An analytical study of ‘’Rani Keteki’s Story‘’in the cotext of Childern’s Literature

Abstract

The origin and development of children's literature in Urdu began with poetry. During the Deccani period and the early phase of North Indian Urdu literature, works written for children were primarily in verse. Until the end of the eighteenth century, there was no significant prose work that could properly be classified as children's literature. In 1793, the renowned Lucknow-based poet and writer, Insha Allah Khan Insha, wrote "Rani Ketki Ki Kahani," the first prose work specifically intended for children. This story is regarded not only as the earliest prose contribution to Urdu children's literature but also as a starting point for fictional prose in both Urdu and Hindi. For this reason, it is often considered the foundation stone of children's literature in these languages. The most distinctive feature of Rani Ketki Ki Kahani is its language. Insha deliberately avoided the use of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish vocabulary and instead employed a purely indigenous Indian linguistic style, rich in local expressions and idioms. As a result, the work became a unique linguistic experiment and an important milestone in the evolution of Urdu prose. Its simple, fluent, and engaging language makes it appealing to young readers, while its literary significance secures its place among the earliest and most remarkable examples of Urdu prose writing.