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'''Dingal''' is an [[History of India|ancient Indian]] language written in [[Devanagari|Nagri]] script and having literature in prose as well as poetry. It is a language of very high tone and requires a specific style of speaking. Dingal was used in [[Rajasthan]] and adjoining areas including [[Gujarat]], [[Kutch district|Kutch]], [[Malwa]], and [[Sindh]]. Most of Dingal literature is said to be composed by [[Charan | {{Short description|Ancient Indian language with literature in prose and poetry}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}} | |||
{{Use British English|date=May 2022}} | |||
{{Infobox language | |||
| name = Dingal | |||
| altname = {{hlist|Old Western Rajasthani|Old Gujarati}} | |||
| states = {{hlist|[[India]]|[[Pakistan]]}} | |||
| familycolor = Indo-European | |||
| fam2 = [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]] | |||
| fam3 = [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan]] | |||
| fam4 = [[Western Indo-Aryan languages|Western]]<ref>[http://homepages.fh-giessen.de/kausen/klassifikationen/Indogermanisch.doc Ernst Kausen, 2006. ''Die Klassifikation der indogermanischen Sprachen''] ([[Microsoft Word]], 133 KB)</ref> | |||
| nation = | |||
| notice = IPA | |||
| glotto = | |||
| glottorefname = | |||
| script = {{hlist|[[Devanagari]]|[[Mahajani]]}} | |||
| era = 8th century CE; Developed into [[Rajasthani languages|Rajasthani]] and [[Gujarati languages|Gujarati]] languages by 13th century CE | |||
| fam5 = | |||
| fam6 = | |||
| fam7 = | |||
| image = Dingal.svg | |||
| nativename = <!--In Devanagari-->{{lang|hi|डिंगल}} • <!--Romanization-->{{Transliteration|hi|ISO|ḍiṁgala}} | |||
| pronunciation = {{IPA|hi|ɖinɡələ|}} | |||
| region = {{hlist|[[Rajasthan]]|[[Gujarat]]|[[Sindh]]|[[Malwa]]}} | |||
| ancestor = [[Apabhraṃśa]] | |||
| imagescale = 1.4 | |||
| imagecaption = The word "Dingal" in [[Devanagari]] script | |||
}} | |||
'''Dingal''' ([[Devanagari|Devnagari]]: डिंगल; [[International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]]: ''ḍiṁgala''; also spelled '''Dimgala'''), also known as [[Old Western Rajasthani]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ault |first=Dr Cecil Thomas Jr. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9kYiDgAAQBAJ |title=Folk Theatre of Rajasthan: Introducing Three Marwari Khyal Plays Translated into English |date=2017-02-09 |publisher=Partridge Publishing |isbn=978-1-4828-8816-4 |language=en}}</ref> is an [[History of India|ancient Indian]] language written in [[Devanagari|Nagri]] script and having literature in prose as well as poetry. It is a language of very high tone and requires a specific style of speaking. Dingal was used in [[Rajasthan]] and adjoining areas including [[Gujarat]], [[Kutch district|Kutch]], [[Malwa]], and [[Sindh]]. Most of Dingal literature is said to be composed by [[Charan]]s. It was prominently used in composition of [[war poet]]ry praising the martial exploits of [[Rajput]] and [[Charan]] war heroes.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Paniker|first=K. Ayyappa|url=https://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Indian-Literature-Anthology-Vol/dp/B005WDGJW8|title=Medieval Indian Literature - An Anthology - Vol. 3|date=2000-01-01|publisher=Sahitya Akademi}}</ref> | |||
Dingal is a New [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan]] (NIA) poetic language or style. It is called by various names such as Maru-Bhasha, [[Marwari language|Marwari]], and [[ | Dingal is a New [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan]] (NIA) poetic language or style. It is called by various names such as Maru-Bhasha, [[Marwari language|Marwari]], and [[Old Western Rājasthāni]]. Dingal is also described as one of five "pre-modern [[Hindi]] literary dialects", listed together with [[Braj Bhasha|Braj]], [[Awadhi language|Avadhi]], [[Sadhu bhasa|Sadhu]] and [[Maithili language|Maithili]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Jain |first1=Dhanesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C9MPCd6mO6sC |title=The Indo-Aryan Languages |last2=Cardona |first2=George |date=2003 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-7007-1130-7 |language=en}}</ref> Dingal has also been called as the ancestor of [[Marwari language|Marwari]] and [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mayaram|first=Shail|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zL-7m2MDp2EC&dq=%22dingal%22+%22rajput%22&pg=PA43|title=Against History, Against State: Counterperspectives from the Margins|date=2004|publisher=Orient Blackswan|isbn=978-81-7824-096-1|language=en}}</ref> | ||
== Origins and Antiquity of Dingal == | |||
The earliest reference of the term 'Dingal' is found in the 8th-century text ''[[Kuvalaya-mālā|Kuvalayamālā]]'', composed by Udhyotana Sūrī. According to Dingal scholar [[Shakti Dan Kaviya|Kaviya]], Dingal came into existence by the 9th-century, derived from the [[Apabhraṃśa|Apabhramsa]] of Western [[Rajasthan]], and became the literary language of the region and beyond.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Kamphorst |first=Janet |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z6eR2CX_zbsC |title=In Praise of Death: History and Poetry in Medieval Marwar (South Asia) |date=2008 |publisher=Leiden University Press |isbn=978-90-8728-044-4 |language=en}}</ref> | |||
The usage of the word "Dingal" is also found in "Uḍiṁgala Nāma Mālā" by the [[Jainism|Jain]] poet Vācaka Kuśalābha and in "Nāga Damana" by the saint-poet Sāyājī Jhūlā, both written at the beginning of the 15th century.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Rawat Saraswat|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.347797|title=Dingal Geet|date=1960}}</ref> | |||
According to [[Jhaverchand Meghani]], Dingal, the [[Charan]] tongue, was developed from [[Apabhraṃśa|Apbhramsha]] and [[Prakrit]]. Meghani considered Dingal both as a language and poetic medium which "flowed freely between [[Rajasthan]] and [[Saurashtra (region)|Suarashtra]] and conformed to the contours of other phonetic tongues like [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]] and [[Kutchi language|Kutchi]]".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kothiyal |first=Tanuja |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IQS-DAAAQBAJ&dq=%22dingal%22+%22rajput%22&pg=PA228 |title=Nomadic Narratives: A History of Mobility and Identity in the Great Indian Desert |date=2016-03-14 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-316-67389-8 |language=en}}</ref><blockquote>''Uktiratnākara'' by Sādhu Sundara is not a bardic work, but a work on grammar in the form of an etymological glossary, and its chief importance lies in the fact that it throws a considerable light on the Old Mārwāri of the beginning of the seventeenth century A.D. I have shown elsewhere that the '''Dingaļa''' language of the Cāraṇas of Rajputana is ultimately but Old Mārwārī, or, to use a more comprehensive term, [[Old Western Rājasthāni]]. | |||
-[[Luigi Pio Tessitori|L. P. Tessitori]] (1916) <ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VY9EAQAAMAAJ |title=Journal & Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal |date=1916 |publisher=Asiatic Society |language=en}}</ref></blockquote> | |||
== | == Vocabulary == | ||
An interesting feature of Dingal is that it preserves archaic words from the early medieval period which are not found anywhere else. Dingal distinguishes itself from other [[Northern Indo-Aryan languages|Northern Indo-Aryan]] languages since it contains older language forms and also incorporates novel grammatical and lexical constructs.<ref name=":2" /> Owing to its geographical origin at Western Rajasthan, Dingal vocabulary also shares words common with [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]], [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], and [[Sanskrit]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Tessitori |first=Luigi Pio |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=56r-tAEACAAJ |title=Bardic and Historical Survey of Rajputana: A Descriptive Catalogue of Bardic and Historical Manuscripts |date=2018-02-19 |publisher=Creative Media Partners, LLC |isbn=978-1-378-04859-7 |language=en}}</ref> | |||
[[Luigi Pio Tessitori|Tessitori]] explains the archaic [[vocabulary]] of Dingal poets as follows: "The bards have been more conservative in the matter of [[lexicon]] than in the matter of [[grammar]], and most of the poetical and archaic words which were used by them five hundred years ago, can still be used by the bards of the present day, though their meaning may be no longer intelligible to any of his hearers or readers, but the initiated. This fact of the preservation of archaic words in ''Ḍiṇgaḷa'' is easily explained by the existence of the poetical glossaries such as the ''Hamīranāmamālā'' and the ''Mānamañjarināmamālā'', etc., and the large part they have been playing in the curriculum of the studies of the bards for the last three centuries or more. A great part of these obsolete words are borrowed from the vocabulary of the [[Sanskrit]] poetry, and it is chiefly to these that the extraordinary richness in synonyms of ''Ḍiṇgaḷa'' is ultimately due".<ref name=":3" /> | |||
== Dingal and Maru Bhasha == | |||
Historically, the language of Western [[Rajasthan]], was known as Dingal.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Maheshwari|first=Hiralal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rK42AAAAIAAJ|title=History of Rajasthani Literature|date=1980|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|language=en}}</ref> The name Dingal was considered identical to ''Maru-Bhasha'' (otherwise called [[Marwari language|''Marwari Bhasha'']], ''Marubhum Bhasha'', etc.) | |||
There are numerous historical examples of statements by Dingal writers which confirm the view that the spoken language of the region is also called Dingal. In ''Rukamaṇī Maṃgala'' or ''Haraji ro Vyanwalo'', late 15th-century ''Akhyan Kavya'' text, composed by Padam Bhagat is in the spoken language. A couplet found in one of its manuscripts says: <blockquote>'The language of my poem is Dingal. It does not know any metre or continuity. It consists of only divine contemplation'. </blockquote>Charan saint [[Swarupadas|Swarupdas]] in his ''Pandav Yashendu Chandrika'', early 19th-century, says: <blockquote>'My language is a mixed one. It contains Dingal, [[Braj Bhasha|Braj]], and [[Sanskrit]], so that all may understand. I beg apology of greater poets for this.' </blockquote> | |||
== Charans and Dingal == | |||
Although it is true that most of the Dingal literature was composed by the [[Charan]]s, other castes also adopted it and made great contributions. In addition to the [[Charan]]s, Dingal poetry is available in sufficient quantity by many poets of the [[Rajput]], Pancholi ([[Kayastha]]), [[Motisar (caste)|Motisar]], [[Brahmin]], [[Rawal (caste)|Rawal]], [[Jainism|Jain]], Muhata, and [[Bhats|Bhat]] communities.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bhati|first=Dr Narayansingh|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.401053|title=Dingal Geet Sahitya|date=1961}}</ref> Several [[Rajput]] kings wrote poems in Dingal, particularly [[Man Singh of Marwar|Maharaja Man Singh Rathore]] (reign 1803-1843) of [[Marwar]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sharma |first=Padmaja |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WtkI7NNbbIIC&q=%22man+singh%22+%22dingal%22 |title=Maharaja Man Singh of Jodhpur and His Times (1803-1843 A.D.) |date=1972 |publisher=Shiva Lal Agarwala |language=en}}</ref> | |||
== Dingal Gīt == | |||
Dingal Gīt is a unique feature of Dingal and is considered to be an invention of [[Charan]]s. There is an important distinction to be made about Dingal Gits. The notion that these songs were sung is misleading. Dingal Gīts were recited by Charans in a way similar to [[Vedas|Vedic]] hymns.<ref name=":0" /> It is a unique feature of Rajasthani poetry. As [[Doha (poetry)|doha]] is the most popular metre of ''[[Apabhraṃśa|Apabhramsa]]'', so is Gīt for [[Rajasthani languages|Rajasthani]].<ref name=":1" /> | |||
Gīts are of 120 types. Usually, In the Dingal texts of prosody, there have been 70-90 types of Gīts in usage. A Git is like a small poem. Its not to be sung but recited in "high-pitched tones in a peculiar style". | |||
Thousands of such Gīts have been written in commemoration of historical deeds. Many of them are contemporary in relation to the historical incident and as such are known as "''Sākh rī Kavitā''" or the poetry of [[testimony]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ziegler |first=Norman P. |date=1976 |title=The Seventeenth Century Chronicles of Mārvāṛa: A Study in the Evolution and Use of Oral Traditions in Western India |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3171564 |journal=History in Africa |volume=3 |pages=127–153 |doi=10.2307/3171564 |jstor=3171564 |s2cid=156943079 |issn=0361-5413|url-access=subscription }}</ref> | |||
=== Rules for composition === | |||
There are [[Prosody (linguistics)|prosodical rules]] for the composition of a Gīt. They are:- | |||
# ''Jathā:'' a special system of poetic composition; there are 18 types of Jathā | |||
# ''Vaiṇsagāī:'' alliteration; it is rigidly followed; there are many types of Vaiṇsagāī | |||
# ''Ukti'': a statement, the basis being the speaker, the listener and the object | |||
Moreover, a composition has to avoid the ''dosas'' (flaws), which are peculiar to the Cāraṇ prosody and are of 11 types. | |||
Additionally, there are 22 types of ''chappay'', 12 types of ''nīsāṇī'', and 23 types of ''dohā''. | |||
== Dictionaries of Dingal == | |||
These are several historical dictionaries of the Dingal language:<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bhati |first=Dr Narayansingh |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.347749 |title=Dingal Kosh |date=1978}}</ref> | |||
=== ''Hamir Nam-Mala'' by Hamir Dan Ratnu === | |||
''Hamir Nam-Mala'' was written in 1774 by Hamir Dan Ratnu. Originally a resident Ghadoi village of [[Marwar]], Hamir Dan lived in [[Bhuj]] city of [[Kutch district|Kutch]] for most of his life. He was a great [[scholar]] of his time and had authored several other texts including ''Lakhpat Pingal'' and ''Bhagvat Darpan''. ''Hamir Nam-Mala'' is one of the most well known among the dictionaries of Dingal. It is also known as ''Harijas Nam-Mala'' owing to the significant presence of verses dedicated to [[Vishnu]] (i.e. Hari). | |||
=== ''Dingala Kosa'' by Murari Dan Misran === | |||
[[Murari Dan Misran]], son of [[Suryamal Misran|Suryamall Misran]] and [[Kaviraj]]a of [[Bundi State]], compiled one of the dictionaries of Dingal vocabulary, called ''Dingala Kosa''. It is the largest & most important among the dictionaries of Dingal language. He began to write from the month of Chaitra of the [[Vikram Samvat]] 1943 (1886 AD).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Shastri |first=Hara Prasad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V0Jbmc6urS0C |title=Preliminary Report on the Operation in Search of Mss. of Bardic Chronicles |date=1913 |publisher=Asiatic Society of Bengal |language=en}}</ref> | |||
=== ''Dingal Nam-Mala'' by Kushal Labh === | |||
''Dingal Nam-Mala'', or ''Udingal Nam-Mala'', is the oldest available dictionary of Dingal language. It was authored by a court-poet of [[Jaisalmer State|Jaisalmer]], Kusha Labh Jain, in 1618. The then ruler of Jaisalmer, Har Raj is also a co-author of this work. | |||
=== ''Nagraj Dingal Kosa'' by Nagraj Pingal === | |||
Nagraj Dingal Kosa by Nagraj Pingal was written in 1821. Its manuscript was found in the personal collection of Panramji [[Motisar (caste)|Motisar]] of Judiya village in [[Marwar]]. | |||
=== ''Avdhan-Mala'' by Udairam Barhath === | |||
''Avdhan-Mala'' was written by Udairam Barhath. He was a contemporary of [[Man Singh of Marwar|Maharaja Man Singh]] of Marwar. Born in Thabukda village of Marwar, he lived in Bhuj city in Kutch and was a great scholar of his time. ''Avdhan-Mala'' is found amongst his other work called ''Kavi-Kula-Bodh.'' | |||
=== ''Anekarthi Kosa'' by Udairam Barhath === | |||
''Anekarthi Kosa'' is another text by Udairam Barhath which is collection of synonyms of Dingal words. Its part of ''Kavi-Kula-Bodh.'' It also sometimes includes [[Sanskrit]] words as synonyms. The whole text is written using [[Doha (poetry)|Dohas]] making it easier for [[memorization]]. | |||
=== ''Ekakshari Nam-Mala'' by Udairam Barhath === | |||
Another dictionary of Dingal by Udairam Barhath, part of his larger work ''Kavi-Kula-Bodh.'' Udairam has included many Sanskrit as well as words from common language aside from Dingal words. | |||
== | === ''Ekakshari Nam-Mala'' by Virbhan Ratnu === | ||
''Ekakshari Nam-Mala'' is authored by Virbhan Ratnu, a resident of Marwar from the village of Ghadoi. Virbhan was a contemporary of [[Abhai Singh of Marwar]]. The text was written in 16th century. | |||
=== Nam-Mala === | |||
Another dictionary of Dingal language, though its author and dating is not known. Its thought to be written in early 18th century. | |||
== | === Modern Dictionaries === | ||
Some modern dictionaries of the Dingal language were created by:-<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lāḷasa |first=Sītārāṃma |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BkENAAAAIAAJ |title=Rājasthānī vyākaraṇa |date=1997 |publisher=Rājasthānī Śodha Saṃsthāna, Caupāsanī, Jodhapura |language=hi}}</ref> | |||
# Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak: Prime Minister of Jodhpur and a scholar authored a Dingal Kosa consisting of more than 60,000 words. | |||
# [[Sitaram Lalas|Padma Shri Sitaram Lalas]]: Renowned linguist and grammarian of Rajasthani authored ''Rajasthani Sabad Kosa,'' largest of all Rajasthani dictionaries with more than 2 lakh words. | |||
==Dingal poetry== | ==Dingal poetry== | ||
Dingal Poetry<ref>Indian archives, Volume 25, page 49, 52</ref><ref>K. Ayyappapanicker, Medieval Indian literature: an anthology, Volume 3, page 141</ref> incorporates heroic writing on the heroes of Rajasthan, such as [[Prithviraj Chauhan]] and [[Prince Khoman]] of Mewar. It is an admixture of inter-regional languages. In Rajasthan such languages formed Pingal language (see below). | Dingal Poetry<ref>Indian archives, Volume 25, page 49, 52</ref><ref name="K. Ayyappapanicker page 141">K. Ayyappapanicker, Medieval Indian literature: an anthology, Volume 3, page 141</ref> incorporates heroic writing on the heroes of Rajasthan, such as [[Prithviraj Chauhan]] and [[Prince Khoman]] of Mewar. It is an admixture of inter-regional languages. In Rajasthan such languages formed Pingal language (see below). | ||
===Thakur Nathu Singh Mahiyariya=== | ===Thakur Nathu Singh Mahiyariya=== | ||
| Line 32: | Line 114: | ||
=== Babu Ramnarayan Dugar === | === Babu Ramnarayan Dugar === | ||
Born in 1857 A.D. in an Oswal family, Babu Ramnarayan Dugar<ref>R.K. Gupta, S.R. Bakshi, Studies In Indian History: Rajasthan Through The Ages The Heritage ..., page 145</ref> was a prominent authority on [[Pingal]] language and was a close associate of Kaviraj [[Shyamaldas]]ji, the author or Vir Vinod, the official history of rulers of [[Mewar]]. In later days he was associated with M.M. Ojha. His most prominent work is Hindi translation of Nainsi' | Born in 1857 A.D. in an Oswal family, Babu Ramnarayan Dugar<ref>R.K. Gupta, S.R. Bakshi, Studies In Indian History: Rajasthan Through The Ages The Heritage ..., page 145</ref> was a prominent authority on [[Pingal]] language and was a close associate of Kaviraj [[Shyamaldas]]ji, the author or Vir Vinod, the official history of rulers of [[Mewar]]. In later days he was associated with M.M. Ojha. His most prominent work is Hindi translation of ''[[Nainsi ri Khyat]]'' from Dingal language to Hindi. | ||
== Ingal == | == Ingal == | ||
Ingal<ref | Ingal<ref name="K. Ayyappapanicker page 141"/> is an ancient Indian language, a form of [[Prakrit]] popular in Sindh and nearby areas. | ||
== Pingal == | == Pingal == | ||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
*[https://www.bbc. | * [https://www.charans.org/tag/dingal/ Dingal (charans.org)] | ||
*[https://www.bbc.com/hindi/regionalnews/story/2004/06/040609_dingal_bareth An article on BBC] | |||
{{Authority control}} | {{Authority control}} | ||
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[[Category:Languages of Rajasthan]] | [[Category:Languages of Rajasthan]] | ||
[[Category:Charan]] | [[Category:Charan]] | ||
[[Category:Languages of Gujarat]] | |||
[[Category:Indo-Aryan languages]] | |||
[[Category:Languages written in Devanagari]] | |||
[[Category:Languages of India]] | |||
[[Category:Sacred languages]] | |||
[[Category:Dingala]] | |||
Latest revision as of 19:30, 18 March 2026
| Dingal | |
|---|---|
| |
| डिंगल • ḍiṁgala | |
 The word "Dingal" in Devanagari script | |
| Pronunciation | hi |
| Native to | |
| Region | |
| Era | 8th century CE; Developed into Rajasthani and Gujarati languages by 13th century CE |
Early form | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | – |
Dingal (Devnagari: डिंगल; IAST: ḍiṁgala; also spelled Dimgala), also known as Old Western Rajasthani,[2] is an ancient Indian language written in Nagri script and having literature in prose as well as poetry. It is a language of very high tone and requires a specific style of speaking. Dingal was used in Rajasthan and adjoining areas including Gujarat, Kutch, Malwa, and Sindh. Most of Dingal literature is said to be composed by Charans. It was prominently used in composition of war poetry praising the martial exploits of Rajput and Charan war heroes.[3]
Dingal is a New Indo-Aryan (NIA) poetic language or style. It is called by various names such as Maru-Bhasha, Marwari, and Old Western Rājasthāni. Dingal is also described as one of five "pre-modern Hindi literary dialects", listed together with Braj, Avadhi, Sadhu and Maithili.[4] Dingal has also been called as the ancestor of Marwari and Gujarati.[5]
Origins and Antiquity of Dingal[edit | edit source]
The earliest reference of the term 'Dingal' is found in the 8th-century text Kuvalayamālā, composed by Udhyotana Sūrī. According to Dingal scholar Kaviya, Dingal came into existence by the 9th-century, derived from the Apabhramsa of Western Rajasthan, and became the literary language of the region and beyond.[6]
The usage of the word "Dingal" is also found in "Uḍiṁgala Nāma Mālā" by the Jain poet Vācaka Kuśalābha and in "Nāga Damana" by the saint-poet Sāyājī Jhūlā, both written at the beginning of the 15th century.[7]
According to Jhaverchand Meghani, Dingal, the Charan tongue, was developed from Apbhramsha and Prakrit. Meghani considered Dingal both as a language and poetic medium which "flowed freely between Rajasthan and Suarashtra and conformed to the contours of other phonetic tongues like Sindhi and Kutchi".[8]
Uktiratnākara by Sādhu Sundara is not a bardic work, but a work on grammar in the form of an etymological glossary, and its chief importance lies in the fact that it throws a considerable light on the Old Mārwāri of the beginning of the seventeenth century A.D. I have shown elsewhere that the Dingaļa language of the Cāraṇas of Rajputana is ultimately but Old Mārwārī, or, to use a more comprehensive term, Old Western Rājasthāni. -L. P. Tessitori (1916) [9]
Vocabulary[edit | edit source]
An interesting feature of Dingal is that it preserves archaic words from the early medieval period which are not found anywhere else. Dingal distinguishes itself from other Northern Indo-Aryan languages since it contains older language forms and also incorporates novel grammatical and lexical constructs.[6] Owing to its geographical origin at Western Rajasthan, Dingal vocabulary also shares words common with Sindhi, Persian, Punjabi, and Sanskrit.[10]
Tessitori explains the archaic vocabulary of Dingal poets as follows: "The bards have been more conservative in the matter of lexicon than in the matter of grammar, and most of the poetical and archaic words which were used by them five hundred years ago, can still be used by the bards of the present day, though their meaning may be no longer intelligible to any of his hearers or readers, but the initiated. This fact of the preservation of archaic words in Ḍiṇgaḷa is easily explained by the existence of the poetical glossaries such as the Hamīranāmamālā and the Mānamañjarināmamālā, etc., and the large part they have been playing in the curriculum of the studies of the bards for the last three centuries or more. A great part of these obsolete words are borrowed from the vocabulary of the Sanskrit poetry, and it is chiefly to these that the extraordinary richness in synonyms of Ḍiṇgaḷa is ultimately due".[10]
Dingal and Maru Bhasha[edit | edit source]
Historically, the language of Western Rajasthan, was known as Dingal.[11] The name Dingal was considered identical to Maru-Bhasha (otherwise called Marwari Bhasha, Marubhum Bhasha, etc.)
There are numerous historical examples of statements by Dingal writers which confirm the view that the spoken language of the region is also called Dingal. In Rukamaṇī Maṃgala or Haraji ro Vyanwalo, late 15th-century Akhyan Kavya text, composed by Padam Bhagat is in the spoken language. A couplet found in one of its manuscripts says:
'The language of my poem is Dingal. It does not know any metre or continuity. It consists of only divine contemplation'.
Charan saint Swarupdas in his Pandav Yashendu Chandrika, early 19th-century, says:
'My language is a mixed one. It contains Dingal, Braj, and Sanskrit, so that all may understand. I beg apology of greater poets for this.'
Charans and Dingal[edit | edit source]
Although it is true that most of the Dingal literature was composed by the Charans, other castes also adopted it and made great contributions. In addition to the Charans, Dingal poetry is available in sufficient quantity by many poets of the Rajput, Pancholi (Kayastha), Motisar, Brahmin, Rawal, Jain, Muhata, and Bhat communities.[12] Several Rajput kings wrote poems in Dingal, particularly Maharaja Man Singh Rathore (reign 1803-1843) of Marwar.[13]
Dingal Gīt[edit | edit source]
Dingal Gīt is a unique feature of Dingal and is considered to be an invention of Charans. There is an important distinction to be made about Dingal Gits. The notion that these songs were sung is misleading. Dingal Gīts were recited by Charans in a way similar to Vedic hymns.[7] It is a unique feature of Rajasthani poetry. As doha is the most popular metre of Apabhramsa, so is Gīt for Rajasthani.[11]
Gīts are of 120 types. Usually, In the Dingal texts of prosody, there have been 70-90 types of Gīts in usage. A Git is like a small poem. Its not to be sung but recited in "high-pitched tones in a peculiar style".
Thousands of such Gīts have been written in commemoration of historical deeds. Many of them are contemporary in relation to the historical incident and as such are known as "Sākh rī Kavitā" or the poetry of testimony.[14]
Rules for composition[edit | edit source]
There are prosodical rules for the composition of a Gīt. They are:-
- Jathā: a special system of poetic composition; there are 18 types of Jathā
- Vaiṇsagāī: alliteration; it is rigidly followed; there are many types of Vaiṇsagāī
- Ukti: a statement, the basis being the speaker, the listener and the object
Moreover, a composition has to avoid the dosas (flaws), which are peculiar to the Cāraṇ prosody and are of 11 types.
Additionally, there are 22 types of chappay, 12 types of nīsāṇī, and 23 types of dohā.
Dictionaries of Dingal[edit | edit source]
These are several historical dictionaries of the Dingal language:[15]
Hamir Nam-Mala by Hamir Dan Ratnu[edit | edit source]
Hamir Nam-Mala was written in 1774 by Hamir Dan Ratnu. Originally a resident Ghadoi village of Marwar, Hamir Dan lived in Bhuj city of Kutch for most of his life. He was a great scholar of his time and had authored several other texts including Lakhpat Pingal and Bhagvat Darpan. Hamir Nam-Mala is one of the most well known among the dictionaries of Dingal. It is also known as Harijas Nam-Mala owing to the significant presence of verses dedicated to Vishnu (i.e. Hari).
Dingala Kosa by Murari Dan Misran[edit | edit source]
Murari Dan Misran, son of Suryamall Misran and Kaviraja of Bundi State, compiled one of the dictionaries of Dingal vocabulary, called Dingala Kosa. It is the largest & most important among the dictionaries of Dingal language. He began to write from the month of Chaitra of the Vikram Samvat 1943 (1886 AD).[16]
Dingal Nam-Mala by Kushal Labh[edit | edit source]
Dingal Nam-Mala, or Udingal Nam-Mala, is the oldest available dictionary of Dingal language. It was authored by a court-poet of Jaisalmer, Kusha Labh Jain, in 1618. The then ruler of Jaisalmer, Har Raj is also a co-author of this work.
Nagraj Dingal Kosa by Nagraj Pingal[edit | edit source]
Nagraj Dingal Kosa by Nagraj Pingal was written in 1821. Its manuscript was found in the personal collection of Panramji Motisar of Judiya village in Marwar.
Avdhan-Mala by Udairam Barhath[edit | edit source]
Avdhan-Mala was written by Udairam Barhath. He was a contemporary of Maharaja Man Singh of Marwar. Born in Thabukda village of Marwar, he lived in Bhuj city in Kutch and was a great scholar of his time. Avdhan-Mala is found amongst his other work called Kavi-Kula-Bodh.
Anekarthi Kosa by Udairam Barhath[edit | edit source]
Anekarthi Kosa is another text by Udairam Barhath which is collection of synonyms of Dingal words. Its part of Kavi-Kula-Bodh. It also sometimes includes Sanskrit words as synonyms. The whole text is written using Dohas making it easier for memorization.
Ekakshari Nam-Mala by Udairam Barhath[edit | edit source]
Another dictionary of Dingal by Udairam Barhath, part of his larger work Kavi-Kula-Bodh. Udairam has included many Sanskrit as well as words from common language aside from Dingal words.
Ekakshari Nam-Mala by Virbhan Ratnu[edit | edit source]
Ekakshari Nam-Mala is authored by Virbhan Ratnu, a resident of Marwar from the village of Ghadoi. Virbhan was a contemporary of Abhai Singh of Marwar. The text was written in 16th century.
Nam-Mala[edit | edit source]
Another dictionary of Dingal language, though its author and dating is not known. Its thought to be written in early 18th century.
Modern Dictionaries[edit | edit source]
Some modern dictionaries of the Dingal language were created by:-[17]
- Sir Sukhdeo Prasad Kak: Prime Minister of Jodhpur and a scholar authored a Dingal Kosa consisting of more than 60,000 words.
- Padma Shri Sitaram Lalas: Renowned linguist and grammarian of Rajasthani authored Rajasthani Sabad Kosa, largest of all Rajasthani dictionaries with more than 2 lakh words.
Dingal poetry[edit | edit source]
Dingal Poetry[18][19] incorporates heroic writing on the heroes of Rajasthan, such as Prithviraj Chauhan and Prince Khoman of Mewar. It is an admixture of inter-regional languages. In Rajasthan such languages formed Pingal language (see below).
Thakur Nathu Singh Mahiyariya[edit | edit source]
He was born in a Charan family in princely state of Mewar. He wrote many books such as Veer Satsai, Hari Rani Shatak etc.
Babu Ramnarayan Dugar[edit | edit source]
Born in 1857 A.D. in an Oswal family, Babu Ramnarayan Dugar[20] was a prominent authority on Pingal language and was a close associate of Kaviraj Shyamaldasji, the author or Vir Vinod, the official history of rulers of Mewar. In later days he was associated with M.M. Ojha. His most prominent work is Hindi translation of Nainsi ri Khyat from Dingal language to Hindi.
Ingal[edit | edit source]
Ingal[19] is an ancient Indian language, a form of Prakrit popular in Sindh and nearby areas.
Pingal[edit | edit source]
Pingal[21] is an ancient and now extinct Indian language, it was a form of Prakrit popular in Rajasthan and nearby areas. In contrast to Dingal, which was primarily a language of warlike tone, Pingal was a "language of love" and softspoken.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Ernst Kausen, 2006. Die Klassifikation der indogermanischen Sprachen (Microsoft Word, 133 KB)
- ↑ Ault, Dr Cecil Thomas Jr. (9 February 2017). Folk Theatre of Rajasthan: Introducing Three Marwari Khyal Plays Translated into English. Partridge Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4828-8816-4.
- ↑ Paniker, K. Ayyappa (1 January 2000). Medieval Indian Literature - An Anthology - Vol. 3. Sahitya Akademi.
- ↑ Jain, Dhanesh; Cardona, George (2003). The Indo-Aryan Languages. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-7007-1130-7.
- ↑ Mayaram, Shail (2004). Against History, Against State: Counterperspectives from the Margins. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 978-81-7824-096-1.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kamphorst, Janet (2008). In Praise of Death: History and Poetry in Medieval Marwar (South Asia). Leiden University Press. ISBN 978-90-8728-044-4.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Rawat Saraswat (1960). Dingal Geet.
- ↑ Kothiyal, Tanuja (14 March 2016). Nomadic Narratives: A History of Mobility and Identity in the Great Indian Desert. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-316-67389-8.
- ↑ Journal & Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Asiatic Society. 1916.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Tessitori, Luigi Pio (19 February 2018). Bardic and Historical Survey of Rajputana: A Descriptive Catalogue of Bardic and Historical Manuscripts. Creative Media Partners, LLC. ISBN 978-1-378-04859-7.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Maheshwari, Hiralal (1980). History of Rajasthani Literature. Sahitya Akademi.
- ↑ Bhati, Dr Narayansingh (1961). Dingal Geet Sahitya.
- ↑ Sharma, Padmaja (1972). Maharaja Man Singh of Jodhpur and His Times (1803-1843 A.D.). Shiva Lal Agarwala.
- ↑ Ziegler, Norman P. (1976). "The Seventeenth Century Chronicles of Mārvāṛa: A Study in the Evolution and Use of Oral Traditions in Western India". History in Africa. 3: 127–153. doi:10.2307/3171564. ISSN 0361-5413. JSTOR 3171564. S2CID 156943079.
- ↑ Bhati, Dr Narayansingh (1978). Dingal Kosh.
- ↑ Shastri, Hara Prasad (1913). Preliminary Report on the Operation in Search of Mss. of Bardic Chronicles. Asiatic Society of Bengal.
- ↑ Lāḷasa, Sītārāṃma (1997). Rājasthānī vyākaraṇa (in हिन्दी). Rājasthānī Śodha Saṃsthāna, Caupāsanī, Jodhapura.
- ↑ Indian archives, Volume 25, page 49, 52
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 K. Ayyappapanicker, Medieval Indian literature: an anthology, Volume 3, page 141
- ↑ R.K. Gupta, S.R. Bakshi, Studies In Indian History: Rajasthan Through The Ages The Heritage ..., page 145
- ↑ K. Ayyappapanicker, Medieval Indian literature: an anthology, Volume 3, page 143