Rupram Chakrabarty

Rupram Chakrabarty (Bengali: রূপরাম চক্রবর্তী) (c. 17th century) was a Bengali poet of the Middle Ages and one of the most significant contributor to Dharmamangalkavya tradition of mediaeval Bengali literature.[1] His work, Anadi Mangal (Bengali: অনাদিমঙ্গল), was probably composed in 1650.[2]

Chakrabarty was born at Kaiti-Srirampur village in modern-day Purba Bardhaman district of Indian state of West Bengal.[1] His father Sriram Chakrabarty was an eminent Sanskrit scholar.[1] In his youth Chakrabarty left home and travelled many places until he settles at Eralbahadurpur village in modern-day Nadia district, West Bengal.[1] Legend has it that in Nadia, he met Dharmathakur who commanded him to compose a narrative poem in his honour.[1] The poem, only one-third part of which is now survived, was penned at Eralbahadurpur.[1] The manuscripts of Chakrabarty’s poem are preserved in the University of Calcutta and Vangiya Sahitya Parishad.[3]

Chakrabarty’s poem, marked by its simplicity and yet scholastic descriptions, contains a vivid picture of 17th century Bengali society and the educational centres of medieval Nadia is found in his poem.[1]