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'''Har Karan Ibn Mathuradas Kamboh Multani''' (d 1631) was son of Mathura Das [[Kamboh]] and belonged to [[Multan]] which was a great center of learning during [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] reign. Har Karan Kamboh was a great scholar and had deep knowledge of [[Arabic]] and [[Persian language|Persian]] languages.<ref>The Kambojas Through the Ages, 2005, 279, Kirpal Singh.</ref><ref>Islam Culture, p 1,  by Islam Culture Board.</ref> His father was also a good poet of Persian language. Har Karan is best known for his book ''Insha-i-Har Karan'' written in Persian language during the last days of [[Jahangir]] and early days of [[Shah Jahan]]. 

''"One day in the reign of the [[Emperor]] [[Shah Jahan]], Har Karan Kamboh had sat at the seat of Empire in the city of Matura (Mathura) in the company of his agreeable companions and chosen friends and devoted himself to improving his skills as Munshi (Secretary)"''.<ref>Empire and Information : Intelligence Gathering and Social Communication in India, 1780-1870 (Cambridge Studies in Indian History and Society), Cambridge University Press 2000, p 285, [[Christopher Bayly|C. A. Bayly]], Rajnarayan Chandavarkar, Gordon Johnson; Forms of Herkern, a Persian writing Manual, p 7, Francis Balfour; Eastern Librarian, 1968, p 15, East Pakistan Library Association.</ref> And there followed a selection of letters to different classes of people indicating how princes write to princes, diplomatic (firmans, parwanahs), letters between notables and legal documents including certificate for the sale of a slave girl etc. The result was his famous ''Insha-i-Har Karan'' (''The Form of Har Karan'') in Persian language which soon became an established model of excellence.<ref>Eastern Librarian, 1968, p 15, East Pakistan Library Association; Empire and Information : Intelligence Gathering and Social Communication in India, 1780-1870 (Cambridge Studies in Indian History and Society), Cambridge University Press 2000, p 285,[[Christopher Bayly| C. A. Bayly]], Rajnarayan Chandavarkar, Gordon Johnson; See also: Language, Ideology and Power: Language-Learning among the Muslims of Pakistan and North India, 2002 - Oxford University Press, USA, p 126, Tariq Rahman.</ref> The work was compiled between 1625 AD and 1631 AD. 

''Insha-i-Har Karan'' is divided into seven sections and contains models of letters and other documents relating to the State. Furthermore, ''Insha-i-Har Karan'' was also used as a ''model for diplomatic correspondence with the native princes and potentates'' by the British in India and also as a model for school children learning Persian-letter writing in the schools. Not much is known about his other works  but ''Insha-i- Har Karan'' was indeed considered an excellent book till [[British India|British]] rule. It was translated into English language by Francis Balfour M.D. The second edition of it was printed in [[England]] in 1804. 

In the beginning of his  book, Har Karan  introduces himself as “the ignorant lowly pauper, the weakest servant of the eternal God, Har Karan, son of Mathuradas Kamboh from Multan” (''Faqir-i haqir-i hechmadan, azhaf min ibad Allah As-Samad, Har Karan Valad-i Mathuradas Kamboh Multani'').<ref>Aian-i-Khemkaran, Lahore, 1925, p 283, S Pratap Singh Nibber.</ref>

==See also==
[[Kamboj in Muslim and British Era]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Medieval India]]
[[Category:People from Multan]]