Khana (poet)


Khana was a Bengali poet and legendary astrologer, who composed in the medieval Bengali language between the ninth and 12th centuries AD. She is associated with the village Deulia, in Barasat, North 24 parganas district, West Bengal.
Her poetry, known as Khanar Bachan , among the earliest compositions in Bengali literature, is known for its agricultural themes. The short couplets or quatrains reflect a robust common sense, as in this paean to industry:

Legend

The legend of Khana centers around her association with Pragjyotishpur, or possibly Chandraketugarh in southern Bengal and that she was the daughter-in-law of the famous astronomer and mathematician, Varahamihira, a jewel among Chandragupta II Vikramaditya's famed Navaratna sabha.
Daivajna Varāhamihir, also called Varaha or Mihira, was an Indian astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer born in Ujjain. The Indian Parliament building contains pictures of Varahamihira and Aryabhata, among other astronomers. Though little is known about his life, he supposedly hailed from South Bengal, where in the ruins of Chandraketugarh there is a mound called the mound of Khana and Mihir. Khana was the daughter-in-law of Varaha and a famous astrologer herself.
In all likelihood, she lived her life in Bengal, but a number of legends have grown up around her life. According to one legend, she was born in Sri Lanka and was married to the mathematician-astronomer Varahamihira, but it is far more widely believed that Khana was Varahamihira's daughter-in-law, and an accomplished astrologer, becoming thereby a potential threat to Varahamihira's scientific career. However, she exceeded him in the accuracy of her predictions, and at some point, either her husband or a hired hand cut off her tongue to silence her prodigious talent. This is a theme that resonates in modern Bengali feminism, as in this poem by Mallika Sengupta, khanaa's song:
Shrii P.R. Sarkar writes about her:"Based on the all-pervasive influence of the celestial bodies, a branch of knowledge arose in day-to-day life. And this branch of knowledge was beautifully nurtured, with all its flowers, leaves and twigs, by Kshana, a beloved daughter of Ráŕh, the offspring of the Ráŕhii Vaidyas caste of Bankura /Senbhum."
Through the centuries, Khana's advice has acquired the character of an oracle in rural Bengal. Ancient versions in Assamese and Oriya also exist. Advice such as "A little bit of salt, a little bit of bitter, and always stop before you are too full" is considered timeless.

Popular culture

In 15 June 2009, Indian-Bengali television channel Zee Bangla started to telecast a TV serial called Khona based on the life of Khana. The show follows the legend that states she was born and thereby lived in 'Sinhal'.
In 2019, Colors Bangla channel started a new serial named 'Khanar Bachan' based on Khana's words and her conflicts with her father-in-law Varaha.