Ghanaram Chakrabarty

Who is Ghanaram Chakrabarty?

Ghanaram Chakrabarty was a Bengali poet of the Middle Ages and the greatest contributor to the Dharmamangalkavya tradition of mediaeval Bengali literature. He was greeted by his guru as Kabiratna. His work, Anadi Mangal, also known as Sri Dharma Sangeet, was probably composed in 1711.

Chakrabarty was born to Gourikanta Chakrabarty and Sita Devi at Kukura-Krishnapur village on Damodar River in modern day Bardhaman district of the Indian state of Paschimbanga. He was sent to a pathshala at Rampur. Later he was patronised by Kirtichandra, the Maharaja of Bardhaman. He had four sons: Rampriyo, Ramgopal, Ramgobindo and Ramokrishno.

Although he eulogises Dharmathakur in his poem, Chakrabarty was a devotee of Rama. In his version of Dharmamangalkavya, many incidents from the Ramayana and the Bhagavata are also described. Two major tales of Dharmamangalkavya i.e. the tales of Harishchandra and Lausen are told in 24 palas which are further subdivided into 9147 shlokas in his poem.

Chakrabarty also composed Satyanarayana Sindhu, a panchali eulogising Satyanarayana.