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Urdu Collection
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Collection Details
Urdu Collection held at Asian and African Studies [Institution record] |
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Description
of Collection
Content description
Manuscripts: A collection of approx. 950 titles, including poetry - especially genres favoured by the early and medieval poets - and works on Urdu grammar, lexicography, religion (particularly Islam), geography, topography, history, politics, genealogy, biography and music. There is also a substantial amount of archival material. Early printed books: Vernacular Tracts dominate the collection prior to 1947. These small books and pamphlets, bound together in a series of volumes, cover a wide variety of subjects, from Urdu language and literature to religion, biographies, histories of towns and states and translations from other languages. There are a further 240 titles of publications proscribed by the Government of India.Modern printed books: Humanities and social sciences form a collection of approx. 80,000 titles.Periodicals and newspapers: Of the 442 titles held, 25 are current.
History and development
During the 19th century, manuscripts were largely drawn from the libraries of Indian princes and retired employees of the East India Company. Others were acquired from public sales and private collectors. Prior to 1947, printed books were requisitioned under the Indian Press and Registration of Books Act (1867) and the policy of selecting literary and research material in Urdu, through purchase and donation, has continued to the present day.
Strengths
The manuscript collection includes some of the earliest Urdu manuscripts in existence, together with fine examples of calligraphy, illumination and illustration. Early Dakani manuscripts, many of which are unique, are particularly well represented, as are autograph manuscripts and the works of 19th century poets. Rare historical diaries, firmans and letters -most of which relate to the later Mughals, local administrators and employees of the East India Company - can be found amongst the archival material. The collection of early Urdu printed books is one of the largest outside the sub-continent, with the Vernacular Tracts offering unparalleled coverage of nearly a century of literary output and development. Copies of these, together with the proscribed publications, are in many cases unavailable elsewhere. Modern printed books are particularly strong in creative literature, religion, history and politics. The periodicals and newspapers collection includes early and rare items, some of which are in complete or substantial runs.
General arrangement and access regulations
The collection comprises of manuscripts, early printed books and a research selection of modern printed books, periodicals and newspapers.
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Subjects of the
Collection
Regions of AsiaSouth Asia. CountriesIndia, Pakistan. Languages of materialUrdu. SubjectsAgriculture, Anthropology, Archaeology, Arts, Communication and media, Development, Economics, Education, Environmental sciences, Geography, History, Human rights, Industries, International relations, Language, Law, Literature, Medicine, Music, Philosophy, Politics and government, Recreation, Religion, Science and technology, Sociology, Travel, Women. |
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Collection Material
and Size of Collection
Material TypesBooks, Manuscripts, Maps (includes all types of cartographic material), Newspapers (includes microfilm editions), Official publications, Serials. Total size of collectionapprox. 950 manuscripts, approx. 6000 early printed books, approx. 80,000 monographs, approx. 442 periodical titles |
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Collection Management
Information
The collection is being actively developed, and the average intake has stayed the same.Annual intakeApprox. figures: Monographs 600; periodicals and newspapers 25. Content date range1590 to present |
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Collection Catalogue
Information
CatalogueAcquisitions 1900-1980 may be located either in the card catalogues in the OIOC Reading Room - author, title and subject sequences - or in the blue slip catalogue. Post-1984 accessions are currently being entered into OPAC. | | Collection printed cataloguesCatalogue of the Hindi, Panjabi and Hindustani manuscripts in the Library of the British Museum.
Blumhardt, J.F.
London, 1899.
Catalogue of the Hindustani manuscripts in the Library of the India Office.
Blumhardt, J.F.
London, 1926.
Catalogue of the Urdu manuscripts in the India Office Library (Supplementary to James Fuller Blumhardt's catalogue of 1926).
Quraishi, Salim al-Din and Sims-Williams, Ursula.
London, 1978.
Catalogue of the Urdu, Panjabi, Pashto and Kashmiri manuscripts and documents in the India Office Library and Records.
Quraishi, Salim al-Din.
London: British Library, 1990.
Catalogue of Hindustani printed books in the Library of the British Museum.
Blumhardt, J.F.
London, 1889.
Catalogue of the Library of the India Office. Vol. II.- Part II. Hindustani books.
Blumhardt, J.F.
London, 1900.
A supplementary catalogue of Hindustani books in the Library of the British Museum acquired during the years 1889-1908.
Blumhardt, J.F.
London, 1909.
The bibliography of South Asian periodicals: A Union-list of periodicals in South Asian languages.
Shaw, Graham and Quraishi, Salim.
Sussex, 1982.
Publications proscribed by the Government of India.
Shaw, Graham and Lloyd, Mary.
London: British Library, 1985.
Catalogue of Urdu books in the India Office Library 1800-1920 (Supplementary to James Fuller Blumhardt's catalogue of 1900).
Quraishi, Salim al-Din.
London: British Library, 1991.
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