Hikaaitaan
Hikaaitaan or Hikāyatān (Punjabi: ਹਿਕਾਇਤਾਂ (Gurmukhi) • حکایت (Persian), pronunciation: [ɦɪkäːɪt̪ãː], lit. ‘realities’) is a title given to the semi-legendary set of 11 tales (hikayat; Gurmukhi: ਹਿਕਾਇਤਾ, romanized: Hikā'itā), composed in the Gurmukhi/Persian vernacular (with a few words in the Majha dialect), whose authorship is traditionally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. It is the last composition of the second scripture of Sikhs, Dasam Granth, and some believe it to be appended to Zafarnamah—the letter to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
| Hikaaitaan ਹਿਕਾਇਤਾਂ • حکایت | |
|---|---|
| Dasam Granth | |
← Zafarnama | |
Heading of the second "Hikayat" of the Dasam Granth, written by Bhai Daya Singh, present within the "Aurangabadi Bir" | |
| Information | |
| Religion | Sikhism |
| Author | Guru Gobind Singh |
| Chapters | 11 or 12 (if counting the Zafarnama "Dastaan") |
| Verses | 756 |
| Part of a series on the |
| Dasam Granth ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ |
|---|
| Main compositions |
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| Apocryphal compositions (Asfottak Banis) |
| Various aspects |
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| Poetical metres, modes, measures, and rhythms |
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Traditionally, the set of tales is said to have been written with the Zafarnama at Dina, Punjab, in 1704 CE, whereas an opposing view is that they were written in 1698 CE at Paonta Sahib. In total, there are 11 tales—composed of 752 couplets; however, some individuals count the Zafarnama as the first hikayat, which brings the count to 12. Each tale begins with praise of the Almighty. This composition is present in all old manuscripts, including those of Mani Singh, Motibagh, Sangrur, Anandpuri, and Patna manuscripts.