Ayesha Amjad

History notes

CHAPTER 2 TIMELINE

- 1608, British landed in Surat

- 1612, granted permission to trade by Shah Jahen
- 1731, Bamboo fort at Narkelberia built (Tipu Sultan)
- 1738, Nadir Shah exploited India
- 1747, Ahmad Shah exploited India
- 1757, Battle of Plassey
- 1764, Battle of Buxar
- 1784, Pitts India Act
- 1798, Subsidiary Alliance
- 1809, friendship treaty signed b/w British and Amirs
- 1809, perpetual friendship treaty signed with Ranjit Singh
- 1829, banned suttee
- 1834, English language introduced in administration
- 1835, education in English
- 1841, many British officers killed in Afghanistan
- 1843, annexation of Sindh
- 1846, annexation of Punjab/Battle of Aliwal
- 1852, Doctrine of Lapse
- 1893, Durand Line (Sir Mortimer Durand)

CHAPTER 5, LANGUAGES

Urdu

- Rich literary background

- Poetry significantly prevalent in Urdu
- Amir Khusro prominent personality in developing Urdu
- Emperor Muhammad Shah and Bahadur Shah keen to promote Urdu
- Famous poets: Mir, Sauda, Derd, Allama Iqbal, Dr Nazir Ahmad, Mohammed Husain Azad,
Maulana Altaf Hussain
- Aligarh University (1875) played as a centre of study of Urdu
- Talented writers: Hasrat Mohani, Majaz, Jazbi
- Shah Abdul Qadir translated the Holy Quran in Urdu
- Many religious books written in Urdu
- Played a major role in struggle for independence
- Muslim League (1906) aimed to protect Urdu rights
- Fort William promoted Urdu
 - After 1857, British lost interest in Urdu, at that time it was the main language of Muslim-
dominated provinces
- Hindus started campaigning to make Hindi national language Muslim felt a threat to their
religion (Hindi-Urdu Controversy)
- Bengal partitioned due to Bengal-Urdu controversy
- Quiad-e-Azam keen to promote it as he saw it as a unifying force
- Link of all provinces to provide for cultural and educational needs
- For unity amongst various sections of society
- Medium of instruction in Urdu in schools
- Dictionary of office terms in Urdu has been published
- Steps have been taken to move away from English as the language of administration
- Urdu is medium for radio and television programs
- Urdu plays and firms are very important
- Urdu novels, poetry, magazines, newspapers, widely read

Sindhi

- Oldest language
- Has number of famous poets and writers
- Famous one: Makhdum Nuh of Halla and Qazi* Qazan of Thatta
- Poetry of Sachal Sarmast and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai is particularly famous
- Ta’alim Al Kashaf-o-Tauhid one of famous journals
- 1948, Sindhi literary board set up
- Printed many books and magazines in Sindhi
- Important Sindhi authors: Pir Ali Muhammad Rashdi, Faqir Nabi Bux and G. Allana
- 1954, Bazm-e-Talinb-ul-Muala setup in Sindhi literature
- Sarmast Academy established in memory of Sachal Sarmast
- Sindhiology department set up in University of Jamshoro

Balochi

- Brought into Balochistan by Nomadic tribes

- Early balochi poetry abounds in folk songs
- Jam Darang considered an important balochi poet
- Balochi language became known outside in 1835 when a Britain travel reported in the journal of
Asiatic Society about its existence
- Before partition, Balochi was on a verge of decline
- Few books and magazines written
- Balochistan gazetteer written in English
- After partition, radio Pakistan Karachi started broadcast in balochi
- Balochi literary Association set up
- Weekly and monthly magazines published in balochi
- Balochi literature shown rapid progress
- Famous poets: Atta Shad, Ishaq Shamin
- Famous writers: Gul Khan Nazeer, Jamal Din

Punjabi
 - Long history
- Originally written in Gurmukhi
- Influenced by Arabic, Persian, Hindi, Turkish, English
- Several dialects
- Early literature consists of folktales: Heer Ranjha, Sassi-Punnu, Sohni Mahiwal
- Long tradition of mystic literature
- Sufi poets such as Baba Farid Ganjshakar and Sultan Bahu
- Bulleh Shah composed stirring music and melodious Kafis
- Short stories, novels, and dramas were published in Punjabi
- Books on law, medicine, history, philosophy in Punjabi
- Versified translation of Quran in Punjabi by Muhammad Ali Faiq
- Ustad Daman, Sharif Kunjahi, Ahmad Rahi and Munir Niazi major exponents of Punjabi
- Punjabi literature taught up to MA level in University of Punjab

Pashto

- Played a very important role in creating opposition to British rule

- Sahibzada Abdul Qayoom worked tirelessly to increase political awareness of people of NWFP
- established Islamia College in Peshawar
- College became the centre of freedom movement in NWFP
- 1950, Peshawar University established
- 1954, an academy established to promote Pashto literature
- This A=academy prepared a Pashto dictionary which was widely accepted
- Postgraduate classes in Pashto literature have been established at university level in NWFP