Revisiting Hindavī Sufi Romances: Late Fourteenth to Early Sixteenth Centuries by Madhu Trivedi

Revisiting Hindavī Sufi Romances: Late Fourteenth to Early Sixteenth Centuries

AUTHOR- Madhu Trivedi

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INFORMATION

  • AUTHOR : Madhu Trivedi
  • HB ISBN : 978-93-5852-059-0
  • Year : 2024
  • Extent : 360
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Revisiting Hindavī Sufi Romances is an in-depth exploration of the various facets of north Indian society and culture displayed in four Hindavī Sufi premākhyān or romances—Chāndāyan, Mirgāvatī, Padmāvat, and Madhumālatī—written during the late fourteenth to mid-sixteenth centuries. These narratives are of immense value for the study of this period as they provide crucial information on gender relations, the literary milieu, visual and performing arts, sartorial styles, cuisines, as well as the economy. Besides providing a kaleidoscopic view of the period, these narratives also highlight the perspectives of synthesis of the period they were created in. The romances bring out the syncretic ethos of the north Indian composite culture of their period and reflect traits of assimilation with indigenous socio-religious customs.

Significantly, these narratives show the emergence of a common literary culture, demonstrating the synthesis of diverse elements of indigenous folk and literary traditions and oral epic renditions. These were appropriated into a literary genre of Islamic origin, which followed indigenous verse forms, employed Indian aesthetics and stylistic concepts, and was presented in a locally comprehensive dialect. The Hindavī Sufi romances are indeed a rich source for delineating the cultural history of their period.

The Author
Madhu Trivedi retired as Associate Professor, Department of History, School of Open Learning, University of Delhi. She has written extensively on medieval north Indian art and culture, especially on gender, literary culture, and performing arts. She has contributed essays to several reputed journals and edited volumes including the Encyclopaedia of Islam, vol. III. She is the author of The Making of the Awadh Culture and The Emergence of Hindustani Tradition: Music, Dance and Drama in North India, 13th to 19th Centuries.