Primitive and modern literature

While it is generally agreed that written literature emerged in Rajasthan around 1000 CE, few works have survived. For example, the earliest copy of the epic poem Prithviraj Raso dates back to the sixteenth century, while the court poet to whom it is attributed, Chand Bardai, is believed to have lived in the second half of the twelfth century. It is therefore likely that other authors modified it according to their whim, and it remains difficult to discern the original parts of this description of an otherwise historically unsubstantiated battle. The fact remains that this text was written in Braj, one of the first languages to take on a literary form, even before Hindi, although it was mainly used by mystical poets who dedicated their works to Krishna (as did the famous poetess Mirabaï, who died in the middle of the sixteenth century) by dedicating to him love songs called bhajan

. Religion is thus one of the initial sources of inspiration, as is the popular folklore from which the love story between Dhola and Maru comes, of which there is a version specific to Rajasthan. The medieval period saw the appearance of warrior chronicles such as the Kanhadade Prebandha (15th century) by Padmanābha, recognized as one of the most beautiful poems in dingal, a language that was the prerogative of the Charans. This caste, composed of bards - but also of farmers or merchants, as their art did not always provide for their needs, even if the posts of kaviraja (poet and state historian) were generally reserved for them - is considered to be at the origin of most of the medieval literature, which was thus declined in khyat, historical prose, but also in a multitude of poetic genres responding to precise metrics. The first "modern" Rajasthani writer, Suryamal Misran (1815-1868), was born of this lineage. A scholar and polyglot who attained the status of national poet, his most remarkable text, Vansha Bhaskar, is often compared to the perfection embodied in one of the two jewels of ancient Indian literature, the Mahābhārata. Alas, the larger story had an impact on his fictional work, as the kingdom of Bundi to which he was linked fell under the yoke of the British protectorate, while he himself became involved in the independence movement. The 12 volumes that he had originally planned for his epic were thus reduced to 8, which did not hinder his considerable influence. Murari Dan, his adopted son, then set about completing his work.

From independence to today

However, the time for independence finally came in 1947, encouraged by nationalist poets ("yug Charan") such as Kanhaiyalal Sethia (1919-2008), who wrote the poem Dharti Dhoran Ri, whose verses became the lyrics of the Rajasthani anthem. This new period of history was documented by Gayatri Devi, third wife of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II, who wrote her memoirs (Une princesse se souvient, Robert Laffont) and whose adventurous life never ceased to inspire writers (La Maharani de Jaipur by Isaure de Saint-Pierre, M. de Maule). This body also awards literary prizes, one of which was given in 1979 to Rama Mehta (1923-1978), who made her mark with her novel Inside the Haveli (translated by Kallash éditeur: À l'ombre du haveli) in which she offered magnificent portraits of the women of Rajasthan. Another distinguished laureate was Narayan Singh Bhati (1930-1994) who was celebrated as much for his poetry (Barsan Ra Degoda Dungar Langhiyan, 1981) as for his work in the preservation of ancient texts. We could also mention Abdul Vaheed and Bhanwar Singh Samaur as recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award: the former for his novel Gharano which advocated good understanding between religions, the latter for Sanskriti ri Sanatana Deeth which crowned a 50-year career. Finally, the playwright Arjun Deo Charan, born in 1954, is the object of all the attention of the famous academy since his fame has propelled him to the top of an undisputed podium, thanks to his plays (Meh Reja The Parja) but also thanks to the other registers in which he likes to immerse himself: poetry (Ghar Tau Ek Nam Hai Bhrosai Rau) and the novel (Dharam Judh, Uchhalo

).

Vijaydan Detha (nicknamed Bijji) will be considered for a no less prestigious award in 2011, as his name will be mentioned for the Nobel Prize in Literature. He was born in 1926 and died in 2013 in his native town of Borunda, having acquired an international reputation. A prolific author, he combined influences, from the Indian author Saratchandra Chatterjee to Russian writers, who guided him to write no less than 800 short stories and other poems! Vijaydan Detha is one of the rājasthānis authors whose voice carries beyond borders, a privilege he shares with Alka Joshi who, while living in the United States, has won over the public with a trilogy using her country of birth as a backdrop and which is currently being translated into our language by Hauteville Editions: The Tattoo Girl of Jaipur (2021) and The Secret of Jaipur

(2022). However, the new generation is more readily associated with the Indian capital. It was in New Delhi in 1915 that the precursor, Khushwant Singh, was born. In Train to Pakistan (1956), he recounted the terrible dissension between Muslims and Hindus at the time of independence; this story was brought to the screen forty years later. Among the contemporary authors, we must count with Gita Mehta (born in 1943), Vikram Chandra (born in 1961) and Kiran Desai (born in 1971), whose works are representative of what Indian literature is tending towards today: to depict a country that is moving towards modernity without denying its traditions. Thus, the first offers a striking description of India, to which she returns every year in Le Serpent et l'échelle (Albin Michel), while Vikram Chandra, who also lives abroad, has decided to play the detective story card in Le Seigneur de Bombay (Pocket), after having explored the historical genre in Les Tigres d'Allah (Le Livre de Poche). Finally, the youngest daughter tackles the question of female and Indian identity in La Perte en héritage, published by the Montreal publisher Fides.