This historian brings you Adil Shahi history in Kannada

Maqsood Maniyar | NT

Bengaluru: A book of Adil Shahi contemporary Persian , Arabic and Dakhani Urdu literatures translated to 19 Kannada volumes was released at the Basava Bhavan in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Columnist and former BJP leader Sudheendra Kulkarni who was present on the occassion said that Bijapur deserves the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) heritage tag.

“I would like to tell Mr MB Patil and the Karnataka State government, Bijapur should get the UNESCO heritage tag. Let us work together to make this happen for Karnataka and India,” he said. “For the first time, the history of Adil Shahi dynasty, which ruled a very large part of south India, that is Deccan, for nearly 200 years, has been brought out in Kannada.

These 19 volumes have been brought out from the original sources in Persian, Arabic and Dakani Urdu,” Kulkarni said. “By releasing these 19 volumes, the Halakatti Research Centre has rendered a great service to Karnataka and all of India because not many people know about the unique contribution of Adil Shahi dynasty to the culture and governance of Karnataka of those days and that of India. What is most significant is how they promoted Hindu-Muslim harmony. They were Muslim kings, but several of them had deep respect for Hindu traditions,” he added.

Former Union minister Rahman Khan said that the scholarly work was one to take great pride in but translations in more languages should also take place. “It is enough for us to be satisfied with just a Kannada translation. It should be translated in other languages spoken in the country,” he said, adding that accounts of medieval harmony between Hindus and Muslims will help mutual understanding in present day India.

Senior journalist Devu Pattar said that there was still a long way to go before Deccan’s history could be uncovered sufficiently. “Only 20 per cent of the work is done. We have still have to do the remaining 80 per cent of the work” he said, adding that he hoped that future generations would continue the scholarly works.