Understanding the Language of Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas

The question asks about the language in which the renowned epic, the Ramcharitmanas, composed by Tulsidas, was written. Tulsidas was a great poet-saint who lived in the 16th century India.

The Ramcharitmanas is a retelling of the Sanskrit Ramayana by Valmiki, focusing on the life of Lord Rama. Tulsidas chose to write this version in a language that was widely understood by the common people of his time and region, rather than the classical Sanskrit.

Let's examine the options provided:

• Sanskrit: While Tulsidas was knowledgeable in Sanskrit and based his work on the Sanskrit Ramayana, the Ramcharitmanas itself was not written in Sanskrit. Sanskrit was primarily the language of scholars and religious texts at that time.
• Urdu: Urdu is a language that developed much later and is not the language of the Ramcharitmanas.
• Awadhi: Awadhi is an Eastern Hindi language spoken primarily in the Awadh region of present-day Uttar Pradesh. Tulsidas composed the Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi. This choice made the epic accessible to a much wider audience than if it had been written in Sanskrit.
• Assamese: Assamese is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the state of Assam in Northeast India. It is not the language of the Ramcharitmanas.

Therefore, the language of Tulsidas's composition, the Ramcharitmanas, is Awadhi.

Key Facts about Ramcharitmanas Language

• Author: Tulsidas
• Composition: Ramcharitmanas
• Original Source: Valmiki's Sanskrit Ramayana
• Language Used: Awadhi
• Reason for Language Choice: To make the epic accessible to the common people.

Revision Table: Ramcharitmanas Language

Additional Information on Awadhi Language and Tulsidas

Awadhi is a dialect of Hindi and was a prominent literary language in the region during Tulsidas's time. Tulsidas is considered one of the greatest poets of Hindi literature and his work has had a profound influence on the culture and literature of the Hindi-speaking world. By writing in Awadhi, Tulsidas connected with the masses and his Ramcharitmanas became incredibly popular, often sung and recited in homes and temples across North India.

His use of a vernacular language for a major religious text was revolutionary and helped popularize devotion (Bhakti) among ordinary people. He also composed other works, but the Ramcharitmanas remains his most famous and influential.