Munshi Azizuddin and his book on Chitral
The word ‘Munshi’ has come from Persian which was used for a literate man who could read and write so such a man was needed by any ruler of any state to keep records of the state and this side of state business was regarded an important duty. The literacy was imparted not in a systematic way but only religious scholars or rulers liked to do it as well as some men from upper class. Tutors did teach male children of that class. Whoever was able to write and read on irregular basis could be hired or commandeered into state service for writing.
At the time of Mehtar Amanul Mulk there were many good religious scholars in Chitral who had got their education from religious schools outside the borders of Chitral and were engaged by the ruling family to teach the children of the royal House. Teaching of Quran Majeed was the top priority to males and females but Persian books like Gulistan, Boostan, Shah Nama etc. were also taught to improve the command of the student and there was no annual exam but the trust of the teacher about the ability was recognized as final and the write ups of the student proved his ability. So his ability was exploited in various sections f the state administration.
Soon after Amanul Mulk’s sudden death there was a state of chaos across the state and within three years the Britons were inside Chitral Fort to impose their own choice and in order to run their administration they had brought with them a number of clerks ( Munshi) from India, and Azizuddin was one of those clerks who were then known as Munshi ( the local people could not pronounce Munshi but corrupted it as Munchi). That guy had to do clerical job under the British Agent and was good in Persian and after living in Chitral for many years became friendly with many locals and got some information . Azizuddin also asked Mirza Muhammad Ghufrn via the ruler to show him the History of Chitral written by the Allama.
According to the narrative left by Mirza Ghufran Azizuddin plagiarized the main events of the History of Chitral and some local incorrect information was also incorporated by him to make people believe as if all is his own work. He did not travel to important centres of administration nor left any Diary of his own to confirm his literary activities. So the Book by Munshi Azizuddin is a summary of the works of Mirza Ghufran and he published it after his return to India. So his work is not a true history but a hotch potch and concoction, mostly of fake and hearsay materials , gleaned from a few biased sources. There are many disinformation and blended pieces of stories that are not authentic but a brain child of the Munshi- sitting in Chitral and writing about distant parts of the state like Yarkhun , Torkho or other inaccessible valleys.
Prof. Rahmat Karim Baig
