A Master Catalogue of the Manuscripts and Published Editions of the Works of Mirza `Abdul QadirEBidel

Mirza `Abdul Qadire Bidel (1054/16441133/1720) is the most significant literary figure born in India in 18th century. He had played a vital role in further strengthening and integrating the cultural elements from the entire Asian lands where Persianate Culture flourished. Bidel was a prolific writer leaving voluminous works, both in prose and poetry which have accurately been preserved and now available in almost all the important oriental collections around the world. In view of his considerable output and original contribution especially to mystical thought, Bidel is reckoned as one of the greatest poets of IndoPersian tradition. The actual extent of Bidel`s influence on IndoPersian, Urdu,Dari and Tajik Literature is beyond measure and it seems to have increased with each succeeding generation of poets. In Afghanistan Bidel is still more appreciated than any other Persian poet. His influence persists as a vital pervasive force in village as well as urban literary circles. Branches of a cult group each meet weekly to recite and deliberate on the works of Bidel and enjoy the philosophical and mystic discourses of this son of India. The Tajik scholars regard Bidel`s language as Central Asian Tajik and consider him as innovator of Persian Tajik Literature.

A significant number of all the works of Bidel in manuscript and published editions in most of the Indian and foreign collections have been traced and systematically catalogued in the present work. Moreover 67 books and 61 research articles published in Persian, Urdu and English on the life and works of this poet have also been recorded in this catalogue. This all leads one to realize the wide spread appeal and celebrity of Bidel in Persian World and Persianate Culture.