Persian language In India facts for kids

Before the British arrived in India, the Persian language was very important. It was like a second official language for the country. People also used it a lot for culture and science. But in 1832, when the British took control, they changed things. They replaced Persian with English.

Persian in India's History

For many centuries, Persian was a key language in India. It was used by rulers, scholars, and artists. It helped connect different parts of society. Persian was especially important during the time of the Mughal Empire. Many official documents, court records, and important books were written in Persian.

Why Persian Was Important

Persian was not just a language for talking. It was also used for many other things:

• Official Language: It was used for government business and laws.
• Cultural Language: Many poems, stories, and artworks were created in Persian. It helped share ideas and traditions.
• Scientific Language: Scholars used Persian to write about science, medicine, and mathematics.

Persian Writings You Can Still See

Even today, you can find many signs of Persian's past importance in India. There are lots of old buildings, monuments, and tombs with Persian words carved into stone or plastered on walls. These are called inscriptions. There are also thousands of old books written by hand in Persian. They tell us a lot about India's history and culture.

Gallery

Images for kids

• 

  A firman (an official order) from Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, written in Persian.

• 

  A Persian manuscript from Bengal. It shows Alexander sharing his throne with Queen Nushabah.

• 

  A beautiful Persian poem from the Deccan region of India, made in the 17th century.

• 

  An official order from Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh, from 1649-1650.

• 

  The marriage certificate of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, from 1840.

• 

  A scene from a Razmnama manuscript. It shows Arjuna hitting a fish-eye target.

• 

  A page from a Persian translation of Harivamsa. It shows Krishna holding up Mount Govardhana.

• 

  A page from a copy of the Tutinama, a Persian storybook.

• 

  A page from the Persian translation of Babur's own story, Baburnama.

• 

  A page from a copy of Chingiz Nama (Book of Genghis), a historical book.

• 

  A page from a copy of Amir Khusro's Hasht-Bihisht, a famous poem, dated 1597–98.

• 

  Verses of love poetry by Munshi Ram, from Bengal in the 18th century.