Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana

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Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khana (17,December 1556-1627) (Devanagari:अब्दुल रहीम खान-ए-खाना, Urdu/Persian: عبدالرحيم خانخان) , also known as Rahim (रहीम) was a composer in the times of Mughal emperor Akbar, and one of his main nine ministers (Diwan)in his court, also known as the Navaratnas; he is most known for his Hindi couplets and his books on Astrology. ^[1]

The village of Khankhana, named after him, is located in the Nawanshahr district of the state of Punjab in northwest India.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Popular couplets of Rahim 3 Major works 4 References 4.1 Notes 4.2 Further reading 5 External links

[edit] Biography

Mirza Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana was the son of Akbar’s trusted caretaker, Bairam Khan who had Turk ancestry. When Humayun returned to India, from his exile, he is asked the nobles in court to forge matrimonial alliances with various zamindars, feudal lords, across the nation. While Humayun himself married the elder daughter of Jamal Khan of Mewat (present Mewat district of Haryana) , he asked Bairam to marry the younger daughter.

Abdul Rahim was born in Lahore (now in Pakistan) on 14th Çafar 964 ^[2]

After Bairam Khan was murdered in Patan, Gujarat, his wife and young Rahim were brought safely to Ahmedabad, from they brought to Delhi and presented to the royal courts of Akbar, who gave him the title of 'Mirza Khan', and subsequently married him to Mah Banu, sister of Mirza Aziz Kokah, son of Ataga Khan, a noted Mughal noble.^[2]

Later, Bairam Khan's wife became the second wife of Akbar, which made Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khan his stepson, and later he became one of his nine prominent ministers, the Navaratnas, or nine gems.

Although a Muslim by birth, Rahim was a devotee of Lord Krishna and wrote poetry dedicated to him. He was also an avid Astrolger, and the writer if two important works in Astrology Khet Kautukam and Dwawishd Yogavali are still popular. ^[3]

He is well known for his strange manner of giving alms to the poor. He never looked at the person he was giving alms to, keeping his gaze downwards in all humility. When Tulsidas heard about Rahim's strange method of giving alms, he promptly wrote a couplet and sent it to Rahim:-

"ऐसी देनी देंन ज्यूँ, कित सीखे हो सैन
ज्यों ज्यों कर ऊंच्यो करो, त्यों त्यों निचे नैन"

"Sir, Why give alms like this? Where'd you learn that?, Your hands are as high as your eyes are low"

Realizing that Tulsidas was well aware of the truth behind creation, and was merely giving him an opportunity to say a few lines in reply, he wrote to Tulsidas in all humility:-

"देनहार कोई और है, भेजत जो दिन रैन
लोग भरम हम पर करे, तासो निचे नैन"

"The Giver is someone else, giving day and night. So they won't give me the credit, I lower my eyes."

His two sons were killed by Akbar's son Jehangir and their bodies left to rot at the Khooni Darwaza because Rahim was not in favour of Jehangir's accession to the throne at Akbar's death.

His tomb is situated in Nizamuddin on the Mathura Road ahead of Humayun's Tomb in New Delhi, it was built by him for his wife in 1598, and later he was himself buried in it in 1627 ^[4]. Later, in 1753-4, marble and sandstone from this tomb was used for the making of Safdarjung's Tomb, also in New Delhi ^[4][5][6].

[edit] Popular couplets of Rahim

"बड़े बड़ाई न करें, बड़े न बोले बोल,
रहिमन हीरा कब कहे, लख टका मेरो मोल.

"The truly great never reveal their worth. Nor do those who are truly worthy of praise, praise themselves. Says Rahim, when does a diamond reveals its value."

"रहिमन देखि बदें को, लग्हू न दीजे दारी,
जहाँ काम आवे सुई, कहा करे तलवारी.

"Says Rahim, when you are introduced to an important/rich person, do not ignore or forget your poor friends. For if, for example, you need a needle to successfully complete a job, of what use is a sword!"

रहिमन धागा प्रेम का, मत तोड़ो चटके,
टूटे से फिर न जुड़े, जुड़े गाँठ पड़ जाये.

"Says Rahim, don't allow the (delicate) thread of love (between individuals) to snap. Once it snaps, it cannot be rejoined and if you do rejoin it, there is a knot in it.

रहिमन या तन सूप, है लीजीये जगत पच्होर,
हरिकन को उदिजन दे, गरुय राखी बटोर.

“Says, Rahim, this mind (body) is like a sieve (windrowing machine), sort out your friends through it. Let the light (bad) ones and go (fly in the wind) and carefully keep the heavy (good) ones.”

खीर मुख ते कटाए, मलियत लों लगये,
रहिमन करुए मुख कों, चहियत इही सजाये.

"To cure a bitter cucumber,we cut its head off and rub in salt. Says Rahim to cure a bitter mouth we should apply the same remedy"

जे रहीम उत्तम प्रकृति, का करी सकत कुसुंग,
चन्दन विष व्यापत नहीं, लिप्तात रहत भुजंग.

"Says Rahim, How will evil corrupt, he who has an excellent character? After all does the sandalwood become poisonous by having snakes lie around its trunk?"

कही रहीम सम्पति सगे, बनत बहुत बहु रीत,
बिपति कसोटी जे कसे, ते ही सांचे मीत.

"Says Rahim, people will find many many ways to be related to fortune. But only he is a true friend, who stands by you in misfortune"

रहिमन वे नर मर चुके, जे कहू मंगन जाही,
उनते पहेले वे मुए, जिन मुख निकसत नहीं.

"Says Rahim, he who has to beg is no longer a man. But those who refuse were never men to begin with."

[edit] Major works

Apart from writing various dohas, Rahim translated Babar's memoirs, Baburnama from Chagatai language to Persian language, which was completed in AH 998 (1589-90). His command over Sanskrit was very good.^[7] He wrote two books on Astrology, Kheta Kautukama and Dwawishd Yogavali.

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

[edit] Further reading

• 29. Kha´n Kha´na´n Mi´rza´ 'Abdurrahi´m, son of Bairám Khán - Biography Ain-i-Akbari of Abul Fazl, Vol I, English Translation. 1873.

[edit] External links

• Rahim at Kavita Kosh (Hindi)
• Abdul Rahim Khankhana tomb, New Delhi
• Works by or about Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana in libraries (WorldCat catalog)