King's Pote 180 (King's College Library, King's College Cambridge)

Pote Collection

Summary of Contents: 1 copy of Dīwān Ābrū.

Author: Ābrū آبرو

Title: Dīwān Ābrū

Title: ديوان آبرو

Language(s): Hindi

Colophon details: Date: Undated Scribe: Anonymous.

Colophon further notes: Incomplete so there is no colophon.

References

Browne no. 497

Palmer no. 80 (correction: 180)

Physical Description

Form: codex

Extent: 67 folios.

Dimensions (leaf): 19.4 × 13 cm.

Dimensions (written): 13.5 × 8 cm.

Foliation: Foliated.

Condition

Water damage. Repairs to some margins.

Layout

13 lines per page.

Not ruled. Catchwords.

Hand(s)

Script: shikasta. Quality: Careless (there is a change of hand after f.20). Scribe: Anonymous.

Additions:

A letter in English inserted into the codex, is dated 15-9-71 and signed F. Fashersaidi, stating: "This is the only existent copy of the work so far known. It comprises the poetical works of Abrū [Najm al-dīn Shāh Mubarak] one of the oldest poets of Delhi (known to have flourished during Emperor Muḥammad Shāh) who died in 1750. One copy of the work, which is regarded as the only copy in manuscript form is rumoured to have vanished during the Mutiny in India in 1857, but this copyappers to have arrived in Cambridge long before that date." Others have added corrections: "Another copy of the work is in Khuda Bakhsh Library, Patna, and yet another in Central Library, Patiala [?]. Now printed" (dated 2.5.1974) and: "More than one copies [sic] of this ms. (Divan-i Abru) are existing in National Museum Karachi, Pakistan and also in Panjab University Library, Lahore.".

Binding

Dark brown leather, Indian style. Marbled paper doublures. Decorations: Low quality gold corner pieces, small turanj and two pendants (with floral motifs). Dimensions: 18.8 × 12.5 × 1.4 cm. Unboxed. Polier's number: 389.

History

Origin: Undated.

Provenance and Acquisition

The "Pote Collection" arrived in England from India in 1790 and was divided between the Colleges of Eton and King's, Cambridge, with the first half alphabetically going to King's. Both halves of the collection are now housed in Cambridge University Library on permanent loan. Most if not all of the manuscripts had previously been owned by Colonel Antoine-Louis Henri Polier (1741–1795).

Gift of Edward Ephraim Pote (d.1832) in 1788.

Record Sources

Manuscript description based on E. G. Browne, "A supplementary hand-list of the Muhammadan manuscripts, including all those written in the Arabic character, preserved in the Library of the University of Cambridge", Cambridge, 1922 and E. H. Palmer, "Catalogue of the oriental manuscripts in the library of King's College, Cambridge", J.R.A.S. v.3 (1867), pp.105-131 enhanced with additional descriptions and corrections by Shiva Mihan.

Availability

All manuscripts of the Pote Collection are on permanent loan at Cambridge University Library. Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card for admissions procedures consult Cambridge University Library. Contact near_eastern@lib.cam.ac.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript

Funding of Cataloguing

King's College Cambridge

Subjects

Hindustani poetry

Comments

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