Anuprasa: The Sound of Repeated Consonants
Launch library · evergreen read
अनुप्रास (anuprasa), alliteration, is a favourite device in Hindi poetry, repeating consonant sounds across nearby words to create a pleasing, rhythmic texture that rewards being read aloud rather than silently on the page. This device does more than decorate a line; repeated sounds can slow a reader down.
Emphasise a particular image, or bind separate words together into a single, memorable musical phrase that lingers after the poem ends. Learners can start noticing anuprasa in simple, everyday Hindi phrases and songs before moving to formal poetry, since the device appears constantly in spoken language too, not only in literary or classical verse.
A useful exercise is composing a simple, playful phrase of one's own using repeated consonant sounds, even a short, imperfect attempt, to feel directly how the device shapes rhythm and emphasis. Producing a small example, rather than only analysing existing ones, often deepens appreciation for how deliberately the device is used.