History of Literature , History of Garhwali Literature

History of Garhwali Prose Literature Till 1975----Part-2
(Review of Gad Myateki Ganga: a book edited by Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna )
Bhishma Kukreti


Primitive Garhwali Prose

Learned Bahuguna states that it is difficult to take the readers to the vary root of Garhwali language . Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna refers the research of Dr. Govind Chatak that Shaurseni Rajasthani is the mother of present Garhwali language.
Bahuguna states that whatever resources are available, he can divide the history of primitive Garhwali prose into three aspects:
1- Garhwali in Stone carvings
2- The state orders of administrators/kings in the Garhwal Kingdom
3- Old letters
4-Oral prose
Bahuguna surprised the readers that we find prose in Garhwali language than poetries as happens in other languages.
Garhwali in Stone Carvings and Donation Declaration on Copperplates
Bahuguna provides the details of following stone carvings and state orders :
1- Stone Carving of Devalgarh at the at the time of Ajaipal (1460)—ajipal ko dharm patho bhadaro karyo, kun
2-Kshetrapal Mandir Devprayag (1608) : Though most of the script is in Sanskrit but many conjunctions and divisions words are of Garhwali .(Source: Manuscript of captain Shurveer Singh Panwar : Uttarakhand Bharati 1:3
3- Lakhsmi Narayan Mandir , Bhaktiyana , Shrinagar (1612): this is about Mahraj Prithipati Shah (Source: Ibid)
4- Keshav Rai Math, Shrinagar (1625)
5- Lakhsmi Narayn Mandir , Maldyul, Tihri Garhwal (1875) (Source, Bhatt, Hari Datt , Vasudhara, Chandigarh, 1965)
6- Donation declaration (danpatra) of Maharaj Jagatpal in Devprayag of 1355 AD (Bhatt:Ibid)
7- A Letter of Prithipati Shah on copperplate in Devprayag Mandir (1664)
8- The state order or donation letter on copperplate from King Fateh Shah to peer Balaknath found in Gorakhnath cave, Shrinagar (1667Ad) (source; captain Shurveer Singh)
9- Sate order of King Lalt Shah of Garhwal (1781)
Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna logically stresses that Garhwali was state language of Garhwal kingdom before British took over Garhwal from Gorkhas.
Spiritual and Philosophical literature
Bahuguna provides the old handwritten Garhwali prose manuscripts (booklets) of spiritual and philosophical literature found in various places collected by various researchers (Bahuguna‘s collection):
1-A manuscript of 1401 (only last two and half page)
2-Ukhel (1792)
3-Samaina (around 1780)
4- Ap Rakchha
5-Mahvidya
6-Saidwali
7- Sunejar ki Vidai
8-Bag Chalvano
9- dhukano
10- Ukhel
11- Shrinath Ji ki Suklais etc
Letters in Garhwali

After providing the glimpse of Garhwali prose in spiritual and philosophical subjects, Bahuguna provides the lettering language in letters :
1- A letter of Vasbanand Bahuguna wrote some parts of Mahbharat with the order from Mahraja Ran jeet Singh (1839) (Lahor Library)
2-A letter of shish Ram Bahuguna (1880): this letter is an example of the effects of Urdu on Vedic Garhwali

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