Pata Khazana (The Hidden Treasure)

 Pata Khazana was first published in 1323 Solar Hijra year (1944 AD) by the Pashto Academy of Afghanistan. From the time it was published criticism has been levied against the book. At this age and time various dubious doubts have been raised about it on the internet.

 In the introduction of the fourth edition of the book, which was published in 1977 by the Literature and Humanities Faculty of Kabul University, Professor Abdul Hai Habibi. writes:

 “ As seen from the introduction of the first first edition of the book (1323H, 1944 AD) I was given the hand-written manuscript of the book in 1322 H in Psheen from by late Abdul Ali Khanozai Kakar. First I translated it to Dari, wrote its introduction and annotations and it was published by the Pashto Academy of Afghanistan the following year… From its initial publication, during these 33 years, different criticism and doubts have been raised about the book. Some said that I have forged the book, while others have claimed that the book is the fabrication of Mohammad Hotak to please his monarch, Shah Hussain, son of Haji Mirwais Khan. Some of the criticism against this book is worth mentioning while some other is beyond the bounds of respectability. Unfortunately these critics have not presented any substantial or scientific reasoning which can be evaluated and discussed scholarly.

 “Unfortunately scholars have not discussed the book in any detail. What has been

expressed is merely speculation. In order to shed light on the matter it is deemed necessary to discuss the matter through linguistic and etymological analyses and scientific research so that the authenticity or fabrication of the book may be evaluated by means of which facts are brought to light.”

 This website contains the linguistic, etymological, social and historical research which has been carried out on the Hidden Treasure so it may help in clarifying the matter.

 Pata Khazana is an ancient, historical and literary piece of work which takes back Pashto literature to the early Islamic period. This treasure contains hidden secrets of the language which manifests that Pashto has been a literary and poetic language for a long period of time. It also hands down to us a large number of rare and old words of the language which are not in contemporary use.

 The book is an anthology of Pasho poets which was written between 1141-1142 Lunar Hijra (1728-29 AD) by Mohammad bin Daud Khan bin Qader Khan Hotak and the third hand written copy of the book was found in the city of Quetta of Pashtoonkhwa.

 The Hidden Treasure was edited, annotated and translated into Persian by the renowned scholar of Afghanistan and the region, Professor Abdul Hai Habibi.

 Since 1994 the book has been published four times in Kabul, once in Peshawar, once in California, by resident Afghan, Abdul Qayum Mohmand, and once in Germany, by resident Afghan, Imamuddin Safi. The first three editions of the book contain a Dari (Persian) translation. The third edition also contains a facsimile of the hand-written manuscript.

 The English, Russian and German translations of the book have been published by the International Center for Pashto Studies. A comprehensive English translation of the book was published by the University Press of America in 1977. Besides the annotations this translation also includes Professor Habibi’s comments on the book and the description of rare words used in this anthology.

This treasure is a unique work of our national literature and an important testament of Pashto literature. The Hidden Treasure is divided into three parts. The first section introduces bygone poets, the second deals with poets who were contemporary of Mohammad Hotak and the third section introduces the life and poetry of Pashto poetesses.