An Annotated Bibliography of the One-volume and Brief Histories of Urdu Literature

Abstract

Urdu has a remarkable literary tradition, dating back to the 15th century. In addition to this, the historiography of Urdu literature also has a distinguished past. Ram Babu Saxena is considered the author of the first comprehensive and complete account of Urdu literature, published in 1927. Since then, many scholars have made significant contributions to this field. In light of this century-old tradition, we find a fascinating variety within the historiography of Urdu literature. Some historians address the entire literary tradition, while others focus on specific genres, regions, or periods in a scholarly manner. This article presents an annotated bibliography of such literary histories, each of which briefly discusses the tradition of Urdu literature in a single volume. It also highlights the tradition of compiling bibliographies, their benefits, and their various forms.