TEHRAN-On Sunday, the Book City Institute in Tehran will host a session where Iranian and Indian scholars will gather to explore the literary connections between Iran and India, Mehr reported on Friday.

Iran and India share a long-standing cultural and political relationship that goes back thousands of years, encompassing a multitude of cultural ties that demand examination and acknowledgment, the report added. 

Notable attendees at the session will include Fathollah Mojtabai, Fatemeh Masoumeh Naseri (a professor at the University of Kashmir), Shah-Nawaz Shah (a professor at the University of Kashmir), Mohammadreza Adeli, Ehsanollah Shakrollahi, Elham Haddadi, along with a group of Persian language and literature professors from Indian and Iranian universities.

Iran and India have an illustrious history of literary ties that stretch back centuries. These connections are rooted in shared cultural and historical contexts, as well as the cross-pollination of ideas and artistic influences. Persian literature, with its rich heritage, has had a significant impact on Indian literary traditions, particularly in the form of Persian poetry, which found a receptive audience among Indian intellectuals and rulers.

The Mughal Empire, which ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent, was instrumental in nurturing the literary exchange between Iran and India. Persian was the official language of the Mughal court, and Persian poets and scholars were patronized and celebrated. Prominent Indian poets like Mirza Ghalib and Amir Khusrau composed their works in Persian, imbibing the poetic forms and themes that originated in Iran. This enduring literary connection between Iran and India has resulted in a fusion of cultures, where Persian and Indian elements blend seamlessly to create a distinct and vibrant literary tradition that continues to thrive.

SAB/