Medieval Rajasthani Literature :

Medieval Rajsthani Literature has experienced a lot of experiments with sant poetry as well as Charan poetry and holds a prominent place in Rajasthani literature.The medieval period in Rajasthani Literature dates from 1450 AD to 1850 AD. Change in the political scenario of the state brought about a lot of change in the life style of Rajasthan which included the literary style. Medieval Rajasthani Literature discussed as :

1. Moral Poetry :

Poems relating to 'Niti' or morals, right behaviour and prudence also appeared. The 'Niti' poems are not copies of similar Sanskrit works. It is the folk ethics that they have propounded. Rajiyai ra Soratha heads the list of such poems. King, religion and tradition were the three important factors which shaped to a great extent the values of the people of Rajasthan in medieval times. Steadfastness to religion, tolerance and fidelity were the characteristics of the common man. In religious matters, the Rajput rulers were generous and tolerant and their attitude appreciably touched the fringe of what we today call secular. They protected and patronized the institutions belonging to other religions. The role of a redeemer, a martyr, a hero or a saint developed into a sort of personality cult. Many such persons were raised to the status of folk deity, and the centres of their activities became places of pilgrimage. The five 'Pirs', and Karaniji and Tejoji may be cited as instances of such deified personalities. 

2. Saint Poetry :

Many saints have referred to Hathyog and its process, and have used the 'Nath' diction. The inclusion of Yog in some form or the other is common in Sant poetry. Exceptions apart, the ten incarnations of God have been popular in the poetry of some of the major sects. Namdev from 1270-1350 is the pioneer sant poet and the trend that started from him spread soon over Rajasthan and elsewhere. We have already said a few words about the language of the Sant poetry of Rajasthan. Three language forms-Braj, Pingal and Rajasthani were mostly used. Some poems were also written in Khadi Boli mixed with Rajasthani. 

Sant poetry is the product of those adhering to some sects, and those who were unattached and self-willed like Miran, Din Darves and others. There appear to have been some ideological differences in the poetry flowing from these two classes. Naturally, the contents apparently identical were in fact different. Those who believed in incarnations had a wider field for expression. The deeds of Divine Incarnations also formed the subject matter of such poetry. 
Sant Poetry or the devotional peoms from Rajasthan consists of poems concerning Sagun and Nirgun types of Bhakti. Emergence and preponderance of Sant poetry and Akhyan poetry are the main features of the Medieval Period. Rajasthani is as rich in the Sant poetry as it is in the folk literature. The main characteristic of Sant poetry is that it deals with the Nirgun bhakti which inclines towards the Sagun bhakti also indicating at times the Yogsadhana or using the yoga terminology, particularly popular in the Nath-Sadhana. People related to saint poetry wer :

• Namdev (1270-1350) and his Hindi poetry : Namdev was the forerunner of Sant poetry with the types of Hindi poems which he had written during his life time.
• Swami Ramanand (1299-1410) and the Bhakti Sadhana of his disciples.
   
• The Naths, their yog-sadhana and literature.

Different Sant Sampradayas and their Poetry :

Many Sampradayas originated and flourished in Rajasthan during the Medieval Period. The Sampradayas whose, literary, cultural, or ideological contributions are of high significance were the Nath Sampradaya, the Rasik Sampradaya, the Visnoi Sampradaya, the Jasnathi Sampradaya, Niranjani Sampradaya, Nimbark Sampradaya, Dadu Sampradaya, Laldasi Sampradaya, Suk Sampradaya, Ram Snehi Sampradaya and a lot more. 

Nath Sampradaya was Goraknath and his followers in whole of Rajasthan in the 11th century. Goraknath organised and regulated all prominent yog-sampradayas, which later developed in the framework prepared by him. His main emphasis was on Hatha Yoga and Kaya-Siddhi or culture of the body. 

Rasik Sampradaya had been propounded by Agradasji in the Raiwasa and Jaipur region of Rajasthan. Agradas, however, established his separate Gaddi at Raiwasa near Sikar (Rajasthan). He was the propounder of the upasana of Madhur-Bhav in Ram-Bhakti and the Sampraday he originated is popularly called Rasik. 

Visnoi Sampradaya had begun mainly in the northern and south-western part of Rajasthan by Jambhoji. He was a brahmacari and had left home for ever at the age of 34 and had founded the Visnoi Sampraday in 1485, at Sambharathal, a high sandy hill near the present village Mukam in Nokha, Bikaner. This was the first Sant Sampraday of Northern India.

Similarly many other Sampradayas like the Jasnathji, the Niranjani and many others originated in various parts of Rajasthan with different ideologies and philosophies. But a common string ran among the literary pieces of these sampradayas and together the poems composed by members of these sampradayas were known as Sant Poetry. 

3. Akhyan Kavya :

Akhyan Kavya an important of Rajasthani literature emerged during the medieval period and is known for its literary style and uniqueness of treatment. Akhyan Kavyas are closely associated with religious rites.

 Akhyan Kavya is another important type of the medieval Rajasthani poetry. The themes are taken from the epics or the Indian Puranas and the stories or episodes that are popular with the masses. An effort is made to render the story in a highly artistic poem, so as to attract the people. It is sung in popular musical modes and its appeal is mainly musical. Traditionally Akhyan has been connected with religious rites. This was an additional advantage for the propagation of Akhyan Kavyas. Popular entertainment is the objective, but indirectly, lofty religious and cultural traditions, ideals, ideas, and values are imparted. Akhyans are generally sung and are recited in 'Jagaran'. Many of them may be easily staged in open-air theatres. 

Akhyans are mostly short, such as Ramayana by Mehoji, Rukmani Mangal by Padam Bhagat but longer Akhyans such as, Katha Ahmani by Delhji had also been written. Katha Ahmani by Delhji, an Akhyan Kavya of 717 verses was meant to be sung in musical modes like dhanasi, maru, sorath, gawadi, dhawal and asadhahdi, is the only major narrative poem dealing with the story of Abhimanyu, a hero of the Mahabharata. Many popular beliefs, accreditations and bold impressions of focal colour have shaped the legend of the poem. 

Ramayana by Mehoji, composed about 1518, in 261 verses deals with the salient points of the life-story of Lord Rama and is the earliest Akhyan Kavya in the tradition of Ram-poetry. It was meant to be sung in popular musical modes like dhanasi, ramgiri, hansa, malhar and jaitsri. 

The Akhyan Kavyas are known for their poetic excellence, language and style. Most of the story is in dialogues. It depicts many popular beliefs and customs. In almost all the characters of the Akhyan Kavyas human sentiments are predominant. Out of many narrative poems and stray verses, Kesodas Godara's four Akhyan kavyas deserve special notice. They are Katha Bhinv-Dusasani, Katha Surgarohatu, Kathda Bahsowani, and Prahlad Cirat. 

They are meant to be sung in musical modes like maru, dhanasri, kedaro, sorath, hanso, malhar, gawadi, sindhu, and are mostly in doha and caupal metres. Hence it can be concluded saying that though Akhyan Kavyas are used for the purpose of entertainment yet the actual aim is to propagate religious ideas to the common man. 

                                              During the medieval period there have been many brilliant contemporary Charans and other poets who immortalized the heroes, and their heroic deeds. Their historical value is beyond dispute. Such literary creations came under the historical and heroic poetry of the Charan style. The essence of this poetry is heroism in protecting one's own territory, and the person and property of those who seek his shelter. Poets have eulogized these virtues. Cowardice and tyranny have been condemned with severity. Such poems of ' slander and ridicule are called 'Visahar'. These trends are also found in the other school of poetry, namely the mythological and religious. Heroic deeds and assurance of protection and deliverance by Nrsinha, Ram and Krishna form the major theme of this poetry.