Note from the editor:
We are building Dakhni-pedia as a digital repository of Dakhni poets and scholars who have contributed to Dakhniyaat—the study of Dakhni language and literature. Dakhni literature remains largely unexplored and overshadowed due to various socio-political reasons, yet it holds a remarkable legacy of poetic brilliance as well as the cultures and traditions of medieval Deccan.
Dakhni, is a linguistic and literary treasure that emerged through historical interactions and cultural exchanges in the Deccan region of India. This Indo-Aryan language took shape during the medieval period, serving as a lingua franca among diverse communities—including Muslims, Hindus, and others—living under the Deccan Sultanates. Over time, Dakhni evolved into a distinct literary language under the patronage of regional courts and rulers, and later contributing significantly to the early development of Urdu literature. Today, Dakhni continues to thrive as a spoken language among communities in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu – states of India – embodying a rich blend of Sanskrit, Persian, and Dravidian influences.
This project is a humble effort by The Kabikaj Foundation to preserve and revitalise Dakhniyaat. We invite contributions in the form of resources, writing, oral history, and scholarly engagement.
The entries across Dakhni-pedia are currently arranged alphabetically. Within the primary category of poets, we also plan to introduce parallel subcategories to facilitate more nuanced exploration—such as by genre (e.g., marsiyah, mathnavi, qasidah, ghazal), by era (based on the reigns of major Deccani sultans), and by region (such as Golconda, Bijapur, Bidar, etc.).
We also intend to include images related to poets and their works, and—one fine day—hope to access, digitise, and upload manuscripts associated with this tradition. In addition, we plan to publish selected and curated kalaam of the poets, accompanied where possible by translations and glossaries. A related project focused on building a Dakhni lexicon is also underway.
We are committed to citing as many sources as possible and listing them under a further reading section accompanying each entry. While there may be occasional typographical or transliteration errors, especially in names and dates (as many of them are being converted from the Hijri to the Gregorian calendar), these will be corrected during the editing phase after the initial content upload.
We welcome and encourage your contributions—whether through proofreading, translations, archival resources, research assistance, or engagement with any of our sub-projects.
I am deeply grateful to the Kabikaj’s team – Maliha, Zakariya, Nadeem, Sibghat, Maleeha, Zoë, and especially Abdul Aleem ‘Faris’ for their valuable contributions in the form of translations, resources, and ongoing support.
This is a developing project, rooted in personal memory and archival legacy. Over five decades ago, my grandfather— Hazrat Riasat Ali Taaj (1930-1999)—was actively working on Dakhni folk literature, amongst other subjects. Unfortunately, due to ill health and other reasons, his work remained unpublished in his lifetime, and much of his archival material was eventually damaged or lost. While scholarly and literary work was undertaken during the last decades of Asaf Jahi period in Hyderabad, much of it has been lost or remains forgotten. This initiative builds on what remains of these – specially the annotated copies of Naseeruddin Hashmi’s Dakan meiN Urdu, Dakhni lexicons, notes, and other publications during the last decades of Asaf Jahis.
I also plan to add general glossary and notes on poetry that will help those not acquainted with Urdu terms.
The inspiration behind this project stems from the lifelong dedication to literature and research of my late grandfather, as well as the encyclopedic contributions of Dr. Frances W. Pritchett (Professor Emerita, Columbia University), particularly her work on Ghalib and Meer. These legacies continue to guide and energise our efforts.
We envision the growth of this project through a combination of rigorous academic research, community engagement, and the documentation of oral and public histories, with the aim of contributing meaningfully to the study and preservation of Dakhni literary culture.
All content on Dakhni-pedia has been uploaded out of love for literature and preservation. Except for material already in the public domain – all images, translations, notes, and other matter are the intellectual property of The Kabikaj Foundation and Riasat Ali, and may not be reproduced without appropriate credit and prior permission.
We hope Dakhni-pedia becomes a collaborative space for rediscovering and reimagining the legacy of Dakhni language and literature.
-Riasath Ali Asrar,
Founder,
The Kabikaj Foundation
