The establishment of the “Вadayi‘ al-bidaya” divan is an important event in the history of Аlisher Navai's poetry
Abstract
"In the annals of Turkic literature, the emergence of a poet like ‘Ali Shir Nava’i (1441–1501) and compiling his poems, resulting in the creation of the collection known as “Badayi‘ al-bidaya”, stand as a momentous event. Therefore, a compositional work like “Badayi‘ al-bidaya” ordered by Nava’i himself, had not yet been created. In the context of Turkic devanism, the tradition of including a preface commenced with the work “Badayi‘ al-bidaya”. Within this divan, the juxtaposition of a profound ghazal featuring the verse “Ashraqat ...” and the inclusion of a tarji‘-band that commences with the verse “Ketur saqi ...” contributed to the intricate structure of the divan, which comprises distinct compositional works – poems. The “Badayi‘ al-bidaya” holds importance with its portrayal of the adolescence and youth themes in Navā’ī’s poetry and emerged as a result of the author’s meticulous attention to his inaugural book. Numerous scholarly investigations have been conducted on the manuscripts of the “Badayi‘ al-bidaya”. Only through a comparative analysis of the newly identified manuscripts of “Badayi‘ al-bidaya” alongside the previously known ones can reliable conclusions be drawn regarding the structure of this divan. This study compares “Badayi‘ al-bidaya” to other concurrent divans as an important event in the Turkic literature’s history."