Introduction

This study examines the life of Inayat Khan Ashna (1627–1670), a Persian-speaking poet of the 11^th century AH, drawing on primary sources and contemporary accounts. Through historical analysis, it provides detailed information on his name, date of birth, birthplace, parents, spouse and children, physical appearance, religion and beliefs, relations with the government, death and burial, and occupations. It establishes that Inayat Khan, despite being of Iranian descent, was born and raised in India and never visited Iran. His grandfather, Khwaja Abu al-Hasan Torbati, migrated from Iran to India during Akbar Shah’s reign and attained the position of minister. His father, Zafar Khan, was also a poet and a man of learning and literature, enjoying the support of contemporary rulers; Shah Jahan entrusted him with the governance of Kashmir. Inayat Khan's mother, Bozorg Khanom, was the niece of Banoo Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan’s queen. Benefiting from this distinguished family background, as well as his own literary and scholarly abilities, Inayat Khan eventually attained ministerial rank at court. Over 4,500 couplets of his poetry and one prose work, Molakhas-e Shah Jahan Nameh, have survived. This book, composed during his tenure as head of the royal library, summarizes thirty years of Shah Jahan’s reign from extensive historical sources, presenting them in a simplified language that was appreciated by contemporary readers.

Literature Review

In Dehkhoda’s lexicon, five lines are devoted to Ashna, two of which contain errors. Following that, a six-page article by Dr. Amir Hassan Abedi exists, yet it is neither comprehensive nor free of minor mistakes; its brevity leaves many aspects of the poet’s life unexplored. Two entries in The Encyclopedia of Persian Language and Literature in the Subcontinent - “Ashna Torbati Kashmiri” and “Ahsan Torbati” - offer more detailed accounts of Ashna and his father. However, compared to the present study, these entries exhibit shortcomings and errors, including:
- The failure to calculate Ashna’s birth date and the onset of his poetic career
- Misidentification of Ashna's mother, Bozorg Khanom, as the sister of Banoo Mumtaz Mahal, which has been corrected
- Omission of the office he received in childhood and the period he governed temporarily on behalf of his father
- Confusion of Molakhas-e Shah Jahan Nameh with Qarniya, treating them as a single work, whereas they are two separate compositions
- Lack of information regarding his religion and beliefs
- Absence of details concerning his spouse and children.

Methodology

To collect personal, professional, and literary information about Ashna, primary historical texts were first consulted, most of which were composed during the poet’s lifetime by authors close to his family, possessing precise knowledge of his circumstances. Subsequently, literary-historical sources, including tazkarehs, were examined to extract details about his literary life. Finally, Molakhas-e Shah Jahan Nameh, authored by Ashna himself, was studied to gain insights into his life and family. Four manuscripts of his diwan were also analyzed to uncover personal details and his relationships with other poets. Information from these sources was then thematically categorized under appropriate headings, with relevant poetic evidence incorporated where applicable.

Discussion

Inayat Khan Ashna was among the prominent thematic poets of the 11^th century AH in the Indian subcontinent. Alongside poetry, he engaged in historiography, enhancing his scholarly reputation. Despite attaining civil and military offices and being related maternally and through his grandmother to the Mughal dynasty, enjoying recognition among the emperors due to his father’s and grandfather’s positions, much of his personal and literary life remained obscure, and even authoritative sources contain evident errors. This study aims not only to clarify these obscure aspects and correct previous mistakes but also to address the following questions:
- What were the other dimensions of Inayat Khan’s life as a historian and poet with political and military roles?
- Why and to what extent was he trusted by Shah Jahan?
5) Conclusion
The life and literary contributions of Inayat Khan Ashna largely remained obscured due to several factors, including being born in India and never visiting Iran, as well as contemporaneity with leading poets such as Saeb, Kalim, and Salim, whose fame overshadowed him. Due to his father’s and grandfather’s status, he attained an office at the age of seven unprecedented for any child, advancing through military ranks and assuming administrative positions such as Darughi-e Dagh, ultimately reaching Darughi-e Huzur, a position reserved for trusted nobles, given that his grandfather served as minister under Jahangir Shah and his father was a Mughal commander. His mother, Bozorg Khanom, was the niece of Banoo Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan’s queen. Under Shah Jahan’s direct orders, he governed Kashmir on behalf of his father for nearly two years, and in the final year of Shah Jahan’s reign, he was appointed head of the royal library. As a commander, he oversaw 1,500 infantry and 200 cavalry, and during the succession conflict among Shah Jahan’s sons, he fought alongside his father in the army of the crown prince Dara Shikoh. Despite these political and military responsibilities, Inayat Khan continued to compose poetry, leaving nearly 5’000 couplets for posterity.