Tarjuma-i-Manakutuhala and Risala-i-Ragadarpana by Faqirullah: Nawab Saif Khan(Kalamulasastra 21)
Contents: Introduction. Text and translation. 1. On the reasons for compilation. 2. On cognition of ragas. 3. On knowing the season best suited for singing and playing of the ragas, the raginis and their putras; also as regards the letters (harf) with which the song-compositions are not to open; also, on guna and aguna, and on grama-wise appropriation of time, specifying the season and part of the day and night. 4. Introducing the surs, the manner of discussing their production and delineating the types of tasanif (also asalib) and song-forms in the making of which naghma plays an exclusive role. 5. To understand about the instruments; also, about nayaka, nayika and sakhi. 6. In narration of the de-merits of a go\'indah [a poet composer cum performing musician]. 7. To discern and distinguish the various throat-qualities and to carefully consider the efficiency or otherwise of a musical voice. 8. On knowing about the qualities of full-fledged Master of Art (Ustad-i-Kamil) and a description of the conditions and qualifications which go to make a musannif or a go\'indah which is technically called prakirna. 9. On knowing about orchestra (birindah Skt. vrnda) and advantages of performing in orchestration (birindah). 10. Identifying (some) of the vocalists (go\'indahs) and instrumentalists (sazindahs), who lived during this period or who are still living. Appendix: 1. The Tomar dynasty of Gwalior. 2. Zulfiqar Khan Qaramanlu. Notes to the text. Notes to the translation. Index.
"Tarjuma-i-Manakutuhala and Risala-i-Ragadarpana is a combined treatise by Nawab Saif Khan, better known as Faqirullah; the first is translation (tarjuma) and the other an original treatise, on the subject of the practised music of the time.
In 1071 A.H. (1661 A.D.) the author relinquished his job under Aurangzeb and went back to Sirhind, his own province. In these self-imposed retirement days, he took upon himself to draft the first copy of his risala. The work of translating the aforementioned Pothi, he undertook two years later in the year 1073 A.H. (1663 A.D.). And, as he himself states, "...a document such as this is worth all reliance, this Faqir set himself upon doing its tarjuma (translation); supplementing the same with other essentials. The idea has been to enable the seekers of knowledge to become less, dependant upon Bharat-Sangita, Sangitadarpana and Sangita-ratnakara.....".
As the seal on the manuscript folio declares, Faqirullah was both malik and musannif (owner and the author) of this nuskha (hand-written script). It is evident, Faqirullah finally completed both his translation and composition (tasnif) in the same continuation in the year 1076 A.H. (1666 A.D.).
His treatise is in ten babs (chapters)-the Ist bab dealing with reasons of its compilation. IInd bab is on identifying ragas; IIIrd on assignment of season and appropriate hour of day and night to every raga; IVth on the perception of surs (svaras); Vth on the correct identification of various saz (vadya, instruments); VIth on explaining the de-merits of go\'indah (a poet composer cum performing musician); VIIth on the delineation of awaz (various throat qualities), their categorisation and consideration of the hanjarah (larynx); Bab VIIIth on knowing about the qualities of the Ustad-i-Kamil (master of art); IXth on understanding of brindah (vrnda, orchestra) and about the advantages of performing in orchestration; Xth as regards the go\'indahs (poet-musicians) who have lived during the time.
The Khatimah (conclusion), occurring towards the close of the book conveys the author\'s brief note on the Kashmiri music of the time." (jacket)
