History of Rajasthani language and literature
History of Rajasthani language and literature
This domain tests the chronological and dialect map of Rajasthani: origins, regional varieties and the sequence of literary periods. Questions usually ask you to match a text or poet to a period, or to identify the dialect or register behind a line.
Core map
- Rajasthani belongs to the Western Indo-Aryan group. Its literary ancestry is usually traced through old Gujarati–Rajasthani / Gurjar Apabhramsha, with close ties to old Western Hindi.
- Spoken dialects include Marwari (Jodhpur, Bikaner), Mewari (Udaipur), Dhundhari/Jaipuri, Harauti/Hadauti, Mewati, Bagri and Shekhawati.
- Period scheme: Adikala (c. 10th–15th centuries), Bhaktikala (c. 15th–17th), Ritikala (c. 17th–19th), Adhunik (19th onward). Boundaries differ by historian; follow the syllabus.
- Dingal and Pingal are literary registers, not regional dialects. Dingal is associated with Charan martial and praise poetry; Pingal with devotional and narrative verse.
Worked example
Prompt: 'A 15th-century poem praises a Chauhan ruler’s war and uses a Charan-style register. Which period and register?' Reasoning: the date places it in late Adikala or early Bhakti; martial praise and Charan milieu point to Dingal, not Pingal. Answer: Adikala, Dingal.
Traps
- Labelling Dingal or Pingal as spoken dialects.
- Putting Mirabai in Adikala because her language looks archaic; she belongs to Bhakti.
- Treating period dates as fixed across all historians.