Category 9 · Art & Culture

Language & Literature

21 micro topics in Art & Culture for UPSC Prelims, in book order: Vedic Literature (Vedas, Vedangas, Upanishads, Puranas, Smritis); The Two Epics: Ramayana and Mahabharata; and 19 more.

9.1

Vedic Literature (Vedas, Vedangas, Upanishads, Puranas, Smritis)

Vedic literature (also Veda, Shruti or Samhita literature) is the oldest body of texts of India, written in Vedic Sanskrit, an Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family, composed orally from about 1500 BCE and divided into…
9.2

The Two Epics: Ramayana and Mahabharata

The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the two great epics of India, written in Sanskrit (Indo-Aryan, Indo-European family) and called Itihasa, with core versions composed between about 400 BCE and 400 CE. The Ramayana is attributed…
9.3

Classical Language Status (criteria and list)

Classical language status is a recognition by the Government of India for languages with a very old, independent literary tradition. Tamil was the first, in 2004, followed by Sanskrit (2005), Telugu and Kannada (2008), Malayalam (2013)…
9.4

Sanskrit Literature

Sanskrit literature is the body of writing in Sanskrit, an Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family, spanning Vedic hymns of about 1500 BCE to classical poetry, drama, grammar and story collections of the first millennium CE.…
9.5

Pali Literature

Pali literature is the body of Buddhist writing in Pali, a Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family, preserved by the Theravada school. Its core is the Tipitaka (Tripitaka), the Three Baskets: Vinaya Pitaka (monastic rules),…
9.6

Prakrit Literature

Prakrit literature is the writing in Prakrits, the Middle Indo-Aryan spoken languages of the Indo-European family that developed alongside and after Vedic Sanskrit, from about the 5th century BCE to about the 10th century CE. The…
9.7

Tamil Literature (Sangam Literature, Thirukkural)

Tamil literature is the writing in Tamil, a Dravidian language and the first language of India to get classical status, in 2004. Its oldest body is Sangam literature, composed between about 300 BCE and 300 CE,…
9.8

Telugu Literature

Telugu literature is the writing in Telugu, a Dravidian language of the South-Central group, recognised as a classical language in 2008. Its literary tradition begins with Nannaya's Andhra Mahabharatam in the 11th century under the Eastern…
9.9

Malayalam Literature

Malayalam literature is the writing in Malayalam, a Dravidian language of Kerala and Lakshadweep, recognised as a classical language in 2013. Its early works include the Ramacharitam and the Pattu songs, followed by the Manipravalam poems…
9.10

Kannada Literature

Kannada literature is the writing in Kannada, a Dravidian language of Karnataka, recognised as a classical language in 2008. The Halmidi inscription (about 450 CE) is its earliest known record, and the Kavirajamarga (about 850 CE),…
9.11

Odia Literature

Odia literature is the writing in Odia (Oriya, now officially Odia), an Eastern Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family, recognised as a classical language in 2014. It begins with Buddhist Charyapada traces and the Madala Panji…
9.12

Assamese Literature

Assamese literature is the writing in Assamese (Asomiya), an Eastern Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family, spoken mainly in Assam and recognised as a classical language on 3 October 2024. It grew from Charyapada-era songs through…
9.13

Bengali Literature

Bengali literature is the writing in Bengali (Bangla), an Eastern Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family, recognised as a classical language on 3 October 2024. Its earliest specimens are the Charyapada songs of Buddhist Siddhacharyas (8th…
9.14

Gujarati Literature

Gujarati literature is the writing in Gujarati, a Western Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family, spoken mainly in Gujarat. It grew from Apabhramsha and Old Gujarati works of Jain scholars such as Hemachandra in the 12th…
9.15

Rajasthani Literature

Rajasthani literature is the writing in Rajasthani, a group of Western Indo-Aryan dialects of the Indo-European family, including Marwari, Mewari, Dhundhari and Hadoti, spoken in Rajasthan and nearby areas. It has two literary styles, Dingal (Charan…
9.16

Punjabi Literature

Punjabi literature is the writing in Punjabi, a Western Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family, written in Gurmukhi in India and Shahmukhi in Pakistan. Its earliest poet is Baba Farid (Sheikh Farid, 12th and 13th century).…
9.17

Marathi Literature

Marathi literature is the writing in Marathi, a Southern Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family descended from Maharashtri Prakrit, recognised as a classical language on 3 October 2024. Its early landmarks are the Lilacharitra (about 1278,…
9.18

Hindi Literature

Hindi literature is the writing in Hindi, an Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family, standardised from Khari Boli and descended from Sauraseni Apabhramsha. It is divided into Adikal (Veergatha, Prithviraj Raso), Bhaktikal (Kabir, Jayasi, Tulsidas, Surdas),…
9.19

Persian Literature

Persian literature in India, also called Indo-Persian literature, is the writing in Persian (Farsi), a Western Iranian language of the Indo-European family, produced in India from the Ghaznavid and Delhi Sultanate periods to the 19th century.…
9.20

Urdu Literature

Urdu literature is the writing in Urdu, an Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family that grew from Khari Boli with a large Persian and Arabic vocabulary during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods, written in the…
9.21

Influence of Foreign Languages & Literature on Indian Languages

Foreign languages influenced Indian languages through contact by trade, conquest and religion. Persian and Arabic, spread by the Delhi Sultanate and Mughals, gave thousands of words in administration and law and helped create Urdu. Portuguese brought…

← All Art & Culture categories

Frequently asked questions

Which topics are in Language & Literature?

Language & Literature has 21 micro topics in Art & Culture: Vedic Literature (Vedas, Vedangas, Upanishads, Puranas, Smritis); The Two Epics: Ramayana and Mahabharata; Classical Language Status (criteria and list); Sanskrit Literature; Pali Literature; Prakrit Literature; Tamil Literature (Sangam Literature, Thirukkural); Telugu Literature; Malayalam Literature; Kannada Literature; Odia Literature; Assamese Literature; Bengali Literature; Gujarati Literature; Rajasthani Literature; Punjabi Literature; Marathi Literature; Hindi Literature; Persian Literature; Urdu Literature; Influence of Foreign Languages & Literature on Indian Languages.

Is Language & Literature important for UPSC Prelims?

Language & Literature is a part of the UPSC Prelims Art & Culture syllabus map on MaargX UPSC. Each of its 21 published topics has key terms, a Mains angle and practice questions.