The Evolution of Urdu Literary Historiography: From Traditional Narrative to Modern Interdisciplinary Consciousness

اردو ادبی تاریخ نگاری کا ارتقا: روایتی تذکرہ نگاری سے جدید بین العلومی شعور تک

Abstract

This research paper traces the evolutionary trajectory of Urdu literary historiography, analysing its transition from traditional biographical accounts (Tazkiras) and data compilation to modern, interdisciplinary interpretations. The study provides a comparative analysis of prominent historians, including Hamid Hasan Qadri, Professor Waqar Azeem, Dr Anwar Sadeed, and Dr Jameel Jalibi, highlighting their respective contributions in systematising prose history, institutional roles, and scientific research methodologies. However, the focal point of this research is the paradigm shift introduced by Dr Tabassum Kashmiri. The paper argues that the Kashmiri revolutionised Urdu historiography by adopting the French Annales School of thought, thereby integrating sociology, economics, and psychology into the historical narrative. Unlike his predecessors, who focused primarily on chronological authenticity, Kashmiri utilised psychoanalysis to explore the inner worlds of poets like Mir Taqi Mir and revisited the Lucknow School through a cultural rather than moralistic lens. The study concludes that Urdu literary history has evolved from a dry record of events into a creative, organic narrative that interprets literature as a collective social and psychological phenomenon.