Braj-Bhasha Poetry and Poets’ Networks in Late Mughal North India

This article aims to explore the materiality and functionality of Braj poetry and the networks that sustained it. Usually, the Mughal empire is associated with the growth of Persian and Arabic literature but in fact, during that period, a large corpus of vernacular literature came into existence that has not received adequate scholarly engagement. In the early modern period, poets had multiple affiliations and received meticulous training in kavyashastra. Therefore, it is necessary to locate their affiliations and geographical associations for a holistic contextualisation. In that context, an attempt has been made to contextualise Raslin’s poetry, and his association with the community of poets. While doing so, it will try to understand the geographical location (Bilgram) of Raslin, the literary engagements which privileged him and established him as a known poet of his time.