Braj literature is literature in

Braj Bhasha Braj is a language within the Indo-Aryan language family spoken in the Braj region in Western Uttar Pradesh centered on Mathura. Along with Awadhi, it was one of the two predominant literary languages of North-Central India before gradually ...

, one of the

Western Hindi languages The Western Hindi languages, are a branch of the Indo-Aryan language family spoken chiefly in Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, in Northwest and Central India. The Western Hindi languages evolved from Saur ...

developed as a literary language during the 15th century,

Bhakti Movement The Bhakti movement was a significant religious movement in medieval Hinduism that sought to bring religious reforms to all strata of society by adopting the method of Bhakti, devotion to achieve salvation. Originating in Tamilakam during 6t ...

as a form of devotional songs in praise of

Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...

. 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

. The Braj region has a rich legacy and the medium was mainly the literary vehicle for the poets viz.

Surdas Surdas was a 16th-century blind Hindu devotional poet and singing, singer, who was known for his works written in praise of Krishna. His compositions captured his devotion towards Krishna. Most of his poems were written in the Braj language, ...

Tulsidas Rambola Dubey (; 11 August 1511 – 30 July 1623pp. 23–34.), popularly known as Goswami Tulsidas (), was a Vaishnavism, Vaishnava (Ramanandi Sampradaya, Ramanandi) Hinduism, Hindu saint and poet, renowned for his devotion to the deity Rama. H ...

, Acharya Ram Chandra Shukla, Raskhan,

Amir Khusrau Abu'l Hasan Yamīn ud-Dīn Khusrau (1253 – 1325 AD), better known as Amīr Khusrau, sometimes spelled as, Amir Khusrow or Amir Khusro, was an Indo-Persian Sufi singer, musician, poet and scholar, who lived during the period of the Delhi Sult ...

among others.

History

Braj Bhasha gained wider literary popularity because of

Krishnaism Krishnaism is a term used in scholarly circles to describe large group of independent Hinduism, Hindu traditions—sampradayas related to Vaishnavism—that center on the devotion to Krishna as ''Svayam Bhagavan'', ''Ishvara'', ''Para Brahman'' ...

, 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.

Literary works in Braj Bhasha

Some major literary works in Braj Bhasha are: * ''Yugala Shataka'' by Swami Sri Sribhatta Devacarya; known as the first 'Vani' book in Vraja Bhasha composed in the 14th century AD as a part of

Nimbarka Sampradaya The Nimbarka Sampradaya (IAST: ''Nimbārka Sampradāya'', Sanskrit निम्बार्क सम्प्रदाय), also known as the Kumāra Sampradāya, Hamsa Sampradāya, and Sanakādi Sampradāya (सनकादि सम्प� ...

tradition of

Radha Radha (, ), also called Radhika, is a Hindu goddess and the chief consort of the god Krishna. She is the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion. In scriptures, Radha is mentioned as the avatar of Lakshmi and also as the Prak� ...

worship. * ''

Vinaya Patrika Vinaya Patrika (''Letter of petition'') is a devotional poem composed by the 16th-century Indian poet, Goswami Tulsidas (), containing hymns to different Hindu deities, especially to Rama. The language of the text is Braj Bhasha. Vinaya Patrika ...

'' by

* ''Sur Sagar'' by

Hindi Literature
/ref> * ''Buddha Charit'' by Acharya Ram Chandra Shukla * ''

Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

poetry'' by

Amir Khusro Abu'l Hasan Yamīn ud-Dīn Khusrau (1253 – 1325 AD), better known as Amīr Khusrau, sometimes spelled as, Amir Khusrow or Amir Khusro, was an Indo-Persian culture, Indo-Persian Sufi singer, musician, poet and scholar, who lived during the per ...

* ''Eulogies'' by

Kavi Bhushan Kavi Bhushan (c. 1613–1715) was an Indian poet in the courts of the Bundeli king Chhatrasal and the Maratha king Shivaji I. He mainly wrote in Brajbhasha interspersed with words from Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian languages. He was a schola ...

* ''Vrind Satsai'' by Vrind (1643 - 1723), court poet of ruler of

Kishangarh Kishangarh is a city and a Municipal Council located in the Ajmer district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is the historic capital of the Kishangarh State, founded in 1611 AD by Kishan Singh of the Rathore clan of Rajputs. It is served ...

History

Literary works in Braj Bhasha

See also

References

Further reading