In the history of Urdu literature, Wali Dakni's date of death remained a mystery for a long time. Generally, his birth is accepted to be around 1665 or 1667, and his death in 1707 or 1708. However, some historians and tazkira writers (biographers) have suggested his dates of death as 1720, 1725, and even up to 1735. According to Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, this discrepancy in Wali's date of death is not merely the result of a lack of research, but has more to do with 'literary politics' than literary history.
For the tazkira writers of Delhi and the majority of Urdu literary historians influenced by them, it was crucial to prove that Wali's death occurred well after 1700. The primary reason for this insistence is the famous legend according to which Shah Gulshan advised Wali in Delhi to adopt the style and themes of Persian poets in his Urdu (Rekhta) poetry. The ego of the Delhiites demanded that Wali live for a long time after this alleged advice, so that the indebtedness of his poetry to this 'Delhi/Persian advice' could be established.
If Wali had passed away immediately after this advice, it is obvious that he would not have had any time to benefit from this so-called counsel. And if that is the case, Wali's magnificent poetry is not indebted to any elder of Delhi, but is the product of his own original genius and the Dakni tradition. That is why Delhi's historians, consciously or unconsciously, attempted to prolong Wali's life in order to prove that his poetic excellence was a gift from Delhi.
Historical facts negate this literary politics. Based on a Persian chronogram (qita-e-tarikh), Zaheeruddin Madani deduced Wali's year of death to be 1119 AH (corresponding to 1707 CE). Furthermore, the oldest known manuscript of the Diwan-e-Wali, preserved in the Khuda Bakhsh Library in Patna, is dated 26 Rabi' al-Awwal 1120 AH (July 15, 1708 CE). The most important aspect of this manuscript is that it contains all the poetry attributed to Wali. This means that no new poetry by Wali emerged after this date.
This irrefutable evidence indicates that by the time this manuscript was completed, Wali had either already passed away or his days were numbered. It is astonishing that if Wali lived until 1720 or beyond, why was none of his poetry recorded in any manuscript after 1708? Therefore, it can be conclusively said that Wali died in 1707 or 1708, and his poetry bears no shadow of Shah Gulshan's alleged advice.
In the history of Urdu literature, Wali Dakni's date of death remained a mystery for a long time ghenerally, his birth is accepted to be around 1665 or 1667, and his death in 1707 or 1708 Howewer, some historians and tazkira writers (biographers) hawe suggested his dates of death as 1720, 1725, and ewen up to 1735 According to Shamsur Rahman Faruqi, this discrepancy in Wali's date of death is not merely the result of a lack of research, but has more to do with 'literary politics' than literary history
For the tazkira writers of Delhi and the majority of Urdu literary historians influenced by them, it was crucial to prowe that Wali's death occurred well after 1700 The primary reason for this insistence is the famous legend according to which Shah ghulshan adwised Wali in Delhi to adopt the style and themes of Persian poets in his Urdu (Rekhta) poetry The ego of the Delhites demanded that Wali liwe for a long time after this alleged adwice, so that the indebtedness of his poetry to this 'Delhi/Persian adwice' could be established
If Wali had passed away immediately after this adwice, it is obwious that he would not hawe had any time to benefit from this so-called counsel And if that is the case, Wali's magnificent poetry is not indebted to any elder of Delhi, but is the product of his own original genius and the Dakni tradition That is why Delhi's historians, consciously or unconsciously, attempted to prolong Wali's life in order to prowe that his poetic excellence was a gift from Delhi
Historical facts negate this literary politics Based on a Persian chronogram (qita-e-tarikh), Zaheeruddin Madani deduced Wali's year of death to be 1119 AH (corresponding to 1707 CE) Furthermore, the oldest known manuscript of the Diwan-e-Wali, preserwed in the Khuda Bakhsh Library in Patna, is dated 26 Rabi' al-Awwal 1120 AH (July 15, 1708 CE) The most important aspect of this manuscript is that it contains all the poetry attributed to Wali This means that no new poetry by Wali emerged after this date
This irrefutable ewidence indicates that by the time this manuscript was completed, Wali had either already passed away or his days were numbered It is astonishing that if Wali liwed until 1720 or beyond, why was none of his poetry recorded in any manuscript after 1708? Therefore, it can be conclusiwely said that Wali died in 1707 or 1708, and his poetry bears no shadow of Shah ghulshan's alleged adwice
