About Chanda Jha

CHANDA JHA (1831-1907) 

Chanda Jha is considered as a catalyst for the modern writings in Maithili. He was the first in modern times who restored the lost pride in the mother tongue - Maithili. In a period when Sanskrit was the only language considered worthy of serious study and Maithili was regarded as a language of the commoners and unworthy of higher studies, it was Chanda Jha who took the trouble to show the literary capacity of Maithili. His love and convictions for the mother tongue was so firm that he never deterred from writings in the Maithili. Though he was called Bhat kavee (a derogatory term to make fun of some literary figures whose work is considered below the standard) by his contemporaries, yet he successfully established Maithili as the language of literature. And later on in his life he was admired and was called Kavishwar (the greatest poet). His Mithila Bhasha Ramayan transformed pundit’s perception about the inability of Maithili as a language of literature. He was the first to set Maithili free from the clutches of Shringar (love songs) and Bhajan (prayers) songs. He made the language relevant for the changing social and political need of the time. Though, most of his own writings are in these two genres yet he also wrote on socially, culturally and politically relevant issues.

 His full name was Chandrakant Jha. His father’s name was Pt. Bhola Jha. Chanda Jha was born in his maternal village Bargaon of Saharsa district where he spent most of his early life, until the age of 17. Because of some trouble at his paternal village Pindaruch of Darbhanga district, with the local landlords he left his village and settled in his in-laws village Thadhi in Madhubani district. He served the court of Maharaja Lakshmishwar Singh and Maharaja Rameshwar Singh and was well respected among the Pundits of the court. Chanda Jha was a prolific writer. His original works include – Lakshmishwar Vilas, Mithila Bhasha Ramayan, Geet-Sudha, Padyavali, Ahalyacharit Natak. His translation of Vidyapati’s Purush Pariksha opened up further research and studies on Vidyapati. He also edited Saheb Ramdas Geetavali published in 1901. There are other works like – Gitasaptsati, Mula-Grama-Vichar, Chanda Vichar, Vathvana and Raskaumudi which were attributed to Chanda Jha by many scholars but these works are not available today.

His greatest contribution to Maithili was establishing Maithili as a literary language on par with any other modern Indian languages. It is said that what Vidyapati did for Maithili in the 14th Century has been done by Chanda Jha in the 19th Century and perhaps his contribution is more profound than the former.