Post by Bhakta Dharma on Jul 29, 2008 7:23:02 GMT -6
Apart from the great fictional works of Bhaktivinoda Thakura where else do we see the use of the literary imagination in the service of Sri Krishna Caitanya? We can also see any Gaudiya fictional co-creative endeavours in the wider background of the Bengali literary scene too, whether Gaudiya vaishnava or no (most Bengalis will have some love in their hearts to Caitanya; either as an avatar or as a great figure of their history).
It would seem that the reaching out of east to west and vice versa can be seen in the example wherein the heroine of the Kapalkundala of 1866 is a blend of Bhavabhuti’s Malatimadhava (is this a Vaishnava work and if so it is leaning towards Gaudiya Vaishnavism in any way?) and Kalidasa’a Sakuntala blended also with Shakespear’s Miranda. Judging by the title of Bankim Chatterjee’s Durgeshnandini of 1865 we see the reference to Durga too. I have not read these books and going off what little I know I see a religious element anyway.
It would seem that Chatterjee was a champion of Bengali literary creativity alongside with intellectual and religious activity, but my sources are not much clearer on what this is besides mention of his Bangadarshan (first came out in 1872) monthly magazine wherein novels, stories, humorous sketches, historical and religious essays, literary criticism stood side by side with his imaginative insights. He was to a certain degree a follower of Ishvara Chandra, Bengal’s modern poet of repute whose satires and sketches of Bengali life mingle in with his creative imagination. He is said to have leanings towards the ‘occult’ and also western literature such as Wilkie Collin’s Woman in White and the writer of Rosicrucians, Bulwer Lytton, whose work Nydia in Last Days of Pompeii was an inspiration. Chatterjee also wrote a work under the name of Krishnakanta's Will, in 1878. Does anyone know if this is about Krishna?
His Anandamath (The mission house of the Anandas, 1882) is about a political rebellion of sannyasis in the north of Bengal in 1773 which was factual. Devi Caudhurani wrote in 1884 as well as the fact that a Bengali nationalist song "Bande mataram" (I worship mother), which has its title borrowed from his work Anandamath, indicates a devotion to Durga devi, yet perhaps he also at least writes of things associated with Krishna or perhaps Chaitanya, I don’t know. Those nationalist elements which later used his works in their political cause were perhaps misguided or incidental to his creative Bengali muse. Sitaram (1886) indicates Rama and thus Vaishnava subject matter perhaps? And a humourous comedy Kamalakanter Daptar (The Scribbling of Kamalakanta, 1875; enlarged as Kamalakanta, 1885) has the name Kamala in it. I am not too sure what Kamala is in this Bengali version of humour inspired by de Quincy’s Confession of an Opium Eater! HE is famous over India generally and I am not too sure if any of his works have been translated yet. His works may or may not be touching on Krishna or Chaitanya.
Which other works are or may be touching on Krishna, especially those in the Chaitanya tradition besides Bhativinoda and also what exactly was Bhativinoda's Poriade about?
It would seem that the reaching out of east to west and vice versa can be seen in the example wherein the heroine of the Kapalkundala of 1866 is a blend of Bhavabhuti’s Malatimadhava (is this a Vaishnava work and if so it is leaning towards Gaudiya Vaishnavism in any way?) and Kalidasa’a Sakuntala blended also with Shakespear’s Miranda. Judging by the title of Bankim Chatterjee’s Durgeshnandini of 1865 we see the reference to Durga too. I have not read these books and going off what little I know I see a religious element anyway.
It would seem that Chatterjee was a champion of Bengali literary creativity alongside with intellectual and religious activity, but my sources are not much clearer on what this is besides mention of his Bangadarshan (first came out in 1872) monthly magazine wherein novels, stories, humorous sketches, historical and religious essays, literary criticism stood side by side with his imaginative insights. He was to a certain degree a follower of Ishvara Chandra, Bengal’s modern poet of repute whose satires and sketches of Bengali life mingle in with his creative imagination. He is said to have leanings towards the ‘occult’ and also western literature such as Wilkie Collin’s Woman in White and the writer of Rosicrucians, Bulwer Lytton, whose work Nydia in Last Days of Pompeii was an inspiration. Chatterjee also wrote a work under the name of Krishnakanta's Will, in 1878. Does anyone know if this is about Krishna?
His Anandamath (The mission house of the Anandas, 1882) is about a political rebellion of sannyasis in the north of Bengal in 1773 which was factual. Devi Caudhurani wrote in 1884 as well as the fact that a Bengali nationalist song "Bande mataram" (I worship mother), which has its title borrowed from his work Anandamath, indicates a devotion to Durga devi, yet perhaps he also at least writes of things associated with Krishna or perhaps Chaitanya, I don’t know. Those nationalist elements which later used his works in their political cause were perhaps misguided or incidental to his creative Bengali muse. Sitaram (1886) indicates Rama and thus Vaishnava subject matter perhaps? And a humourous comedy Kamalakanter Daptar (The Scribbling of Kamalakanta, 1875; enlarged as Kamalakanta, 1885) has the name Kamala in it. I am not too sure what Kamala is in this Bengali version of humour inspired by de Quincy’s Confession of an Opium Eater! HE is famous over India generally and I am not too sure if any of his works have been translated yet. His works may or may not be touching on Krishna or Chaitanya.
Which other works are or may be touching on Krishna, especially those in the Chaitanya tradition besides Bhativinoda and also what exactly was Bhativinoda's Poriade about?