Akinchan Chakrabarty

Akinchan Chakrabarty (Bengali: অকিঞ্চন চক্রবর্তী) (c. 18th century) was a Bengali poet. He wrote three narrative poems: Parvatir Sankirtan or Chandir Nutan Mangal (a version of Chandimangalkavya), Shitala-Panchali and Ganga Mangal.^[1][2] He was greeted by the Brahmins as Kavindra ("Great Poet")^[3] and lived at Bengaral village near Ghatal in modern-day Paschim Medinipur district in the Indian state of Paschimbanga (West Bengal).^[2]

The exact date of his first poem Shitala-Panchali or Shitala-Mangal is unknown.^[1] Professor Asutosh Bhattacharya assumed that Chandir Nutan Mangal was composed in the later half of 18th century,^[1] while Sukumar Sen believed it was composed particularly in 1757.^[3] Akinchan’s version of Chandimangalkavya was greatly influenced by that of Mukunda Chakrabarty.^[1] This vast work has two khandas (Cantos) further divided into 16 palas (Books).^[1] He was, so far known, the last poet of Chandimangalkavya tradition.^[1] Ganga-Mangal, a small narrative of Descent Of Ganga composed in 1776,^[3] was his last work.^[1]

Not much of Akinchan’s personal or family life is known except that his father Purushottam lived at Atghara-Srirampur village near Ghatal and Akinchan had three sons: Ramchand, Ramdulal and Shibananda.^[1]

References

1. Bhattacharya, Ashutosh (2009). Bangla Mangalkavyer Itihas [History of Medieval Narrative Poetry] (in Bengali) (12th ed.). Kolkata: A Mukherjee & Co Pvt Ltd. pp. 465–73.
2. Das, Sisir Kumar (2003). "Akinchan Chakrabarty". Samsad Bangla Sahityasangi [Samsad Companion to Bengali Literature] (in Bengali) (1st ed.). Kolkata: Sahitya Samsad. p. 1. ISBN 81-7955-007-9.
3. Sen, Sukumar (1398 (Bengali year)) [1940]. Bangala Sahityer Itihas [History of Bengali Literature] (in Bengali). II (1st (Ananda) ed.). Kolkata: Ananda Publishers Pvt Ltd. pp. 255–56. ISBN 81-7215-025-3. Check date values in: |date= (help)