Turkish Manuscripts

The Turkish language bears a notable impact on Indian politics under the Sultans of Delhi and the early Mughals. Several words of Turkish are commonly used in Hindi, Urdu and other Indian regional languages. The Mughal Emperor Babur was a prolific writer and poet in Turko-Uzbek language and was accepted as an inventor of a particular style both in prose and verse.

The library has a distinction of collecting 50 rare books and manuscripts in Turkish language. It is note-worthy here that the library has a unique manuscript of Babur's Bayaz popularly called Diwan-i-Babur which contains a Turkish Rubai (Quatrain) in his own hand writing. The fly leaf bears the seal and signature of Akbar's General, Muhammad Bairam Khan who wrongly attributed the writing of Diwan to Babur himself. This mistake was later rectified by Emperor Shah Jahan in his own hand writing that the only Rubai (Quatrain) is in the hands of Firdaus Makani (Babur). Evidently, this unique manuscript is the royal copy dated A.H.935 (1528 A.D). It one Urdu or Hindi verse of Babur which is remarkable. Among other rare Turkish manuscripts mention may be made of a unique but incomplete copy of Diwan-i-Bairam Khan in Turkish language in Nastaliq script. The floral border with birds is remarkable for its natural beauty. One of the latest works in Turkish is the diary (Roznamchah) of the classical poet Insha Allah Khan Insha which contains significant information about the court of Avadh.