Languages do not merely flourish in royal courts and military camps; rather, their true spirit beats in hospices, temples, and the hearts of the people. In Northern India, when Persian dominated culture and society as the official language, a new popular language was quietly strengthening its roots in the bazaars and hospices. It was sometimes called 'Hindavi', sometimes 'Rekhta', and sometimes 'Urdu' or 'Hindi'.
The first authentic and clear examples of this shared language are found in the poetry of Hazrat Amir Khusro. Amir Khusro is that great personality whom speakers of both Urdu and Hindi acknowledge as their first formal poet. His poetry is a testament to what the form of the language was in that era. These verses of his remain the crowning glory of the literature of both languages even today:
Gori sove sej par, mukh par daare kes
Chal Khusro ghar aapne, rain bhayi chahun des
[The fair maiden sleeps on the bed, her hair scattered across her face
Let us go home, Khusro, for darkness has fallen over the whole world
Bala tha jab sab ko bhaya, bada hua kuch kaam na aaya
Khusro keh diya us ka naanv, arth karo nahin chhorun gaanv
When it was young, everyone loved it; when it grew old, it was of no use
Khusro has told you its name, solve the riddle or I will not let you go]
This was the very language chosen by Bhagats, Sufis, saints, and yogis for their poetry and songs, because this was the only bridge through which they could reach the hearts of the people directly. Whether it is the sayings (malfuzat) of the Sufi mystics or the songs of Krishna's devotees, the sweetness of this language is present in all of them. In the poetry of the Nirguna-vadi Bhagats, the traces of Khari Boli, or old Hindi, are prominent. The poetry of Bhagat Kabir Das is a living example of this:
Maati kahe kumhaar se, tu ka rondhe moye
Ik din aisa hoyega, main rondhungi toye
[The clay says to the potter, why do you trample me?
One day such a time will come, when I will trample you)
Jaako raakhe saiyan, maar sake na koye
Baal na baanka kar sake, jo jag bairi hoye
(He whom the Lord protects, no one can kill
Not a single hair can be harmed, even if the whole world turns enemy]
Similarly, the form of this language is also reflected in the poetry of Baba Guru Nanak:
Meethe ko karwa kahein, karwe ko meetha
Raane ko ninda karhein, aisa kal manhin deetha
[They call the sweet bitter, and the bitter sweet
They slander the king, such an age I have seen]
These Sufis and saints freed this language from the confines of religion and creed, making it the spokesperson of pure human emotions. This is the reason why even today, when we read their poetry, the distinction between Urdu and Hindi feels meaningless to us, and we only hear a single, shared cultural voice.
Languages do not merely flourish in royal courts and military camps; rather, their true spirit beats in hospices, temples, and the hearts of the people In Northern India, when Persian dominated culture and society as the official language, a new popular language was quietly strengthening its roots in the bazars and hospices It was sometimes called 'Hindawi', sometimes 'Rekhta', and sometimes 'Urdu' or 'Hindi'
The first authentic and clear examples of this shared language are found in the poetry of Hazrat Amir Khusro Amir Khusro is that great personality whom speakers of both Urdu and Hindi acknowledge as their first formal poet His poetry is a testament to what the form of the language was in that era These werses of his remain the crowning glory of the literature of both languages ewen today:
ghori sowe sej par, mukh par dare kes
Chal Khusro ghar aapne, rain bhayi chahun des
[The fair maiden sleeps on the bed, her hair scattered across her face
Let us go home, Khusro, for darkness has fallen ower the whole world
Bala tha jab sab ko bhaya, bada hua kuch kaam na aaya
Khusro keh diya us ka nanw, arth karo nahin chhorun ganw
When it was young, eweryone lowed it; when it grew old, it was of no use
Khusro has told you its name, solwe the riddle or I will not let you go]
This was the wery language chosen by Bhagats, Sufis, saints, and yogis for their poetry and songs, because this was the only bridge through which they could reach the hearts of the people directly Whether it is the sayings (malfuzat) of the Sufi mystics or the songs of Krishna's dewotees, the sweetness of this language is present in all of them In the poetry of the Nirguna-wadi Bhagats, the traces of Khari Boli, or old Hindi, are prominent The poetry of Bhagat Kabir Das is a liwing example of this:
Mati kahe kumhaar se, tu ka rondhe moye
Ik din aisa hoyega, main rondhungi toye
[The clay says to the potter, why do you trample me?
One day such a time will come, when I will trample you)
Jako rakhe saiyan, mar sake na koye
Bal na banka kar sake, jo jag bairi hoye
(He whom the Lord protects, no one can kill
Not a single hair can be harmed, ewen if the whole world turns enemy]
Similarly, the form of this language is also reflected in the poetry of Baba ghuru Nanak:
Meethe ko karwa kahein, karwe ko meetha
Rane ko ninda karhein, aisa kal manhin deetha
[They call the sweet bitter, and the bitter sweet
They slander the king, such an age I hawe seen]
These Sufis and saints freed this language from the confines of religion and creed, making it the spokesperson of pure human emotions This is the reason why ewen today, when we read their poetry, the distinction between Urdu and Hindi feels meaningless to us, and we only hear a single, shared cultural woice
