Akhyan Kavya

Akhyan Kavya is another important type of the medieval Rajasthani poetry. The themes are taken from the epics or the Indian Puranas and the stories or episodes that are popular with the masses. An effort is made to render the story in a highly artistic poem, so as to attract the people. It is sung in popular musical modes and its appeal is mainly musical. Traditionally Akhyan has been connected with religious rites. This was an additional advantage for the propagation of Akhyan Kavyas. Popular entertainment is the objective, but indirectly, lofty religious and cultural traditions, ideals, ideas, and values are imparted. Akhyans are generally sung and are recited in `Jagaran`. Many of them may be easily staged in open-air theatres.

Akhyans are mostly short, such as Ramayana by Mehoji, Rukmani Mangal by Padam Bhagat but longer Akhyans such as, Katha Ahmani by Delhji had also been written. Katha Ahmani by Delhji, an Akhyan Kavya of 717 verses was meant to be sung in musical modes like dhanasi, maru, sorath, gawadi, dhawal and asadhahdi, is the only major narrative poem dealing with the story of Abhimanyu, a hero of the Mahabharata. Many popular beliefs, accreditations and bold impressions of focal colour have shaped the legend of the poem.

Krisanji ro Vyanwalo composed by Padam Bhagat was a popular and held in such veneration by the people in the Northern and the Western regions of Rajasthan that it may be called their Bhagwat. It is an Akhyan Kavya of about 265 verses, meant to be sung in popular musical modes like maru, ramgiri, sorath, kedaro, sindhu, hanso, dhanasri, velauli and devsakh etc.

Ramayana by Mehoji, composed about 1518, in 261 verses deals with the salient points of the life-story of Lord Rama and is the earliest Akhyan Kavya in the tradition of Ram-poetry. It was meant to be sung in popular musical modes like dhanasi, ramgiri, hansa, malhar and jaitsri.

The Akhyan Kavyas are known for their poetic excellence, language and style. Most of the story is in dialogues. It depicts many popular beliefs and customs. In almost all the characters of the Akhyan Kavyas human sentiments are predominant.

Out of many narrative poems and stray verses, Kesodas Godara`s four Akhyan kavyas deserve special notice. They are Katha Bhinv-Dusasani, Katha Surgarohatu, Kathda Bahsowani, and Prahlad Cirat.

They are meant to be sung in musical modes like maru, dhanasri, kedaro, sorath, hanso, malhar, gawadi, sindhu, and are mostly in doha and caupal metres.

Hence it can be concluded saying that though Akhyan Kavyas are used for the purpose of entertainment yet the actual aim is to propagate religious ideas to the common man.