Hindi literature (Hindi: हिंदी साहित्य, romanized: hindī sāhitya) includes literature in the various Central Indo-Aryan languages, also known as Hindi, some of which have different writing systems. Earliest forms of Hindi literature are attested in poetry of Apabhraṃśa such as Awadhi and Marwari . Hindi literature is composed in three broad styles- prose (गद्य, gadya), poetry (पद्य, padya), and prosimetrum (चंपू, campū).[1] Inspired by Bengali literature, Bharatendu Harishchandra started the modern Hindi literary practices.[2][3][4] In terms of historical development, it is broadly classified into five prominent forms (genres) based on the date of production.[citation needed] They are:
Ādi Kāl /Vīr-Gāthā Kāl (आदि काल/वीरगाथा काल), prior to & including 14th century CE