Annada Mangal
Encyclopedia
Annada Mangal or Nutan Mangal , is a Bengali
narrative poem in three parts by Bharatchandra Ray
, written in 1752-53. It eulogizes Hindu
goddess
Annapurna
, a form of Parvati
, worshipped in Bengal
. It is the only poem in medieval Mangalkavya tradition that does not create a separate sub-genre as no other poet ever ventured to praise Annapurna in their works.
Annada Mangal is divided into three Books: Annada Mangal or Annada Mahatmya, Bidya Sundar or Kalika Mangal and Mansingh or Annapurna Mangal. Annada Mangal or Annada Mahatmya has three separate narratives. The first narrative describes the stories of Shiva
and Dakshayani
, the birth of Parvati
, the marriage of Shiva
and Parvati, the founding of Varanasi
and Parvati’s staying in Varanasi as Annapurna
. The second narrative describe Vyasa
’s attempt to found Vyasakashi and his subsequent failure while the third narrative describes the story of Hari Hor and Bhabananda Majumdar, the ancestors of Krishna Chandra Roy, king of Nadia
and Bharatchandra’s patron. Bidya Sundar, borrowed from the legend of Princess Bidya of Bardhaman and Prince Sundar of Kanchi, is a popular love story, which, in later years, was frequently adopted for stage. This part belongs to Kalika Mangal, a minor sub-genre of Mangalkavya. Mansingh or Annapurna Mangal is a historical narrative of Mansingh, Bhabananda Majumdar and Pratapaditya of Jessore.
The narratives are borrowed from various pouranic
text, chronicles and legends including Kashi Khanda Upapurana, Markandeya Purana
, Bhagavat Purana, Chaurapanchashika by Bilhana
, Kshitishvangshavali Charitam as well as popular hearsays. A lively use of Sanskrit
metres and rhetoric is found in the poem.
The surviving manuscripts of the text were dated from 1776 to 1829. Annada Mangal was first published by Ganga Kishore Bhattacharya
in 1816. Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar’s edition of the poem (1853) is now considered as the standard one. Some of its older manuscripts are now preserved in British Museum
, London
, Bibliothèque nationale de France
, Paris
, Asiatic Society
, Kolkata
and Vangiya Sahitya Parishad
, Kolkata
.
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
narrative poem in three parts by Bharatchandra Ray
Bharatchandra Ray
Bharatchandra Ray was an 18th century Bengali and Sanskrit poet and song composer. He is mostly known for his poetic work, Annadamangal or Annapurnamangal. He is often referred to simply as Bharatchandra.-Early years:...
, written in 1752-53. It eulogizes Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
goddess
Goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....
Annapurna
Annapoorna devi
Annapurna or Annapoorna is the Hindu Goddess of nourishment. Anna means food and grains. Purna means full, complete and perfect. She is a form of Parvati, the consort of Shiva. Annapurna is eulogised in Annada Mangal, a narrative poem in Bengali by Bharatchandra Ray.-City of Kashi:Annapurna is the...
, a form of Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
, worshipped in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. It is the only poem in medieval Mangalkavya tradition that does not create a separate sub-genre as no other poet ever ventured to praise Annapurna in their works.
Annada Mangal is divided into three Books: Annada Mangal or Annada Mahatmya, Bidya Sundar or Kalika Mangal and Mansingh or Annapurna Mangal. Annada Mangal or Annada Mahatmya has three separate narratives. The first narrative describes the stories of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and Dakshayani
Dakshayani
Dākshāyani or Satī is a Hindu Goddess of marital felicity and longevity. She is worshipped particularly by Hindu women to seek the long life of their husbands...
, the birth of Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
, the marriage of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and Parvati, the founding of Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
and Parvati’s staying in Varanasi as Annapurna
Annapoorna devi
Annapurna or Annapoorna is the Hindu Goddess of nourishment. Anna means food and grains. Purna means full, complete and perfect. She is a form of Parvati, the consort of Shiva. Annapurna is eulogised in Annada Mangal, a narrative poem in Bengali by Bharatchandra Ray.-City of Kashi:Annapurna is the...
. The second narrative describe Vyasa
Vyasa
Vyasa is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. He is also sometimes called Veda Vyasa , or Krishna Dvaipayana...
’s attempt to found Vyasakashi and his subsequent failure while the third narrative describes the story of Hari Hor and Bhabananda Majumdar, the ancestors of Krishna Chandra Roy, king of Nadia
Nadia District
Nadia district is a district of the state of West Bengal, in the north east of India. It borders with Bangladesh to the east, North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts to the south, Bardhaman district to the west, and Murshidabad district to the north....
and Bharatchandra’s patron. Bidya Sundar, borrowed from the legend of Princess Bidya of Bardhaman and Prince Sundar of Kanchi, is a popular love story, which, in later years, was frequently adopted for stage. This part belongs to Kalika Mangal, a minor sub-genre of Mangalkavya. Mansingh or Annapurna Mangal is a historical narrative of Mansingh, Bhabananda Majumdar and Pratapaditya of Jessore.
The narratives are borrowed from various pouranic
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
text, chronicles and legends including Kashi Khanda Upapurana, Markandeya Purana
Markandeya Purana
The Markandeya Purana is one of the major eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of Hindu religious texts. It is written in the style of a dialogue between the ancient sage Markandeya and Jaimini, a disciple of Vyasa.-Contents:...
, Bhagavat Purana, Chaurapanchashika by Bilhana
Bilhana
Bilhana Kavi was an 11th-century Kashmiri poet. He is known for his love poem, the Caurapâñcâśikâ.According to legend, the Brahman Bilhana fell in love with the daughter of King Madanabhirama, Princess Yaminipurnatilaka, and had a secretive love affair. They were discovered, and Bilhana was thrown...
, Kshitishvangshavali Charitam as well as popular hearsays. A lively use of Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
metres and rhetoric is found in the poem.
The surviving manuscripts of the text were dated from 1776 to 1829. Annada Mangal was first published by Ganga Kishore Bhattacharya
Ganga Kishore Bhattacharya
Ganga Kishore Bhattacharya was an Indian journalist, teacher and reformer. He was born in Bahara village, near Serampore. He started his career as a compositor in the Baptist Mission Press, Serampore. But later on he shifted to Calcutta...
in 1816. Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar’s edition of the poem (1853) is now considered as the standard one. Some of its older manuscripts are now preserved in British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Bibliothèque nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Asiatic Society
Asiatic Society
The Asiatic Society was founded by Sir William Jones on January 15, 1784 in a meeting presided over by Sir Robert Chambers, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the Fort William in Calcutta, then capital of the British Raj, to enhance and further the cause of Oriental research. At the time of...
, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
and Vangiya Sahitya Parishad
Vangiya Sahitya Parishad
Bangiya Sahitya Parishad is a literary society in Bengal. Established during the time of the Raj, its goal is to promote Bengali literature, both by translating works in other languages to Bengali and promoting the production of original Bengali literature....
, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
.