Poetry of Kings: The Classical Hindi Literature of Mughal India (South Asia Research)

This in-depth study of the classical Hindi tradition brings the world of Mughal-era poetry and court culture alive for an English readership. Allison Busch draws on the perspectives of literary, social, and intellectual history to elucidate one of premodern India's most significant textual traditions, documenting the dramatic rise of a new type of professional Hindi writer while providing critical insight into the motives that animated this literary community and its patrons. Busch examines how riti literature served as an important aesthetic and political resource in the richly multicultural world of Mughal India, and provides, for the first time in a Western language, a detailed study of the fascinating oeuvre of Keshavdas, whose seminal Rasikpriya (Handbook for poetry connoisseurs, 1591) was the catalyst for a new Hindi classicism that attracted a spectacular following in the leading courts of early modern India. The circulation of Hindi literature among diverse communities during this period is testament to a remarkable pluralism that cannot be understood in terms of the nationalist logic that has constrained modern Hindi and Urdu to be'Hindu'and'Muslim'languages since the nineteenth century. With the cultural reforms ushered in by colonialism, north Indians repudiated the classical traditions of the courtly past, a complex process given extended treatment in the final chapter. Busch provides valuable insight into more than two centuries of Hindi courtly culture. Poetry of Kings also showcases the importance of bringing precolonial archives into dialogue with current debates of postcolonial theory. 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Keshavdas of Orchha 44 A Slow-Witted Hindi Poet 44 Bhakti Literature in the Braj Maṇḍal 47 Here Come the Mughal Armies 50 The Birth of Hindi Classicism 53 The Courtly Vernacular 58 Rāmrājya and Rāmbhakti 65 A New Kind of Politics 67 Royal Affirmation 72 The Wisdom of Old Age 75 Keshavdas’s Contact with the Mughal Court 77 Conclusion 82 2. The Aesthetic World of Rīti Poetry 86 Reading Rīti Literature 86 Some Basic Principles of Indian Alaṇkāraśāstra 89 Let Me Count the Ways 100 Why so Much Ado about Typology? 104 Rīti Poets and Bhakti 108 Braj Historiography 109 Brajbhasha Register and Rhyme 111 Political Satire 116 Vernacular Lawlessness in the Face of Modern Linguistic Regimes 119 Conclusion 120 3. Brajbhasha Intellectuals 123 Vernacular Scholarship in Early Modern India 123 The Paradox of Vernacular Newness 125 “According to My Own Understanding” 130 Suravāṇī and Naravāṇī 142 Conclusion 146 4. Rīti Literature at the Mughal Court 151 Mughal Period Hindi and its Archival Disarray 151 Literary Choices in a Multilingual World 154 Major Braj Poets Associated with Akbar and Jahangir 157 The Patronage of Braj Poets under Shah Jahan 164 Braj Poets during Aurangzeb’s Reign and Beyond 177 Conclusion 183 5. Rīti Literature in Greater Hindustan 187 Rajput Literature and Royal Self-Fashioning 187 Brajbhasha Literary Patronage at the Amber Court 192 Jaswant Singh: Maharaja of Marwar and Rīti Ālaṇkārika 197 Rīti Literary Practices at Bundi 201 Rīti Political Culture 204 Who Sponsored Rīti Poets First, the Mughals or the Rajputs? 206 The Brajbhasha Kavikul 209 Literary Communities and the Reproduction of Tradition 217 Conclusion 220 6. The Fate of Rīti Literature in Colonial India 223 A New Order 223 Rīti Literature on the Eve of Colonialism 224 Braj and Rīti Traditions in Early Colonial India 226 Rīti Literature in Nineteenth-Century Indian Courts, 1800–1860 228 Rīti Texts and the Transition to Print Culture 231 Literary Reform and Early Experiments with Modernism 233 The New Science of Literary History 238 Mahavir Prasad Dvivedi, Hindi’s “Renaissance,” and the Repudiation of Brajbhasha 241 Ramchandra Shukla and the Category of Rīti Literature 247 Bhakti Literature and Hindi’s Salvageable Past 252 The Legacy of Ramchandra Shukla 255 Conclusion 258 Conclusion: Remembering Things Past 261 Reckoning Gains and Losses: Presentism in Hindi Studies 261 Hindi’s lost pasts 263 Toward a New Literary, Intellectual, and Social History of Hindi Court Culture 265 Glossary 270 A 270 B 270 C 271 D 271 F 271 G 271 H 271 K 271 L 272 M 272 N 272 P 272 Q 273 R 273 S 273 T 274 U 274 V 274 Y 274 Notes 275 Bibliography 319 Index 344 A 344 B 345 C 347 D 348 E 348 F 348 G 348 H 349 I 349 J 350 K 350 L 352 M 352 N 353 O 354 P 354 R 355 S 357 T 359 U 359 V 359 W 360 Y 360 Z 360 This Study Of The Classical Hindi Tradition Brings The World Of Mughal-era Poetry And Court Culture Alive For An English Readership. Allison Busch Draws On The Perspectives Of Literary Social And Intellectual History To Elucidate One Of Premodern India's Most Significant Textual Traditions. Machine Generated Contents Note: Rili Literature And Its Discontents -- Introducing Riti Literature In Brajbhasha -- What Happened To Riti Literature? -- Persistence Of Colonial-period Paradigms -- Discomfort With Courtliness -- Organization Of The Book -- Toward New Intellectual Formations Of The Hindi Past -- 1. Keshavdas Of Orchha -- Slow-witted Hindi Poet -- Bhakti Literature In The Braj Mandal -- Here Come The Mughal Armies -- Birth Of Hindi Classicism -- Courtly Vernacular -- Ramrajya And Rambhakti -- New Kind Of Politics -- Royal Affirmation -- Wisdom Of Old Age -- Keshavdas's Contact With The Mughal Court -- Conclusion -- 2. Aesthetic World Of Riti Poetry -- Reading Riti Literature -- Some Basic Principles Of Indian Alankarasastra -- Let Me Count The Ways -- Why So Much Ado About Typology? -- Riti Poets And Bhakti -- Braj Historiography -- Brajbhasha Register And Rhyme -- Political Satire -- Vernacular Lawlessness In The Face Of Modern Linguistic Regimes -- Conclusion -- 3. Brajbhasha Intellectuals -- Vernacular Scholarship In Early Modern India -- Paradox Of Vernacular Newness -- According To My Own Understanding -- Suravani And Naravani -- Conclusion -- 4. Riti Literature At The Mughal Court -- Mughal Period Hindi And Its Archival Disarray -- Literary Choices In A Multilingual World -- Major Braj Poets Associated With Akbar And Jahangir -- Patronage Of Braj Poets Under Shah Jahan -- Braj Poets During Aurangzeb's Reign And Beyond -- Conclusion -- 5. Riti Literature In Greater Hindustan -- Rajput Literature And Royal Self-fashioning -- Brajbhasha Literary Patronage At The Amber Court -- Jaswant Singh: Maharaja Of Marwar And Riti Alankarika -- Riti Literary Practices At Bundi -- Riti Political Culture -- Who Sponsored Riti Poets First, The Mughals Or The Rajputs? -- Brajbhasha Kavikul -- Literary Communities And The Reproduction Of Tradition -- Conclusion -- 6. Fate Of Riti Literature In Colonial India -- New Order -- Riti Literature On The Eve Of Colonialism -- Braj And Riti Traditions In Early Colonial India -- Riti Literature In Nineteenth-century Indian Courts, 1800-1860 -- Riti Texts And The Transition To Print Culture -- Literary Reform And Early Experiments With Modernism -- New Science Of Literary History -- Mahavir Prasad Dvivedi, Hindi's Renaissance, And The Repudiation Of Brajbhasha -- Ramchandra Shukla And The Category Of Riti Literature -- Bhakti Literature And Hindi's Salvageable Past -- Legacy Of Ramchandra Shukla -- Conclusion -- Conclusion: Remembering Things Past -- Reckoning Gains And Losses: Presentism In Hindi Studies -- Hindi's Lost Pasts -- Toward A New Literary, Intellectual, And Social History Of Hindi Court Culture. Allison Busch. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This in-depth study of the classical Hindi tradition brings Mughal-period court culture alive for an English readership. Busch draws on diverse perspectives from literary, social, and intellectual history and brings a major precolonial archive into dialogue with postcolonial theory.