Vidyapati 2016

December 26, 2016

A commemorative postage stamp on ‘Maithil Kavi Kokil‘ Vidyapati, a Maithili poet and a Sanskrit writer [a part of the series ‘Personality Series: Bihar‘] :

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 26, 2016

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to release a set of eight Commemorative Postage Stamps on Personality Series: Bihar.

Credits :
Stamp / FDC / Brochure / Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Nenu Gupta & Smt. Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 2.0 Lakh

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Vidyapati

Born on 1352 at Madhubani [now in Bihar, India]

Died on 1448 at Janakpur area of Mithila Region, Nepal

About :

Vidyapati (1352 – 1448), also known by the sobriquet Maithil Kavi Kokil (the poet cuckoo of Maithili) was a Maithili poet and a Sanskrit writer. He was born in the village Bisfi in Madhubani district of Mithila Region of India. He was son of Ganapati. The name Vidyapati is derived from two Sanskrit words, Vidya (knowledge) and Pati (master), connoting thereby, a man of knowledge. He is known for his works in Sanskrit and erotic poetry written in Maithili Language. Vidyapati is also well known for his poetry dedicated to Lord Shiva. He composed several songs in the form of Nacharis and Maheshbanis to please the Lord. It is said that, impressed with the devotion and the poetic creativity of the poet, Lord Shiva came to him in the disguise of a cowherd boy called “Ugna”. The place where Ugna appeared before the poet is now known as “Ugnasthan”. The devotional songs composed by Vidyapati are still sung in Mithila and form an important part of the folk lore.
Vidyapati’s poetry was widely influential in centuries to come, in Hindustani, Bengali, Maithili, and other Eastern literary traditions. Vidyapati died in the Janakpur area of Mithila Region of Nepal while in exile.
Text : Based on the material available on internet.