In Praise of Annada, Volume 2

In 1752, The Bengali poet Bharatchandra Ray completed a long narrative poem dedicated to the glory of Annada, the consort of Shiva and the divinity who, as her name proclaims, “bestows the bounty of rice. ” a poet well-versed in Sanskrit, Persian, and hindi—all of which enrich his work Bharatchandra took up the literary performance genre M A? Galkavya and thoroughly transformed it, addressing the aesthetic tastes of the court rather than those of the traditional village audience. He added depth and sensitivity to well-known legends, along with allusions to his own experiences of poverty, and more than a dash of mischievous wit. The second volume recounts the clandestine love affair of princess Vidya and prince Sunday, and how bhavananda, ancestor of the poet’s patron, stopped a rebellion and became a king. This translation, the first in English, features the original text in the Bangle script. Lively and entertaining, in praise of Annada was regarded as a major achievement in its own time and is now counted one of the treasures of Bengali literature.