Kaviraj

This article is about the title of honor. For the lyricist in Kannada cinema, see Kaviraj (lyricist).

Not to be confused with Kabiraj.

Kaviraj (or Rajkavi, Kaviraja) is a title of honor, which was given to poets and litterateurs attached to royal courts in medieval India.^[1][2]

The title “Kaviraja” has an ancient and well-documented history in India. Its earliest known use can be traced to Emperor Samudragupta, the second ruler of the Gupta Empire (c. 335–375 CE), who is recorded to have borne this title. As noted in historical references, including the Samudragupta article on Wikipedia, the emperor’s use of Kaviraja demonstrates that the title was already in circulation among various clans including Brahmin poets and scholars in early classical times.

Although some Charans later asserted an exclusive claim to the title Kaviraj, the historical record does not support this exclusivity. The evidences clearly indicate that the use of Kaviraj by Brahmin poets predates its adoption by the Charan community, making the claim of exclusive association historically unfounded.

The Bhatts(Brahmin Bhats) and the Charan were were inducted into the royal courts due to their literary merit as royal poets and historians were given the rank of Kaviraja (King of Poets). Such courtiers assumed positions of great influence in the medieval polity.^[3][4][5]

Among Brahma-Bhatts Birbal was given the title of Kaviraja by Emperor Akbar. Lachhiram a Brahmbhatt Brahman was honored with a title of Kaviraj by the king of Ayodhya Raja Mansinh "Dwijdev". ^{[6] [7]}

Kaviraja Shyamaldas, Kaviraja Bankidas, of Charan clan were awarded the title of Kaviraj.^[8] The descendants of such persons also started using the surname Kaviraj.

Example of modern usage of the surname Kaviraj is by Jignesh Kaviraj^[9](not from Charan or Brahmabhatt Brahmin lineage but a Geneologist clan), is a playback singer and a popular professional singer born in a Gujarati family.

The title Kavishwar, meaning “God among poets,” was historically used to honor eminent literary figures. Kavi Narharidas Mahapatra (1532–1623), the teacher of Tulsidas, is one such figure associated with this title. This title should not be confused with Narhari Barhath, a Charan poet who also worked in Mughal Darbar.

For other uses, see [Narhari (disambiguation)].

Notable people

• Samudragupta
• Birbal
• Kaviraja Pandithar
• Kaviraja Muraridan
• Kaviraja Bankidas Ashiya
• Krishnadasa Kaviraja
• Kaviraj Shyamaldas
• Kaviraja Muraridan

See also

• Barhath
• Gadhavi
• Rashtrakavi (disambiguation)
• Yug Charan
• Poet Laurette

• Kabiraj