Nurturing the heritage

The mammoth collection of 43 million 'Rare and Historical Records,' dating back to 1406 and representing one of the richest repositories in the world, allows for the study of dynasties such as the Bahmani, Qutb Shahi, Adil Shahi, Mughal, and Asaf Jahi, among others. These records depict the magnificent early history of Telangana, and they are housed in the Telangana State Archives and Research Institute (TSARI), making it an awe-inspiring and exhilarating resource. These are old scripts of classical Persian (80 per cent), Urdu, and Marathi languages, related to 1406-1950, and in English, related to 1950-1956 (Hyderabad Records) periods, besides manuscripts and government orders. Records of Abul Hasan Tana Shah’s period, with Akanna and Madanna heading administration, were in Persian-Telugu bilingual form. General public, institutions, courts, academicians, historians, scholars, journalists etc. from India and abroad, including the USA, the UK, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore, and West Asian countries visit TSARI for information on Indian medieval and modern history, with specific reference to Telangana.

The present premises of TSARI, consisting of spaciously built repositories, record rooms, Publication Division, library, conservation lab, museum, auditorium, research room, film archives rooms, reprography, administrative blocks etc. was constructed in 1965 on four acres leased land of Osmania University. I had the privilege to visit this institute in Tarnaka, Hyderabad, and spend quality time with the Director Zareena Parveen, and her committed staff, DD (Record Officer) Mahesh Reddy, AD (PRO) Abdul Raqueeb, AD (Librarian) Sandhya Rani, AD Srikanth etc., going around the premises, to have a glimpse of records.

The process of digitalization, steered by Iran’s Ali Akbar Niroomand, Regional Director, Noor International Microfilm Centre for Southern Indian states, is in rapid progress. However, on seeing the ‘not-so-good’ condition in certain fields, including inadequate infrastructure facilities of this historical institute, it gives an impression that it needs rejuvenation, refinement, and scientifically advanced better care of records from further deterioration. Archives, in such huge quantity and well-known among the research fraternity globally as widespread, everlasting, and invaluable, are rare.

Genesis of TSARI dates back to 1724. Established as ‘Daftar-I-Diwani-Mal-O-Mulki,’ the first Daftar of Asaf Jahi period, it was converted as ‘Central Record Office’ in 1950, and as ‘State Archive’ in 1962. Status of research institute was conferred in 1992. It was one of the 14 administrative daftars (offices) with a Brahmin family of Raja Sham Raj Rai Rayan — childhood friend of Nizam who served as Prime Minister of Hyderabad — as its first custodian. It was declared as ‘Regular Record Office’ on November 29, 1896 by Nizam Mir Mahboob Ali Khan. Eminent persons like RM Joshi, Vasant Kumar Bava, Hadi Bilgrami, Waheed Khan, Sarojini Ragini, MVS Prasad Rao, H Rajendra Prasad, Sethu Madhav Rao Pagadi, MA Nayeem, Zia Uddin Shakib and the present Director Zareena Parveen (since 2009) etc. steered TSARI.

According to Zareena Parveen, extensive and elaborate information on inam lands, jagirs, waqf, endowment properties (temples, mosques, mutts, churches, gurdwaras, dargahs, shrines, ashoor khanas etc.), samasthans, cantonments, monuments, historical buildings, palaces, railways, dams, rivers, lakes, villages, forests, agriculture, industries, mines, businesses, trading, acts and laws, gazettes, travelogues, autobiographies, biographies, family, and private collections etc. is available in TSARI. Out of 672 manuscripts, 80 per cent are in ornamental Persian. Remaining ones are in classical Urdu, English, Marathi, and Kannada. It is a treasure house of invaluable and precious records in large quantum. These documents reveal that the paper used is handmade strong fabric withstanding the ravages of time.

The old records in TSARI among others are in the form of important farmans and sanads; essays on social, cultural, political, and economic life in Telangana during medieval and modern periods; political agreements; correspondence between kings and governor generals and residents of British India, in gold and silver sprinkled documents; gazettes; maps and plans etc. Records also include Sarf-e-Khas, estates of Paigah, Salar Jung, Raja Shiv Raj Bahaddur, Kishan Pershad, and estates of other nobles.

Centuries-old records are getting delicate and brittle day by day, and to protect them from further deterioration due to manual handling and search, the Government sanctioned Rs 71.25 lakhs to TSARI for digitisation, phase wise. About 30,000 files containing nearly 13.5 lakhs of pages have been digitalised so far. More than 17 thousand files are indexed. The Government of Telangana also signed MoU with ‘Noor International Microfilm International Centre of Islamic Republic of Iran’ on September 7, 2022 for digitalization, conservation and cataloguing of old archival records, in the presence of Minister for Information & Technology KT Rama Rao and Ambassador of Iran, Ali Chegini, at IT Hub, Hyderabad.

From the day work started on October 3, 2022, 10 lakh pages in Persian and Urdu languages have been digitized, besides repairing 1,50,000 pages and 150 books from rare manuscripts. Books containing farmans were also re-bounded with durable material. Ali Akbar Niroomand said that, with the newly introduced herbal method by the centre's Director, Mehdi Khaja Piri, books could be preserved for more than 200 years. He also said that they are planning to organize an Exhibition of the works undertaken by them at a grand scale, jointly with Telangana State Archives, coinciding project completion of one year.

Elaborating on digitalization and conservation efforts, Zareena Parveen narrated some interesting facts and mentioned about extraordinary collections of TSARI. For instance, farmans reveal the spirit of tolerance in administration of Deccan Sultans, like higher posts given to non-Muslims and honouring them with titles and grants, where endorsements in Telugu and Marathi languages were made. They are important from a calligraphic point of view. Farman of Firoz Shah Bahmani, bearing tughra and royal seal (tughra is calligraphic monogram, seal or signature of Sultan affixed to all official documents) relating to an Inam land, is the oldest farman available in the country.

Mughal records, mainly pertaining to reigns of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, are much larger, having links with one another like a series, and running in chronological order. None of the Indian archives did preserve as huge a quantum of Mughal documents as is done in TSARI. Documents in Persian Language were written in ‘Shikista Script’ on Indian handmade paper. This script meaning ‘broken’ or ‘the cursive formula’ written in black indelible Indian ink, is small and difficult to read or to write or decipher. Only those who have mastered this script in Persia can understand it.

Documents bear impression of seals, and their nature is mentioned on top, say as ‘farman’ or ‘parwancha’ (Royal orders) or ‘nishan’ (orders by Royal family members), Huzur, Sanad, etc. Zareena says that historians described the Mughal Government as a Paper Government. For effective utilization of Mughal documents in TSARI for all those who desire to know the history of the Mughal Deccan, publication work of these documents in English is in progress. About 42,000 documents are completed.

Various daily news reports give abundant information on several aspects. Asaf Jahi Records, pertaining to erstwhile Hyderabad State, huge in quantum, complete and a perfect series, and sequence, too, occupy prominent place in TSARI. Early Asaf Jahi period of feudal administration, dominated by hereditary families of nobles, was replaced in 1853 by Salarjung-I’s new administrative set up. Hyderabad Secretariat Records from 1853 to 1950, which furnish historical, political, social, economic, cultural, and administrative information of erstwhile Hyderabad State, useful as source material to research scholars, is available in TSARI.

The best and scientific way to protect and preserve the historical TSARI, and pass on invaluable information to generations and generations to come, is to constitute a ‘Team of Experts’ with proficiency in Persian, Urdu, Arabic, English, library science, documentation and administration for an in-depth study, and make suggestions for long-lasting improvement.

The writer is Chief Public Relations Officer to Chief Minister Telangana. Views expressed are personal