History of Rajasthani literature :

Just like its other regional counterparts, possesses an extensive and all-encompassing theory of evolution, precisely from the ancient times of its first ever evidences. The tremendous sweats of litterateurs in Rajasthan led to a massive growth of other dialects in Rajasthani, like Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apabhramsa, Dingal. Dating back as far as to the 7th and 8th centuries, Chittor (a historical province in Rajasthan) had served as the nerve centre of the Bhinmal literature. Ingenious and innovative works were further boosted by personas like Jinbhatt, Haribhadra, Ilacharya, Virsena, Jinabhadra Suri, etc. It was in fact in Bhinmal during the 7th century that the poet Magh had penned Shishupal Vadh. A marvellously created work of art, this piece stands in almost equal merit with the works of Kalidasa, Bhairava and Dandin. Bhinmal is also acknowledged as the birth place of the celebrated mathematician and astrologer Brahm Gupta, whose scholarly endeavours are compared with men like Aryabhatta and Varahamihira. Brham Gupta's most extraordinary works comprise Brahmsiddhant, Khandkhandya and Dhyangraha. 

Rajasthani literature and its history during the 14th century had witnessed flourishing and prospering through the tremendous efforts of the Jain scholars. From amongst the kings and emperors, who also had contributed to literature in Rajasthani language quite whole-heartedly, Maharana Kumbha stands in an unrivalled and unchallenged position. His majestic reputation rests on his work Sangeet Raj and Sangeet Mimansha, reminiscent of Jaidev's much celebrated and distinguished Geet Govind. Maharana Kumbha's reign had witnessed the fantastic growth of not only Sanskrit and Prakrit, but also of Rajasthani literature and language. With this debonair Rana from Rajasthan, the customary royal patronage of the fine arts and literature had turned into an almost daily work of duty, thus bearing the successful and triumphant fruit in the succeeding reigns of Amar Singh and Raj Singh.

 During the reign of the former emperor, Sanskrit texts were being penned in a voracious manner, such as Amarsar and Amar Bhushan. During the reign of the latter, Ranchod Bhatt had authored Amar Kavya, a comprehensive work dealing with the achievement of the ruler as well as about the culture of the times, depicted in dressings, jewelleries, festivals, etc. Sadashiv's Raj Ratnakar, penned in the 17th century is also deemed as a work demanding much respect and reverence for historical evolvement of Rajasthani literature. 

History of Rajasthani literature perhaps had been the luckiest and blessed, when incredible patronage from the ruling kings and emperors are being spoken about. For instance, the rulers of Mewar had outstandingly encouraged the Rajasthani literati, Maharaja Gaj Singh having feted fourteen poets, bestowing upon them the award Lakh Pasaav. In fact, it was under Maharaja Gaj Singh's patronage that Hemkavi had authored Gunbhasha, Kesavadas and Gunrupak. Maharaja Jaswant Singh was not only a royal benefactor of the artists, but also a scholar par excellence himself.

The poets Suratmishra and Narharidas and the historian Nainsi were counted as the Maharaja's contemporaries in the historical maturation of literature in Rajasthani. The reign of Abhay Singh had given rise to three noted literary figures - Jagjeevan (author of Abhay Uday), Karnidan (author of Surajprakash) and Virbhaan (aurhor of Raj Roopak). The times of the much talked-about Raja Man Singh is considered as the Golden Age in Rajasthani literature. The court poet of Man Singh, Bankidas during that time had penned Manaj Somandar and Nankidas Batan that have exerted profound influence in the history of literature of both Sanskrit and Rajasthani languages. Amongst the poets who had written in Dingal, names like Issar Das and Dursa Arha come to light time and again. Issar Das had penned both devotional poetry as well as blood-boiling war poems, celebrating the exploits of the gallants in warfare. 

The literature of Rajasthan is defined as broadly varied and vivid and its unbroken traditions have been continuing for the past one thousand years. Rajasthan is also defined as the centre of art, architecture and culture. The history of Rajasthani literature is generally divided into several periods. And these are - 
 Early Period (1050 to 1450)
Medieval Period (1450 to 1850)
Modern Period (1850 onwards)
Moreover, history of Rajasthani literature also states that the literature of this land is also classified in various categories: 
·  Jain Poetry
·  Akhyan Kavya
·  Secular Love Poetry (both known and unknown poets)
·  Sant Poetry or Devotional Poetry (poets free from any traditional bond of religion and followers of different Sampradayas or communities)
·  Caran Poetry (religious and mythological poetry and historical and heroic poetry)
·  Prosody and Rhetoric
·  Folk literature
·  Prose literature (medieval)
·  Poetry and Prose (modern)
                      When stated as a bottom line, history of Rajasthani literature was truly never in short of patronage and benefaction, beginning from the early centuries and still progressing towards governmental assistance. The Rajput clan, their unprecedented exhilaration or bravery, were not only wasted in laying down lives in battle. The kings and their ruling dynasties were indeed much charmed and captivated by literary wonders and other works of art, making this very historical journey of Rajasthani literature a memorable one.