10. Rajasthani Language and Literary Works

CORE Key Points at a Glance

1. 1

   Rajasthani Language Classification

   • Belongs to the Western Hindi branch of Indo-Aryan languages
   • Has 4 major dialects: Marwari, Mewari, Dhundhari (Jaipuri), and Harauti
   • Includes 8+ sub-dialects: Shekhawati, Wagdi, Mewati, Ahirwati, and others
2. 2

   Dingal and Pingal — Literary Forms

   • Dingal (डिंगल): literary form of Marwari, used by Charan court poets in Rajput kingdoms
   • Pingal (पिंगल): eastern literary form influenced by Braj Bhasha, used in Mewar and eastern Rajputana
   • The two forms differ in vocabulary, meter, and thematic focus
3. 3

   Prithviraj Raso

   • Written by Chand Bardai (चंद बरदाई), court poet of Prithviraj III Chahamana
   • Considered the first major epic of medieval Rajasthani literature
   • Depicts the life of Prithviraj III (12th century) — battles, romance, and ancestry
4. 4

   Veli Krishan Rukmini ri

   • Composed by Rathore Prithviraj (पृथ्वीराज राठौड़) around 1610 CE
   • Called the "5th Veda" and "19th Purana" by contemporary poets
   • One of the finest examples of Dingal verse in lyrical form
5. 5

   Vamsh Bhaskar and Veer Satsai

   • Written by Surya Mal Mishran (सूर्यमल्ल मिश्रण, 1815–1868)
   • Vamsh Bhaskar: longest poetic chronicle in Rajasthani (~20,000 verses), documenting Bundi ruling dynasty
   • Veer Satsai: martial poem of 707 dohas in Braj, expressing patriotic sentiment
6. 6

   Kanhad De Prabandh

   • Written by Padmanabha (पद्मनाभ) in 1455 CE
   • Earliest extant narrative poem in Old Rajasthani with a reliably established date
   • Describes the 1311 CE Alauddin Khilji invasion and resistance of Jalor's ruler Kanhad De Sonigara
7. 7

   Charan Literature Tradition

   • Charans were hereditary bards-historians in Rajput royal courts
   • Custodians of genealogy and oral history for their patron kingdoms
   • Their Dingal poetry preserved battle accounts, eulogies, and moral maxims
8. 8

   Unique Literary Genres of Rajasthani

   • Vat (वात): prose narrative; Vachnika (वचनिका): semi-prose historical narrative
   • Raso (रासो): martial epic; Dingal Kavya (डिंगल काव्य): Dingal verse
   • Veli (वेलि): lyrical form — all five are unique to Rajasthani literary tradition
9. 9

   Jain Literary Contribution

   • Jain literature enriched Rajasthani through Prakrit, Sanskrit, and Old Rajasthani works
   • Hemachandra (हेमचंद्र, 1089–1173 CE) standardised Old Gujarati-Rajasthani grammar in Apabhramsha Vyakarana
   • Though a Gujarat scholar, his work is foundational for understanding early Rajasthani
10. 10

    Vijay Dan Detha "Bijji"

    • Vijay Dan Detha (विजयदान देथा, 1926–2013): most celebrated figure of modern Rajasthani literature
    • Batan ri Phulwari (बातां री फुलवारी): 14-volume anthology of 800+ Rajasthani folk tales
    • Nominated for the Nobel Prize; received Sahitya Akademi Award (1974) and Padma Shri (2007)
11. 11

    Komal Kothari and Rupayan Sansthan

    • Komal Kothari (कोमल कोठारी, 1929–2004): foremost ethnomusicologist of Rajasthan
    • Co-founded Rupayan Sansthan (रूपायन संस्थान, Borunda, 1960) with Vijay Dan Detha
    • Archive holds 15,000+ folk songs, 500+ instrument recordings — largest Rajasthani oral archive
12. 12

    Rajasthani Speakers and 8th Schedule

    • Approximately 8 crore (80 million) native speakers as per Census 2011
    • 6th most-spoken language in India by native speakers
    • NOT included in the 8th Schedule — demand first raised in the 1950s, still unresolved as of 2026
13. 13

    Rajasthan Assembly Resolution 2003

    • The Rajasthan Assembly passed a unanimous resolution in 2003 demanding 8th Schedule recognition
    • Subsequent committees including the Pataskar Committee recommended inclusion
    • Parliament has not acted on these recommendations as of 2026
14. 14

    Rajasthan Sahitya Academy

    • Established in 1958 at Udaipur by the Rajasthan Government
    • Administers the Meera Award (मीरा पुरस्कार) and Sumitraanandan Pant Award
    • Publishes Madhumati (मधुमती) literary journal