''Manasamangal Kāvya'' () is recognized as the oldest of the

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

Mangal-Kāvya Mangal-Kāvya (; '' lit.'' "Poems of Benediction") is a group of Bengali religious texts, composed more or less between 13th and 18th centuries, notably consisting of narratives of indigenous deities of rural Bengal in the social scenario of t ...

s, chronicling the establishment of the snake-goddess

Manasa Manasa () is a Hindu goddess of snakes. She is worshipped mainly in Bihar, Odisha, Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam and other parts of northeastern India and in Uttarakhand, chiefly for the prevention and cure of snakebite, and also for fertility and ...

's worship in

Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...

. The goddess holds alternative names such as Bisahari, Janguli, and Padmavati.In the Kāvya, she is also derogatorily referred to as "Chyang-muri Kaani"(The One-Eyed Wretch") by Chand Sadagar.

Story

The narrative of Manasamangal commences with the merchant Chandradhar, or Chand Sadagar, who initially conflicts with Manasa but eventually becomes a devout worshipper. Manasa aspires to convert Chand, a staunch devotee of

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

, to her worship. However, he not only refuses to worship her but also denies her deity status. In retaliation, Manasa ruins seven of Chand's ships and takes the lives of his sons.

Behula Behula ( ''beula'', ) is a protagonist in the Manasamangal genre of Assamese, Angika and Bengali medieval epics. A number of works belonging to this genre were written between the thirteenth and eighteenth centuries. Though the religious purpose ...

, the new bride of Chand’s youngest son,

Lakhindar Behula ( ''beula'', ) is a protagonist in the Manasamangal genre of Assamese, Angika and Bengali medieval epics. A number of works belonging to this genre were written between the thirteenth and eighteenth centuries. Though the religious purpose ...

, challenges the goddess with her unwavering courage and deep love for her husband, subsequently reviving Chand’s sons and their ships. Only after accomplishing this does Behula return home. The tale essentially portrays human resilience against divine cruelty, showcasing Chandradhar and Behula as robust, determined individuals during an era when common people were often suppressed and humiliated.

Villages Named After the Kavya

Villages such as Baidyapur, Hasanhati, and Udaypur owe their names to the Kavya.

Poets of Manasamangal Kavya

The original poet of this medieval Bengali literature genre may have been

Kana Haridatta are syllabaries used to write Japanese phonological units, morae. In current usage, ''kana'' most commonly refers to ''hiragana'' and ''katakana''. It can also refer to their ancestor , which were Chinese characters used phonetically to ...

( 13th century), but his works are no longer extant. His name is referenced in the works of both Bijay Gupta and Purushottam. Subsequent poets, including Purushottam,

Narayan Deb Narayan or Narayana may refer to: People * Narayan (name), a common Indian name (including a list of persons with this and related names) Media and entertainment *''Narayan'', a song by The Prodigy on their album ''The Fat of the Land'' *Nar ...

( 15th century),

Bijay Gupta Bijay is a given name. Notable people with this name include: *Bijay Biswaal (born 1964), Indian painter *Bijay Chand Mahtab (1881–1941), Maharaja of Bardhaman *Bijay Chhetri (born 2001), Indian footballer *Bijay Kumar Gachhadar (born 1954), Nepa ...

, and

Bipradas Pipilai Bipradas Pipilai was a 15th-century poet. He was the son of Mukunda Pipilai, the family hailed from Baduria-Batagram in 24 Parganas, now in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. Sengupta, Subodh Chandra and Bose, Anjali ...

, created their own versions of Manasamangal. Bijay Gupta's ''Manasamangal'' (or ''Padmapuran'') (1484–85) is renowned for its rich literary quality and is perhaps the most popular version. Bipradas Pipilai's ''Manasabijay'' (1495–96) was also composed during this period.Majumdar, R. C. (ed.) (2007). ''The Mughul Empire''. Mumbai: Bharaitya Vidya Bhavan. . p. 558. Narayan Deb's composition is also known as ''Padmapuran''.

Ketakadas Kshemananda Ketakadas Kshemananda, also known as Kshemananda Das (c. 17th–late 18th century), was a Bengali poet best known for his work ''Manasar Bhasan'', a rendition of the Manasa Mangal Kavya. Development of Manasar Bhasan ''Manasar Bhasan'' was pa ...

( 17th century), Jagajjiban Ghoshal ( 17th century) Jibankrishna Maitra ( 18th century) and, Jagmohan Mitra ( 18th century) were also contributors to this genre.Sen, Sukumar (1991, reprint 2007). ''Bangala Sahityer Itihas''. Vol.I, . Kolkata: Ananda Publishers. . p. 178.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Manasamangal Kavya Bengali-language literature

Story

Villages Named After the Kavya

Poets of Manasamangal Kavya

See also

References