Kripa Ram Ji Khidiya (1743—1833) was a famous Rajasthani poet of the 18th century. He is known for his soratha (and duha) on ethics (नीति) called 'Rajiya Ra Soratha' and 'Rajiya Ra Doha'. In addition to his ethical writings, the poet's other works are concerned with devotion to God and heroism.

Personal life 
Kriparam was born to Jogaram Khidiya in 1743 in the village of Kharadi (Pali district). He enjoyed the patronage of Rao Raja Devi Singh and his successor Laksman Singh of Sikar. In 1790 (VS 1848) and 1801 (VS 1858), he was granted the villages of Maharajpur and Lichamanpura as his jagir in sasan, the latter of which became home to Kriparam's second son Kishnaji and the village came to be known as 'Kriparam ki Dhani'.

Works 
The poet's published works include Kavitta Chalairaya ra, Sat Rut Varnan, assorted writings on the Gita, as well as Rajiya ra Soratha (a collection of 140 verses, edited by Jagdishsinha Gahalote, Hindi Sahitya Mandir, Jodhpur, 1934) and Rajiya ra Duha (a collection of 165 verses, edited by Narottamdas Swami, Bikaner). 

Besides these, he is also known to have authored Alankara Grantha, Chalakaneci, Chalakaraya Nataka, among others, but these are not available anymore.

Rajiya ra Duha (and Soratha) 
However, the poet's enduring fame rests on his collection of verses known as Rajiya ra Soratha or Duha. The poet immortalized his personal attendant, Rajiya, in these didactic verses, written in the Soratha metre. The verses are expressed in simple language, drawing on the poet's experience of public life and the multifarious aspects of ethics. They have gained immense popularity among the masses as ethical sayings and maxims appropriate to various occasions, providing moral guidance based on experience rather than traditional ethical texts. These were first published in 1894.

References

External links
 charans.org — कृपाराम जी बारहट (खिड़िया)
 Kavi kriparamji and Rajiya ke dohe
 sikar.nic.in

Indian male poets
Rajasthani-language writers
People from Sikar district
1743 births
1833 deaths
19th-century Indian poets
Poets from Rajasthan
19th-century Indian male writers
Dingal poets