Riddles of Amir Khusrow

An illustrated manuscript of one of Amir Khusrau's poems.

Riddles of Amir Khusrow were developed during the royal courts of more than seven rulers of the Delhi Sultanate. During this time, Khusrow wrote not only many playful riddles, but songs and legends which have been a part of popular culture in South Asia ever since. Additionally, his riddles and songs and legends are considered to be relics of the Hindustani language language.[1] His riddles in particular involve fun double entendre or, wordplay.[1] Innumerable riddles by this poet are being passed through oral tradition for the past seven centuries with a notable increase in recent times.[1]

The collection contains 286 riddles, divided into six groups, 'apparently on the basis of the structure of the riddle and the structure of the answer'; 'these riddles are "in the style of the common people", but most scholars believe they were composed by Khusro'.[2] The riddles are in Mātrika metre.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sharma, Sunil (2005). Amir Khusraw : the poet of Sufis and sultans. Oxford: Oneworld. p. 79. ISBN 1851683623.
  2. ↑ Prakash Vatuk, Ved (1969). "Amir Khusro and Indian Riddle Tradition". The Journal of American Folklore. 82: 142–54 [144, 143]. doi:10.2307/539075.
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