Spiritual Heritage: Cultural Life and Libraries in the Kokand Khanate

Аннотация

In the Kokand Khanate, the development of librarianship and the art of manuscript production flourished under the consistent attention of its rulers. The presence of a designated librarian in the Kokand palace indicates that the rulers maintained exclusive libraries within their palaces. Some Kokand khans showed a profound interest in handwritten books and libraries in general, and information is provided about their patronage of poets and writers. Keywords: Reader, art of manuscript production, palace, mosque, madrasa, manuscript, document, librarian, library, calligrapher In the Eastern world, reading culture, the art of manuscript production, and library activities have traditionally held a special place. Libraries operated not only in the palaces of rulers but also in the homes of major landowners and intellectuals, as well as in mosques and madrasas. The Kokand Khanate, established in the 18th century, also had a dedicated library within its palace. Later rulers, including Umar Khan, Murad Khan, and Khudoyar Khan, maintained a large library in their palace, which housed valuable Eastern manuscripts on topics such as history, geography, medicine, linguistics, grammar, jurisprudence, theology, and other sciences. In the Kokand Khanate, librarianship and the art of manuscript production developed under the continuous attention and support of the rulers. The position of a librarian within the Kokand palace reflects the rulers’ desire to maintain exclusive libraries in their own palaces. These collections included not only works by local authors but also pieces by poets and writers from India, Afghanistan, Iran, and other Eastern nations. Some of the Kokand rulers had a keen interest in handwritten books and libraries in general and acted as patrons to poets and writers. For example, Muhammad Umar Khan highly valued poetry and literature, composing poetry under the pseudonym "Amiriy." During his reign (1809–1822), a circle of talented poets emerged in Fergana, which included his wife, Nodirabegim. Around 1822, a collection of works by 18 poets was compiled by Yusuf Tunqator and calligrapher Yusuf Muhammad. This anthology, representing the works of poets from Kokand, was later printed in lithographic form in limited copies. During the reign of the last ruler, Khudoyar Khan, many manuscripts were acquired for the palace library from private individuals. In particular, numerous Eastern historical manuscripts were purchased from Mullah Muhammad Rahim of 296 Acumen: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Acumen: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research ISSN: 3060-4745 IF(Impact Factor)10.41 / 2024 Volume 1, Issue 4 Shakhrisabz. Rahim himself was an avid collector of old manuscripts, traveling over twenty-seven years through India, Mongolia, and other countries in search of valuable manuscripts. According to Yahyakhon Domla Dadaboyev, a senior researcher at the State Museum of Kokand Cultural History, the library was located in the courtyard of the madrasa in the outer part of the Orda (palace complex). However, due to the subsequent demolition of the outer and middle courtyards of Khudoyar Khan’s Orda, this palace library has not survived to the present day. During this period, information from Russian researchers served as the primary source regarding the number and description of books in the Kokand palace library. Following the occupation of the Kokand Khanate by Tsarist forces, all of the khanate’s wealth, including the archive documents and 130 manuscript books from the palace, were taken to St. Petersburg and handed over to the Imperial Public Library. Among these were rare works, such as Tavorikhi Muqimkhoniy, Jahonnoma, Rashahot, Rashonakh ul-Funun, and many other unique texts. A similar collection of rare Eastern manuscripts was also kept at the palace of Nasriddinkhan, the Beg of Andijan. In 1897, during a research expedition to the Fergana Valley, the orientalist K.G. Zaleman noted that the remaining part of the khanate’s library was stored at the Kokand district administration. Additionally, in the summer of 1875, when Khudoyar Khan left the capital for Tashkent due to instability in the country, he took with him part of the treasury and a portion of the rare works from the library. Subsequently, during the reign of Nasriddinbek and the pretender Polat Khan, the palace was looted several times. The palace officials and servants primarily used the books in the palace libraries. For instance, the historian Mirza Aziz frequently consulted the manuscripts and compiled a large volume titled The History of the Kokand Khanate, which included information on the histories of Central Asian states and the Mongol Empire. These works also covered the histories of Fergana and Margilan. Additionally, biographies and personal histories of individuals collected by the Russian district head in Margilan were also included. While the exact quantity of the Kokand palace library’s collection remain