(I)
GROWTH OF
INDIAN VERNACULAR LITERATURE
A significant
feature of the renaissance was the rapid growth of India’s vernacular
literatures. At first there was the flowering of certain versatile genius and
it was followed by the phenomenal growth of the vernacular, literatures Bengal
took the lead in this sphere. They formed a kind of seed-bed for the future
creative genius, accomplished persons of the critical ability and appreciative
temper. All these writers were a prelude to the rise of Rabindranath Tagore who
has contributed to all aspects of culture and literature, prose, poetry, drama,
novel, essay, short story, music, painting, dancing etc. They introduced new
styles, new technique and secularized the themes bin the realm of prose.
As regards the
different Indian Vernacular literatures it is a matter of great pride that the
works of centuries have been crowd into a few decades in the evolution of
modern literatures of India. Before the Renaissance all the Vernacular
literatures dealt with religious subjects. Mythological or heroic narratives
figures very much. Expression was through poems and songs. The Renaissance
provided a strong stimulus to the imaginative and nationalist writings to
various languages. All branches of literature were developed considerably. As a
result of the Renaissance Indian languages have become both Simpler and harder
at the same time for the expression of modern thought both simpler and harder
at the same time for expression of modern thought.
Various aspects
of vernacular literature were changed and improved considerably. The Indian
drama has been completely transformed since the middle of the nineteenth century.
It is from the west that they have taken the art of criticism in the realm of
literature. It the Indian press has considerably popularized the vernacular
literatures, the study of the Western literature has secularized them.
