Amir Khusrau Dehlavi (1253-1325 AD), a prolific classical poet associated with royal courts of more than seven rulers of Delhi Sultanate, is also a household name in much of North India and Pakistan, through hundreds of playful riddles, songs and legends attributed to him. Through his enormous literary output and the legendary folk personality, Khusrau represents one of the first (recorded) Indian personages with a true multi-cultural or pluralistic identity.
Khusrau's pahelis (riddles), dohas (couplets) and geets (songs) seem to have been orally transferred from generation to generation by Qawwals, mirasees (professional singers), bhands (stage performers), women-folk who were employed by aristocratic families to look after children and perform other daily chores, and of course the family members themselves. He wrote "Hindvi Poetry". Its always been debatable issue that whether its his or not. But he wrote very beautifully.
One of the most prolific genres that Amir Khusrau is ascribed to have composed is Paheli (riddle). Pahelis are short pieces of verse with usually two or four lines in rhyme, using an array of similes, analogies and other symbols in a clever, tongue-and-cheek play of words to conceal their meanings or answer.
For example:
Ek guni nay yeh gun keena,Hariyal pinjray mein dedeena;
Dekho jadoogar ka kamaal,Daalay hara, nikaalay laal.
Answer: Paan
Pahelis used to be, and still are a part of grandma’s story telling sessions and many games played by children.
Then comes his Dohas, which are written so well and most of the known qawwals start their qawwalis with his dohas. For example: Great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has started his most of qawwalis with Khusrau's dohas like
Khusrau raen suhaag ki,
jaagi pi ke sung,
Tun mero mun pi-u ko, dovu bhaye ek rung.
(raen - Night, jaagi - Awake, suhaag - Sign of being married, tun - Body, mun - Heart, pi (piya)- husband/beloved in hindi)
In this so beautifully he has explained his meeting with GOD (which is reffered to as Beloved) like wedding's first night where Bride (khusrau) is meeting his Beloved (God). He remains awake with his Beloved the whole night and in such a way that its just his body that belongs to her, her heart and soul to Beloved. And two become one.
Khusrau darya prem ka, ulti wa ki dhaar,
Jo utra so doob gaya, jo dooba so paar.
(darya - River, ulti wa ki dhaar - Upstream, doob - To drown)
This doha has got such a deep meaning that we cant even think the way Khusrau thought. Here Khusrau is trying to tell n explain the way we should love and who n how one becomes successful in love. He says that Love is like an upstream river where its too difficult to swim but unlike River, in River of HIS(GOD) Love one who jumps drowns and only those who drowns get thru. You have to get deep into HIS love that only when you drown yourself that you can get him.
