All You Need to Know About Rajasthani Literature

Rajasthan is a beautiful place with a blend of art, culture, and rich traditions. It is also considered one of the most respected places in the country. It has played an important role when it comes to Indian literature and diversified languages. Rajasthan has a very rich culture. The residents of Rajasthan have contributed a lot to the rise of Indian culture, art, and literature. The artists have done a great job in preserving the Indian heritage for years to come through their skills. 

This has become an important topic for competitive exams like UPSC, SSC, RPSC RAS preliminary exams, and more. You can explore in detail the Rajasthani literature, its significance, history, types of Rajasthani culture, and more.

History of Rajasthani Culture

Rajasthani stories have been told for a very long time, since the year 1000. But we usually say that modern Rajasthani stories started with a writer named Suryamal Misran. We don’t know the exact date when Rajasthani stories first began.

Suryamal Misran wrote two famous books. One book, called ‘Vir Satsai’, has thousands of poems in it. The other book, ‘Vansa Bhaskar’, is about the kings who ruled Rajasthan a long time ago. In Rajasthani culture, literary works fall into three major categories, which are:

• Sanskrit and Prakrit Culture
• Rajasthani Literature
• Hindi Literature

Sanskrit and Prakrit Culture

These works of literature are very old. They were written a long time ago when people in India mostly spoke Sanskrit and Prakrit. One of these old stories is called the Brahsfut Siddhanta. It was written by a really smart person named Brahmagupta who knew a lot about stars and numbers.

Some of the famous literary works include:

• Shishupal Vadh was written by the poet Magha in the 8th century.
• Samaraichcha Katha, written by Hari Bhadra Suri.
• Upmiti Bharva Prancha Katha, written by Sidha Rishi.

Rajasthani Literature

This work of Most of the stories and poems in this group are written in the Rajasthani language. We can divide these works into different types based on when they were written, their historical background, and old traditions.

• This period is also known as the “veer gatha” period. The extent of this period was from 1050 AD to 1550 AD.
• This period is commonly known as the “Bhakti” period. It extended from 1450 AD to 1650 AD.
• Post-medieval period: This period is also known as the “shringar, reeti, and neeti” period. It extended from 1650 AD to 1850 AD.
• Modern period: This period has been continuing since 1850 AD till date. It has numerous subjects and genres.

Hindi Literature

Hindi writing from Rajasthan became popular when India was fighting for freedom from British rule. Poets wrote poems against the British to make people feel angry about British rule and united as Indians. This helped people stand up against the British. These poems also showed how bad the British were and how they treated Indians unfairly. Some famous writers from this time were Surya Mal Mishran, Girvardhan, and Bhopaldan.

After India became free, poets from Rajasthan called ‘Rajput poets’ wrote beautiful poems about the brave people who fought for freedom. Their poems talked about how much these freedom fighters loved their country and how they were selfless. They wrote these poems in a special Rajasthani style called ‘Dingal’ and used old-fashioned words like bards do.

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Different Forms of Rajasthani Culture

The literature of Rajasthan is way too different and varied because of the richness of culture and it has been differentiated into various classes by veterans. The Rajasthani literature is classified into five parts, as stated below.

Jain Literature: This type of writing comes from Jainism and has been carefully collected over many years by Jain leaders. These writings can be found in temples and libraries, and they are written as stories and poems.

One of the oldest examples of this kind of writing is a poem called “Quvalayamala” by a Jain monk named Udhyotan Suri. In this poem, the Rajasthani language is first called “Maru bhasha”.

Charan Literature: Most of this type of writing was turned into songs. It includes different kinds of poems like Doha, Sorthe, Kundaliyon, Chappyon, Jhoolno, and Savaion. Charan Sahitya is a collection of writings made by singers from many different groups in Rajasthan, including the Charan and Bhat groups. These writings are very musical and beautiful. They often tell stories of brave actions.

One of the most famous Charan poets is Sridhar Vyas. He wrote about both myths, religion, and real-life heroes. Some of his famous works are Kavitt Bhagwat, Saptsati Ra Chand, and Ranmall Chand.

Bramani Literature: This kind of writing was done by people called Brahmins, so it’s called Brahmin literature. Some famous examples of this type of writing are Betal Pachisi, Singhasanbatisi, Bhagwat Purana, Bisaldev Raso, and Ran Mal Chand.

Saint Literature: Many holy people, like Meera, Dadu, Gorakhnath, and Jasnathji, wrote beautiful poems and songs about God and love. Even people from different religions wrote this kind of poetry.

Saint Rajjab wrote special poems called Sarvangi and Rajjab Vani. Another saint, Laldasji, wrote poems called Laldas ji chethayavania. All these saints together made a big collection of wonderful religious poems for Rajasthan.

Folk Literature: We use this kind of writing all the time in our daily lives, like when we say proverbs, poems, or short rhyming sayings.

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Types of Poetry in the Literature of Rajasthan

A long time ago, famous poets wrote stories to celebrate their kings and what they did. These stories are called Khyaat. The word Khyaat comes from the Hindi word “khyaati,” which means “praise” or “fame.”

• Vanshavali were like family trees for kings. Important people in the king’s court wrote them down to keep track of the king’s ancestors.
• Vaat simply means “story.” Rajasthan has lots of amazing stories about its people. These different types of writings are just different ways to tell those stories.
• Prakash were stories written about people who lived a long time ago.
• Marasya were stories written after someone died to praise them, usually a king or someone important in the king’s court.
• Velis were stories that celebrated kings and their great deeds. One famous example is the “veli Krishna Rukmini Ri” written in the Dingal language.
• Raso were stories about battles. They told you who fought, what happened, and what the results were.

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Different Divisions of Rajasthani Literature

There are three broad divisions of the Rajasthani literature as per different eras, which are stated below: 

• Ancient
• Medieval
• Modern

The ancient era of Rajasthani Literature (1050-1450 AD)

The literature of Rajasthan from around 1050 to 1450 AD is often called the “Age of Heroes.” This period in Rajasthan’s history was full of brave kings fighting to protect their land. The stories and poems written during this time were mostly about these brave kings and their battles.

Many famous writers and poets wrote about these heroes. For example, there are poems about love, but most of the writing focuses on the courage and strength of the Rajasthani kings. Some of these old stories and poems tell us about the lives of famous kings like Prithviraj Chauhan and their battles. They also give us a picture of what life was like in Rajasthan many years ago.

Medieval Era (Pre and Post Medival Period) (1450-1850 AD)

Rajasthani stories and poems started becoming popular around the year 1450 and continued to grow for about 400 years. This time is considered the best period for the Rajasthani language and stories because so many amazing things were written. The earlier part of this time, from 1450 to 1650, is often called the “Bhakti” period. People wrote a lot about love and devotion to God.

The later part, from 1650 to 1850, is known as the “Shringar, Reeti, and Neeti” period. Writers focused on love, style, and good behavior in their work. Most of the famous Rajasthani stories from this time are poems that celebrate the brave kings and warriors of Rajasthan.

Modern Era Of Literature Of Rajasthan (1850 AD-till date)

The time after India became independent is called the modern era. This was a big time of change in how people lived, ruled the country, and made money. New ideas from Western countries started to mix with Indian ways of thinking, which made people question old traditions.

This was a time when modern Indian writing began. Poets started writing about India’s progress and wrote poems that were funny and sarcastic. Hindi became a popular language for poetry, and a new kind of poetry called “Nai Kavita” started. This new poetry talked about how people saw life, valued others, and thought about the environment. Famous poets like Kaviraj Bankidas and Suryamal Misan wrote during this time. Poetry about brave people from history and about loving one’s country also became popular.

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List of Poets And Books of Literature Of Rajasthan

Below is a list of some of the most popular poets and books of literature of Rajasthan. Check out the given table consisting of the names of the books along with the names of their respective authors.

Literature Writers	Writings
Poet Kalol	Dhola Maru ra Duha
Bisaldevraso	Narpati Nalah
G.H.Ojha	Bhartiya Prachin Lipi Mala
Poet Chandravardai	Prithviraj Raso
Col.James Tod	Annals and antiquities of Rajasthan, Central and western Rajput States of RajasthanTravels in West in India
Keshavdas Gaden	Gajgund Rupak

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