Literature and Books

As stated by CS Lewis “Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become." In other words, it is in literature that the concrete outlook of humanity receives its expansion.

Mithilanchal, the ocean of splendid literature, aesthetic art and unbeatable fashion has stacks and bundles of great works immersed in it. Maithili Literature is basically a compilation of poetries, novels, short stories, documents and other writings in the Maithili language.

Possessing an exceptionally prosperous past , Maithili Literature's antiquity can be generalized from the fact that the Maithili script also known as Tirhuta and Vaidehi Script has been mentioned in the later half of the 7th century AD . Not only this , the oldest prose text among all the Indo-Aryan languages is believed to be written in Maithili namely 'Varna-Ratnaakara' by Jyotirishwara. Also, the oldest known epigraphic proof of this script is found in the Mandar Hill Stone. ( Bounsi , Banka district , Bihar) inscriptions of Adityasena in the 7th century AD and at present shifted to the Baidyanath temple of Deoghar.

The epoch of Maithili Literature has gifted a number of remarkable pieces by the most magnificent poets and writers. Classification has been made on the basis of phases and juncture for the intuitive understanding of the Maithili Literature.

Initial/Early Maithili Literature (700-1350AD):

The most significant attribute of this period was the furnishment of the poetries into ballads,songs and Dohas . Adityasena and Jyotirishwara were among the renowned writers of this era.

Mid- Maithili Literature (1350-1830AD):

The Mid- Maithili era is often referred to as the Golden age of the Maithili Literature as it gave rise to many prolific and prominent personalities (poets and writers) of all time. Poets like Vidyapati , Umapati , Mahesh Thakur , Chaturbhuj , Govindadas , Srimanta Sankaradeva and The Malla kings mounted the Everest of Maithili Literature by their mesmerising works.

Modern Maithili Literature ( 1830 to date):

The modern Maithili Literature came up after George Abraham Grierson (an Irish) led a constructive research on Maithili Lokgeet (Maithili folklore) , deciphering its grammar simultaneously. In 2010 , 'Bible Society of India' , a translation of testament in Maithili, was published under the joint copyright with Nepal Wycliffe Bible Translators. The magazines and journals in the same script have set forth towards the rejuvenation of the centuries old Maithili Literature. Some deemed writers of the modern era are Krishna Kumar Jha 'Anveshan' , Snehlata , Surendra Jha 'Suman' , Baldev Mishra, Raj Kamal Chaudhary and many more to sum up.

In order to glorify the actual colours of Mithila and elevate the standards of Maithili Literature again , we need to bring to light the incredibly rich history of Maithili Literature and strive simultaneously to exalt the modern.