Biography
Ananta Kandali was a16th century Assamese Vaishnavite poet.
He was a poet of the period of SriSri Sankardev and Maharaj Naranarayan. He was a big follower of Sri Sri Sankardev. Specifically till now it is not possible to tell when he was born, may be in between 1500 to 1520. His father?s native was at Routa in Darrang district of Assam, but due to some differences with the then kingdom at Darrang he shifted to Hajo, a small township in Kamrup district. Ananta Kandali was born at Hajo. His father Ratna Pathak was a priest of the Haigriva Mandir (temple) at Hajo. Ananta Kandali?s actual name was Haricharan, though he is known as Ananta kandali for his brilliance in Tarka Shastras. He is known as Sri Chandrabharati and Bhagawatacharjya also for his incredible knowledge of Grammar and Bhagawat respectively. Though he had some ideological differences with SriSri Sankardev, he was very much in touch with and a close associate of SriSri Sankardev.
After Madhab Kandali?s Ramayan, Ananta Kandali?s Ramayan is mentionably the second Assamese Ramayan. It was based on the Ramayan of Madhab Kandali with a good addition of many Bhagawat Kathas. It is said that SriSri Sankardev did not like the Ramayana, Ananta Kandali wrote and that was why Sri Sri Sankardev completed the Pancha Kanda Ramayan wrote by Madhab Kandali, by writing Uttarakanda himself and Aadikanda by Madhabdeb.
Kumar Haran is a verse based on Bhagawat and Haribangsa. This is a story of princess Usha and her love affairs. We can find a clear glimpse of the then Assamese village society as the poet described it in a very magnificent poetic manner. Mahiravan Badh was based on a folktale about Ram, Lakkhman, Hanuman and Raawan. Probably it was a creation of his youth. Brittasur Badh is another verse, based on Bhagawat. ..
