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VOL. 2, ISSUE 5 (2017)
Dhūrtasamāgama: A study
Authors
Somdatta Hati
Abstract
The contribution of Mithilā to the development of a Synthetic Indian Culture has been immense. At a time, Mithilā had a long literary tradition. Sanskrit was the main vehicle of expression and the chief source of learning. Even after the Muslim conquest of Tirhut in 1324 A.D., when Sanskrit ceased to be a living language in a greater part of India, Mithilā continued to cultivate it with all earnestness. From 13th to 19th century, Sanskrit dramatists in Mithilā had taken a new turn from the earlier ones by introducing Sanskrit, Prākṛt and Maithilī in their dramatic creations of these three languages, Sanskrit, however was the prominent one. Those tri-lingual dramas played a very prominent part in integrating the common people of large and also in developing the people’s language. Among those works, Dhūrtasamāgama, a Prahasana type of Sanskrit dṛśyakāvyas has been parallels staged in its vernacular language i.e. Maithilī. It was composed by kaviśekhara Jyotiriśvara Thākura in the reign of the last great ruler of Karnātaka dynasty Harisiṁhadeva, a great patron of art and literature, during the first quarter of 14th century. The importance of the Dhūrtasamāgama lies in the introduction of Maithilī songs, which we have at least twelve here. In fact, in this book, we get the earliest extant specimens of the Maithilī poetry. Dhūrtasamāgama is a farce play based on an imaginary plot. It treats in two acts. This play is satiric and the characterization is enjoyable to the audience. The names of the characters are comical such as Viśvanagara (world-city), Asajjāti (impure race), Vañcaka (cheater) etc. The Hāsya-rasa is the back bone of this Prahasana, mingled with Śṛṇgāra rasa, other sentiments such as Karuṇa and Bībhatsa rasa, being subordinate to it. In Prahasana, the mastery over the language is remarkable. The upper class characters speak in Sanskrit, the middle class characters, the lower class and females in Māgadhī Prākṛt. The songs are in Maithilī language. Dhūrtasamāgama shows that the culture in the mid medieval times in Mithilā. It gives us information about the life of the common people who did not know Sanskrit. This Sanskrit dramaturgy, the Maithilī version is also enhances its value for sanskritic audience and reader.
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Pages:1011-1015
How to cite this article:
Somdatta Hati "Dhūrtasamāgama: A study". International Journal of Academic Research and Development, Vol 2, Issue 5, 2017, Pages 1011-1015
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