In what respect is the Assamese Ramayana (Saptakanda Ramayana) by Madhab Kandali unique?
Madhab Kandali composed the Saptakanda Ramayana in Assamese in the fourteenth century under the patronage of King Mahamanikya. Its distinction is its place as the earliest…
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In what respect is the Assamese Ramayana (Saptakanda Ramayana) by Madhab Kandali unique?
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Correct answer B
Madhab Kandali composed the Saptakanda Ramayana in Assamese in the fourteenth century under the patronage of King Mahamanikya. Its distinction is its place as the earliest known rendering of the Ramayana in a modern Indo-Aryan language. Tamil versions such as Kamban’s predate it and belong to the Dravidian language family.
Option feedback
Option A
Incorrect. The work was composed under King Mahamanikya. Its literary distinction comes from the language and date of composition.
Option B
Correct. Assamese belongs to the modern Indo-Aryan family, and Kandali’s fourteenth-century rendering is the earliest known Ramayana translation in that family.
Option C
Incorrect. The work presents the epic characters with human qualities. A negative portrayal of Sita does not describe its literary distinction.
Option D
Incorrect. The Assamese version retains epic characters such as Rama and Sita under their familiar names.
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