Nawab Faqir Muhammad khan Goya
Faqir Muhammad Khan Goya | |
|---|---|
| فقیـر محمد خان گویا | |
| Hisām ud Daulah(The Sword of the State) Tahvār Jang(The Valiant in War) Nawab | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1784 Malihabad, Awadh (ancestral roots in Khyber region) |
| Died | c. 1850 Malihabad, Awadh |
| Relatives |
|
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Oudh State Tonk State |
| Branch/service | Army |
| Rank | Commander‑in‑Chief (Awadh Army), Commander (Indore State) |
| Battles/wars | British‑Holkar War, Pindaris War, Siege of Bhopal, Siege of Bengal |
Nawab Faqir Muhammad Khan Goya (c. 1784 – c. 1850), was an Urdu poet, Writer, Military leader and Nawab of Malihabad from Malihabad in Awadh (present‑day Uttar Pradesh, India). Under his pen‑name Goya he produced Urdu poetry, and he was the founder of the Estate of Malihabad known as Tharri-Fatehnagar[1] Commander-in-chief of Oudh State and also served as Governor of Azamgarh.
Early life and background
Faqir Muhammad Khan was born around 1784 to a Pashtun (Afridi) family with ancestral origins in the Khyber Pass region. His family later settled in the Malihabad region of Awadh. He mastered Urdu and Persian, although his mother tongue was Pashto. His family had a tradition of literary contributions and patronage of Urdu poetry.[2]
Titles, positions, and service
He was granted noble titles such as Hisām ud Daulah and Tahvār Jang, and held the rank of Nawab. He served as a Risaldar (Regiment Comender) in the army of Awadh and later became the Commander‑in‑Chief of the Awadh Army. He is also recorded as having served under Yashwantrao Holkar of the Holkar Empire at Indore, and as a commander in Tonk State.[3]
Military and alliances
- Served the Holkar Empire (Indore) as a commander.
- Became Commander‑in‑Chief of the Awadh Army.
- Founded and personally administered the estate of Malihabad.
- Participated in regional conflicts, including the Pindari campaigns and other local engagements.[4]
Literary work
Goya was a prominent Urdu poet of the classical school influenced by Baksh Nasikh. His major works include:
- Diwan‑e‑Goya — a collection of ghazals, qaṣīdas, naʿats, nohas and salaams.
- Būstān‑i‑Ḥikmat — Urdu translation of the Persian classic Anvar‑e‑Suhaili.[5]
Horticulture and mango orchards
Faqir Muhammad Khan Goya is credited with pioneering mango cultivation in Malihabad. He fell in love with the region's soil and climate and obtained permission to establish mango orchards there.[6] He is credited with introducing and developing mango varieties including Jauhari Safeda, Lucknowa and others.
Legacy
His estate in Malihabad became a hub for poetry and horticulture. He is an ancestor of later renowned Urdu poets, including Josh Malihabadi.[7]
Death
Faqir Muhammad Khan Goya is died around 1850 in Malihabad.
References
- ^ Oudh (India), United Provinces of Agra and (1904). District Gazetteers of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. [A. Vol.]: Lucknow. Government Press.
- ^ Goyā aur k̲h̲āndān‑i Goyā kī adabī k̲h̲idmāt, 1920 tak (in Urdu) (2nd ed.). Lucknow: National Book Foundation. 1982. pp. 439–442.
- ^ Malīḥābādī, Jaʻfar (1978). گوىا، صاحب سىف و قلم: ىعنى ... فقىر محمد خاں صاحب ... گوىا مرحوم کے مستند و مفصل حالات زندگى (in Urdu). جعفر ملىح آبادى.
- ^ Malīḥābādī, Jaʻfar (1978). گوىا، صاحب سىف و قلم: ىعنى ... فقىر محمد خاں صاحب ... گوىا مرحوم کے مستند و مفصل حالات زندگى (in Urdu). جعفر ملىح آبادى.
- ^ Būstān‑i‑Ḥikmat. Munshi Nawal Kishore, Lucknow. 1887.
- ^ Gupta, Abhijit Sen (2023-06-14). "Mango Magician who redesigns the King of Fruits and keeps us mesmerized". The Siasat Daily. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ Goyā aur k̲h̲āndān‑i Goyā kī adabī k̲h̲idmāt, 1920 tak (in Urdu) (2nd ed.). Lucknow: National Book Foundation. 1982. pp. 439–442.