The Hanuman Chalisa is one of the most widely recited devotional hymns in Hinduism, dedicated to Lord Hanuman. This sacred text is a stotra, or praise poem, known for its forty main verses, which detail the deity’s strength, wisdom, and selfless devotion to Lord Rama. The hymn’s widespread importance stems from its concise structure and accessible language, allowing millions of devotees across the globe to connect personally with the divine energy. The name chālīsā means “forty,” reflecting the count of the main verses it contains.
The Language of the Original Text
The language in which the Hanuman Chalisa was originally composed is definitively Awadhi, a distinct vernacular prevalent in northern India during the 16th century. Awadhi belongs to the Indo-Aryan language family, categorized within the East-Central zone of the Indo-Aryan dialect continuum. While often grouped under the umbrella of Hindi, it is more precisely known as Eastern Hindi and maintains a separate identity from the standard form of Hindi that developed much later.
Linguists believe Awadhi evolved from Ardhamagadhi Prakrit, contrasting sharply with classical Sanskrit, the language of older Hindu scriptures and scholarly discourse. Tulsidas’s choice to utilize this local tongue over the ancient liturgical language represents a significant linguistic shift. Awadhi was the common person’s language, or Lok Bhasha, making the devotional content immediately understandable to the masses.
Tulsidas and the Historical Setting
The text was authored by the renowned poet-saint Goswami Tulsidas, who lived in the Awadh region of what is now Uttar Pradesh (c. 1511–1623 CE). Tulsidas was a prominent figure in the Bhakti movement, a socio-religious phenomenon that emphasized personal, direct devotion rather than ritualistic practice. His decision to write in Awadhi was a deliberate part of this philosophy, seeking to bypass the language barrier imposed by Sanskrit.
During the 16th century, Sanskrit knowledge was often restricted to the Brahminical and scholarly classes, making many religious texts inaccessible to the majority. Tulsidas sought to share the stories of Lord Rama and his ultimate devotee, Hanuman, with everyone regardless of their education or social standing. This historical context reveals that the Chalisa was intended as a vehicle for popular devotion, directly influencing the choice of language.
The Cultural Significance of Vernacular Devotion
Tulsidas’s choice of Awadhi over Sanskrit had a profound cultural impact, effectively democratizing the act of devotion for millions. By composing the hymn in a vernacular widely spoken and understood in the Gangetic region, he eliminated the need for intermediaries to translate or interpret the sacred text. This accessibility empowered individuals who did not possess the formal education required to understand Sanskrit’s highly structured grammar.
The immediate understanding provided by the local language allowed the hymn to transcend social strata, making it a source of comfort and spiritual practice for non-scholarly individuals and families. The hymn’s enduring popularity across India and the global diaspora is a direct result of its original composition in the people’s language, ensuring its message of faith remains universally relatable.