Secular literature in the Abahattha language, which was prevalent from about the 6th to the 15th centuries, existed alongside religious and poetic compositions. While Abahattha is often known for religious verses such as “doha” composed by Buddhist tantriks, Saivite yogis, and poets, it was also a medium for secular writing.
In the 10th century, when the Bengali language was just developing, there was a literary environment where poets and writers composed works in both emerging Bengali (such as the Charyapada) and Abahattha. Secular literature written in Abahattha included various forms of prose and poetry not specifically tied to religious themes. This literary tradition continued well into the 15th century, with notable authors like Vidyapati, whose autobiography “Kirtilata” was composed in Abahattha using both prose and verse.
Besides poetry and biography, other secular texts and folk wisdom literature such as “Shubhankarer Arya” were composed in Abahattha, indicating that the language was used for a broad range of cultural expression. For some time, a pidgin language combining vocabulary from Abahattha and contemporary languages also existed, which points to linguistic and literary versatility.
Thus, Abahattha was not limited to religious or ritualistic literature but was an important vehicle for secular cultural and literary works in eastern India and Bengal during the transitional phase leading to modern Indo-Aryan languages. This highlights the diverse literary heritage of Abahattha, bridging religious, poetic, and secular domains in medieval South Asian culture.