Braj literature is literature in Braj Bhasha, one of the Western Hindi languages developed as a literary language during the 15th century, Bhakti Movement as a form of devotional songs in praise of Krishna. It is often mystical in nature, related to the spiritual union of people with God, because almost all of Braj poets were considered God-realised saints and their words are thus considered as emanating from a divine source. Much of the traditional Northern Indian literature shares this trait. It literary tradition is a celebration of Krishna. [1] [2] The Braj region has a rich legacy and the medium was mainly the literary vehicle for the poets viz. Surdas, Tulsidas, Acharya Ram Chandra Shukla, Raskhan, Amir Khusrau among others. [3]
Braj Bhasha gained wider literary popularity because of Krishnaism, poet compose poems that were revolve around of childhood playful and profound instances, called as Leela of their favoured lords and life in region of Vraja.
Some major literary works in Braj Bhasha are:
Hindi literature includes literature in the various Hindi languages which have different writing systems. Earliest forms of Hindi literature are attested in poetry of Apabhraṃśa like Awadhi, Magadhi, Ardhamagadhi and Marwari languages. Hindi literature is composed in three broad styles- गद्य (Gadya-prose), पद्य( Padya- poetry) and चम्प्पू In terms of historical development, it is broadly classified into five prominent forms (genres) based on the date of production. They are:
Tulsidas was a Sri-Vaishnava Hindu saint and poet, renowned for his devotion to the deity Rama. He wrote several popular works in Sanskrit and Awadhi, Braj, but is best known as the author of the epic Ramcharitmanas, a retelling of the Sanskrit Ramayana based on Rama's life in the vernacular Awadhi.
Surdas was a 16th-century blind Hindu devotional poet and singer, who was known for his works written in praise of the deity Krishna. He was a Vaishnava devotee of Krishna, and he was also a revered poet and singer. His compositions glorified and captured his devotion towards Krishna. Most of his poems were written in the Braj language, while some were also written in other dialects of medieval Hindi, like Awadhi.
Kauravi, originally as Khaṛībolī, is a set of Western Hindi dialects of Shauraseni Prakrit mainly spoken in Northwestern Uttar Pradesh.
Awadhi, also known as Audhi (औधी), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Awadh region of eastern Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The name Awadh is connected to Ayodhya, the ancient city, which is regarded as the homeland of the Hindu god Rama. It was, along with Braj, used widely as a literary vehicle before being displaced by Hindi in the 19th century.
Mahanubhava refers to Krishnaite Hindu denomination in India that was founded by Sarvadnya Shri Chakradhar Swami ,an ascetic and philosopher who is considered as a reincarnation of Krishna by his devotees Some sources list the founders as Chakrapani and Govinda Prabhu with Chakradhara as the first "apostle" and propagator of Mahanubhava Pantha. Mahanubhava Sampradaya was formally formed in modern-day Varhad region of Maharashtra in 1267 CE. It has different names such as Jai Krishni Pantha in Punjab and Achyuta Pantha in Gujarat. Mahanubhava Pantha was also known as Paramarga by its followers in 13th century. Nagadevacharya, also known as Bhatobas, became the head of Sampradaya after Chakradhara.
The Braj language, Braj Bhasha, also known as Vraj Bhasha or Vrij Bhasha or Braj Bhāṣā or Braji or Brij Bhasha or Braj Boli, is a Western Hindi language. Along with Awadhi, it was one of the two predominant literary languages of North-Central India before the switch to Hindustani in the 19th century.
Radha-Krishna is the combined form of the Hindu god Krishna with his chief consort and shakti Radha. They are regarded as the feminine as well as the masculine realities of God, in several Krishnaite traditions of Vaishnavism.
Ram Chandra Shukla, better known as Acharya Shukla, was an Indian historian of Hindi literature. He is regarded as the first codifier of the history of Hindi literature in a scientific system by using wide, empirical research with scant resources. As an author he is best known for Hindi Sahitya Ka Itihaas (1928–29).
Shuddadvaita is the "purely non-dual" philosophy propounded by Vallabhacharya, the founding philosopher and guru of the Vallabhā sampradāya or Puśtimārg, a Hindu Vaishnava tradition focused on the worship of Krishna. Vallabhacharya's pure form (nondualist) philosophy is different from Advaita. The Shrinathji temple at Nathdwara, and compositions of eight poets, including Surdas, are central to the worship by the followers of the sect.
Pt. Sitaram Chaturvedi, also known as Acharya Sita Ram Chaturvedi, was an eminent Indian educator, dramatist and scholar of Hindi and Sanskrit language and literature.
Vinaya Patrika is a devotional poem composed by the 16th-century Indian poet, Goswami Tulsidas, containing hymns to different Hindu deities, especially to Rama.
Sadhukkadi was a vernacular dialect of the Hindi Belt of medieval North India, and a mix of Hindi languages, Bhojpuri and Punjabi, hence it is also commonly called a Panchmail Khichari. Since it is simpler, it is used in adult literacy books or early literacy books.
Ram Vilas Sharma was a progressive literary critic, linguist, poet and thinker. He was born in Unchgaon Sani, Unnao District, Uttar Pradesh. In a career spanning nearly five decades, Sharma authored over 50 books. He was the recipient of many awards including the Sahitya Academy award, Bharat Bharati, Shalaka Samman, Vyas Samman, and the Shatabdi Samman just last week.
Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Swami Rambhadracharya is a Hindu religious leader, Sanskrit scholar and Katha artist based in Chitrakoot, India. Rambhadracharya is a spontaneous poet and writer in Sanskrit, Hindi, Awadhi, Maithili, and several other languages. He has authored more than 100 books and 50 papers, including four epic poems, a Hindi commentary on Tulsidas' Ramcharitmanas, a Sanskrit commentary in verse on the Ashtadhyayi, and Sanskrit commentaries on the Prasthanatrayi scriptures. He is regarded as one of the greatest authorities on Tulsidas in India, and is the editor of a critical edition of the Ramcharitmanas.
Haveli Sangeet is a form of Hindustani classical music sung in havelis. The essential component is dhrupad. It originated in Mathura in Braj, northern India. It takes the form of devotional songs sung daily to Krishna by the Pushtimarg sect.
Barahmasa is a poetic genre popular in the Indian subcontinent derived primarily from the Indian folk tradition. It is usually themed around a woman longing for her absent lover or husband, describing her own emotional state against the backdrop of passing seasonal and ritual events. The progression of months is a fundamental component of the genre, but the number of months is not necessarily barah or "twelve" as similar poetic forms known as chaumasas, chaymasas and ashtamasas also exist in the same lineage of folk traditions.
Shri Babu Ram Paliwal was an accomplished poet and writer in Hindi and Braj languages. He was best known for his early work ‘Karyalaya Nirdeshika’ for which he received awards by the Government of India and Uttar Pradesh Government. He contributed as Hindi expert in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Communications, the Government of India. He made significant contributions towards the development of Hindi language. He was the producer of the 'Braj-Bharati' program of Aakashwani, All India Radio, New Delhi. He had a multifaceted personality and had extensive knowledge of Hindi, Braj and English languages.