Rekhta

''Rekhta'' ( ; ''Rekhtā'') was an early form of the Hindustani language. This style evolved in both the Perso-Arabic and Nagari scripts and is considered an early form of Standard Urdu and Modern Standard Hindi. According to the Pakistani linguist and historian Tariq Rehman, Rekhta was a highly Persianized variant of Hindustani, exclusively used by poets. It was not only the vocabulary that was Persianized, but also the poetic metaphors, inspired by Indian landscapes and seasons, were abandoned in favor of the Persian ones i.e. ''bahār'' (spring) replacing ''barsāt'' (rainy season).

The 13th century Indo-Persian Muslim poet Amir Khusrau used the term ''Hindavi'' () for the 'Rekhta' dialect (the ancestor of Standard Urdu), the Persianized offshoot of the Apabhramsa vernacular Old Hindi, towards its emergence during the era of Delhi Sultanate, and gave shape to it in the Muslim literature, thus called "the father of Urdu literature". Other early Muslim poets, includes Baba Farid, who contributed in the development of the language. Later from the 18th century, the dialect became a literary language and was further developed by the poets Mir and Ghalib in the late Mughal period, and the term eventually fell out of use and came to be known as Hindustani, by the end of the century.

Etymology

''Rekhtā'' (from Persian verb ) means "scattered" but also "mixed". The name was given to an early form of courtly literature in Delhi, where poems were made by combining Persian and early Hindustani (referred to as Hindavi or Dehlavi). Sometimes this was done by writing some lines of the poem in Persian, and others in ''Hindavi''. Alternatively, both Persian and ''Hindavi'' could feature in a single line.

Origin and usage

Rekhta arose in a period marked by extensive cultural interactions due to invasions, trade, and the establishment of Islamic courts in North India. As Persian became the language of administration, literature, and elite society under the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526), and later the Mughal Empire (1526–1857), it began to interact with local vernaculars. The result was a blend that facilitated communication across classes and communities. Rekhta was the literary manifestation of this blend, gaining traction particularly in the courts of Delhi, Agra, and later Lucknow.

The literary form of Rekhta was often composed in Perso-Arabic script (Nastaʿlīq) and occasionally in Devanagari, depending on the poet and regional influence. It was predominantly used in Ghazals, Masnavis, and Qawwalis, often conveying themes of love, loss, spirituality, and philosophical musings. While spoken ''Hindavi'' (or ''Hindavi boli'') served as the Lingua franca of North India, Rekhta emerged as a refined, urbane variant used for high literary expression.

Some scholars see Rekhta as part of a broader Indo-Persian cultural synthesis that defined much of medieval Indian literature. Persian was the prestige language, but Rekhta allowed Indian poets to write in a hybrid that could appeal to both elite and common audiences. This made it a unique cultural bridge across linguistic and religious communities.

As ''Hindavi'' began to evolve into a literary language in the 18th century, the new term Rekhta carried over to describe this language. It denoted the Persianized, "high" form of ''Hindavi'' used in poetry, as opposed to the speech of the common population. The word was used alongside names like Urdu and Hindi. Its usage in this sense lasted into the 19th century, as evidenced by a '' sher'' of Mirza Ghalib:

By the eighteenth century however, the term ''Rekhta'' had largely fallen out of use and terms like ''Hindi, Hindustani'' and ''Urdu'' were favored.

Zehal-e-Miskin

''Zehal-e-Miskin'' is the first ghazal in Urdu literature, written by Amir Khusrau, through combining the Old Hindi language Braj Bhasha and Persian. This Persianised combination was later known as Rekhta (the ancestor of Hindustani language). The poem effectively conveys the agony experienced due to the distance from the beloved. This sentiment is skillfully portrayed through a remarkable fusion of both languages, resulting in a harmonious blend that enhances the overall impact of the poem.

See also

* Dobhashi
* Persian and Urdu
* Rekhti
* Urdu poetry

References

{{Central Indo-Aryan languages

Dialects of Urdu
Hindustani language
Languages attested from the 13th century
Central Indo-Aryan languages