Pre-Sankardev Era in Assamese Literature

Pre-Sankardev Era in Assamese Literature

• The period before the advent of the Assamese Vaishnava saint and scholar, Srimanta Sankardeva, is known as the pre-Sankardev era.

• Hem Saraswati was a notable poet during the pre-Sankardev era.

• Hem Saraswati is known for his exceptional contributions to Assamese poetry.

• One key characteristic of the pre-Sankardev era of Assamese literature is its strong influence from Sanskrit literature and religious texts.

• Poets of the 14th century were inspired by themes of love, war, and religious devotion, drawing heavily from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.

• Pre-Sankardev poets like Hem Saraswati and Madhav Kandali used Sanskrit literature and religious texts as their primary sources of inspiration.

• Hem Saraswati wrote two notable poems: Har-Goury Sangbad and Dhola-Sen

• The Har-Goury Sangbad contains 11 chapters and 247 verses.

• Hem Saraswati resided in the Kamrup region, a significant area in Assamese history and culture.

• The Jayadrath Vadha portion of the Mahabharata was translated into Assamese by Hem Saraswati.

• Haribar Bipra was another prominent poet of the pre-Sankardev era, known for his three significant poems:

  • Usha-Harana (Abduction of Usha)
  • Nilamata (A chronicle of the history of the Kamarupa region)
  • Bhairava (A poem on the Hindu deity Bhairava)

• King Bhramaranga offered patronage to Madhav Kandali for his literary work.

• Madhav Kandali famously translated the Sanskrit epic Ramayana into Assamese, creating the Kiratarjuna version, now a significant text in Assamese literature.

• Haribar Bipra is considered the last known poet of the pre-Sankardev era.