The City Of Navruspur By French Traveler

Adil Shahi’s book of peace M S Murali Krishna makes a study of the literary contribution of Ibrahim Adil Shahi, the most beloved of the Adil Shahi sultans. Syncretism has been the mainstay of Indian society since ages. It has imbibed diverse cultures, religions and schools of thought thus making it pluralist. Over centuries, the native culture has seen exchanges with those coming from across the shores. The glory of the Adil Shahis reached dizzy heights during the regime of Ibrahim Adil Shah II (1580-1626 AD). Loved by the masses, he was given the title ‘Jagadguru’. He even minted coins bearing this title. It is said that about 300 Hindu and Muslim scholars and musicians adorned his court. Being a poet himself and deeply interested in music, he wrote Kitab-e-nauras, a collection of songs in the Deccani (a combination of Marathi, Hindi, Persian and Arabic languages).

Ibrahim Adil Shah II Playing Beads

Ibrahim has categorised the songs into three types. ‘Nauras’ or presently called ‘Dhruvpad’ is the first one. The second is the ‘Bain’ or ‘Anthara’ and the last one is the ‘Abhoga’. This work has a foreword by Jahuri, the court poet. It is in Persian. He points out that Ibrahim wanted Persians to be aware of Indian aesthetics and ‘navrasaas’ through this work. Out of the nine rasaas, his accent is on the ‘shringar’ ras. Some of the songs have elements of ‘hasya’ (laughter), ‘karuna’ (pathos) and ‘shanthi’ (peace) rasaas.

Ibrahim Adil Shah's A Great Composer Muscian

Ibrahim Adil Shah II Playing sarood a Indo Arabic musical Instrument

The fifth king of the Adil Shahi dynasty is known in the Indian history as "Jagadguru Badshah." He tried to bring in cultural harmony, between the Shiyas and the Sunnis and between Hindus and Muslims through music. He was a great lover of music, played musical instruments, sang and composed praises of Hindu deities Saraswati and Ganapati. He wrote the book Kitab-E-Navras (Book of Nine Rasas) in Dakhani. It is a collection of 59 poems and 17 couplets. According to his court-poet Zuhuri, he wrote it to introduce the theory of nine Rasas, which occupies most important place in Indian aesthetics, to acquaint people who were only brought up in Persian ethos. The book opens with prayer to Saraswati, the Goddess of learning. He claimed that his father was divine Ganapati and mother the Holy Saraswati. For him, the Tanpura personified learning -- "Ibrahim the tanpurawala became learned due to grace of god, living in the city of Vidyanagari" (Vidyanagari is the earlier name of Bijapur.)

Ibrahim II publicly declared that all he wanted was Vidya or learning, music, and Guruseva (serving the teacher.) He was a devotee of Hazrat Banda Nawaj, the Sufi saint of Gulbarga. He has composed a prayer to him to bestow Vidya or learning and charitable disposition.

AThe Navruspur Palace

He founded a new township Navraspur to give concrete shape to his musical conception or idea of a musical city. He had a temple built inside the precincts of the palace which still exists. Considering that Islam does not recognize music as a path of devotion, it is surprising on the part of this king not only to master it but trying to popularize it, and govern through it.

Bijapur attracted best musicians and dancers of the period because the king was famous as a great connoisseur and patron of music and it was a unique privilege to get recognition from him.

bhaka nyari nyari bhava ek kaha turuk kaha barahaman

Whether a Muslim or a Brahmin with different language--emotion is the same.

nouras soor juga joti ani saroguni yusat sarasuti mata ibrahim parasada bhayi dooni

Oh mother Saraswati! Since you have blessed Ibrahim, his work Navras will last for long
He has composed poems on his wife Chand Sultana, his Tanpura Motikhan and his elephant Atish Khan. He spoke Marathi, Dakhani, Urdu and Kannada languages fluently, and like his predecessors, employed several Hindus in top posts.

The Kitab-e-nauras of Ibrahim Adil Shah-II (1580-1626 AD) of Bijapur vividly describe the court music of this period. The work reflects the confrontation between the prevalent and flourishing musical traditions in the South and the one taking shape under Muslim influence. Ibrahim Adil Shah was the moving spirit behind the famous Ragamala painting, pictorially representing the musical modes.