Shahpur Tehrani

Shapur Tehrani, Aqa Shapur Tihrani (d. 1621/1638), son of Khwaja Khwajagi. A distinguished poet flourishing in the 17th century and a notable in India under the Gurkanids, bearing the nom de plume Faribi and Shapur and the title Sharaf al-Din. He hailed from a distinguished and notable family in Tehran, many of whose members held offices in the Safavid and the Gurkanid courts who composed poetry and patronized poets. Khwaja Shapur was from a family interested in belles-lettres and art. Shapur went to India in his youth where he became a companion of Mirza Ja’far Asaf Khan and traveled with him in India and Kashmir for long. After Asaf Khan’s death, he returned to Persia. He was an intimate companion of Amin Razi and the Jahangirid ‘Itimad al-Dawla and eulogized the latter. He embarked on his poetical career early in life with the nom the de plume Faribi, but after his departure for India, he chose the nom de plume Shapur. He was a contemporary of Taqi al-Din Awhadi Balyani, who states, ‘Shapur’s name was originally Arjasb. He traveled to India several times and returned to ‘Iraq. Then, he departed for Isfahan and later settled in Lahore, whence he returned to ‘Iraq in 1595. His divan runs to about 10,000 couplets. He is a distinguished poet praised by his contemporaries for his mastery of poetical compositions. His significance lies in his ability to intertwine delicacy of imagination with poetical eloquence and elegance, hence his appealing and imaginative themes reflected in all forms of his poetry. Unlike his contemporaries, he does not go to extremes in employing metaphorical compounds based on far-fetched imaginations, but he presents such delicate imaginations in his clear and fluent diction, thereby leading his audience to further imaginations. He creates innovative themes and novel ways of presenting them as well as delicate ideas and imaginations. He also composed poetry on the models of his predecessors, as reflected particularly in his qasida, though it did not impede him from composing qasida in his particular style. Having received a literary education and having been acquainted with the works of distinguished poets as befitting a member of his family, he made use of his knowledge to further strengthen his poetical vigor and create exquisitely elegant works. He was a prolific poet and as reported by his companion, Taqi al-Din Awhadi, his divan ran to about 10,000 couplets when he was in his twenties. He did not rest on his laurels, but continued to compose poetry such that his divan exceeds 15,000 couplets in number. One of the character traits of this prolific and distinguished poet was that despite his mastery of poetical compositions, he was taciturn, never initiating a conversation unless he was asked a question. He was quite strict in withholding from sportive talk. During his long stay in India, he did not eulogize kings and court dignitaries; as a consequence of which most of his qasidas are devoted to praises of the Shi’i Imams. He departed for India as a merchant, amassed wealth, and was needless of attaching himself to the courts of kings and princes. He returned to Tehran in 1616. Numerous manuscripts of his divan, running to 15,000 couplets, are extant.

Tarikh-i Adabiyyat dar Iran (5, 1097-1110); Tazkira-yi Shu’ara’-i Kashmir (152-172).