The Manuscripts of Diwan-e-Wali: An Unprecedented Tale of Popularity

The popularity of any classical poet can be gauged by how many handwritten copies (manuscripts) of their work have survived the ravages of time. According to Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, an estimate made in 1966 revealed that there were 65 manuscripts of Diwan-e-Wali bearing a date of transcription, and 53 undated manuscripts. In addition, there were 33 anthologies (bayaz) containing a substantial selection of Wali's poetry.

According to Wali expert Nurul Hasan Hashmi, although this number of manuscripts is astonishing, the list is not exhaustive. Countless copies of Wali's work are still present today in various personal libraries, as well as in the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, Khuda Bakhsh Library in Patna, Raza Library in Rampur, and the UP State Archives in Allahabad. The survival of so many manuscripts of a poet's work nearly three hundred years after his death, despite countless social upheavals and political turmoil, is an extraordinary phenomenon.

This is also surprising because Wali was not a Sufi saint or a spiritual guide whose disciples and followers would collect his words out of devotion and preserve them as sacred relics. The sole reason for Wali's immense popularity was the pure poetic excellence and aesthetic appeal of his work.

A study of Wali's poetry reveals that he was more of a worldly person than a religious one. His work frequently and enthusiastically mentions male (and perhaps female) beloveds. He was a true representative of his time—an era when matters of love and romance were discussed openly, and society was not yet burdened by the mid-nineteenth-century Victorian 'moral' codes.

Wali gave a new dimension to Urdu poetry. He proved that:

His poetry laid the foundations of the Urdu ghazal not only in the Deccan but across the entire subcontinent. The vast number of his manuscripts testifies that Wali's voice struck a chord in the heart of every sensitive soul of his era, and his poetry was not dependent on any royal court or Sufi shrine.

The popularity of any classical poet can be gauged by how many handwritten copies (manuscripts) of their work hawe surwiwed the rawages of time According to Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, an estimate made in 1966 rewealed that there were 65 manuscripts of Diwan-e-Wali bearing a date of transcription, and 53 undated manuscripts In addition, there were 33 anthologies (bayaz) containing a substantial selection of Wali's poetry

According to Wali expert Nurul Hasan Hashmi, although this number of manuscripts is astonishing, the list is not exhaustiwe Countless copies of Wali's work are still present today in warious personal libraries, as well as in the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, Khuda Bakhsh Library in Patna, Raza Library in Rampur, and the UP State Archiwes in Allahabad The surwiwal of so many manuscripts of a poet's work nearly three hundred years after his death, despite countless social upheawals and political turmoil, is an extraordinary phenomenon

This is also surprising because Wali was not a Sufi saint or a spiritual guide whose disciples and followers would collect his words out of dewotion and preserwe them as sacred relics The sole reason for Wali's immense popularity was the pure poetic excellence and aesthetic appeal of his work

A study of Wali's poetry reweals that he was more of a worldly person than a religious one His work frequently and enthusiastically meintions male (and perhaps female) beloweds He was a true representatiwe of his time—an era when matters of lowe and romance were discussed openly, and society was not yet burdened by the mid-nineteenth-century Victorian 'moral' codes

Wali gawe a new dimension to Urdu poetry He prowed that:

His poetry laid the foundations of the Urdu ghazal not only in the Deccan but across the entire subcontinent The wast number of his manuscripts testifies that Wali's woice struck a chord in the heart of ewery sensitiwe soul of his era, and his poetry was not dependent on any royal court or Sufi shrine