DELHI

 

 

Introduction: No one seems to know what happened to the manuscripts cited in the following works. Muhammad Shafi, “ A Short Summary of the Notes on Persian and Arabic  Manuscripts Exhibited in Connection with the 8th Session of the Indian Historical Records Commission in Delhi” Indian Historical Records Commission Proceeding 8 (1925): 45-56; Nadhiriya Public Library’s catalog by Muhammad Mahdi Ghawri, Fihrist-i kutub-i qalami: Arabi, Farsi, Urdu, (Delhi, 1941) shows a number of manuscripts some of which has gone into the Indian Institute of Islamic Studies collection, according to Prof. Gopi Chand Narang, as cited in  Riza Ali Abidi, Kutub khanah, (Karachi: Saad Publications, 1985), p. 127; and Chand Husayn Shaikh, A Concise Catalogue of Manuscripts and Mughal Documents Relating to Khan Bahadur Zafar Hasan, (Delhi, 1946). The following titles are akin to union catalogs: Dihli ke Urdu makhtutat ki wadahati fihrist, edited by H.K. Kaul and Salah al-Din Khan, (New Delhi: Anjuman-i Taraqqi-i Urdu, 1975) and the same writer’s Urdu Manuscripts: A Descriptive Bibliography of Manuscripts in Delhi Libraries, (New Delhi: Heritage Publishers, 1977).

No one seems to know what happened to the manuscripts cited in the following works. Muhammad Shafi, “A Short Summary of the Notes on Persian and Arabic Manuscripts Exhibited in Connection with the  8th Session of the Indian Historical Records Commission in Delhi” Indian Historical Records Commission Proceeding 8 (1925): 45-56; Nadhiriya Public Library’s catalog by Muhammad Mahdi Ghawri, Fihrist-I kutub-I qalami: Arabi, Farsi, Urdu, (Delhi, 1941) shows a number of manuscripts some of which has gone into the Indian Institute of Islamic Studies collection, according to Prof. Gopi Chand Narang, as cited in Riza Ali Abidi, Kutub khanah, (Karachi: Saad Publications, 1985), p. 127; and Chand Husayn Shaikh, A Concise Catalogue of Manuscripts and Mughal Documents Relating to Khan Bahadur Zafar Husan, (Delhi, 1946). The following titles are akin to union catalogs: Dihli ke Urdu makhtutat ki wadahati fihrist, edited by H.K. Kaul and Salah al-Din Khan, (New Delhi: Anjuman-I Taraqqi-I Urdu, 1975) and the same writer’s Urdu Manuscripts: A Descriptive Bibliography of Manuscripts in Delhi Libraries, (New Delhi: Heritage Publishers, 1977)

 

Anjuman-i Tarrqi-yi Urdu Library

212 Rouse Avenue

New Delhi 110002

 

Introduction:  The Anjuman is the leading organization for the non-official promotion of Urdu language and literature. It was founded in Delhi in 1903 as a unit within the Muslim Educational Conference. It moved to Aurangabad in 1912, then back to Delhi, (1936) when its precious library was burnt and looted in the mayhem of partition, see Baba-yi Urdu Mawlawi Abdulhaq, “Dilli Jab Lahu Lahu Thi,” Afkar-i Milli (September 1993), pp.57-62.  Given the chaos of partition it moved to Aligarh, (1947) and then back again in the 1970s to Delhi where it started out in the first place.  Its new building has been constructed on a site provided by the central government of India.

Catalog (s): Muhammad Abrar Husayn Faruqi, “Fihrist-i makhtutat-i kutub khanah-i Anjuman-i Tarraqi-i Urdu,” Urdu Adab (March 1953); (July 1954); Fihrist-i nuskhah’ha-yi khatti-i Farsi-i Kitabkhanah-i Anjuman-i Tarraqi-i  Urdu, (New Delhi: Markaz-i Tahqiqat-i Farsi, Rayzani Farhangi-i Jumhuri-i Islami-i Iran, 1999)

 

Dargah of Shah Abu al-Khayr

New Delhi 110006

 

Introduction: This is the private collection of Mawlana Abu al-Hasan Zayd Faruqi. An obituary on the Mawlana appeared in Radiance 19-25 December 1993, p. 12.

Catalog: Shaista Khan, “Dihli ki Dargah Shah Abu al-Khayr ke Makhtutat ki Fihrist, » Khuda Bakhsh Library Journal 102 (1995): 247-329.

Works on the history or individual manuscripts in the library:

Nizam al-Din Ahmad Kazimi, Tafsir Kashif al-Haqayiq ka Nadir Makhtutah,” Burhan (June 1976): 55-59; Isam Muhammad al-Shanti, al-Makhtutat al-Arabiyyah fi al-Hind, (Kuwait: Maahad al-Makhtutat al-Arabiyyah, 1985), pp. 14-15.

 

Ghalib Institute

Matasundari Road

New Delhi 110002

 

Introduction: The Institute dedicated to the life and works of Mirza Asad Allah Khan Ghalib, 1797-1869),  the eminent Persian and Urdu poet.

Catalog (s): Fihrist-i nuskhah’ha-yi khatti-i Farsi Anistitu-yi Ghalib, Dihli-i Naw, edited by Tawfiq Subhani, (Tehran: Farhangistan-i Zaban va Adab-i Farsi, 1997)

 

Hardayal Municipal Public Library

Near Town Hall

Near Old Delhi Railway Station

Delhi 110006

 

Introduction: It was set up in 1862 and considered the oldest public library in Delhi. In early twentieth century it was called Hardinge Public Library. After independence it was named as the Hardayal Library after a freedom fighter.

Catalog (s): Fihrist-i nuskhah’ha-yi khatti-i Farsi-i KitabkhanahUmumi-yi Hardayal, (New Delhi: Markaz-i Tahqiqat-i Farsi, Rayzani Farhangi-i Jumhuri-i Islami-i Iran, 1999)

Works on the history or individual manuscripts in the library:

“How about Mahabharat in Persian.” The Tribune (Chandigarh) 2 February 2002.

“A Library with a Grand History.” http://www.thedelhicity.com/DelhiGuide/

 

Indian Council for Cultural Relations Library

Azad Bhavan

Indraprastha Estate

New Delhi 100002

 

Introduction: It was established in 1950, as the premier institution for the exposition of Indian culture.

Number of manuscripts: 140

Works on the history or individual manuscripts in the library:

See “al-Makhtutat al-Arabiya fi maktabat al-Majlis al-Hindi lil Alaqat al-Thaqafiya,” Al-Mawsim 2, v (1990): 264-267; Akhbar al-Turath al-Arabi, Tishrin al-Thani Kanun al-Awwal 1983, p. 13.

Isam Muhammad al-Shanti, al-Makhtutat al-Arabiyyah fi al-Hind, (Kuwait: Maahad al-Makhtutat al-Arabiyyah, 1985), pp.13-15; ; David Pinault, “An Investigation of Arabic and Persian Manuscripts in Selected Indian Libraries,” Hamdard Islamicus 13, 2 (Summer 1990), pp.

 

Indian Institute of Islamic Studies

Jamia Hamdard

Tughlaqabad, New Delhi 100062

 

Introduction: The Library was established in 1956.  The present location dates from 1977.  An introduction is found in Syed Ausaf Ali, “ Indian Institute of Islamic Studies,” pp. 251-253, in Handbook of Libraries, Archives & Information Centers in India, vol. 9, edited by B.M. Gupta, (New Delhi: Aditya Prakashan, 1991)

Number of manuscripts: 3619

Catalog (s): Fihrist-i kutub-i qalami shubah-i makhtutat: Arabi, Farsi, Urdu, edited by M. al-Mahdi Jaafari, (Delhi, 1360)

A Catalogue of Arabic and Persian Medical Manuscripts in the Library of the Indian Institute of the History of Medicine and Medical Research, edited by Shabbir Ahmad Khan Ghawri, T. Siddiqi, and Syed Ausaf Ali, (New Delhi: The Institute, 196?)

Works on the history or individual manuscripts in the library:

Isam Muhammad al-Shanti, al-Makhtut al-Arabiyyah fi al-Hind, (Kuwait: Maahad al-Makhtutat al-Arabiyyah, 1985), pp.13-15; ; David Pinault, “An Investigation of Arabic and Persian Manuscripts in Selected Indian Libraries,” Hamdard Islamicus 13, 2 (Summer 1990), pp.74-75.

Fihrist-i nuskhah’ha-yi khatti-i Farsi-i Kitabkhanah-i Jamia Hamdard, (New Delhi: Markaz-i Tahqiqat-i Farsi, Rayzani Farhangi-i Jumhuri-i Islami-i Iran, 1999)

 

National Archives of India Library

Janpath, New Delhi 110001

Website URL http://nationalarchives.nic.in/

Number of Manuscripts: 100

Catalog (s): Catalogue of Manuscripts of the Fort William College Collection in the National Archives of India Library, edited by R.K. Perti, (New Delhi: The Archives, 1989); Descriptive List of Miscellaneous Persian Documents, 1633-1867, edited by  R.K. Perti, (New Delhi: National Archives of India, 1992)

Paul Sprachman, “Photographing Islamic Manuscripts in India,” South Asia Library Notes and Queries 13 (June 1982): 8-9. Guide to the Records in the National Archives of India, part III (B) Persian Department (1755-1888), (New Delhi: National Archives, 1979)

 

National Museum of India Library

Janpath, New Delhi 110001

Website URL http://www.nationalmuseumindia.org/

 

Introduction: Evidently there are some Arabic script manuscripts in the collection, see Paul Sprachman, “Photographing Islamic Manuscripts in India,” South Asia Library Notes and Queries 13 (June 1982): 8-9, Isam Muhammad al-Shanti, al-Makhtut al-Arabiyyah fi al-Hind, (Kuwait: Maahad al-Makhtutat al-Arabiyyah, 1985), pp. 10-11; Y.K. Bukhari, “The Manuscript of Tuzuk-i Jahangiri in the National Museum,” Islamic Culture 37 (1963): 283-294; and Hans Daiber, “New Manuscript Findings from Indian Libraries,” Manuscripts of the Middle East 1 (1986), pp. 26-48.

Works on the history or individual manuscripts in the library:

Barbara Schmitz and Nasim Akhtar, “ Important Illustrated Manuscripts in the National Museum, New Delhi,” Marg 53, 4 (June 2002): 56-73. S.A.H. Abidi, “Some Valuable and Hitherto Unknown Sources for the Study of Indian History and Culture,” Journal of Arabic and PersianResearch Institute  2 (1982): 45-60.

 

Zakir Husain College Library

Ajmeri Gate

Jawaharlal Nehru Road

Delhi 110006

 

Introduction: The College is probably the oldest in Delhi.  It began as the Madrasa of Ghazi al-Din Khan, a Mughal grandee, who founded the school in 1796. During the three centuries the Madrasa became Anglo-Arabic school and then Delhi College.  It changed the name sometime after independence. 

David Pinault, “An Investigation of Arabic and Persian Manuscripts in Selected Indian Libraries,” Hamdard Islamicus 13, 2 (Summer 1990), pp.73-75; Kabir Ahmad Jaysi, “Diwan-i Hafiz : Ek Hindustani Shayir Hafiz ke Diwan ka ek Nadir Makhtutah,” Maarif (Azamgarh) September 1975: 217-30.

 

Zakir Husain Library

Jamia Millia Islamiya

Jamia Nagar

New Delhi 110025

Website URL http://jmi.nic.in/ZHL/Zhlibrary/htm

 

Introduction: The Jamia itself was established in 1920 in Aligarh, then moved to Delhi in 1925. The library dates from 1972.

Number of Manuscripts: 2500

Catalog (s): Shahabuddin Ansari, “Fihrist-i makhtutat-i Farsi kitab khanah-yi Jamia Daktar Zakir Husayn,” Vahid (Tehran) 8, 11 ( 1973  ): 2-24; Fihrist-i nuskhah’ha-yi khatti-i Farsi-i Kitabkhanah-i Duktur Zakir Husayn, Jamiah Milliyah-i Islamiyah, (New Delhi: Markaz-i Tahqiqat-i Farsi, Rayzani Farhangi-i Jumhuri-i Islami-i Iran, 1999).

Works on the history or individual manuscripts in the library:

Isam Muhammad al-Shanti, al-Makhtutat al-Arabiyyah fi al-Hind, (Kuwait: Maahad al-Makhtutat al-Arabiyyah, 1985), pp.11-12; David Pinault, “An Investigation of Arabic and Persian Manuscripts in Selected Indian Libraries,” Hamdard Islamicus 13, 2 (Summer 1990), p.75.