Odia Books

Dhananjaya Bhanja was born in 1611, in the Bhanja royal dynasty of Ghumusar, Dhananjaya wrote poetry in the traditional pattern of Sanskrit kavya in odia literature. In the 17th century, medieval odia literature was characterised by its adoption of Sanskirt poetics, rhetoric and depiction of erotic sentiments. The royal court of Ghumusar was then the flourishing seat of traditional leaming, literary cultivation and culture, which Sanskrit pundits used to adorn under royal patronage. The literary practices of the Bhanja rulers ushered in a new pattern of erotic Kavya literature in odia, a new form and a new technique. Music also played an important role in literature.

Dhananjaya was the son of Banamali Bhanja and he was the king of Ghumusar for a long period of 65
years. Dhananjaya had more than one wife and from them twelve children and among them Gangadhar was the eldest. Dhananjaya was not only a great ‘poet of ornate versification but he played his part as a great patron of learning and culture. His important works are Ichhabati, Ananga Rekha, Tripura Mohini, Madan Manjari and his Raghunath Vilas written in ornate style on the theme of Ramayana is still quite popular.

Ichhabati
Ananga Rekha
Tripura Mohini
Madan Manjari
Raghunath Vilas