Ghanaram Chakrabarty

Ghanaram Chakrabarty (Bengali: ঘনরাম চক্রবর্তী; c. 1669–?) was a Bengali poet of the Early Modern Era^[1] and the greatest contributor to the Dharmamangalkavya tradition of Bengali literature.^[2] He was greeted by his guru as Kabiratna ("The Jewel of the Poets").^[2] His work, Anadi Mangal (Bengali: অনাদিমঙ্গল), also known as Sri Dharma Sangeet,^[1] was probably composed in 1711.^[3]

Chakrabarty was born to Gourikanta Chakrabarty and Sita Devi at

Krishnapur kukura village on Damodar River in modern-day Purba Bardhaman district of the Indian state of Paschimbanga (West Bengal).^[1] He was sent to a pathshala (traditional village primary school in Bengal) at Rampur.^[1] Later he was patronised by Kirtichandra, the Maharaja of Bardhaman.^[1] He had four sons: Rampriyo, Ramgopal, Ramgobindo and Ramokrishno.^[2][3]

Although he eulogises Dharmathakur in his poem, Chakrabarty was a devotee of Rama.^[3] In his version of Dharmamangalkavya, many incidents from the Ramayana and the Bhagavata are also described.^[3] Two major tales of Dharmamangalkavya i.e. the tales of Harishchandra and Lausen are told in 24 palas (Cantos) which are further subdivided into 9147 shlokas in his poem.^[3]

Chakrabarty also composed Satyanarayana Sindhu, a panchali (small narrative poem) eulogising Satyanarayana.^[3]

References

1. Chatterjee, Dr Partha (2008). Bangla Sahitya Parichay [History of Bengali Literature] (in Bengali). Kolkata: Tulsi Prakashani. pp. 141–44. ISBN 978-81-89118-04-4.
2. Bhattacharya, Ashutosh (2009). Bangla Mangalkavyer Itihas [History of Medieval Narrative Poetry] (in Bengali) (12th ed.). Kolkata: A Mukherjee & Co Pvt Ltd. pp. 406–13.
3. Bandyopadhyay, Asit Kumar (2001) [1966]. Bangla Shityer Itibritta [History of Bengali Literature] (in Bengali). Vol. III–B (3rd ed.). Kolkata: Modern Book Agency Private Ltd. pp. 98–107.