LITERATURE

Literature too was encouraged by these kingdoms. Jaunpur came to be known as the 'Shiraz of the East'. Malik Muhammad Jaisi, author of Padmavat, lived here. Mahmud Shah of Gujarat had Udayaraja as his court poet. The Bengal Sultans patronised Maladhar Basu ('Gunaraja Khan') who compiled Sri Krishna Vijaya. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah of Golconda wrote in Dakhini Urdu, Persian and Telugu.
The Vijayanagar kings were also patrons of Sanskrit and Telugu literature. Sayana, the famous commentator of the Vedas, and his learned brother Madhavacharya, were ministers of Bukka and his three immediate successors. Krishnadeva Raya was himself a poet and author of Amultamalyada in Telugu. In his court also flourished eight famous Telugu poets known as 'Astadiggajas'. His reign marked a new era in Telugu literature.