Multiculturalism and Multilingualism in Mughal India

Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah 국제인문사회연구학회 2022 Studies on Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSC) Vol.4 No.1

Multiculturalism and Multilingualism in Mughal India* Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah** Abstract: Mughal India is an important part of the political history of the subcontinent which nowadays is divided into three independent states – India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Mughal dynasty was established by Zahir Uddin Muhammad Babur (1483–1530 AD) in 1526 AD and continued until 1857 AD. In regard to the origin and development of multiculturalism and multilingualism in the Indian subcontinent, it is worthwhile to mention that India had been a place of attraction for people of varied interests since the dawn of human civilization. Consequently, huge numbers of foreign travelers settled here since time immemorial which pushed the Indian civilization to go through numerous paradigm shifts. Such scope for amalgamation and exchange of views between the locals and settlers, resulted in the manifestation of individual cultural and linguistic identity for each group of people that was living there. And this is actually the prime underlying cause for the emergence of multiculturalism and multilingualism in the Indian subcontinent. This study endeavors to unfold the hidden secrets of both multicultural eminences and multilingual munificence that exist in the region in general and of Mughal India in particular. The current paper attempts to address the above mentioned issues elucidating the relevant aspects of the topic using both primary and secondary sources. Key Words: India, Multiculturalism, Multilingualism, Shahabuddin Ghori, Mughal Dynasty, Zahir Uddin Babur. □ Received: June 10, 2022, Revised: June 20, 2022, Accepted: June 30, 2022 * This research article was developed as a prime part of my Post-Doctoral Research at the Education Research Institute, Ethics Education Department, Geyongsang National University (GNU), Jinju, South Korea, on the invitation of Professor Dr. Gyun Yeol Park, Ethics Education Department, GNU. ** PhD at SOAS, University of London, Adjunct Professor, Pundra University of Science and Technology, Bogura, Bangladesh; Founder Chairman, Abu Rayhan Biruni Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh Multiculturalism and Multilingualism in Mughal India* Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah** Abstract: Mughal India is an important part of the political history of the subcontinent which nowadays is divided into three independent states – India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Mughal dynasty was established by Zahir Uddin Muhammad Babur (1483–1530 AD) in 1526 AD and continued until 1857 AD. In regard to the origin and development of multiculturalism and multilingualism in the Indian subcontinent, it is worthwhile to mention that India had been a place of attraction for people of varied interests since the dawn of human civilization. Consequently, huge numbers of foreign travelers settled here since time immemorial which pushed the Indian civilization to go through numerous paradigm shifts. Such scope for amalgamation and exchange of views between the locals and settlers, resulted in the manifestation of individual cultural and linguistic identity for each group of people that was living there. And this is actually the prime underlying cause for the emergence of multiculturalism and multilingualism in the Indian subcontinent. This study endeavors to unfold the hidden secrets of both multicultural eminences and multilingual munificence that exist in the region in general and of Mughal India in particular. The current paper attempts to address the above mentioned issues elucidating the relevant aspects of the topic using both primary and secondary sources. Key Words: India, Multiculturalism, Multilingualism, Shahabuddin Ghori, Mughal Dynasty, Zahir Uddin Babur. □ Received: June 10, 2022, Revised: June 20, 2022, Accepted: June 30, 2022 * This research article was developed as a prime part of my Post-Doctoral Research at the Education Research Institute, Ethics Education Department, Geyongsang National University (GNU), Jinju, South Korea, on the invitation of Professor Dr. Gyun Yeol Park, Ethics Education Department, GNU. ** PhD at SOAS, University of London, Adjunct Professor, Pundra University of Science and Technology, Bogura, Bangladesh; Founder Chairman, Abu Rayhan Biruni Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Influence of Persian on Two Medieval Bengali Poets: Shah Muhammad Sagir and Alaol

Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah(Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah ) 한국공공가치학회 2022 공공가치연구 Vol.4 No.1

Public Value and Language: with special reference to the Holy Quran and Ferdousi s Shahnameha

Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah 한국공공가치학회 2021 공공가치연구 Vol.1 No.1

Language is a medium for exchanging views with others and a tool for expressing one s views, thoughts, understandings and realizations in verbal or written forms. There are thousands of types of languages that have developed throughout the history of human civilization. Linguists classified the languages in various ways with different definitions and nomenclatures and the process of development is still active today though it has been accelerated through the usage of modern technologies and electronic mediums such as: the Internet, Facebook, Google etc. Languages have an invaluable impact on both a particular individual - man or woman - and human society as a whole. History of the development of languages dates back to the emergence of human beings in this planet. With increasing population growth, gradually the size and shape of human families expanded. Such expansion over the ages resulted in the emergence of locality and or localities - villages and cities which, over the millenniums, finally led to the evolution of human civilization. Languages on the other hand reached its zenith and spread among the population in tandem with the development of human society. Initially, there was a particular language or languages for each locality and later on many variants emerged due to the amalgamation of people from various locations through short or long term travels for personal reasons. The need to exchange views with each other using a medium of expressions familiar to all fostered the growth of different languages. In addition, religions and Holy Scriptures as well as culture for its sublime public value, also played a potential role in this process of expanding languages, literatures and cultures. Accordingly, the Holy Scriptures, novels, dramas, songs, poems etcetera, are of immense public value as these have always influenced the minds, thought generating processes and imagination of the masses while simultaneously narrating natural beauties. This paper is the first of its kind to address the points mentioned above with a special reference to the linguistic and literary tradition of the Holy Quran and the practice of the Shahnameh of Ferdousi, written in Persian, using both primary and secondary sources. It will also focus on the impact of cultural, literary and spiritual dimensions on public values and its effect on human society.

Influence of Natural and Creative Elements in the Intel-lectual Development of the Children and Youths and its Impact on Human Society

Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah 한국공공가치학회 2022 공공가치연구 Vol.3 No.1

Nature is a composite phenomenon of all the physically identifiable and visible objects. However, there is an invisible nature which exists in human mind. The reflection of bodily existent things or matters or images appear in the mind which finally work as principle sources of basic knowledge in human thought processes. The mental state here is to be considered as the sky in a natural atmosphere. Thus, the human mind acts not only as a reservoir of memory function rather it also works like a camera which takes the picture of seen or perceived objects and stimulates the person to think, to contemplate or to enjoy or feel sorrow - confounding the criteria of the natural objects or images. This is why the types of elements or the shape of nature is important to form a child’s mind. Creative elements such as games, TV serials, books or other study materials, have more impact than the natural one which might divert a child from natural mental growth to a synthetic or superficial manifestation. In most of the cases these creative elements are designed and motivated by the subjective notion of the politicians - government officials or state organs to try to model their citizens. The paper, providing with the definition of natural and phenomenal objects, analyses the issues related to nature, mind, self, perception, individuals, society, and more specifically relations between the acquisition of child perception and the effect of creative and natural elements using primary and secondary sources of materials. Finally it will make a proposition for the responsible authorities in order to enable them to understand how to help the children and the youths to get appropriate atmosphere of achieving perfect knowledge.

Iranian Influence on BANGLADESH: Language, Literature and Culture

Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah J-INSTITUTE 2019 International Journal of Human & Disaster Vol.4 No.2

Iranian influence on Language, literature and culture of Bangladesh is indeed very apparent in every sphere of life of the people in the country. The history of the civilization and culture of Iran and Bangladesh suggests that the people of both the lands have been maintaining a good relationship with each other since time immemorial. The relationship began to grow since the period of Achaemenid dynasty (550 BC) in Iran and gradually expanded through the periods of the Parthian(249-226 BC) and the Sassanid(226 BC - 652 AD) which got a new dimension and was consolidated further by the establishment of the Ghaznavid dynasty in Punjab, Ghurid Dynasty in Delhi, and finally Bakhtiyar Khilji in Bengal. Primarily it commenced through the traders who used to travel to the land from Persia and other middle-eastern regions following the sea route - Persian Gulf. Sonargaon, Bengalla(Dhaka), Satgaon, Hugli, Tamralipti were the important sea-ports in the region since the seventh century BC. Many of the traders and merchants used to travel frequently and a good number of them got married to local girls and settled here which finally resulted in socio-cultural assimilation, especially in the influence of Persian language in local vernacular languages, especially the Bengali language. Beside traders, wandering saints and preachers had been visiting Bengal long before the Muslim conquest of the land in 1203 AD. Furthermore, the mystic movement in Bengal, by the end of the fourteenth century, had an enormous impact on indigenous culture and society - irre-spective of both the Hindus and the Muslims. The presence of huge lexicographic elements, numerous Persian words in both original and distorted forms in Bengali language as well as the emergence of mystic and romantic dimensions in mediaeval Bengali literature and culture, comprising elements from Persian literature and Sufi tradition can be realized as the best examples to understand the range and intensity of Iranian influence on the field. After the fall of Bengal to the East India Company however, the splendor of Persian gradually begun to diminish. English, Urdu as well as Hindi languages became more influential not only in Bengal but in the whole sub-continent. This study attempts to address the issues related to the topic using both primary and secondary elements and analyze the reasons behind the decline of Persian literary, cultural and Sufi traditions in the region.