Amir Khusrau Dihlavi was the greatest poet of the Delhi Sultanate. The son of a Turkish officer, he was well-known for his devotion to Nizam al-Dīn Awliya, a celebrated Sufi mystic (a branch of Islam). Both Amir Khusrau and Nizam al-Dīn died in AD 1325. Nizam al-Dīn’s tomb is located in Delhi and is regarded as one of the most holy Islamic places in India. Amir Khusrau’s tomb stands immediately next to that of Nizam al-Dīn.

Sometimes referred to as ‘the parrot of India’, Amir Khusrau wrote numerous works in Persian – the literary language of the Delhi court. His most famous is the Khamseh, a group of five long idylls inspired by an earlier Khamseh written by the celebrated poet Nizāmī (about 1141-1209). In addition to romantic tales, Amir Khusrau wrote courtly narrative verse, ostensibly drawing on current or recent events, a literary innovation which defied established conventions.

Amir Khusrau’s works enjoyed great currency. Copied and read throughout the Sultanate period, they continued to have a significant impact on Indian literature in Mughal times. The potency of Amir Khusrau’s reputation endures to the present, aspiring writers often visiting his tomb for inspiration.