Maimansingha-Gitika
About this text
Introductory notes
Dinesh Chandra Sen, one of the founding members of Department of Bengali Literature & Culture brought out a collection of popular ballads from the district of Mymensingh at present day Bangladesh, in 1923. The collection was titled 'Mymensingh Gitika'. Sen was assisted in his work by Chandra Kumar Dey. In the introduction of the collection, Sen gives the entire credit to Dey, a resident of Mymensigh district for collecting this ballads, travelling across the district. Sen observed that these texts are not rooted in Sanskritic tradition and bears the true of essence of rural life in Bengal.
The first volume of 'Maimansingha Gitika' had a collection of ten such ballads. The present selections have been made from four ballads, viz. Malua, Dewan Bhavana, Dasyu Kenaramer Pala and Kanka O Leela. Dinesh Chandra Sen assumes, the ballad on Malua was composed by Chandrabati, a female poet, sometime in the late 16th Century. The portion selected here gives the description of a flood and subsequent scarcity. The second selection if made from "Dewan Bhavana" ie a Ballad on the Diwan's or tax-collectors. Sen points out the authors elaborating the oppression caused by the tax-collectors remain unanimous. The portion selected gives description of a "Barmashya" or an annual monthly cycle. The third selection is made from "Dasyu Kenaramer Pala" or the Ballad of Kenaram, the Bandit, also composed by Chandrabati in the late 16th Century. The portion selected highlights the sufferings that Kenaram went through in his early life. The final selection is made from the ballad, "Kanka O Leela". Sen suggests this ballad was composed by four poetsm Damodar, Raghusut, Nayanchand Ghosh and Srinath Beniya in the 18th Century. The portion selected offers a description of a monthly cycle for six months.
Selection details
The first volume of 'Maimansingha Gitika' had a collection of ten such ballads. The present selections have been made from four ballads, viz. Malua, Dewan Bhavana, Dasyu Kenaramer Pala and Kanka O Leela. Dinesh Chandra Sen assumes, the ballad on Malua was composed by Chandrabati, a female poet, sometime in the late 16th Century. The portion selected here gives the description of a flood and subsequent scarcity. The second selection if made from "Dewan Bhavana" ie a Ballad on the Diwan's or tax-collectors. Sen points out the authors elaborating the oppression caused by the tax-collectors remain unanimous. The portion selected gives description of a "Barmashya" or an annual monthly cycle. The third selection is made from "Dasyu Kenaramer Pala" or the Ballad of Kenaram, the Bandit, also composed by Chandrabati in the late 16th Century. The portion selected highlights the sufferings that Kenaram went through in his early life. The final selection is made from the ballad, "Kanka O Leela". Sen suggests this ballad was composed by four poetsm Damodar, Raghusut, Nayanchand Ghosh and Srinath Beniya in the 18th Century. The portion selected offers a description of a monthly cycle for six months.