Pandit Taba Ram Turki

Taba Ram Turki “Betab” (1776 A.D to 1848 A.D.) from Kashmir wrote Persian poetry. He resided in Rainawari, Srinagar. Betab was outstanding among the Kashmiri poets who made important contributions to Persian poetry. Betab commanded great respect among the poets of Kashmir of his time. Mulla Tawfiq Kashmiri had friendly relations with Betab.

Betab's "masnavis" contain historical details of his times. Betab witnessed the invasion of the Sikh army of Ranjit Singh over his native land Kashmir and the defeat of the Afghan governor Muhammad Azim Khan, which he versified under the title Jang-nama.

Betab's patron was Muhammad Akbar Khan, the "wazir" of Afghanistan, whom he praised in the poem Akbar-nama.

After the change of rulers, Betab composed one more "masnavi" named Ranjit-nama.

According to J.K. Banerji in Chapter 16 (From Cultural Past to the Front) of the book Encyclopaedia of Kashmir "......name of Pandit Taba Ram Turki “Betab” whose Jang Nama reached classic heights."

According to G.L.Kaul in Chapter 17 (Cultural Heritage) of the book Encyclopaedia of Kashmir "Jangnama by Taba Ram Turki stands on the same footing as Shahnama of Firdous".

References

* Encyclopaedia of Kashmir
* By Suresh K Sharma, Shiri Ram Bakshi
* Published by Anmol Publications PVT. LTD., 1995
* ISBN 8174880518, 9788174880512
* Dictionary of Indo-Persian literature
* By Nabi Hadi
* Published by Abhinav Publications (http://www.abhinavexports.com/), 1995
* ISBN 8170173116, 9788170173113
* pages
* Culture and Political History of Kashmir
* By Prithivi Nath Kaul Bamzai
* Published by M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd., 1994
* ISBN 818588031X, 9788185880310
* pages
* http://www.kashmir-information.com/Kilam/chapter24.html
* http://ikashmir.net/rattankaul/doc/SaraswatBrahmins.pdf
* http://ikashmir.org/displaymore.php?page=25&subchkey=65&itemid=56&chname=Publications&subitemkey=310&subchnm=Books+on+History
* http://www.koausa.org/names/nicknames.html