Text and Tradition in Early Modern North India

Abstract

Early modern India—a period extending from the fifteenth to the late eighteenth century—saw dramatic cultural, religious, and political changes as it went from Sultanate, to Mughal, to early colonial rule. Witness to the rise of multiple literary and devotional traditions, this period was characterized by pulsating political energy and cultural vibrancy. Text and Tradition in Early Modern North India brings together recent scholarship on the languages, literatures, and religious traditions of northern India to highlight the importance of reconstructing multilingual literary histories. Focusing on the rise of vernacular languages, the volume underscores the manifold connections across regions, languages, communities, and traditions to reveal the diversity of literary and religious practices in this multilingual world. Analysing the emergence and development of literary cultures of north India, Text and Tradition also highlights processes of exchange and influence across these cultures. Spanning across various disciplines, the chapters here shed new light upon not only existing literary and religious traditions, but also those that may have disappeared but which should not be forgotten.