Mahamanikya (also Manikpha) was a Kachari king of Barāha[1][2] who ruled parts of Assam in the 14th-15th century. At the time, his kingdom centered on present-day Nagaon, Morigoan and Hojai districts. At his behest and patronage Madhava Kandali translated the Sanskrit epic Ramayana to Assamese verse called Saptakanda Ramayana.[2] Some historians suggest that he was also involved—along with Indranarayana of Kamata kingdom and Baro-Bhuyans—in resisting Sikandar Shah's invasion into the Brahmaputra valley around 1362.[3]
References
edit- ^ (Bez 2012:5)The poet himself mentions in Lankākānda that he composed the Rāmāyana at the behest of Mahamanikya, Barāha Rājā.
- ^ a b Sharma (2006), p. 4: "It may also be noted that the Assamese rendition of the Ramayana (next only to Kampana’s Tamil to be rendered to a modern Indian language) by Madhab Kandali in the 14th century was also achieved under the patronage of Borahi-Kachari king Manikpha (sanskritized as Mahamanikya)."
- ^ (Sarkar 1992:43)
Notes
edit- Bez, Gitanjali (2012). "Introduction". Grammatical categories in madhav Kandalis Ramayana (PhD). Guwahati University. hdl:10603/116370.
- Neog, Maheshwar (1953), "Assamese Literature Before Sankaradeva", in Kakati, Banikanta (ed.), Aspects of Early Assamese Literature, Gauhati: Gauhati University, pp. 19–64
- Neog, M (1990), "Assamese Literature", in Barpujari, H K (ed.), The Comprehensive History of Assam, vol. III, Guwahati: Publication Board, Assam, pp. 280–291
- Kakati, Banikanta (1953). Aspects of early Assamese literature. Gauhati University.
- Sharma, Chandan Kumar (2006), "Genealogy Contested: Oral Discourse and Bodo Identity Construction", in Muthukumaraswamy, M.D. (ed.), Folklore as discourse, Chennai: National Folklore Support Centre, pp. 73–94
- Sarkar, J. N. (1992), "Chapter II The Turko-Afghan Invasions", in Barpujari, H. K. (ed.), The Comprehensive History of Assam, vol. 2, Guwahati: Assam Publication Board, pp. 35–48