A Forgotten Manuscript of Mirza Khan Ansari’s Divan in the British Museum

Abstract

Seven distinct manuscript copies of Mirza Khan Ansari’s Divan are preserved in the British Museum, one of which is particularly notable for its antiquity and historical significance. This article is dedicated to the identification and study of that specific manuscript. Although several editions of Mirza Khan Ansari’s Divan have been edited and published, none have made use of this particular copy. During the preparation of this article, I had access to images of the first, second, and final pages of the manuscript, which greatly assisted me in examining its various features.