The Badshah who was a Jagadguru

The general opinion the majority of Hindus have about Muslim rule in India is largely based on prejudice and ill informed impressions.A balanced perception is lacking even among the educated class. IMHO both good and bad things happened during that era. It is amazing how we hold on to opinions without ever venturing to check the veracity of it. (-avalok)

Consider this. A Muslim King who tried to bring in cultural harmony, between the Shias and the Sunnis and between Hindus and Muslims through music. He was a great lover of music, played musical instruments, sang and composed praises of Hindu deities Saraswati and Ganapati. He wrote the book Kitab-E-Navras (Book of Nine Rasas) in Dakhani. It is a collection of 59 poems and 17 couplets. He was Bahmani King Ibrahim Adil Shah II - aka Jagadguru Badshah!

According to his court-poet Zuhuri, he wrote it to introduce the theory of nine Rasas, which occupies most important place in Indian aesthetics, to acquaint people who were only brought up in Persian ethos. The book opens with prayer to Saraswati, the Goddess of learning. He claimed that his father was divine Ganapati and mother the Holy Saraswati. For him, the Tanpura personified learning -- "Ibrahim the tanpurawala became learned due to grace of god, living in the city of Vidyanagari" (Vidyanagari is the earlier name of Bijapur.)

Music received greater encouragement under Ibrahim Adil Shah II. He was the greatest musician of his age. He was poet and singer and maintained an inordinately a large number of musicians and minstrels (three or four thousand) at his court. The band of musicians was known as Lashkar-e-Nauras (army of Nauras) they were paid by the government regularly.

Mirza Asad Baig writes in his ‘’Wakiyat’’ that he was invited to the royal palace to bid farewell to Ibrahim Adil Shah II
“a grand show of music had been arranged for this occasion.The conversation between them for some time mainly concerned music and musicians. The Sultan wanted to know whether Emperor Akbar was fond of music and Asad Baig informed him that the Emperor did sometime listen to music. The Sultan then wanted to know whether Tansen stood or sat while singing before the Emperor and was told that in the Darbar or during day time Tansen had to stand while singing, but at night and on the occasion of Nauroz and Jashan festival Tansen and other musicians were permitted to sit while singing. The Sultan told Asad Baig, "Music is such that it should be heard at all times and always, and musicians should be kept happy."

Under the aegis of Adil Shahis of Bijapur advanced very much in the field of learning. It was considered as the 'Second Baghdad' in scholastic activities in the Islamic world. Owing to its popularity in this sphere Ibrahim Adil Shah II named it ‘Vidhyapur’ All Sultans of Bijapur were men of letters. All Sultans patronised the teachers and scholars.

The Badshah founded a new township Navraspur to give concrete shape to his musical conception or idea of a musical city. He had a temple built inside the precincts of the palace which still exists.

Bijapur attracted best musicians and dancers of the period because the king was famous as a great connoisseur and patron of music and it was a unique privilege to get recognition from him.

He has composed poems on his wife Chand Sultana, his Tanpura Motikhan and his elephant Atish Khan. He spoke Marathi, Dakhani, Urdu and Kannada languages fluently, and like his predecessors, employed several Hindus in top posts.

Excerpts from his Kitab - e - Navras:


bhaka nyari nyari bhava ek kaha turuk kaha barahaman

Whether a Turk (Muslim) or a Brahmin with different language—emotion is the same.

nouras soor juga joti ani saroguni yusat sarasuti mata ibrahim parasada bhayi dooni

Oh mother Saraswati! Since you have blessed Ibrahim, his work Navras will last for long

Pandit Narhari, a court poet of Ibrahim Adil Shah II, composed the poetic excellence on his master, called, 'Nauras Manzarf’. Shri Laxmipathi, a desciple of Pandit Rukmangada composed a number of Marathi and Hindi devotional songs set in musical Ragas. Swamy Yadvendra was also a prominent contributor in Marathi literature. In the south of kingdom, the official transaction was carried out in Kannada.

Unfortunately, most of us hold on dearly to our prejudices and strive to sweep away such uncomfortable contrarian views of history (- avalok)

About the images :

This is the tomb complex of Ibrahim Adil Shah II (ruled 1580-1627), the fifth king of the dynasty and, like the Mughal emperor Akbar, known for religious tolerance. Built on a single rock bed, it is noted for the symmetry of its features.

It is said that the design for the Ibrahim Rauza served as an inspiration for that of the famous Taj Mahal.

Most of the text contents are from Wikipedia - except where mentioned otherwise.