Investigation and Exploration of Asefjahids’ Role in Preserving and Diffusing the Iranian-Shi’a Culture in Deccan

Since the formation of the first and the last Muslim government in the south of Indian Peninsula (Deccan) – i.e. Bahmanids (748-934 AH) and Asefjahids (1137-1368 AH) – that region was the center of Iranian and Shi’a culture. The Asefiya dynasty was the last Shi’a government who ruled in Deccan for about 234 years (1133-1368) and diffused the Iranian-Shi’a culture in the south Indian Peninsula. Mir Qamaruddin Asefjah, the head of Nawwab dynasty, and Mir Uthman Alikhan the seventh Asefjah, known as “seventh Nezam”, were the last ones. Most Asefjahids were interested in Iranian-Shi’a culture and would compose Farsi poems, leaving collections of those poems. Besides, they made much effort to preserve and exert Shi’a rites. An investigation of Asefjahids’ role in preserving and diffusing Iranian-Shi’a culture is the basic task pursued in this article. The research method in this article for achieving a logical and scientific answer is selecting written sources, and then reviewing, exploring and analyzing them. This study aims at investigating how the Iranian-Shi’a culture infiltrated that government’s court and how it spread in the land under their dominance. The findings show that Asefjahids’ attention, interest and support were important factors in preserving and diffusing Iranian-Shi’a culture in the south of Indian Peninsula.