Bhabapritananda Ojha Jhumur Rasmanjari (Bengali Version)

Book Details

• Author: Shanti Singha
• Publisher: Bangiya Sahitya Samsad
• Language: Bengali
• ISBN: 9789383590087

About the Book

Bhabapritananda Ojha Jhumur Rasmanjari (Bengali Version) is an important scholarly work dedicated to the life, literary contribution, and musical legacy of Bhabapritananda Ojha, one of the most influential figures in the history of Jhumur folk music. Revered as a pioneering creator and spiritual guide of the Jhumur tradition, his contribution occupies a place in folk music comparable to that of the great Vaishnava poets in classical devotional literature.

Bhabapritananda Ojha was born in Kunda village near the sacred pilgrimage center of Baidyanath Dham in present-day Deoghar. Though his ancestral roots lay in Mithila, his literary and musical influence spread widely across the cultural landscape of Manbhum and adjoining regions. Under the patronage of Raja Jyotiprasad Singh Deo of the Panchakot royal family, his celebrated work Brihat Jhumur Rasmanjari was first published in 1316 Bengali Era. Such was its popularity that multiple editions appeared during the poet’s lifetime, including a fourth edition published in 1340 Bengali Era.

This volume explores the significance of Brihat Jhumur Rasmanjari as a landmark text in the evolution of Jhumur music and poetry. The author examines how Bhabapritananda Ojha established distinctive poetic conventions, thematic ideals, and musical forms that profoundly influenced both his contemporaries and subsequent generations of Jhumur poets and performers. His creative vision continues to shape traditional Jhumur singing, including both classical courtly Jhumur and the popular Jhumur traditions associated with Nachni dance performances.

A major contribution of this work lies in presenting a reliable and authoritative edition of a text that had long remained difficult to access in an accurate form. For decades, performers, researchers, and enthusiasts of Jhumur music lacked a definitive version of Brihat Jhumur Rasmanjari. Through careful editing and scholarly attention, this publication serves as a significant act of cultural preservation, restoring a nearly forgotten treasure of Bengal’s folk heritage.

Combining literary analysis, cultural history, and musical scholarship, Bhabapritananda Ojha Jhumur Rasmanjari is an invaluable resource for students, researchers, folklorists, musicologists, and lovers of Bengali folk culture. It offers a deeper appreciation of the enduring legacy of one of the greatest architects of the Jhumur tradition.