- Brij Bhasha
language
name=Brij Bhasa
nativename=ब्रज भाषा
states=India
region=Uttar Pradesh
speakers=85,230
familycolor=Indo-European
fam2=Indo-Iranian
fam3=Indo-Aryan
fam4=Central
fam5=Western Hindi
script=Devanagari script
iso2=bra|iso3=braBrij Bhasha (ब्रज भाषा), also called Braj Bhasha, Braj Bhakha, or Daihaati Zabaan (country tongue), is a
Central India n language closely related to Hindi. In fact it is usually considered to be a dialect of Hindi, and was the predominant literary language of North-Central India before the switch toKhariboli in the 19th century. It is spoken by more than 42,000 people in the nebulously defined region ofBraj Bhoomi , which was a political state in the era of theMahabharata wars. According to ancient Hindu texts such as theShrimad Bhagavatam , the kingdom of King Kams is described as spreading through the Braj (also known as Vrij or Vraj), where the incarnation ofKrishna was born and spent his childhood days. This region lies in theAgra -Mathura area, and stretches as far as the environs ofDelhi . In modern India, this area lies mostly in northwesternUttar Pradesh , the eastern extremities ofRajasthan and the southern extremities ofHaryana . Today Braj Bhoomi can be seen as a cultural-geographical entity rather than a proper state. It is thevernacular of the region and boasts a rich culture and literature by famous poets likeSurdas ,Bhai Gurdas andAmir Khusro . Brij Bhasha is very close to Avadhi, spoken in neighbouringAvadh region.Brij bhasa is spoken in the cities of
Mathura ,Vrindavana ,Agra ,Firozabad ,Hathras ,Etah ,Aligarh ,Bareli ,Bulandhshahar , Bharatpur andDhaulpur . Much of the Hindi literature was developed in Brij in the medieval period. However, today Khariboli dialect has taken its place as the predominant standard dialect of Hindi.In modern India, Braj Bhasha exists as an unofficial dialect spoken colloquially by natives of the region of Braj Bhoomi, with great cultural and religious significance. Much of Hindi poetry, especially that of '
Bhakti ' or devotional poetry is in this language. Some devotional poems for Krishna are also composed in Braj Bhasha. The pioneering Hindi poet Aamir Khusro, also spoke and composed poetry in this language. Famous Braj Bhasha folk songs or poems include 'Chhaap tilak sab chheeni' by Aamir Khusro, and the popular devotional song ,"Main naahin maakhan khaayo" by Surdas. Braj bhasha is also the main language ofHindustani classical music compositions.Braj Bhasha Literature
Studying Braj Bhasha literature, it can be noticed that most of the literature is of a mystical nature, related to the spiritual union of man with God. This is not at all surprising since virtually all of the poets were God-realised saints and their words are thus considered to be directly emanated from a divine source. Much of traditional Northern Indian literature shares this trait. All traditional Punjabi literature is similarly written by saints and is of a metaphysical and philosophical nature.
Another peculiar feature of Northern Indian literature is that the literature is mostly written from a female point of view, even by male poets. This is because the saints were in a state of transcendental, spiritual love, where they were metaphorically women reuniting with their beloved.
Important works in Brij 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 ofNimbarka Sampradaya tradition ofRadha Krishna worship.
*Vinaya Patrika byTulsidas
*Sur Sagar bySurdas [ [http://www.google.com/notebook/public/03553967701179803178/BDQs4SwoQx5vXjbQh Hindi Literature] ]
* Buddha Charit byAcharya Ram Chandra Shukla
*Sufi poetry byAmir Khusro .ee also
*
Hindi Literature References
External links
* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=bra Braj Bhasha] at the
Ethnologue °http://www.ciil.org/Main/languages/indian.htmFurther reading
*"Rupert Snell, The Hindi Classical Tradition: A Braj Bhasa Reader"
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