riyadh (KCR)
For further information please visit web site of KCR:
URL : www.kokancommitteeriyadh.com
Email : help@kokancommitteeriyadh.com
Page 3
Continued from page ...1

ending months of wrangling between India's environment and civil aviation ministries. The approval imposes 32
stipulations to ensure the area surrounding the estimated $220 million project is protected. The approval was
necessary for construction to begin on the project in Navi Mumbai, seen as vital to the city's status as an international
commercial center with a passenger crunch looming at the current airport. Overhauling India's creaking infrastructure
is seen as crucial to continued economic growth, with the country targeting increased private investment and a
doubling in infrastructure spending to $1 trillion in the five years starting in 2012. The civil aviation ministry and local
Maharashtra government have pushed hard in recent months to ensure environmental clearance was granted for the
airport, which will be funded through a public-private partnership.
The new airport, first approved by the government in 2007 to reduce the burden on the existing Chattrapati Shivaji
airport, is reportedly expected to handle 40 million passengers when fully operational in 2030. As important as the
second international airport is vital for Mumbai, it has huge implications for Kokan and the Pune-Nashik belt. “This
is a vital piece of infrastructure since there are serious constraints on the existing airport. Without the second
airport, Mumbai could lose relevance not just as an international financial centre but also as the national financial
capital,” said Sanjay Ubale, managing director of Tata Realty and Infrastructure.
Experts said the second airport would lead to rapid growth across the metropolitan region that now stretches up to
coastal Raigad and boost development in the Kokan as well as the Pune-Nashik belt. In the past few years, the
Kokan is being looked upon as a power, mining and ports centre. Pune has emerged as an automobile and
information technology hub, while Nashik is being developed as a manufacturing hub.
These regions are among India’s fastest growing, attracting billions of dollars of investment across proposed
special economic zones (SEZs) and infrastructure projects. The state has the highest number of SEZs — 105
approved — in India. More than half these services, information technology, automobile and manufacturing
enclaves are in this belt. The airport site is close to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the area along it is being
developed as a service sector hub.
With economic development in the Kokan region of Maharashtra getting high priority from both the government and
corporate, the single-track Kokan Railway would have to be converted into a double track, an expert said here.
Addressing a Kokan Vision 2020 conference at Dapoli near Ratnagiri recently, Kokan Railway’s former Managing
Director Ketan Gokhale said: “The single-track Kokan Railway would have to be converted into a double-track,
considering the development of the port by Reliance and also because of the proposed ports at Dighi and Jaigad
which will need to be linked to the Kokan railway.”
With two SEZs — Navi Mumbai SEZ and Mumbai SEZ, Rewas Port — being developed as the deepest and largest
port in the country (by Mukesh Ambani-headed Reliance Industries) besides the Navi Mumbai airport, the road and
rail network in Kokan region is expected to be under a lot of strain. The Mumbai SEZ (MSEZ) is investing an
estimated Rs 35,000 crore in the development of the SEZ in 45 villages in tehsils of Pen, Uran and Panvel in the
Raigad district. Reliance is also developing the Navi Mumbai SEZ in partnership with CIDCO in Panvel-Uran region.
“The SEZ project, while bringing in prosperity to the Kokan region, will also boost the pace of development of
Maharashtra and the nation,” an MSEZ official said, adding ‘private investments of around Rs 350,000 crore were
expected in the SEZ’. Being set up on 10,000 hectares of land, the MSEZ is expected to bring prosperity to the
region by generating 20 lakh jobs and contribute Rs 10,000 crore to the state exchequer every year.
Navi Mumbai International Airport will support the rapidly growing air travel needs of Mumbai Metropolitan Region. It
is expected to absorb annually 10 million passengers in its first operational year 2012, doubling to 20 million by 2020
followed by 30 million passengers in 2025 and ultimately 40 million by 2030.
Page 4
India makes major move to save climate talks

Source: www.samachar.com
Cancun (Mexico): India has made a major move towards a global treaty where its own attempts to tackle climate change
may become a 'binding commitment under appropriate legal form'. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh made the offer in
an attempt to break the deadlock at the Nov 29-Dec 10 UN climate summit here, and as he put it, 'to improve India's image
around the world as an honest broker'.
Speaking at the high level segment of the annual UN Framework Convention on Climate Change conference, Ramesh
said Wednesday evening (local time) that 'all countries must take binding commitments under appropriate legal form' to
control their emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) - mainly carbon dioxide - which are causing climate change.
Since the start of the industrial age, the rich countries have put into the atmosphere almost all the excess GHG that is
warming up the earth and already reducing farm output, making droughts, floods and storms more frequent and more
severe and raising the sea level. But now China is the largest GHG polluter with 22 percent of global emissions, the US is
second with 19 percent and India third with five, though India's per capita emissions are one-twentieth that of the US.
The US is the only rich country that has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol - the sole global treaty that obliges rich countries to
reduce their GHG emissions. For years, the US has been insisting it will not get into any legally binding agreement to do
so unless China and India do the same. A new plan put forward by India for success at climate summit at Cancun received
support from the UN climate chief.
CLIMATE CHANGE & MAHARASHTRA (Input from Kokan News)
Maharashtra is the third largest and the second most populous state in the country. It accounts for 9.4% of the total
geographical area and occupies a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau in the western peninsular of the subcontinent.
The Western Ghats, which run parallel to the coast at an average elevation of 1200 meters form one of the three
watersheds of the country, from which originate several important rivers, the most notable being Godavari and Krishna. To
the north of the state, the rivers Tapi and Narmada flow westwards into the Arabian Sea. Administratively, the state is
divided into 35 districts, Based on socio-political and other geographical considerations, the state is divided into five main
regions: Vidarbha (north-eastern region), Marathwada, Khandesh, Northern Maharashtra (Desh) and Western
Maharashtra (Konkan). Covering the entire Western Ghats, the Kokan region is known to receive the maximum rainfall in
the state.
Maharashtra experiences extreme climatic conditions and the impacts of climate change will further exacerbate its current
vulnerability. Maharashtra has its economy inextricably tied to climate-sensitive sectors, primarily agriculture, which is the
backbone of the economy. Altered rainfall and precipitation patterns could affect hydrological systems and agricultural
production and productivity. This is likely to endanger livelihoods of communities dependent on it and food security of the
state. Inter-linkages between different sectors would have a ripple effect on the entire economy. The impacts will be most
felt on the vulnerable and poor sections of the society. The state of Maharashtra therefore underlying Climate change
vulnerabilities associated with the prevalence of drought in the central belt and sea level rise, wide variations in
development within the state. Climate change impacts in the state are summarized as:
Impacts on Human Health

Impacts on Agriculture
Impacts on Water Resources
Impacts on Coastal Zones
Impacts on Species and Natural Areas
With an aim to find a solution to the Kokan and Maharashtra a long term strategy and plan is need of the day to
protect the Kokan coastline. This is in the interest of wildlife and humans. A study is necessary to study the
Kokan coast biodiversity, the extent to which local communities depend on it for a living, and then prepare a
conservation plan keeping the local residents and traditional communities in mind.
Page 5
MUMBAI WAS VISITED BY THREE GREAT RELIGIOUS & POLITICAL

LEADERS
By
Ms Aisha Bijle, Mumbai, India
Mumbai: Mumbai witnessed 10 days International Islamic Conference (Hindi – Urdu) from 22nd to 31st
October 2010. The conference was arranged by Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), Mumbai. The Chief
Guest was SHAIKH SAUD BIN IBRAHIM BIN MUHAMMAD AL-SHURAIM.
Sheikh Al-Shuraim is Imam and Khateeb of Masjid-al-Haram, a very prominent personality of the Islamic
world, a dignified researcher in fiqh, a judge and a poet. He traveled and visited to many countries. He is
a good writer and has written many books on aqeedah, fiqh, and Arabic poetry. Dr. Al-Shuraim is loved
by the Muslim world for his noble characteristics and humbleness. He has been leading the Taraweeh
prayers in Makkah since 1991 during the Holy Month of Ramadan alongside Sheikh Abdurrahman Al-Sudais.
Islam stands for peace, harmony, brotherhood and co-existence. It safeguards the interests of every human being and
guarantees a peaceful and just society, said Shaikh Usman As-Siddiquee while inaugurating the ten days Islamic Dawah
Conference on October 22, 2010 in Mumbai.
"The guidelines and the principles Islam has laid upon its followers has brought peace and harmony in the world. It
safeguards the interests of every human being and stresses in clear term the freedom of religious practice and
co-existence", Shaikh Usman who is the former Imam of Masjid Khaif, Mina, near Makkah Saudi Arabia said while
delivering the Friday sermon.
"Some of the rights introduced by Islam especially for the women and downtrodden were totally new to the world", he
added. The former Imam rejected the propaganda which is underway about Islam by a section in the world.
"Today some people try to spread misconceptions about Islam and tries to project Islam in a way that has no relation to
its true teachings and actual principles", he said.
"The whole history of Islam and the entire life of Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him) and that of his companions
are full of instances to show how they brought peace in the world and paved the way for the formation of a just and
peaceful society while working on the principles and guidelines laid down in Islam", he said as thousands of people sat
listening to the sermon with apt attention.
The conference held at the Somaya ground in Mumbai and organized by Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) that began
with the Friday sermon on October 22 is fourth in Mumbai. It was concluded on October 31, 2010.
Eminent scholars and Islamic preachers from India and abroad have come to the venue to address the conference which
is organized first time in Urdu. Earlier three conferences organized on the same ground and at the same times in the
past three years were in the English language.
Later, while addressing a press conference Dr Zakir Naik Founder President of IRF elaborated in details the purpose and
objectives of the conference.
"For people of all beliefs, this conference will be a learning opportunity to realize, reflect on and correct their
misunderstanding (if any) about Islam in the light of talks by authoritative and renowned international speakers."
Blaming Western media for creating misconceptions about Islam, Dr. Naik said that it chose to “glorify black sheep within
the c om m unity as ex em plar y Mus lim s ” . T his ended up pr oj ec ting a wr ong pic tur e of Islam .
“This conference is to clear certain misconceptions and tell the world how peace is the
solution for humanity,” Dr. Zakir Naik said.
Cont… p.8
Page 6
Reviews on the IRF Peace Conference

in Urdu News papers
Page 7
US President Barack Obama's India "Yatra"

Mumbai: US President Barack Obama embarks on his India "Yatra" in Mumbai on November 6, 2010 on the first
leg of his three-day visit to India that was seek to focus on opening up Indian markets for American businesses and
deal with wide-range of political issues, including strategy on counter-terrorism. The Air Force One carrying
Obama and his wife Michelle touched down at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.
US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama dance with school students
on Koli music during Diwali celebrations in Mumbai on Sunday Nov 7, 2010.
Obama and his wife walked down the ladder to a red carpet welcome and were received by Ex. Maharashtra Chief
Minister Ashok Chavan who presented him a memento. The other dignitaries who received him on the tarmac were
India's Minister for Minority Affairs Salman Khursheed and Indian Ambassador in the US Meera Shankar.
The US President traveled to Mumbai and New Delhi during his India visit. While the Mumbai leg of Obama's trip
was more focused on trade, economic and cultural aspects of the Indo-US ties, while the New Delhi focused on
bilateral ties which reached to an altogether new level.
"The US-India partnership is indispensable in addressing the challenges of our times. This strategic relationship
encompasses a range of issues, activities, and programs that reflect the vision of President Obama and Prime
Minister Singh that benefits not only the people of the US and India but the world as a whole," a fact sheet issued
by the White House after the Obama visit said.
"The two leaders welcomed the deepening relationship between the world's two largest democracies. They com-
mended the growing cooperation between their governments, citizens, businesses, universities and scientific
institutions, which have thrived on a shared culture of pluralism, education, enterprise and innovation, and have
benefited the people of both countries," said a joint-statement issued after the visit.
Both the leaders reaffirmed that Indo-US strategic partnership is indispensable not only for their two countries but
also for global stability and prosperity in the 21st century, it said.
US President
Barack Obama
addressing the
joint session of
Parliament, in the
Central Hall of
Parliament
House, in New
Delhi on
November 08,
2010.
Page 8
India, France Sign GPA for Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant

Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra
New Delhi, December 6, 2010: In a significant step towards boosting their civil nuclear cooperation, India and France
today signed the General Framework Agreement between Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and
AREVA for Implementation of European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) Units at Jaitapur power plant in Ratnagiri District,
Maharashtra.
The agreement was signed in the presence of visiting French President Nicholas Sarkozy and Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh here. The 10,000 MW Jaitapur nuclear power plant will contribute greatly to enhancing the share of
energy from non-polluting sources. A related agreement on early works between NPCIL and AREVA for implementation
of EPR NPP Units at Jaitapur site was also inked. The two countries also signed other agreements on the peaceful
uses of nuclear energy. One is Cooperation Agreement between the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) of the
Government of India and the Commissariat a L'energie Atomique ET Aux Energies Alternatives (CEA) in the field of
Nuclear Science and Technology for Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy. Another agreement was signed concerning
Intellectual Property Rights on the development of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The two countries also signed
the Protection of Confidentiality of Technical Data and Information Relating to Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of
Nuclear Energy.
France is one of the first countries with which India signed the agreements on civil nuclear cooperation. The European
Union country had also been supporting India's cause for access to nuclear fuel at the Nuclear Suppliers' Group and
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
This could bring some cheer to a power-starved country reeling under summer heat. A biodiversity survey
conducted to assess the environmental impact of the proposed 10,000 mw Jaitapur atomic power plant appears
to have given the ‘green light’ to it.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ( R ) welcome France's President Nicolas Sarkozy
(L) at the Prime Minister residence in New Delhi.
Page 9
ARABIC, PERSIAN AND URDU LITERATURE

PUBLISHED IN MUMBAI: A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT
Part I
By
Dr. Siraj Mohammed Bijle [Ph.D.]

Information Specialist
King Faisal Center for Research & Islamic Studies
[King Faisal Foundation]
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Email: smbijle@yahoo.co.uk
The objective of the study was to cast a detailed searchlight on the Arabic, Persian and Urdu Languages and
Literature to acquaint scholars and research workers with collections and rare sources useful to them. The
present work attempts to make known the strength of the above mentioned collections available in the city of
Mumbai for their research work. Research scholars in the Mumbai in general are handicapped by the lack of
bibliographical control of retrospective as well as current national literary output in these languages and
their availability in different libraries. The present study attempts to bring to limelight what has appeared to
be hidden and give prominence to things which deserve to be widely known. This will also save the time of
research scholars in their literature search. As a matter of urgency, facilities and services in Arabic, Persian
and Urdu libraries must be improved in order to sustain their new status so that they can contribute
effectively towards the educational development of country.
The manuscripts constitute an important part of the rich Indian culture heritage. These are major
repositories of the contribution that our predecessors made in the diverse fields of Religion, Philosophy,
Astronomy, Literature, History, Medicine and Science. They constitute the primary source of reconstruction
of the Indian’s past. These manuscripts need preservation and conservation. A conservation laboratory,
binding section and microfilming section are required. Before binding scanning is necessary to keep online
electronically, so that the original Mss cannot be damaged further. A descriptive catalogue of all manuscripts
available in Mumbai Libraries is a need of today.
The manuscripts must be preserved using the most up-to-date methods of digital technology and that
the largest number of people possible be given access to them. "The manuscripts are living memory of our
forefathers."
Page 10
Introduction
The library is one of the most important social institutions serving society in several ways to build up nation. It serves as
the centre of life-long self-education for all. It helps to fulfill the educational and cultural aspiration of society. The library
collects, stores and organizes recorded information and serves the specific needs of the reader by retrieving selectively
the relevant information from its storehouse of knowledge.
Another important factor that has contributed to the change in the functions of a library is the reading material itself and its
varieties. The reading material may be in any form, books, e-books, journals, e-journals, pamphlets, reports, films,
microfilms, magnetic tapes, or gramophone records, full text electronic databases and so on. The growth of recorded
information, particularly in the form of journals, has been tremendous in recent years. The development of Science and
Technology, particularly after World War II, has resulted in the founding of a large number of new journals and
consequently in the growth of papers published every year.
This flood of material continuously pouring from all parts of the world has forced the libraries in scientific and
technological as well as academic fields to develop and improve technique to control, organize and disseminate the
information.
The word "Library" is derived from the Latin “Libraria”, a place where books and written documents are kept. But the
library of today is more than a building or a room in which books are stored. It selects, collects and distributes books to
meet the demand of varying tastes, environments and intellectual equipment and is providing maximum facilities from its
storehouse of knowledge.
The functions of a library are thus not only to collect and preserve books but also to disseminate the information
contained in them. This latter function has acquired importance. Modern Librarianship takes the view that every book
should have its reader and that, without a reader, a book, no matter how scholarly it may be, is of very little value for the
library. According to Dr. S. R. Ranganathan,
“The first Law of Library Science is: Books are for Use. No one will question the correctness of this law. But, in
actual practice, the story is different. The law is seldom borne in mind by library authorities. We may examine
the history of any aspects of library practice and we shall find ample evidence of deplorable neglect of the law”. 1
The fundamental duty of a librarian is to bring books and readers into proper contact. This can be done only by one who
appreciates the objectives and potentialities of a library, the techniques, tools and means for achieving them, and the
purpose and limitations of the means. The success of a library therefore depends largely on the librarian.
It is the duty of the librarian to select the right type of books and collect them, to create the readers’ interest through the
right type of publicity and personal help, to bring the right type of book to the right person at the right time and to preserve
the books with care. Thus the Librarian/ Information Specialist needs to be not only an expert provider but also idealist,
an enthusiastic promoter of the yet wider use of books. That is why Librarianship and Information Science has become a
distinct profession.
Belief, Technique and Service. … These three words will be the motto of a true Librarian. He should have a strong belief
in the value of the library; he should know the techniques of the library and information science and he should dedicate
his life to the rendering of sincere service to the people.
As the important of a comprehensive library service gradually gains proper recognition, more and more libraries of
various kinds are being established all over the country, particularly special libraries attached to various learned
institutions but unfortunately scholars and research workers are unaware of the wealth of material available in the
libraries around them.
Our academic libraries including libraries of colleges are particularly individualistic and isolated in character. There is not
much relationship or linkage among academic libraries, in general, and in particular, among libraries of colleges. The new
revolutionary trends taking place in the fields of Library Automation and Information Technology in India, specially, under
the light of National Commission on Libraries and Information Systems,2 demand revamping our library resources to suit
the modern educational times and trends.
If the libraries have to keep pace with the developments taking place elsewhere, Automation and Information Technology
are absolutely imperative. The collection, storage and dissemination of information have to be developed, as fast as
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possible, using an information technology that is suitable and feasible. The basic issue is the rational and judicious
utilization of limited resources for rendering the most effective and efficient facilities and services to the students and
teachers of Arabic, Persian & Urdu Institutes. This is possible only in an atmosphere of resource sharing. Resources
include library materials, equipment, personnel, fund and time. The underlined principle of resource sharing is
maximum service at minimum cost.
The vast resources and facilities in libraries, in the form of various type of material for the use of researchers and
teachers, have to be suitably and fully tapped for maximum use. Planned resource sharing and networking among
libraries will contribute to pooling, sharing and optimization of resources, facilities and services.
Scope of the Study:
This study is survey of the following selected libraries having collections of Urdu, Arabic, and Persian language and
literature books/periodicals in Mumbai City (Greater Bombay). The following libraries of Mumbai have substantial
collections in the field of Arabic, Persian and Urdu language and Literature:
1. University of Mumbai Library, Fort,

2. Jawaharlal Nehru Library, (University of Mumbai), Vidyanagri
3. Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Research Centre & Library
4. Anjuman-I-Islam Urdu Research Institute
5. Cama Oriental Institute Library
6. Kutub Khana Madrasa Muhammadia (Jamia Masjid), Crawford Market
7. Asiatic Society of Bombay, Town Hall
8. Central Library, Town Hall
9. Ismail Yusuf College, Jogeshwari
10. St. Xavier’s College Library
11. Sophia College Library,
12. Maharashtra College Library
13. Burhani College Library
14. Iran Culture House Library
15. Awami Idarah Library.
The present study involves the analysis of library facilities available for research in Arabic, Persian and Urdu
language and literature in the city of Mumbai, the existing form of resource sharing among them and future
networking of these libraries.
Urdu: On the origin and development of Urdu, Frances W. Pritchett says that:
Urdu widely spoken in Pakistan and Northern India is known today for its sophisticated and extensive literature. But
in its earliest, fourteenth century form, Urdu was merely a crude patois – a bazaar language which enabled Persian
and Turkish speakers to communicate with speakers of languages ultimately related to Sanskrit. While largely
ignored in the Persianized North of India, this widespread patois “Urdu” (army camp” in Turkish) came to be
cultivated as a literature language in autonomous southern kingdoms like Golconda and Bijapur. This southern
“Dakhini” (“Deccani”) Urdu developed a rich eclectic literature with a mixture of Persian and indigenous element. 3
Urdu is an Indo-Aryan Language. It is admitted that there always existed in India for about a thousand years a
language which was more or less intelligible and spoken throughout the country. This language which descended
from the Apabhransh form and which now presents a happy combination of the various Aryan and non-Aryan
languages of this sub-continental and elsewhere has been generally known as Hindi.
When an early Arab or Persian writer uses this term he uses it in a wider perspective. By that expression he means
any language of the country including Sanskrit. But later on the term Hindi came to be applied to that form of
language which was spoken in or around Delhi and Mathura and which had not only spread throughout the country
during centuries of religious, commercial and political relations but had begun to take a literature form in the region
far beyond its original home. When the Muslims came to India first as traders and then as rulers they began to write
this language in their own scripts. This very dressing of the common Indian language in Arabic alphabets is the
beginning of Urdu language. We may say that Urdu, Hindwi, Hindi, Hindustani, Rekhata, Deccani, by whatever
name it may be called is the common language of India which was more or less intelligible throughout the country
and was written in Arabic script, with additional letters to represent the sounds which were not be found in Arabic,
Persian and Turkish languages.
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It is a strange phenomenon that though the common language of India is said to have originated near Delhi and Mathura,
its earliest literary forms developed initially in Gujarat, Deccan, Punjab and Bihar. In Gujrat it began to be called Gujri,
and Boli Gujarat, in Deccan it became known as Dakani. It was the Gujarati poet Wali who inspired the poets of North
India to compose poems in their own language. He is regarded as the Chaucer of Urdu poetry. All India owes a great
amount of gratitude to Gujarat and Deccan for nourishing the language and making it rich and strong.
If the truth be told it will have to be said that the very word ‘Urdu’ is a misnomer for the language. The Moghals used to
call their residences as ‘Urdu’ which is Turkish means camp and the king lived at that camp, the camp became Urdu-I-
Mu’alla (Exalted camp). This exalted camp contained the court of the ruler also and used to have a large number of
learned people whose verdicts as far as the language and literature was concerned used to be final. Therefore, in order
to show that a man was writing in the most authentic and chaste language he used to say that he was writing in “Zaban-I-
Urdu-I-Mu’alla” i.e. language of the exalted camp. For the sake of brevity the people began to say that they were writing
in Urdu. Another reason for adopting this name was that at the Fort William College, Calcutta this common language
began to be written in Devnagri script and was named Hindi, Hindwi or Hindustani and thus to make a distinction, this
Hindi language written in Arabic script adopted the name of Urdu. It is interesting to know that Urdu up to the later half of
the 19th century continued to be called Hindi. Ghalib, the great poet of Urdu, mentions his poetic work as “Mera Hindi Ka
Diwan” (my collections of Hindi poems).
Adoption of the Arabic script for this common language of the country was not forced by the rulers whose official
language to the last days of their government remained Persian. It was adopted on the principle of culture unity with the
countries with whom India was closely connected. Urdu poetry in the beginning followed local meters, forms, thoughts
and expression, but with the ever-growing and expanding Persian influence through court and society, it began to adopt
Persian meters and forms. However, it must be said to the credit of this poetry that the national and patriotic poems
written in this language far exceeded in quality and quantity than those of any other language of the country.
Urdu is the most prevalent and popular language in India. Almost in all the States, it serves as a language of mass
communication and is the language of the people. Scholars hold different views regarding its origin and place of birth, but
looking to the different theories and lines of arguments about its origin, it is felt that neither any particular region is its
birthplace nor any particular province has been its permanent home. It seems that in the South and in the North, due to
commercial, socio-religious and political contacts of the people speaking Indian and foreign languages, a mixed dialect
sprang up either earlier or later, or simultaneously in different provinces. It was used as a common vehicle in the
bazaars, and from such a dialect inter-provincial relations and contacts, a common language evolved which was called
Urdu. Different linguistic characteristics of this language support this conception. In the same way Urdu literature also
owes its development not only to any one region but various parts of the country such as Gujarat, the Deccan, the
Punjab, Delhi, Lucknow etc., which have contributed to its developmental and prosperity in turn. To the above mentioned
centers of Urdu, the Maharashtra State in general and the city of Mumbai in particular, can be added as the centre in the
present time. as for the last fifty years Mumbai has contributed to a great extent towards the development of Urdu. The
claims of the State and Mumbai City can very well be ascertained from the vogue and prevalence of the language in
different cities of the State and the status which it holds in the City of Mumbai.
Urdu still holds a great say in this State and Educational institutions imparting instruction through the medium of this
language are a living testimony to its popularity. A large number of libraries and reading rooms are to be found in
Mumbai. In Mumbai the Research Institutes in Urdu are also located at places like Anjuman-I-Islam and Mahatma
Gandhi Memorial Research Centre & Library. In Mumbai today as far as Urdu language is concerned, literary activities
are enormous and very encouraging. A large number of Urdu newspapers are printed in Mumbai and literary personages
of repute in Urdu are attracted to this centre of learning. Mumbai being an important commercial city is the meeting place
not only for the people from all over India, but also for the foreign traders. Right from the earlier times, this City holds an
international position. In such a cosmopolitan city one common linguistic medium is quite necessary. Urdu claims to be
such a medium and serves that purpose in the bazaars. This slang bazaari boli is called Bombaigiri also. It is an
admixture or Urdu, Gujarati, Marathi, English and Portuguese. Though Bombaigiri is spoken, due to the influence of the
North, standard Urdu is more commonly used in the city.
So far the development of Urdu language and literature in Mumbai is concerned; some poetical works of the last decades
of the 18th century have been traced as the earliest ones. But it seems that literary pursuits in Mumbai must have started
earlier ever than this period, because in the last decade of the 17th century, Urdu literature had gone through a revolution
due to the efforts of Wali Gujarati, who introduced new trends. The conceptions of this genius not only influenced the
Deccan, but the North also took the first lesson and started producing Urdu works in prose and poetry for the first time.
This is the period when the North turned into a centre for Urdu. Mumbai also being closely connected with the Deccan
must have been influenced by these literary activities. The survey of the literary activities of the period 1800 onwards
reveals that ample works in practically all the branches of literature have been produced in Mumbai.
Page 13
Mumbai boasts of some of the well-known prose-writes. They are novelist Khawja Ahmed Abbas and Ismat Chughtai,
short storywriters like Krishna Chandra, Rajendra Singh Bedi, Qurratul Ain Haydar, and Saadat Hasan Manto and
well-known poets like Sardar Jafri, Kaifi Azami, Akhtar-ul-Iman, Jan-Nisar-Akhtar and Majrooh Sultanpuri. Dr. A.A.
Nami’s thesis and articles on Urdu theatre are a valuable contribution to Urdu literature.
Besides novelists, dramatists and short storywriters, there are a host of other literary personalities who have made
valuable contribution to Urdu literature by their literary and critical articles and publications. Some of them are
Shihbab Malerkotlawi, S.S. Desnavi, Professor N.A. Nadvi, the Late Professor M.I. Dar, Abdul Razzaq Quraishi,
Waddual Hai, Dr. A.A. Nami, Safdar Ah Sitapuri, Sardar Jafri, Setu Madhav Rao Pagdi, Dr. A.N. Jafri, Professor S.H.
Naqvi and Dr. Z.H. Madani.
During the last fifty years, some literary works have been published. Sardar Jafri’s Intikhab-I-Ghalib and Intikhab-I-Mir
and Taraqqi Pasand Adab, Professor Nadvi’s, Gujari Lughat, R. Quraishi’s Mirza Jan-I-Janan and Uzlat, Safdar’s
Firdaus-I-Hind, and Dr. Z.H. Madani’s Wali Gujrati, Munshi Mia Dadkhan Khan Sayyah, Urdu Essays, Urdu Ghazal
Wali Tak, Nurul Maarifat and Mazamin-I-Dar are some of the well-known publications.
Besides these, some of the theses written by the Urdu students submitted to Mumbai University such as Dr. Jafri’s
Khub Tarang, Dr. (Mrs.) M.A. Dalvi’s “Bombai Mein Urdu”, Prof. A.S. Dalvi’s “Mohammed Husayn Azad” and
“Bombay Urdu” are important contributions to the development of these three above mentioned languages.
Maharashtra State Urdu Academy:
The Maharashtra State Urdu Academy was established in 1975 with an aim to promote Urdu language and literature
in Maharashtra state. Besides general promotion of Urdu such as giving awards to Urdu writers and poets of
Maharashtra for the best contributions, the Urdu Academy also gives publication grants and encourages talents in the
language. Maharashtra and more particularly Mumbai has been a centre of Urdu drama. Due to Urdu films Urdu
went in the background. Maharashtra State Urdu Academy encourages Urdu drama writers and Urdu theatre for their
performances.
One of the very important aims of the State Academy is to bring Urdu and the state language Marathi closer to each
other through translations and exchange of creative ideas. Academy also has a publication programme on History,
Art, Language, Literature and eminent personalities belonging to Maharashtra.
Dr. Rafiq Zakaria noted Islamic scholar and former Minister in the Government of Maharashtra was its first Chairman,
Prof. A.S. Dalvi, noted Urdu scholar and Linguist, and Ex-Head of the Department of Urdu, University of Mumbai is
presently executive chairman of the Urdu Academy.
The Department of Urdu, Mumbai University:
The Universities in Maharashtra did not have the independent Department of Urdu language. The Maharashtra State
Urdu Academy with the munificent endowment created “Krishna Chander Chair” and the Department of Urdu in
Mumbai University in the year 1982. The establishment of the Department of Urdu was of great academic importance
in promoting postgraduate and research studies in Urdu. The Department of Urdu subsequently developed as
full-fledged department with three more faculty courses in Urdu. It has also started certificate and diploma course in
Urdu for non-Urdu speakers.
The department takes keen interest in bringing Urdu and Marathi closer to each other and promoting linguistic and
emotional integration by exchange of creative ideas between these two great Indian languages. The department has
published eight books on Research Methodology, Textual Criticism, Deccani Urdu and translation of Marathi
Novelettes in Urdu.
Professor A. S. Dalvi noted Urdu scholar and linguist, formerly Director of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Research
Centre and Library, Mumbai is the first scholar to be appointed as Krishna Chander Professor & Head, Department of
Urdu, in Mumbai University. He has been heading the department since September 1982.
Though Urdu libraries in Mumbai are not adequate, one can not ignore the valuable collections of Arabic, Persian and
Urdu manuscripts, which have been preserved in some of the libraries. It is difficult to trace the private and personal
libraries, but it can be said without hesitation that Urdu knowing Bombayties are indifferent to the hobby of having a
good library. It is possible to trace only two personal libraries. An up-to-date library was the one possessed by
Nakhuda Roghe family, but now no trace of it is to be found. Khatkhate family also possessed a good collection,
which has been presented to Mumbai University library by the family. It is very often consulted by research scholars
Page 14
So far as public libraries are concerned, Kutub Khana Madrasa Mohammedia, Mumbai 400 002 tops the list. There are
thousands of manuscripts and printed rare books. Though there already exists a catalogue of these books edited by
Dr. Hamidullah Nadvi, a Research Assistant of Anjuman-I-Islam Urdu Research Institute. The Karimi Library is noted for
its collection of rare printed books and the old files of newspapers of Mumbai. It was donated by the proprietors of the
Karimi Printing Press in 1903. It is managed by the Anjuman-I-Islam Urdu Research Institute. The Urdu Research
Institute has also a good library. However, in so far the manuscripts section is concerned, a collection presented by Prof.
N.A. Dalvi has made the library quite well equipped and adequate for research. Ismail Yusuf College, Mumbai, has also
a well-equipped library for conducting research in Urdu. It has a collection of printed books, which are now rare. The
Record Department of Mumbai is also in possession of a collection of rare books. A rare collection of books of
Elphinston College was shifted to Ismail Yusuf College, Jogeshwari, Mumbai – 400 060.
Arabic:
Of the three languages ARABIC, PERSIAN AND URDU, Arabic, though not in any way connected with any branch of the
linguistic families spoken in the country has been used by hundreds of its inhabitants in expressing their views in Islam
and things concerning Islam. Arabic belongs to the Semitic group. It is a Well-known fact that the Semitic nations in
general and the Arabs in particular had their commercial and cultural relations with India from the very dawn of human
civilization. The very name Al-Hind for this subcontinent is a gift from the Arabs.4
The commercial and cultural relations resulted in the absorption of many Indian words in Arabic languages such as Kafur,
Misk, Sandal, Hail (cardamom), Zanjabil (Ginger), Naranjil (Coconut), etc. Sometimes the word “Hindi” was used to show
the place or origin of a commodity such as “Ud-I-Hind, Tamr-I-Hind (tamarind), etc., Names of different kinds of cloths
were also borrowed. This process was not confined only to articles of every day use. With the rise of Islam and its
cultural expansion it extended to the various branches of science and literature. Many books on Astronomy,
Mathematics, Medicine, Philosophy and those of fables and stories were translated from Sanskrit into Arabic.
The Commercial relation between the State of Maharashtra and Arabic Felix are very old and could be traced back to the
time of the Queen of Sheba. The Arabs in those days were in sole possession of the trade between Asia and Europe.
The Arab ships were not only continually traversing the Mediterranean, which had become at that time an Arab Lake, but
were just as much at home in our waters. They had established several enterports between Aden and Mumbai and there
had sprung up a large number of Arab settlements at Chaul, Kalyan and Sopara. Agarthakhides (c. 180 BC) says that in
this time “Indian trade was in the hands of the Sabaeans of Yemen”.5 He also speaks of Sabaens sending from Aden
“colonies and Factories” to settle in India. Warmington observes that “the Sabaens of the Yemen had built up a
prosperous and undistributed trade with India and that they had grown immensely wealthy”.6 India finds a place in the
Hymyarite inscriptions of the Yemen as a country exporting “fresh fruits” to the land of the Arabs. From the seventh
century onwards there was a large and continuous influx of Arab merchants to the Western coast of India, where they
were settled at various ports.
In the beginning of the seventh century of the Christian era the Arabs were welded into a strong united nation with a
centralized State under the Prophet of Islam. Stimulated by the vigorous and universal nature of his teachings, the Arabs
not only brought them to the outskirts of India but also gave a tremendous impetus to their maritime trade. There have
been several Arab expeditions to the State including the important one during the time of Pulakeshi. When these
expeditions ceased, the contact between the State and Arabia was kept up by several Arab and Non-Arab Travellers and
geographers like Masudi, Ibn Hawqal, Istakhri, Idrisi and several others. These geographers and travelers tell us about
the social conditions prevailing in the State, the religion of its people, their customs, their dress, the imports and exports,
etc. with the State of Mumbai. Masudi who visited this country in 915 A.D. informs us that Arabs had colonized
themselves at Chaimur (present day Chembur) and round about. He also speaks of the Arab colonizers at Cambay and
other places. Ahmedabad, particularly became great centre of learning throughout the Muslim world.
One of the earliest scholars who came to Ahmedabad was Ad-Damamini, an eminent Egyptian scholar and grammarian
born at Alexandria. Ad-Damamini arrived at Ahmedabad in 1397 A.D. and kept himself occupied for some time in
lecturing and other literary work in that City. It was at Ahmedabad that he composed most of his works and dedicated
them to the then ruler of Gujarat. He wrote a number of books on grammar of which he was a great master. He is
particularly known for a series of commentaries on the grammatical works of Ibn Malik. Al-‘Uyun-ul-Fakhira, Jawahir-ul-
Buhur, Kitabu-ul-Qawafi and Al-Manhal-us-Safi are some of his noteworthy compositions. Ad-Damamini has also
epitomized the famous zoological dictionary, Hayat al-Hayawan of Damiri, under the name of Ayn-ul-Hayat. It was
dedicated to Sultan Ahmad Shah I (of Gujarat) to whose praises he had devoted a special section towards the end of the
book. A portion of this section is reproduced by Haji Dabir.
An equally illustrious contemporary of Ad-Damamini was Makhdoom Ali Al-Mahaimi, a great commentator, philosopher
and mystic. He could rightly be called “Ibn ul-Arabi of India”. He belonged to the Nawait (Kokani) community, claiming
Page 15
descent from the Arabs. Al-Mahaimi is perhaps the greatest exponent of Ibn-ul-Arabi’s pantheistic philosophy in
India and has written several commentaries on the Awarif of Shihab-u-din Shurawardi. Ali Al-Mahaimi is the author of
several books but the important of them are: -
Tabsir ur-Rahman, a commentary on the Holy Qur’an. It is the masterpiece of Al-Mahaimi. It chiefly discusses the
subtle points concerning the natural connection between the verses of the Qur’an. In’am Malik il-Allam, a book on
the raisin d’etre of Law is a pioneer work on this subject. Shah Waliyyullah’s Hujiat-ullah-il-Baligha which is generally
considered to be the first book on the Qur’anic Law was written nearly 300 years after Al-Mahaimi wrote his In’am.
He breathed his last in 835 A.H. at Mahim, Mumbai, where is his shrine is still venerated. His writings (MSS) are
available in Mumbai, Cairo, Istanbul, Bankipur, Rampur, London and Libraries of Saudi Arabia. A book on Mahaimi
was written by Maulana Abdul Rehman Parvaz Islahi, under the guidance and encouragement of Dr. Abdussattar
Dalvi.7
One of the most distinguished scholars of Gujarat who left a permanent mark upon the Hadith literature is Shaykh “Ali
B. Husam ad-Din of Burhanpur popularly known as ‘Ali al-Muttaqi. He was born at Burhanpur in 1480 A.D. 885 A.H.
He studied at various places and entered the services of the Kind of Mandu, and amassed considerable wealth. But
he soon gave it up and came to Ahmedabad and stayed there for some years. Later on he migrated to Mecca,
where he came into contact with Shaykh Abu Al-Hasan Al-Bakri and Shaykh Ibn Hajar, who in later years seeing his
pupil’s erudition, became his disciple. Ali Al-Muttaqi was prolific writer and is credited to have written more than 150
books and treatises in Arabic most of which deal with the science of Hadith. But his monumental work upon which
his reputation chiefly rests is his great corpus the Kanz-ul-Ummal in ten volumes. The Kanz, a re-arrangement of
Suyuti’s Fam ul-Fawami is held in such high esteem what Abu al-Hasan Al-Bakri (Muttaqi’s teacher) remarked:
“Suyuti obliged the world by re-arranging this work”. The Kanz has been published in Hyderabad while its epitome
was printed long ago in Egypt. Among others who did much to encourage the study of Hadith in Gujarat were
Shaykh Abdullah and Rahmatullah of Sind.
The actual contribution of the scholars of the State is found in the different branches of Arabic learning. To begin
with the study of the Qur’an there are 30 authors with 50 works to their credit. Out of these the Tabsir ur-Rahman of
Shaykh Ali of Mahim and the At-Tafsir ul-Husyani of Shaykh Mohammed Chishti remain unsurpassed even today.
But more important than these commentaries, is perhaps the pioneering work done by the scholars of Maharashtra
State in translating the Holy Book into Persian. Generally it is believed that in India, Shah Waliyyullah of Delhi was
the first Indian divine to render the Qur’an into Persian but long before the birth of this most distinguished theologian
of Northern India Gujarat could boast of a number of Persian translations of the holy book. It is noteworthy that the
earliest scholars who initiated the study of Hadith in India belonged to Maharashtra State, which produced more than
one hundred traditionalists who have left behind their works to remind us of their services to this science and a host
of others who served and propagated the Hadith but did not leave my written record. Ali Muttaqi, Tahir Fatani Abd ul
-Malik Bimbani and some others are recognized as the most trustworthy authorities not only in India but throughout
the Islamic world. In fact it could be said without fear of contradiction that if our State had not taken up the study of
this science it would have suffered immensely as the Hadith madrasas were fast declining in other Islamic countries,
when Maharashtra State took it up. It was from Ahmedabad that it traveled to Delhi nearly 50 years after its
introduction in the State. The State has an inexhaustible list of mystics (Sufis). The convents (Khankhas) where the
study and practice of tasawwuf (Philosophy) was undertaken were also academics for esoteric and exoteric
disciplines. Awarif to Shaky Shihab-ud-din Suhrawardi, Al-Futuhat-ul-Makkiyya, the Fusus and others works of the
famous Ibn-ul-Arabi, were used as noteworthy text books of esoteric discipline. Our state was an important centre
where the principles of Ibn Ul-Arabi were studied and Shaikh Makhdoom Ali Mahimi of Mahim is a founder of Arabic
language and literature in our city of Mumbai. The Arabic collection available in Mumbai libraries and Arabic
department, University of Mumbai, the seminar in Arabic language in the first week of March of 1997 is a clear sign
of the richness of this language in Mumbai.
Persian:
Persian is a sister language to Sanskrit. Not only a large number of the words are the same but even sentences in
the religious books of the Parsis and the Hindus are similar. Another point to be remembered in this connection is
that, though after the Arab conquest, Arabic has become the language of culture and politics, it soon had to make
room for Persian in Non-Arab countries. Even during the Ghaznavi period it had attained the position of a State
language, and was so much studied in Persia that even the Mughals were forced to leave it at its position. Hindus
and started learning Persian even during the days of Mahmud of Ghazni and by the end of the Lodi dynasty it had
begun to be regarded as an emblem of culture and intellectual superiority. The royal patronage given to the
language soon drew a large number of eminent scholars, poets and prose writers from Persia and Central Asia.
Soon Indians begun to write in that language. Some of them became famous in Persian language. A variety of books
on different subjects were written in Persian. India has the honours of translating the Quran into Persian. Long story
Page 16
books in Persian were also written in India.
With Persian came all the forms of prose and poetry of that language. Prose had been changing according to the subject
matter of the books, but under the influence of the Mongol rule. Persian literature became very ornate and unrealistic.
This tendency did not remain confined to the kingdom of Mongols of their successors but it spread throughout the Islamic
States. Turkish and Urdu were both affected by this. As far as Maharashtra State is concerned Persian was in much
greater demand here. Not that is was the official language of the Government but the majority of the poets and writers
who came to India either remained in the Sultanate of Gujarat or went to the courts of Deccani Kings to seek their fortune.
Again the Parsis who had permanently settled in this state still wanted to study the language of their country, their culture
and their ancestors. This made Persian very popular throughout the State. Even when the Maratha State was
established and Marathi became the court language, the majority of the legal terms and forms were unhesitatingly taken
from Persian official language. This free use of Persian also gave an opportunity to the local languages of the State not
only to absorb many useful and cultural words and expressions in Arabic and Persian, but also it enriched the common
language or the lingua franca of India of that time.
It is difficult to determine with any fixity of time the exact manner of the advent of Persian language into India. Regular
infiltration of fresh brands of Persians and Turks into India and their day-to-day association with the Indians must have
resulted into a mutual acquisition of languages. Though Persian was not the native tongue either of the Turks or of the
Mughals, it had become so popular with the Taimurid Princes during their stay in Central Asia, that they used it in
preference to their own mother-tongue which was Turkish. Royal impetus, even before the Moghals, was responsible for
instilling in the Indians a love for Persian language. According to Firishta,8 Sikandar Lodhi, in A.H. 895 / A.D. 1489,
preferred those of his subjects for court service who had a knowledge of Persian and thus the non-Muslims devoted
themselves to the study of Persian.9 Mughals, the lineal descendants of Taimur, played a great role in the popularization
of Persian. Humayun, on account of his pro-Persian learning, neglected Turkish and encouraged Persian at the court,
making it the chief medium of expression.10 It must, however, be admitted that the development of Persian as a language
was restricted unto the time of Akbar. Persian maintained its status during he reigns of Jahangir, Shahjahan, and
Aurangzeb and by A.H. 1215 / 1800 A.D., the Persianization of the Indians was complete. The impact and influence of
Persian on the two main regional language of Western India – Marathi and Gujarati is noteworthy. The influence of
Persian began to wane when it was decided in A.H. 1245 / 1829 A.D. by British rulers to replace Persian by English as
the official and Court language.
In the Deccan, a prominent nursery of Persian language and literature is found in the State of Maharashtra. On account
of the dearth of patronage in Persia, during the Safawid regime, Persian poets and writers were inclined to migrate to
India and attach themselves either to the courts of the Muslims kings of the North or of the Deccan.
The Persian writers of the Maharashtra Sate devoted their attention to several branches of literature such as poetry,
biography, history, Insha and religio-mystical writings. To begin with Historiography; several works on History were written
or published in the State of Maharashtra during the last two centuries. With the conquest and annexation of the
Ahmadnagar kingdom in A.H. 1056 / A.D. 1646, Aurangabad became the capital of the Mughals province of the Deccan.
The city very soon became a centre of poets and writers in Persian and Urdu.
Bhimsen Raghunathdas Saksena was born at Burhanpur in A.H. 1059/A.D. 1649. He was the author of “Tarikh-I-
Dilkusha”, a contemporary history of the events in the Deccan from A.H. 1069 / 1658 A.D. to A.H. 1119 / 1707 A.D.11
Another important historian of Aurangabad was Munim Khan al-Aurangabadi. He wrote “Sawanih-I-Dakan”, a historical
account of the six subhas of Deccan and of the Nizams of the Asafi dynasty from its origin to A.H. 1197 / 1773 A.D. It
was written in A.H. 1197 / 1773 A.D. in the reign of Nizam Ali Khan, when the author was forty seven years of age.
Lala Mansaram, the Secretary of Nawab Nizamul Mulk, the first Nizam, compiled two historical works – “Risala-I-Darbar-I-
Asafi” and “Maathir-I-Nizami”. Both these histories deal with the life and times of Nizamul Mulk.
Lachhmi Narayan “Shafiq” Aurangabadi, the son of Lala Mansaram, wrote Persian and Urdu verses and at the instance
of his master Azad, he changed his nom-de-plume from Sahib to Shafiq. He wrote several works of a historical and
biographical nature.
Among his historical works, the most important is “Bisat-ul-Ghanaim”, a history of the Marathas from their origin to the
Battle of Panipat. It was written in about A.H. 1214 / 1799 A.D. at the instance of Sir John Malcolm and was dedicated to
him. The title Bisat-ul-Ghanaim indicates the year of the completion of the work, i.e. A.H. 1214. Another important work
of Shafiq is “Haqiqat-ha-i-Hindustan”; it contains the timeworn revenue-returns and military statistics, prepared by his
grandfather and Lala Mansaram and signed by Nawab Nizam-ul-Mulk. Shafiq recast the contents in an intelligible form
and added thereto useful information. The work was dedicated, according to Risu, to Captain, William Patrick.
Page 17
His other historical works are “Maathir-i-Asafi”, “Tanqim-i-Shagarf”, a history of the Deccan from A.H. 1200 / 1785
A.D., “Maathir-i-Haydari”, “Nakhlistan-i-Fann” and “Halatt-i-Haidarabad”. The last named work contains a
description of the city of Hyderabad, its mosques, palaces and gardens and ends with a historical sketch of
Hyderabad and the neighboring provinces of Bearer and Aurangabad.
Mohammed Faid Baksh of Aurangabad wrote “Tadhkera-i-Tarikhi”, historical memoirs on the military transactions
between Nizaam Ali Khan Bahadur, son of Nizamul Mulk Asafiah and Raghunath Rao, the son of Baji Rao,
beginning with A.H. 1187 / 1773 A.D. and ending with A.H. 1188 / 1774 A.D. The Nawab had asked the author to
chronicle the events without any exaggeration.
Kashiraj Shivraj Pandit of Maharashtra, who served under Shujaud Dawlah of Oudh and was present in the battle of
Panipat in A.H. 1175 / A.D. 1761, wrote an account of that battle in Panipat. It is considered a valuable
contemporary history of the period.
Ahmednagar was another centre in Maharashtra, where we find a number of historical works. Shah Tahir Dakani b.
Shah Riyadud Din Al-Ismail Al-Husayni (died in A.H. 952-3 / A.D. 1545-46 at Ahmadnagar) composed “Fath Nama”,
a historical account of the conquest of Sholapur by Burhan Nizam Shah of Ahmadnagar, whose Court he had joined
in A.H. 958 / A.D. 1521.
Khurshah B. Qubad Al-Husaynai, an envoy of Nizam Shah of Ahmadnagar to Shah Tahmasp, composed during A.H.
970-71 / A.D. 1562-63, “Tarikh-i-Ilchi-i-Nizam Shah”, a general history form the earliest times upto A.H. 1005 / A.D.
1595) undertook the composition of “Burhan-i-Maathir”, another history of the Bahmanis and the Nizamshahis from
A.H. 742- 1004 / A.D. 1341-1595, at the request of Sultan Burhan Nizam Shah. It includes the account of the twenty
-one Sultans of the three dynasties; it was commenced in A.H. 1000 / A.D. 1591 and is the first exhaustive history of
the Nizamshahi dynasty.
Numerous works pertaining to Islam and Zoroastrianism were written and / or published in the State of Maharashtra
during the last century.
Persian writers of the State of Maharashtra have contributed in a very large measure to Persian poetry. Aurangabad
and Ahmadnagar are, among many other places, strongholds of Persian Poets. These poets have contributed to
almost all categories of Persian poetry such as lyrical, mystical, romantic and ethico-religio-philisophical and hence
classification according to subject matter is not feasible.
Several important works, either in Persian or relating to Persian language and literature, were written in the State of
Maharashtra by Hindus and Parsis. Among the departed worthies may be specially mentioned the following writers:
The late Professor M.T. Patwardhan of Kolhapur was the author of an important work entitled “Influence of Persian
on the Marathi language”. The late Dr. T.N. Devare of Poona wrote an important thesis entitled “Persian Literature
at the Adilshahi, Nazamshahi and Qutubshahi Courts of the Deccan” this work has now been published. The late
Shri Dinshah J. Irani, Solicitor of Bombay, was the author of “Poets of the Pahlawi Regime”. He also edited and /or
translated several works such as “Bist Maqala-i-Qazwini”, “Diwan-I-Hafiz” etc. The late Sri Meherjibhoy N. Kooka of
Mumbai wrote “Wit Humour and Fancy of Persians”, which is the only work of its kind in the whole range of Persian
literature. The late Erward Bombanji N. Dhabar, a profound Avesta, Palawi and Persian scholar of Mumbai,
translated the religious Persian Rewayat; the late Dr. Jamshed M. Unwala of Mumbai translated part of “Mafatih al
-Ulum”. Shri G.K. Nariman of Mumbai was the author of “Influence of Zoroastrianism on Persian Literature”. He also
translated Barthold’s “Iran” from Russian into English. Mention has earlier been made of an important work on Per-
sian grammar entitled “Hints on the Study of Persian”, written by two prominent educationists of Mumbai, the late
Shri Pestanji Kanga and Shri Jamshedji Kanga. Late Sir Jehangir C. Coyaji was the author of two books – “Studies
in Shahnama” and “Ancient Legends of Iran and China”. Among the modern contributions of Maharashtra to Persian
literature, the following writers deserve a special mention: -
Shri P. Setu Madhav Rao Pagdi was a renowned oriental scholar and historian. He was a scholar and the author
of several important books and articles. His works include “Sources for the reconstruction of the history of
Maharashtra”, “Marathi version of Diwan-i-Ghalib”, “The letters of Shah Nawaz Khan”. Marathi translation of
Kashiraj’s account of Panipat. Selected stories from Firdausi and English Translation of Masir-e-Nizami and
Tahmasnama, Eighteenth Century Deccan which contains translation of excerpts from various Persian and Urdu
sources concerning the Nizam of Hyderabad, a translation of Khafi Khan’s Mantkhab-ul-lubab, a translation of
Futuhate Alamgiri by Ishwardas Nagar and letters of Ltfullah and Prince Muhammad Akbar, and a translation of
Masire-Alamgiri of Saqi Mustaid Khan and numerous other articles published in Historical and University Journals.
Page 18
Dr. P. M. Joshi, former Librarian of Mumbai University, was a distinguished Persian scholar. He has contributed several
important articles on Persian subjects and his work on “Basatin-us-Salatin” is well known. Professor Bhagwat Dayal
Verma of Poona has done some important work on the old records in Peshwa Daftars. Prof. A.A.A. Fyzee, the President
of the Islamic Research Association of Mumbai, was yet another oriental scholar of eminence, who has done useful work
on Persian and allied subjects. Some important works in Persian have been published by the Islamic Research
Association under his able care and guidance. Shri G.H. Khare is also another assiduous writer on Persian subjects. Dr.
M.I. Kazi of Poona has also contributed a series of learned articles on Persian and some Urdu and English journals of
India. His “Sam Mirza and his Tuhfa” has been published by the Iran Society of Calcutta.
Sir Rustam P. Masani of Mumbai is the author of “Conference of Birds”, a critical work on Attar’s “Mantiqut Tair”. He has
contributed several important papers and articles on Persian themes, both in India and Iran. Shri P.B. Vatchha, Solicitor
of Mumbai, has published a collection of his papers on Iranian subjects. Shri Sohrab H. Batliwala of Mumbai has
contributed several important papers bearing on Persian language and literature in well-known journals of India and a
Oriental conferences held in India during the past several years. His “Intellectual Movements of Iranians in relation to non
-Iranian cultural influences” deserves a special mention. Professor N. A. Nadvi of Mumbai is the author of a critical edi-
tion of “Ruqat-i-Alamgiri”. Dr. Z. H. Madani of Mumbai has prepared a critical edition of Wali’s “Nur-ul-Maarifat”.
Prof. D. N. Marshall, the former librarian of Mumbai University and Persian scholar has contributed a lot by doing survey
on Persian manuscripts and selected Persian sources. Along with Vicaji D.B. Taraporevala he edited the book “Mughals
Bibliography: Selected Persian sources for the study of Mughals in India”, published in 1962. The another title is “Mughals
in India: Bibliographical Survey”. This title is the comprehensive and exhaustive bibliography of Persian Manuscripts and
sources for the study of India during the period that the country was governed by the Mughals. Dr. Momin Mohiuddin
wrote “Epistology in Persian Literature” and contributed dozens of research paper in learned journals.
It is evident from the above review of Persian language and literature in the State of Maharashtra, that the contribution of
this State to the development of Persian was vital and distinctive. The poets and writers of Maharashtra, though they
may have sought inspiration from and copied the Persian models, have generously contributed to all the branches of
Persian poetry and prose.
Conclusion:
As a matter of urgency, facilities and services in Arabic, Persian and Urdu libraries must be improved in order to
sustain their new status so that they can contribute effectively towards the educational development of country.
The manuscripts constitute an important part of the rich Indian culture heritage. These are major repositories of
the contribution that our predecessors made in the diverse fields of Religion, Philosophy, Astronomy, Literature, History,
Medicine and Science. They constitute the primary source of reconstruction of the Indian’s past. These manuscripts
need preservation and conservation. A conservation laboratory, binding section and microfilming section are required.
Before binding scanning is necessary to keep online electronically, so that the original Mss cannot be damaged further. A
descriptive catalogue of all manuscripts available in Mumbai Libraries is a need of today.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————--
REFERENCES:
1. Ranganathan, S.R.: The Five Laws of Library Science, Madras, Madras Library Association, 1931. p.1
2. Manmadhan, P.: Strengthen Library Network. Indian Express, Saturday, March 20, 1993. P. 7.
3. Pritchett, F.W.: Urdu Literature: A Bibliography of English Language Sources, New Delhi, Manohar, 1979.
4. Maharashtra State Gazetteer: Language and Literature, Bombay, Directorate of Government Printing, 1971, P.435.
5. Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Op. Cit. P.455
6. Ibid. P. 455
7. Islahi, A. P.: Makhdoom Ali Mahaimi: Life and Works, Bombay, Naqsh-e-Kokan Publication Trust, 1976. P.7(In Urdu)
8. Firishta – Tarikh-i-Firishta, Hyderabad, Osmania University, 1926, Vol. I, P.344
9. A. Ghani M.: History of Persian Language and Literature of the Mughal Court, Vol. I, Allahabad, The Indian Press,
1930. P. 73
10. Ibid. P. 73.
11. Syed Abdullah.: Adbiyat-e-Farsi Mein Hinduwon Ka Hissa, Lahore, Majlis Taraqqi-e-Urdu, 1967. P. 69-70
(Part II will be published in Vol.3, No.2, 2011 under the title “Arabic, Persian and Urdu Collections in Mumbai
Libraries: Institutional Perspective)
Page 19
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY REFERED FOR THIS ARTICLE
BOOKS:
1 Abdul Hamid: - Catalogue of the Arabic and Persian Manuscripts in the Oriental Public Library at
Bankipur, Calcutta, Government of Bihar and Orissa, 1928.
2. Bailey, T.G.: - A History of Urdu Literature, London, Oxford University Press, 1932.
3. Brough, K. J.: - Scholar’s Workshop: Evolving Conceptions of Library Services.

Urbana, University of Illinois Press, 1953.
4. Dalvi, M. A.: - Bambai Mein Urdu New Delhi, Maktaba Jamia, 1970.
5. Desai, Z. A.: - Centres of Islamic Learning in India New Delhi, Publication Division,
Ministry of Education and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1978.
6. Desnavi, S. S.: - The Anjuman-I-Islam: A Century Old Institution. Bombay, Anjuman-I-Islam, 1986.
7. Directorate of Government Printing Stationary and Publication. : -

Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Language and Literature, Bombay Directorate of
Government Printing, Stationary and Publications, Maharashtra State, 1971.
8. Directorate of Government Printing Stationary and Publication. : - Maharashtra State Gazetteers:

Gazetteers Bombay District, Vol. III, Directorate of Government Printing,
Stationary and Publications, Maharashtra State, 1971.
9. Faridi, S. N.: - Hindu History of Urdu Literature, Agra, Ram Prasad & Sons, 1966.
10. Fariq, K. A.: - A History of Arabic Literature, Delhi, Vikas Publications, 1972.
11. Firishtra, - Tarikh-I-Farishtra, Vol. I, Hyderabad, Osmania University, 1926.
12. Fussler, H.H. and Simon, J. L.: - Patterns in the use of Books in large Research Libraries, Chicago,
University of Chicago Press, 1961.
13. Fyzee, A. A. A.: - Descriptive catalogue of Arabic, Persian and Urdu manuscripts in Asiatic Society
Library, Bombay, Asiatic Society, N.D.
14. Fyzee, A. A. A.: - Report of the Library Development Committee, Bombay, 1939-40.
Bombay, Superintendent, Government Printing and Stationary, 1939.
15. Abdul Ghani, M.: - History of Persian Language and Literature of the Mughal Court, Vol. I.
Allahabad, The Indian Press, 1930.
16. Gibb, H. A. R.: - Arabic Literature: An Introduction, 2nd ed. London, Oxford University Press, 1974.
17. Gorekar, N. S.: - Centenary Celebrations of Anjuman-I- Islam Bombay, Bombay Anjuman-I-
Islam Urdu Research Institute, 1986.
18. Gorekar N. S.: - Glimpses of Urdu Literature, Bombay, Jaico Publishing House, 1961.
19. Holmes, W. R.: - Research facilities in Bombay, Calcutta and Madras, Bombay, American Library, 1968.
20. Indian Library Association: - Proceedings of the Fifth All India Library Conference held in Bombay,
3-6 April, 1942, Bombay, Indian Library Association, 1942.
21. Islahi, A. P.: - Makhdoom Ali Mahaimi: Life and Works Bombay, Naqsh-e-Kokan Publications, 1976.
22. Karmarkar, S. M.: - Bombay A to Z, Bombay, Karmarkar Enterprises, 1985.
Page 20
23. Kaul, H. K.: - Urdu Manuscripts: A descriptive Bibliography of manuscripts in Delhi Libraries,
New Delhi, Heritage Publishers, 1977.
24. Khanlari, P. N.: - A History of the Persian Language, 2nd Ed. Delhi, Idarah-I-Adabiyat-I-Delhi, 1979.
25. Kidwai, S. R.: - Gilchrist and the language of Hindoostan, New Delhi, Rachna Prakashan, 1972.
26. Latif, S. A.: - The influence of English Literature on Urdu Literature, London, Foster Groom, 1924.
27. Loth, O.: - A catalogue of the Arabic manuscripts in the library of the India Office, London,
Secretary of State for India in Council, 1877.
28. Marshall, D. N. - Mughals in India: A Bibliographical Survey, Vol. I. Bombay,

Asia Publishing House, 1967.
29. Mitchell, P. M.: - The Scholars and the library in University and Research Libraries in Japan and the
United States Ed. By Thomas R. Buckman and others, Chicago, American Library
Association, 1972.
30. Muhammed, S.: - The Value of Dakhni Language and Literature, Mysore, University of Mysore, 1968.
31. Nadvi, H.: - Kutub Khana Jama Masjid Bambai Ke Urdu Makhtootat, Nairoobi,
Kokan Urdu Writers Guild, 1990. (In Urdu)
32. Narang, G. C.: - Modern Urdu Literature, Wiesbaden, Otto Harrossowitz, N. D.
33. Ostel, R. C.: - Studies in Modern Arabic Literature, Warminster, Aris and Phillips Ltd., 1975.
34. Pritchett, F. W.: - Urdu Literature: A Bibliography of English Language Sources. New Delhi,
Manohar,1979.
35. Qadir, S. A.: - Famous Urdu Poets and Writers, Lahore, New Book Society, 1947.
36. Rider, F.: - The Scholar and the Research Library: A Problem and Its Solution, New York
Hadham Press, 1944.
37. Russell, R.: - Urdu Literature In Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. XI, 1962, P. 572-74.
38. Sadiq, M.: - History of Urdu Literature, London, Oxford University Press, 1964.
39. Saksena, R. B.: - A History of Urdu Literature, Allahabad, Ram Narian Lal, 1927.
40 Sarfaraz, S. A.: - Descriptive Catalogue of the Arabic, Persian and Urdu Manuscripts in the Library of
University of Bombay, Bombay, The Qayyimah Press, 1935.
41. Syed, A.: - Adbiyat-e-Farsi Mein Hinduwon Ka Hissa. Lahore, Majlis Tarraqi-I-Adab, 1967. (In Urdu)
42. Taher, M.: - Islamic Studies in India: A Survey of Human Institutional and Documentary Sources,
New Delhi, Concept Publishing Co. 1991.
43. Tikekar, A.: - Cloister’s Pale: A Biography of the University of Bombay,

Bombay, Somaiya Publications, 1984.
44. Tyabji, H. B.: - Badruddin Tayabji: A Biography, Bombay, Thacker & Co. 1952.
THESES:
1. Dalvi, A. S.: - Bombay Urdu: A Study in Linguistic Behaviour, Ph. D. Thesis, Uni. of Bombay, 1968.
2. Kaul, H. K. - Networks in India with special reference to CLIBNET, DELNET & INFLIBNET
M. Lib. Sc. Dissertation, University of Bombay, Department of Library Science, 1992.
Page 21
Kokanis in Cape Town, South Africa

By
Mrs. Nujmoonnisa Parker

Kokani Delights, Cape Town
South Africa
The Kokan also called the Konkan coast is the name given to a stretch of rugged and beautiful
section of the western coastline of India from Thane District to Goa. Kokan is also one of six divisions of the state of
Maharashtra. The Arabian Sea is the main key role player in the development of the Kokan region. The Kokan
division of Maharashtra comprises the entire coastal region of the state. The Districts names are: Thane, Mumbai,
Mumbai Suburban, Raigarh, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. The Literacy is: 81.36%. The Area is: 30,746 km² and
population is (2001 census): 24,807,357. Maharashtra literally means Great Nation is India's third largest state in
terms of area and second largest in terms of population after Uttar Pradesh. It is bordered by the states of Gujarat,
Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar
Haveli. The Arabian Sea makes up the state's western coast. Mumbai (Bombay), India's largest city, is the capital of
Maharashtra.
Kokani Muslims originate from the area on the West Coast of Maharashtra in India. The Kokani Muslims are a
seafaring people and their main sources of livelihood are farming and fishing. The Arabs had been trading with the
Costal Indians long before the coming of Islam and in time a trading relationship was established. By the time the
Arabs preached the word of Islam in Arabia, links between the Kokani's and Arabs were centuries old. The Kokani's
retained their rich cultural heritage and continued to live in peace and harmony with other communities. At the turn
of 20th century many Kokanis had moved out of India in search of employment, mainly to the new British colonies in
Africa where they became successful traders, businessmen and skilled workers. Many Kokanis took up British
citizenship and settled down in these new colonies mainly Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rhodesia. However, after
two generations in the 1960's and 1970's these colonies started gaining their Independence. The Independent
countries started their own Africanisation programmes and some of these settlers because of political reasons,
migrated to other parts of the world. Kokanis who migrated to the United Kingdom form the bulk of the community
and are mainly settled in the big cities. Some who migrated to Britain from the Indian Sub-Continent for further edu-
cation, settled there after completing their education because of the demand in their professions and skills.
Kokani Muslims speak Kokani, a Marathi dialect, peculiar to the community. They are descendants of Arab traders.
Kokani Muslims are heavily involved in the merchant navy, shipbuilding, and textile industries in India. Most in
villages are also involved into farming and fishing, whereas many work as expatriates in Gulf countries. They trace
their ancestry back to the Arab traders who arrived on the Western coast of India during the medieval era. The
Diaspora spread out around India and the rest of the world but maintains their strong sense of community and
identity. The Kokani Muslims possess most of the important attributes of an ethnic group. Like the Maplas of
Malabar, they are the progeny of Arab immigrants and Indian women; they speak the same dialect of Kokani
language, and marry among themselves, in anthropological terms they are generally endogamous. Yet, according to
Dr. A. R. Momin, "the Kokani Muslim community has a well defined system of ranking and stratification. They
frequently have fair skin, and light eyes. The scope of this article is about the Kokanis in Cape Town, South
Africa from the Kokan Division of Maharashtra.
Kalusta ( R )
Dabhol (L)
and Cape
Town on the
front page
Page 22
What were the social and political factors that encouraged Kokanis to immigrate to South Africa…? The
greater part of the Kokan population was involved in agriculture and peasants were impoverished. In 1875 there was
an outburst of protest against harsh economic conditions and this led to "grain riots". In 1896 there were
demonstrations against moneylenders and grain dealers following the onset of famine and high prices. In the same
year there were several incidents of rioting and grain theft. The late 1890's also marked an increase in banditry and
poor peasant's protests. In districts such as Thana, the Marwari class was looted unmercifully leading to acts of
brutal violence. The grain riots became endemic. British rule was altering the implications of indebtedness and was
perceived to be against aspects of the Khoti system. There was a population influx especially into districts such as
Ratnagiri. This led to an intense demand on land resources. In the Ratnagiri district the population had increased.
This led to a decline in per capita income resulting in an influx to other districts of the Kokan such as Raigad and
also Bombay.
In Bombay the stories of Cape Town and the mining boom in South Africa were heard from Kokani sailors working
on British vessels. The Cape was a British colony and this facilitated the emigration from Kokan to the shore of Cape
Town by several Kokanis escaping the social and economic situation in Kokan. Though initially many Kokanis
worked as manual laborers and hawkers, as soon as they were capable, however they went into business
independently or worked as shop assistants. The Kokanis tended to become retail general dealers and butchers.
Amongst the Kokani's of Cape Town, E. Nordien Mukaddam arrived in 1888. He came from the village Dignee
(Taluka Sangmeshwar). He was self educated and by 1908, he owned several shops in Cape Town. As the Kokanis
of Cape Town started prospering in their retail business many village societies were formed to cater for the welfare
of their respective families. In Kokan for instance many schools, mosques, water works and roads were built by
these village societies and individual members. Prominent amongst these schools were Anglo High School Dapoli,
Furus High School, Wahoor High School, and Murud High School. During the late 1950's nearly every big Muslim
village had a high school for which a considerable contribution was made from these societies. Amongst these new
high schools Haji Dawood Amien High School Kalusta, Haji Mukaddam High School in Khed and Morba High School
are well known. "It is regrettable however that less effort was made in the educational advancement of the
community in Cape Town". The exception was the opening of Habibia Primary School in 1946, due primarily to the
efforts of Mr. Balu Parker.
Cont… p. 24
Page 23
There are more than 40,000 Cape Townians that can trace their roots directly to the Kokan region. We consider such
South Africans of Kokani origin an integral part of South Africa and this the modest attempt at helping them to more
meaningfully understand their historical backgrounds. All people need to learn about their past and need to be able
to participate in their own legacy.
Most of the Kokanis spoke Kokani, Urdu and Africans and tended to maintain their village connections and identities.
Since the late 1800s Muslim Indians at the Cape, especially Kokani Indians, who remained prominent, also
cooperated with other Muslims to achieve communal and political goals. Kokanis in South Africa organized in
different ways to structure their environment, express their cultures and pursue their interests. This includes
Religious Authorities, Voluntary Associations and interest pressure groups and joining bigger political groups.
Kokani history too is the sum of the contribution of many religions and people from many countries have contributed
to the Kokani culture in Cape Town, South Africa.
Graph of progress from January 2009 to January, 2011
Page 24
Page 25
Books on Kokan
Konkan : From the earliest to 1818 A.D.: A Study in Political and Socio-economic
Aspects / V.G. Khobrek ar . Pune: Snehavardhan Pub. House, 2002.
ISBN: 8172651504
Konkan, (or Bombay Konkan as it is known today), comprises India''s western coastal
strip, along the Maharashtra State. In the past, this coastal region has had close
linkages with West Asia, Greece, Rome, and Egypt. The growth of Buddhism coincided
and encouraged the development of trade in this area. Dr Khobrekar reconstructs its
history: from the earliest times to AD 1818 when Konkan came under the British rule.
Focusing on all landmark events on Konkan''s political scenario, the author highlights,
in particular, how the maritime activities of the European nations on its vast coastal belt
impacted native life. In Part 2, the book offers a detailed account of Konkan''s society,
religion, caste system, political institutions, judicial mechanisms, and the status of
women, among several other aspects.
Infrastructure Development and its Environmental Impact: Study of Konkan

Railway / Prabha Shastri Ranade. New Delhi: Concept Pub. Co., 2009
ISBN: 818069450X
The Konkan Railway (KR) alignment literally carved out of the Western Ghats passes
through one of the most difficult and formidable terrain in India, both physically and
geologically. Its massive railway structures have become admired features and due to
its engineering marvels KR itself has become a tourist attraction. A secondary data
based study covering the period from pre-construction to completion and full length
operation (1989-2001)—this well-researched work attempts to examine and analyse the
impact of major infrastructure project of KR on the environment and socio-economic
profile of the western coastal region of India. It explores the spatio-temporal pattern of
change by incorporating an integrated study of aspects such as land use, environ-
mental conservation, population growth, urbanization, resettlement and rehabilitation,
and tourism and industrial development in the region.
Navigational hazards, landmarks and early charting; Special study of Konkan and
South Gujarat / Maritime History Society (Mumbai, India), Arunachalam, B.
(Balasubramaniam), 1933-, Edward, Mary R. (Mary Rosaline), Pendse, Sachin S.
Mumbai : Maritime History Society, 2007.
A notable addition to the literature on Indian heritage and traditions at sea, this is a two-
in-one book about navigation along Indian coasts in medieval and pre-modern India.
The first part—Navigational Hazards, landmarks and Early Charting, concerns itself
with the numerous seen and unseen underwater hazards in near-shore coastal waters
and river mouths that have been recognized by Indian seamen since early days by
developing an acute sense of observation skills of the water circulation pattern and
depth sounding. Focusing on the coasts of Konkan and South Gujarat, a study of the
submarine morphology, littoral circulation patterns and the sailing hazards in safe
passage to port entrances with the help of conspicuous landmarks, is contained in the
second part of the book. The text of the book is lavishly illustrated through graphs,
maps, diagrams and photographs.
Page 26
Konkan economy and society in transition (1818-1920): with special reference to

Ratnagiri, Malvan, and Vengurla / Sheela Mohan Nabar. New Delhi: Serials
Publications, 2005. ISBN: 8186771689
The Konkan -- a narrow strip of land on the western coast of India, had a number of
celebrated ports where trade flourished for centuries. This well-researched work draws
upon a variety of primary sources (including archival), to bring out the impact of British
rule on this region, over a period of 100 years. Focusing particularly on three ports of
Ratnagiri, Malvan and Vengurla, the author tries to reconstruct their socio-economic
history, examining issues relate to revenue system, agriculture, trade, industry,
education, imports and exports and population and migration. The text is aptly
supported with a large number maps, tables, graphs, photographs and diagrams and
enriched with copious references for further reading.
Dr Sheela Mohan Nabar is Principal, K B College of Arts and Commerce, Mumbai,

India.
Muslim communities in medieval Konkan, 610-1900 A.D. / Momin Mohiuddin.

New Delhi: Sundeep Prakashan, 2002. ISBN: 8175741260
A fertile strip of land, the Konkan region is bound by the Arabian Sea on its west and
by the extensive stretch of hills rising to the Western Ghats on the other side. The
region forms the 'shattered zone' between the coastline and the Deccan Plateau.
Konkan today, itself a part of the Maharashtra State, comprises the districts of
Ratnagiri, Thane, and Raigarh (the erstwhile Kolaba). The great seaports and
entrepots in this core region have their origin in the prehistoric times.
This book tries to reconstruct the cultural history of Muslim communities in medieval
Konkan: from the earliest known arrivals of foreign Muslims on India's western
coastland to the end of the nineteenth century. Covering all different Muslim
communities, like the Sunnis (Arabs, Sayyids, Habashis), the Shi'ahs (Asharis, Afaqis,
Persian-Mughals), and the Isma'ilis (Bohoras, Khojas) that came to settle here, the
author brings out their social, intellectual, political and religious roles in the history of
Konkan region, and how far they contributed to its overall cultural milieu. The author
also considers commercial activities and progressions of the early Arab-Persian
traders by placing them within the periphery of religious geography. Included here, in
addition, are the profiles of Konkan's Muslim patricians as well.
Mohiuddin's research involves a study of the rudiments of Islamic culture and its
interaction, over the years, with the indigenous acculturation through a series of
cultural symbols and synthesization. Momin Mohiuddin (b. 1929), PhD from the
University of Edinburgh, Scotland, retired as Head, Department of Persian,
University of Bombay, Bombay.
Page 27
Kokan Literary Circle (KLC), Kuwait organized a grand function for the release of Urdu poetry book "Sadayen Tez Thee Laikin" by Sabir
Omar Galsulkar, at Hotel Red Fort, Sharq, Kuwait on 7th January, 2011.
KLC is one of the oldest Urdu Literary Circle in Kuwait. In the past, the Circle has organized successfully many events, like memorable
evening for the renowned poets Sharaf Kamali and Abdullah Sajid etc. under the able leadership of Mr. Mohammed Saleh Barod, who is a
renowned businessman and well known name in the social and literary circle of Kuwait.
Mr. Sabir Omar Galsulkar is a prominent name in Urdu literary circle as a poet and literary critic. He has been attached to various literary
organizations in Kuwait and working in various capacities like General Secretary for the Kokan Literary Circle, Press Release Secretary for
Arbab-e-Fikr-o-Fun, and active member of Writers' Forum, Kuwait. He is also publishing an Urdu e-Newsletter "NISHAT", from Kuwait.
The program started with the recitation of Holy Qur'an by Hafiz Shamshuddin Darwe. Mrs. Maimoona Ali Chougle compeered the entire
proceeding. The Compeer welcomed the guest and invited Mr. Mohammad Saleh Barod, Dr. Saleha Jawad Musa, Author's father
Mr. Omar Abdul Rahman Galsulkar and finally the Author, Mr. Sabir Omar Galsulkar to the stage. The local famous poets, Ayyub Qasim
Karjikar, Mr. Abu Shahid, Mr. Massod Hassas presented poetic tribute to the author Mr. Sabir Omar, which was well appreciated
Prof. Taslem Akbar Shah, Mr. Shahid Hinai, Mrs. Shahjahan Jaffery Hijab, Mr. Bader Seemab, Mr. Abdullah Abbassi, Dr. Ayyb Dhokle,
Eng. Shakeel Mohammed, and Mr. Mathi (a Tamil Poet) also congratulated the author and appreciated his efforts.
Mr. Mohammed Saleh Barod, Chief Guest of the evening appreciated the author's talent and his literary contributions. He also invited all
the Urdu lovers to come forward and join the Circle in promoting our sweetest Urdu language. Finally, Dr. Saleha Jawwad Al-Moosa gave
a short presidential speech and she wishes Mr. Sabir a great success in his future endeavor. Lastly, Mr. Ali Chowgle, Vice President of
Kokan Literary Circle (KLC), thanked the audience and invited them for the dinner. This beautiful evening will be remembered for a long
time among the Urdu literature lovers.
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Kokan ki ek khubsurat sham ‫م‬+d ‫رت‬4fg4h i,‫ ا‬k‫ آ‬3‫آ‬4‫آ‬

Beautiful evening in Kokan
Page 31
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Honorary Members
Publication Policy / Guidelines for Authors / Contributors
Dr. Abdulghani Dalvi, Riyadh
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Dr. M. Hayyan Al-Hafez, Riyadh The Editor of the “Kokan News” welcome contributions of research articles from our
Mr. Abid Khawar, Dammam readers. The Newsletter will consider for publication manuscripts of interest to readers
Mr. Mukhtar Chougle, Al-Khobar with special reference to Kokan. All submissions are subject to review by the Editor and
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prior to a full report is not regarded as a duplicate publication. The author’s transmittal
Mr. Rafique Parkar, Chiplun letter must accompany the manuscript and contain these statements. “The manuscript
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Responsibilities of Authors: The authors are entirely responsible for accuracy of all
statements and data. The Statements expressed in the signed articles reflects the views
Editorial Board and opinions of the authors and not the policies of the Kokan News. The Kokan News
does not accept responsibility for statements made by the contributors/authors. The
Prof. Dr. A. M. I. Dalvi other important points must be followed by the Authors are:
Anjuman-e-Islam Urdu
Research Institute 1. Articles must be in ARABIC, ENGLISH, HINDI, MARATHI AND URDU
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2. DO NOT submit the same article more than once
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Urdu Foundation E-mail: - smbijle@yahoo.co.uk & kokan.news@yahoo.com
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Mrs. Nujmoonnisa Parker

Kokni Delights Coming Soon:
Cape Town, South Africa
Ms Aisha Bijle Kokani Muslims: Their Life and Culture

Education & Career Editor
Mumbai Bureau, India By Dr. Siraj Mohammed Bijle
Page 32

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Editor: Dr. Siraj Mohammed Bijle

ESTAWOO (Arrange yourselves)… Allah-o-Akbar (Allah is Great)

King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, chose to focus

This annual obligation, of course, falls on Saudi Arabia as the host of

Indeed, this year’s Haj offered some significant innovations to

Dr. Siraj Mohammed Bijle

A delight to eyes – Flowers

Indian Kokanis Celebrate Iftar Party and Family Gathering 2

Kokan Committee Riyadh (KCR) Organizes Iftar Party

“Washishti Welfare Society for the Disabled”

Preparing future strategic planning

Preparation for Iftar by KCR members in Riyadh

BRIGHTEN UP THEIR LIVES

BECOME A LIFE -CHANGER

SPONSOR A CHILD NOW!

By donating SR500/= annually

Continued from page ...1

India makes major move to save climate talks

CLIMATE CHANGE & MAHARASHTRA (Input from Kokan News)

Impacts on Human Health

MUMBAI WAS VISITED BY THREE GREAT RELIGIOUS & POLITICAL

Ms Aisha Bijle, Mumbai, India

Reviews on the IRF Peace Conference

US President Barack Obama's India "Yatra"

India, France Sign GPA for Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant

ARABIC, PERSIAN AND URDU LITERATURE

Dr. Siraj Mohammed Bijle [Ph.D.]

Scope of the Study:

1. University of Mumbai Library, Fort,

Maharashtra State Urdu Academy:

The Department of Urdu, Mumbai University:

books in Persian were also written in India.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY REFERED FOR THIS ARTICLE

3. Brough, K. J.: - Scholar’s Workshop: Evolving Conceptions of Library Services.

7. Directorate of Government Printing Stationary and Publication. : -

8. Directorate of Government Printing Stationary and Publication. : - Maharashtra State Gazetteers:

11. Firishtra, - Tarikh-I-Farishtra, Vol. I, Hyderabad, Osmania University, 1926.

22. Karmarkar, S. M.: - Bombay A to Z, Bombay, Karmarkar Enterprises, 1985.

28. Marshall, D. N. - Mughals in India: A Bibliographical Survey, Vol. I. Bombay,

32. Narang, G. C.: - Modern Urdu Literature, Wiesbaden, Otto Harrossowitz, N. D.

43. Tikekar, A.: - Cloister’s Pale: A Biography of the University of Bombay,

Kokanis in Cape Town, South Africa

Mrs. Nujmoonnisa Parker

Graph of progress from January 2009 to January, 2011

Infrastructure Development and its Environmental Impact: Study of Konkan

Konkan economy and society in transition (1818-1920): with special reference to

Dr Sheela Mohan Nabar is Principal, K B College of Arts and Commerce, Mumbai,

Muslim communities in medieval Konkan, 610-1900 A.D. / Momin Mohiuddin.

Kokan ki ek khubsurat sham ‫م‬+d ‫رت‬4fg4h i,‫ ا‬k‫ آ‬3‫آ‬4‫آ‬

smbijle@yahoo.co.uk & kokan.news@yahoo.com

Mr. M. K. Dalvi Kokan News

Mrs. Nujmoonnisa Parker

Ms Aisha Bijle Kokani Muslims: Their Life and Culture

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