Urdu Travelogues about Iran – Part One: The Qajar Era (1800-1925)

In South Asia, Urdu travelogue writing gained popularity in the second half of the 19th century. The most common Urdu travelogues were written about journeys to Mecca and Medina (for Hajj/Umrah and pilgrimage) and other religious visits to places like Iraq, Constantinople, Syria, Jerusalem, and Iran. For South Asian people, Iran was an attractive travel destination for several reasons: the sweet Persian language, the tombs of famous poets (Ferdowsi, Saadi, Hafez), the shrines of mystics (in Khorasan), the holy shrines of Imam Reza (A) and Lady Masoumeh (S) in Mashhad and Qom, the resting places of philosophers (such as Mulla Sadra), and historical architecture (in Isfahan and Rey). Due to this interest, South Asian travelers documented their experiences during their journeys or upon their return in the form of diaries, memoirs, or travelogues, which they published. This paper first provides a brief overview of travelogue writing in the Urdu language. It then analyzes the history of Urdu travelogues about Iran. Since the earliest printed travelogue in Urdu about Iran dates back to 1886 (1265 AH) during the Qajar era, the paper specifically focuses on Urdu travelogues written by travelers who visited Iran during the Qajar period (1800-1925) and whose accounts were published in British India during that time.