How did Bengali Gujarati Marathi and other Indo-Aryan languages develop literary traditions?

Regional Indo-Aryan languages, including Bengali, Gujarati, and Marathi, emerged as distinct literary mediums between the 10th and 13th centuries CE. Their development was shaped by three primary influences: a foundational debt to Sanskrit for lexicon, imagery, and mythological themes; a connection to their immediate Apabhramsha past; and unique regional characteristics.12

Literary traditions were significantly propelled by the bhakti (devotional) movement, which encouraged the use of vernacular languages for religious expression. For example, the 13th-century Jnaneshvari helped establish Marathi literature, while Gujarati literature flourished through the works of Jaina scholars and later bhakti poets like Mira Bai. Bengali literature, which features early Buddhist lyrics, saw a resurgence in the 14th century, eventually producing significant philosophical and biographical works in the regional tongue.12345

Early literature was primarily verse-based, focusing on religion, love, and narrative tales from epics and Puranas. By the 19th century, these traditions began incorporating Western prose models, leading to the synthesis of new and traditional forms.12