Khana
Encyclopedia
Khana was an India
n poetess and legendary astrologist, who composed in medieval Bengali
between the ninth and 12th centuries AD. She is associated with the village Deuli, in Barasat
district
, West Bengal
.
Her poetry, known as khanAr bachan (or vachan) (খনার বচন)(meaning khana's words), among the earliest compositions in Bengali literature
, is known for its agricultural themes. The short couplets or quatrains reflect a robust common sense, as in this paean to industry:
Daivajna Varāhamihir (505 – 587), also called Varaha, or Mihira was an Indian astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer born in Ujjain (or Bengal, according to some legends). The Indian Parliament building contains pictures of Varahamihira and Aryabhata, among other astronomers. Though little is known about his life (see elsewhere in Wikipedia for a biography outlining his scientific work), he supposedly hailed from South Bengal, where in the ruins of Chandraketugarh there is a mound called the mound of Khana and Mihir. Khana was the daughter-in-law of Varaha and a famous astrologer herself.
In all likelihood, she lived her life in Bengal, but a number of legends have grown up around her life. According to one legend, she was born in Sri Lanka
and was married to the mathematician-astronomer Varahamihira
(this last assertion is questionable. It is far widely believed that Khana was Varahamihira's daughter-in-law, and an accomplished astrologer, becoming thereby a potential threat to Varahamihira's scientific career. However, she exceeded him in the accuracy of her predictions, and at some point, either her husband (father-in-law?) or a hired hand (or possibly Khana herself under great duress) cut off her tongue to silence her prodigious talent. This theme that resonates in modern Bengali feminism, as in this poem by Mallika Sengupta
, khanaa's song:
Through the centuries, Khana's advice has acquired the character of an oracle
in rural Bengal (modern West Bengal
, Bangladesh
and parts of Bihar
). Ancient versions in Assamese
and Oriya
also exist.
Khana's maxims on which way a house should face, where trees should be planted, and where a pond should be
dug still retain considerable relevance. Advice such as A little bit of salt, a little bit of bitter, and always stop before you are too full is indeed timeless.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n poetess and legendary astrologist, who composed in medieval Bengali
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...
between the ninth and 12th centuries AD. She is associated with the village Deuli, in Barasat
Barasat
Barasat is a city in the outskirts of Kolkata, West Bengal India and is the district head quarter of the district North 24 Parganas. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. The town is an important railway and roadway junction...
district
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
, West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
.
Her poetry, known as khanAr bachan (or vachan) (খনার বচন)(meaning khana's words), among the earliest compositions in Bengali literature
Bengali literature
Bengali literature is literary works written in Bengali language particularly from Bangladesh and the Indian provinces of West Bengal and Tripura. The history of Bengali literature traces back hundreds of years while it is impossible to separate the literary trends of the two Bengals during the...
, is known for its agricultural themes. The short couplets or quatrains reflect a robust common sense, as in this paean to industry:
- thAkte balad nA kare chAs
- tAr duHkha bAro mAs
- he who owns oxen, but will not till the land, his plight is everlasting.
Legend
The legend of Khana (also named Lilavati elsewhere) centers around her association with Pragjyotishpur (the Bengal/Assam border), or possibly Chandraketugarh in southern Bengal (where a mound has been discovered amongst ruins with the names of Khana and Mihir associated with it) and that she was the daughter-in-law of the famous astronomewr and mathematician, Varahamihira, a jewel among Chandragupta II Vikramaditya's famed Navaratna sabha. Specifically, here is a version of the legend:Daivajna Varāhamihir (505 – 587), also called Varaha, or Mihira was an Indian astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer born in Ujjain (or Bengal, according to some legends). The Indian Parliament building contains pictures of Varahamihira and Aryabhata, among other astronomers. Though little is known about his life (see elsewhere in Wikipedia for a biography outlining his scientific work), he supposedly hailed from South Bengal, where in the ruins of Chandraketugarh there is a mound called the mound of Khana and Mihir. Khana was the daughter-in-law of Varaha and a famous astrologer herself.
In all likelihood, she lived her life in Bengal, but a number of legends have grown up around her life. According to one legend, she was born in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and was married to the mathematician-astronomer Varahamihira
Varahamihira
Varāhamihira , also called Varaha or Mihira, was an Indian astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer who lived in Ujjain...
(this last assertion is questionable. It is far widely believed that Khana was Varahamihira's daughter-in-law, and an accomplished astrologer, becoming thereby a potential threat to Varahamihira's scientific career. However, she exceeded him in the accuracy of her predictions, and at some point, either her husband (father-in-law?) or a hired hand (or possibly Khana herself under great duress) cut off her tongue to silence her prodigious talent. This theme that resonates in modern Bengali feminism, as in this poem by Mallika Sengupta
Mallika Sengupta
Mallika Sengupta is a Bengali poet, feminist, and reader of Sociology from Kolkata, known for her "unapologetically political poetry".- Biography :...
, khanaa's song:
- Listen o listen :
- Hark this tale of Khanaa
- In Bengal in the Middle ages
- Lived a woman Khanaa, I sing her life
- The first Bengali woman poet
- Her tongue they severed with a knife
- - Mallika Sengupta, AmrA hAsya AmrA laRAi, tr. Amitabha Mukerjee
Through the centuries, Khana's advice has acquired the character of an oracle
Oracle
In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
in rural Bengal (modern West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and parts of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
). Ancient versions in Assamese
Assamese language
Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
and Oriya
Oriya language
Oriya , officially Odia from November, 2011, is an Indian language, belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is mainly spoken in the Indian states of Orissa and West Bengal...
also exist.
Khana's maxims on which way a house should face, where trees should be planted, and where a pond should be
dug still retain considerable relevance. Advice such as A little bit of salt, a little bit of bitter, and always stop before you are too full is indeed timeless.