It is difficult to determine when the Development of poetry in Bundelkhand and it is even more difficult to determine what its form was in the initial period. But it can be said with certainty that poetry in Hindi began to be composed from the 11th century.
Chandela Naresh Maharaj Ganddev (1002-1025 AD) presented a Hindi poem in praise of the Sultan during the treaty between the Chandelas and Mahmud Ghaznavi in 1023 AD and the Sultan himself and the poets who had accompanied him were very impressed with the sentiments and language of that poem.
Ganddev, as a brave and far-sighted ruler, held the reins of the state for 22-23 years and a vast territory was under his rule. He had authority up to the Chambal river in the west. The rulers of Kachchhapat and Gwalior were his tributaries. Kannauj was also under the protection of the Chandelas. The Kalchuri ruler of the south had also been defeated by them.
The power of the Chandelas was so influential that historian Gardijji has written that even the invader Sultan Mahmud was once overcome with fear. The main characteristic of Ganddev was that he recognized the national crisis at the time of Mahmud’s invasion and contributed significantly to the second Hindu state union.
Historian Smith has even mentioned the involvement of King Ganddev of Kalinjar. This proves that during the reign of Gand, there was an awakening of national consciousness and a sense of unity. In 1018 AD, the Chandela king sent prince Vidyadhar to punish the Kannauj king governor who fled in fear of Mahmud’s Kannauj invasion.
The Chandela king himself faced Mahmud in Kalinjar. Although he was defeated, only the Chandelas could stop the invasion of the Mughals. There is no doubt that the historical bravery displayed by the Chandelas prevented the Mughals from attacking the Chandelas for two hundred years. After Maharaja Ganddev, Chandel King Parmardidev (1165-1203 AD) is considered to be a famous Hindi poet. At the end of Kalinjar inscription (1201 AD) it is mentioned that Parmardidev himself wrote the praise of Lord Murari. Parmardidev’s book ‘Sangit Samayasaar’ written in the 13th century shows that Parmardidev was famous in Madhyadeshiya-music-system.
In this book, Parmardidev has cited Kashmir’s King Matrigupta, Dhar’s King Bhoj, Anhilwad’s Chalukya King Someshwar and Mahoba’s Chandel King Parmardidev as evidence. Therefore, Parmardidev must have composed poems in Hindi, because the Acharya of music is also considered proficient in composing poems. It is also certain that there were poets under Parmardidev’s royal patronage, but their compositions are not available. Folk songs in Bundeli folk language also became popular from the 11th century. Their basis was the Ladla chhand Dohar of Apabhramsha and Gaha of Prakrit. First of all, those examples of folk singing are found by keeping the narrative style at the center, which were related to the daily routine of man or expressed devotion to the deity.
The best expression of this style was Karasdev’s Gote, in which the real description of Charagahi folk culture is found. Keeping Doha at the center, Diwari geet, Sakhai Phaag and Rai geet became popular with its Latakniya. Devi geet, Rachhra and devotional ballads were composed on the basis of ‘Gaha’. It is not inappropriate to call this era as folk ballad-era because of Charagahi, historical and heroic ballads.
In the tradition of Muktaks, more songs based on culture, protection and love were written, but due to circumstances, heroic folk ballads dominated. In ‘Karasdev Ki Gatha’, bravery has been important as the central element, but it could not become public like Alha Gatha. Alha Gathas composed by the people’s poet Jagnik Bhaat take the form of a heroic folk epic, which the historians of literature have called ‘Alhakhand‘.
Due to oral tradition and developing tendency, many interpolations (added or inserted after the completion of a work) may have been added to it and its form may have changed, but it is true that this work composed in the 12th century is of paramount importance because it is written in Bundeli folk language and it is appropriate to consider it as the first book of Hindi. In fact, this work free from the influence of Apabhramsha and its author Jagnik, both are achievements of Bundeli and Hindi.
Reference-
बुंदेलखंड दर्शन- मोतीलाल त्रिपाठी ‘अशांत’
बुंदेली लोक काव्य – डॉ. बलभद्र तिवारी
बुंदेलखंड की संस्कृति और साहित्य- रामचरण हरण ‘मित्र’
बुंदेली लोक साहित्य परंपरा और इतिहास- नर्मदा प्रसाद गुप्त
बुंदेली संस्कृति और साहित्य- नर्मदा प्रसाद गुप्त
