Kaviraja Madhava Kandali (circa. 14th century) was an Indian poet from the state of Assam. He is one of the renowned poets pertaining to the Pre-Sankardev era. His Saptakanda Ramayana is considered the earliest translation of the Ramayana into an Indo-Aryan language, Assamese.[ Stone inscription of Barāha king Mahamanik of the mid 14th century] Kabiraja Madhava Kandali was said to be inhabitant of Lanka of Undivided Nagaon.[ saka 1274 / 1352 A.D]
Literary works
Saptakanda Ramayana
Madhava Kandali is credited with the task of translating ‘
Valmiki’s
Ramayana into the Assamese language as early as the 14th century.
[Bulke, Father Kamil:Ram-katha, Pg 230] The Assamese version of Ramayana conceptualized by Madhava Kandali is the first of its kind among all the regional languages of North and
Northeast India. Although Madhava Kandali has written that “Saptakanda Ramayana podebandhi nibandhilo lambha parihari sarodhrite”, yet the “Adikanda” (first) and the “Uttarakanda” (last) cantos of his “Saptakanda” (seven cantos) Ramayana are not found. Therefore, in accordance with the advice of Mahapurush Srimanta
Shankardeva, Mahapurush
Madhavdev wrote “Adikanda” and Mahapurush Srimanta Shankardeva, wrote the “Uttarakanda” in order to compensate the lost cantos and thus completed the epic consisting of “Sapta Kanda” or seven cantos. Madhava Kandali has not translated the “Shlokas” (a couplet of Sanskrit verse) of valmiki Ramayana as it is. He instead abandoned some unnecessary verse narratives and long descriptive passages. He has written the Assamese Ramayana in a lucid and rhythmic pattern thus catering to the needs of the common Assamese people.He has also provided explanations for his inclusion of non-valmiki elements while composing the epic.
Srimanta Shankardeva designated him as Purva Kobi Apramadi ( Peerless Bard of the Eastern Region). Moreover, Madhab Kandali is often acclaimed to be the “Kalidas of Assam”.
Devajit
Madhava Kandali is also credited to be the composer of another poetical work
‘Devajit’ [Sharma, Satendra Nath:Axomia Sahityar Samikhaytmak Etibritto, pg-63] where he portrays Lord Krishna as the greatest incarnation (avatar) of Lord Bishnu.
Musical instruments
He lists several instruments in his
"Ramayana", such as
Pakhavaj(a type of wooden Mridanga), khumuchi, bhemachi, dagar, gratal, ramtal,
tabla,
anklet, jinjiri, bheri mahari,
Tokari geet, dosari,
kendara,
dotara,
Veena,
Rudra veena,
Vipanchi veena, etc. (meaning that these instruments existed since his time in 14th century or earlier).
[Suresh Kant Sharma and Usha Sharma, 2005, Discovery of North-East India, Page 288.]Goswāmī, Māmaṇi Raẏachama, 1942-2011. (1996). 817018858X, B.R. Pub. Corp. 817018858X
Sources
-
Goswami, Indira (1996). Ramayana from Ganga to Brahmaputra. B.R. Pub. Corp. ISBN 81-7018-858-X
-
Kandali, Madhava.Saptakanda Ramayana, (in Assamese). Banalata.
-
Sarma, Satyendranath. (1976). Assamese literature. Harrassowitz. ISBN 3447017368.
Bibliography
External links
