Editing Maithili language (section)

==Origin and history==

The name Maithili is derived from the word [[Mithila (ancient)|Mithila]], an ancient kingdom of which King [[Janaka]] was the ruler (see [[Ramayana]]). Maithili is also one of the names of [[Sita]], the wife of King [[Rama]] and daughter of King [[Janaka]]. Scholars in Mithila used [[Sanskrit]] for their literary work and Maithili was the language of the common folk ([[Abahattha]]).{{cn|date=May 2025}}

The beginning of Maithili language and literature can be traced back to the '[[Charyapada]]s', a form of Buddhist mystical verses, composed during the period of 700-1300 AD. These padas were written in [[Twilight language|Sandhya bhasa]] by several Siddhas who belonged to [[Vajrayana Buddhism]] and were scattered throughout the territory of [[Assam]], [[Bengal]], [[Bihar]] and [[Odisha]]. Several of the Siddhas were from the Mithila region such as Kanhapa, Sarhapa etc. Prominent scholars like [[Rahul Sankrityayan|Rahul Sankrityanan]], Subhadra Jha and [[Jayakant Mishra]] provided evidence and proved that the language of  [[Charyapada]] is ancient Maithili or proto Maithili.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mishra |first=J. |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.135722 |title=A History Of Maithili Literature |date=1949 |volume=1}}</ref>
Apart from Charyapadas, there has been a rich tradition of folk culture, folk songs and which were popular among the common folks of the Mithila region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Madhubani Paintings: People's Living Cultural Heritage |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1527/madhubani-paintings-peoples-living-cultural-herita/ |access-date=19 November 2020 |website=[[World History Encyclopedia]]}}</ref>

After the fall of the [[Pala Empire]], disappearance of [[Buddhism]], establishment of the [[Karnat dynasty]] and patronage of Maithili under Harisimhadeva (1226–1324) of Karnāta dynasty dates back to the 14th century (around 1327 AD). [[Jyotirishwar Thakur]] (1280–1340) wrote a unique work ''[[Varna Ratnakara]]'' in Maithili prose.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chatterji, S. K. |title=Varna Ratnakara Of Jyotirisvara Kavisekharacarya |date=1940 |publisher= |place= |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283961}}</ref> The ''Varna Ratnākara'' is the earliest known prose text, written by [[Jyotirishwar Thakur]] in [[Mithilakshar]] script,<ref name="Yadav1979"/> and is the first prose work not only in Maithili but in any modern Indian language.<ref name="Maithili literature">{{Cite book |title=Reading Asia : new research in Asian studies |date=2001 |publisher=Curzon |isbn=0700713719 |location=Richmond, Surrey |oclc=48560711}}</ref>

In 1324, Ghyasuddin Tughluq, the emperor of [[Delhi]] invaded Mithila, defeated [[Harisimhadeva]], entrusted Mithila to his family priest and a great Military Scholar Kameshvar Jha, a [[Maithil]] [[Brahmin]] of the [[Oiniwar Dynasty]]. But the disturbed era did not produce any literature in Maithili until [[Vidyapati]] Thakur (1360 to 1450), who was an epoch-making poet under the patronage of [[Shiva Simha Singh]] and his queen [[Lakhimadevi]]. He produced over 1,000 immortal songs in Maithili on the theme of love of [[Radha]] and [[Krishna]] and the domestic life of [[Shiva]] and [[Parvati]] as well as on the subject of suffering of migrant labourers of [[Morang District|Morang]] and their families; besides, he wrote a number of treaties in [[Sanskrit]]. His [[Love song|love-songs]] spread far and wide in no time and enchanted [[saint]]s, [[poet]]s and [[youth]]. [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]] saw the divine light of love behind these songs, and soon these songs became themes of [[Vaishnavism]] in [[Bengal]]. [[Rabindranath Tagore]], out of curiosity, imitated these songs under the pseudonym [[Bhanusimha Thakurer Padabali]]. Vidyapati influenced the religious literature of [[Assam]], [[Bengal]], [[Utkala Kingdom]] and gave birth to a new [[Brajavali dialect]].<ref name="Majumdar1960">{{Cite book |title=The History and Culture of the Indian People |date=1960 |publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan |editor-last=Majumdar |editor-first=Ramesh Chandra |editor-link=R. C. Majumdar |volume=VI: The Delhi Sultanate |location=Bombay |page=515 |quote="During the sixteenth century, a form of an artificial literary language became established ... It was the ''Brajabulī'' dialect ... ''Brajabulī'' is practically the Maithilī speech as current in Mithilā, modified in its forms to look like Bengali." |editor-last2=Pusalker |editor-first2=A. D. |editor-last3=Majumdar |editor-first3=A. K.}}</ref><ref name="Banglapedia-Brajabuli">{{Cite book |last=Morshed |first=A. K. M. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]] |year=2012 |editor-last=Islam |editor-first=Sirajul |editor-link=Sirajul Islam |edition=Second |chapter=Brajabuli |editor-last2=Jamal |editor-first2=A. A. |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Brajabuli}}</ref>

The earliest reference to Maithili or Tirhutiya is in Amaduzzi's preface to Beligatti's ''Alphabetum Brammhanicum'', published in 1771.<ref name="Tourutiana">{{Cite book |last=Clementi Ded. St. Borgiae |first=XIV. Praef. J. Chr. Amadutii |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1Djfl_uZqLAC |title=Alphabetum Brammhanicum Seu Indostanum Universitatis Kasi |publisher=Palala Press |year=1771 |isbn=9781173019655 |pages=viii |language=la}}</ref> This contains a list of Indian languages among which is 'Tourutiana.' Colebrooke's essay on the Sanskrit and Prakrit languages, written in 1801, was the first to describe Maithili as a distinct dialect.<ref name="Colebrooke's">{{Cite book |last=Colebrooke |first=T. H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DToCAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA1 |title=Miscellaneous essays. With life of the author by his son Sir T.E. Colebrooke, Volume 3 |year=1873 |isbn=9781145371071 |pages=26}}</ref>

Many devotional songs were written by Vaisnava saints, including in the mid-17th century, Vidyapati and Govindadas. Mapati Upadhyaya wrote a drama titled ''Pārijātaharaṇa'' in Maithili. Professional troupes, mostly from [[dalit]] classes known as [[Kirtan]]ias, the singers of [[bhajan]] or devotional songs, started to perform this drama in public gatherings and the courts of the nobles.
Lochana (c. 1575 – c. 1660) wrote ''Rāgatarangni'', a significant treatise on the science of music, describing the rāgas, tālas, and lyrics prevalent in Mithila.<ref>{{cite book |last=Mishra |first=Amar Kant |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZHp7DwAAQBAJ |title=Ruling Dynasty Of Mithila: Dr.Sir Kameswar Singh |date=23 November 2018 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=978-1-64429-762-9 |language=en}}</ref>

During the [[Malla (Nepal)|Malla dynasty]]'s rule Maithili spread far and wide throughout [[Nepal]] from the 16th to the 17th century.<ref>{{cite book |author=Ayyappappanikkar, K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9sljAAAAMAAJ |title=Medieval Indian literature: an anthology |volume=3 |publisher=Sahitya Akademi |date=1999 |isbn=9788126007882 |pages=69 |access-date=19 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219172743/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9sljAAAAMAAJ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-ra3n8JrSAhVDC8AKHa4dDGsQ6AEIHzAB |archive-date=19 February 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Gellner |first1=D. |title=Nationalism and Ethnicity in a Hindu Kingdom: The Politics and Culture of  |last2=Pfaff-Czarnecka |first2=J. |last3=Whelpton |first3=J. |date=2012 |isbn=9781136649561 |pages=243 |publisher=Routledge |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n4FQMEiZcrIC&pg=PA243 |access-date=19 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219173751/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n4FQMEiZcrIC&pg=PA243&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwih_rGx8ZrSAhVsIcAKHYYsC3wQ6AEIKzAD#v=onepage&q=malla%20dynasty%20maithili&f=false |archive-date=19 February 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> During this period, at least seventy Maithili dramas were produced. In the drama ''Harishchandranrityam'' by Siddhinarayanadeva (1620–57), some characters speak pure colloquial Maithili, while others speak [[Bengali language]], Sanskrit or [[Prakrit]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Rahmat, J. |title=Comparative literature : a case of Shaw and Bharatendu |date=2004 |publisher=Sarup & Sons |isbn=81-7625-487-8 |edition=1st |location=New Delhi |pages=121 |oclc=58526278}}</ref> One notable Malla King who patronised Maithili was [[Bhupatindra Malla]] who composed 26 plays in the Maithili language during his lifetime.<ref name=Yadav2011>{{cite journal |last1=Yadav |first1=R. |title=Medieval Maithili stagecraft in the Nepalamandala: the Bhaktapur school |journal=Contributions to Nepalese Studies |volume=38 |issue=2 |date=2011 |url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA303641405&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=03767574&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7E34d7228b&aty=open-web-entry}}</ref>

After the demise of Maheshwar Singh, the ruler of [[Raj Darbhanga|Darbhanga Raj]], in 1860, the Raj was taken over by the [[British Raj]] as regent. The Darbhanga Raj returned to his successor, Maharaj [[Lakshmeshwar Singh|Lakshmishvar Singh]], in 1898. The Zamindari Raj had a lackadaisical approach toward Maithili. The use of Maithili language was revived through personal efforts of MM Parameshvar Mishra, Chanda Jha, Munshi Raghunandan Das and others.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jha |first=P. K. |date=1996 |title=Language and Nation : The Case of Maithili and Mithila in the First Half of Twentieth Century |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44133363 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=57 |pages=581–590 |jstor=44133363}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Tripathi |first=S. |date=2010 |title=Moments for masses |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/Moments-for-masses/article15780022.ece |access-date=19 November 2020}}</ref>

Publication of ''Maithil Hita Sadhana'' (1905), ''Mithila Moda'' (1906), and ''Mithila Mihir'' (1908) further encouraged writers. The first social organisation, Maithil Mahasabha,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Vijay Deo Jha |first=Mithila Research Society |url=http://archive.org/details/MaithilMahasabhaKaSankshiptItihasBriefHistoryOfMaithiliMahasabhaPanditChandranathMishraAmar |title=Maithil Mahasabha Ka Sankshipt Itihas ( Brief History Of Maithili Mahasabha) Pandit Chandranath Mishra Amar |date=9 March 2019}}</ref> was established in 1910 for the development of Mithila and Maithili. It blocked its membership for people outside of the [[Maithil Brahmin]] and [[Karan Kayastha|Karna Kayastha]] castes. Maithil Mahasabha campaigned for the official recognition of Maithili as a regional language. [[Calcutta University]] recognised Maithili in 1917, and other universities followed suit.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mishra |first=Jayakanta |date=1977 |title=Social Ideals and Patriotism in Maithili Literature (1900-1930) |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24157493 |journal=Indian Literature |volume=20 |issue=3 |pages=96–101 |issn=0019-5804 |jstor=24157493}}</ref>

Babu Bhola Lal Das wrote ''Maithili Grammar'' (''Maithili Vyakaran''). He edited a book ''Gadya Kusumanjali'' and edited a journal ''Maithili''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chatterjee |first=Ramananda |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sQXSAAAAMAAJ |title=The Modern Review |date=1964 |publisher=Prabasi Press Private, Limited |page=215 |language=en}}</ref>
In 1965, Maithili was officially accepted by [[Sahitya Academy]], an organisation dedicated to the promotion of [[Indian literature]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jha |first=Ramanath |date=1969 |title=The Problem of Maithili |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24157120 |journal=Indian Literature |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=5–10 |issn=0019-5804 |jstor=24157120}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Parliament of India |url=https://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lsdeb/ls10/ses3/3108059204.htm |access-date=21 September 2021 |website=parliamentofindia.nic.in}}</ref>

In 2002, Maithili was recognised on the [[Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India|VIII schedule of the Indian Constitution]] as a major Indian language; Maithili is now one of the twenty-two [[Languages of India#Scheduled languages|Scheduled languages of India]].<ref name="Singh2011">Singh, P. & Singh, A. N. (2011). Finding Mithila between India's Centre and Periphery. ''Journal of Indian Law & Society'' 2: 147–181.</ref>

The publishing of Maithili books in [[Tirhuta script|Mithilakshar]] script was started by [[Acharya Ramlochan Saran]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Horst |first=Kristen Nehemiah |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=loWepwAACAAJ |title=Acharya Ramlochan Saran |date=12 October 2011 |publisher=Dign Press |isbn=978-613-7-39524-0 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1227092541939433472 |user=biharfoundation |title=Acharya Ramlochan Saran, born on 11 February 1889, in #Muzaffarpur district of Bihar, was a Hindi littérateur, grammarian and publisher.}}</ref>