Unit Three: Myths and Literature

Exploring ancient narratives that shape cultures, from Bengali folklore to Greek mythology, examining their enduring impact on literature and society.

Explore Myths Resources
Ancient manuscript

Mythological Narratives

Explore these four significant mythological traditions from different cultures, examining their themes, historical contexts, and literary adaptations.

Behula
Myths of Bengal

The rich mythological traditions of Bengal

Explore Bengali Myths
Region: Eastern South Asia
Icarus painting
Icarus

The Greek myth of ambition and hubris, with Daedalus and Icarus's ill-fated flight.

Study Icarus Myth
Origin: Greek Mythology
Gazi Pir depiction
The Legend of Gazi

The folk hero Gazi Pir and his miraculous deeds in the Bengal delta region.

Learn About Gazi
Tradition: Bengali Folk Islam
Khona statue
Khona

The legendary wise woman of Bengal and her agricultural proverbs.

Discover Khona
Tradition: Bengali Folklore

Lesson 1: Myths of Bengal

Behula
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Bengali Mythological Traditions

Unit 3 Lesson 1 Myths of Bengal (Page no. 53) Behula is a legendary folk heroine and one of the main characters of Manasamangal, a medieval epic. She was the daughter of Sayven of Ujaninagar. Lakhindar was the youngest son of Chand Saodagar of Champaknagar. Behula grew up to be a beautiful and intelligent woman and was married to Lakhindar. Chand Saodagar, a devotee of Shiva, had boasted that he was cleverer and stronger than Manasa, the snake goddess. He built an iron chamber for Lakhindar, believing it to be impregnable. However, on the wedding night of Behula and Lakhindar, Manasa sent a snake to kill Lakhindar. The snake made itself as fine as a strand of hair and, entering the chamber through a minute hole, bit Lakhindar. Behula refused to accept her husbandā€™s death. She placed her husbandā€™s corpse on a banana raft and set out on a hazardous journey towards the abode of the gods. Despite all the dangers and temptations, she encountered, Behula continued her journey and finally succeeded in reaching the abode of the gods. She pleaded for her husbandā€™s life and promised Manasa that Chand Saodagar would worship her. Moved by Behulaā€™s love for her husband, Manasa not only restored Lakhindar but also his brothers whom she had killed earlier. Behula returned home with her husband and brothers-in-law, and Chand Saodagar finally bowed before the might of Manasa. Lakhindar and Behula then returned to their heavenly abode as Aniruddha and Usa.

Major Deities and Figures

  • Manasa: The serpent goddess worshipped for protection from snakebites
  • Chandi: A fierce form of Durga celebrated in the Chandimangal texts
"The Mangal-Kāvya texts (14th-18th centuries) form the core of Bengali mythological literature, blending Sanskritic traditions with local folk elements."

Cultural Significance

Bengali myths are deeply connected to the region's ecology, particularly its riverine landscape. Many myths explain natural phenomena or provide moral guidance for agricultural communities. These stories survive through oral traditions, folk theater (jatra), and seasonal festivals.

Wikipedia Overview

Lesson 2: Icarus

Icarus painting
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The Myth of Icarus

On the island of, Crete, the fearsome Minotaur, a creature that was half-man and half-bull, terrorized the inhabitants. To contain the beast, King Minos enlisted the help of Daedalus, a masterful architect and inventor. Daedalus constructed an intricate labyrinth so complex that escape was nearly impossible. Once the Minotaur was imprisoned within the maze, King Minos believed he had the perfect trap for his enemies, who would be sent into the labyrinth to meet a gruesome end. However, King Minos, no longer needing Daedalus, cruelly imprisoned the inventor and his son, Icarus, within the same labyrinth. Yet, Daedalus, familiar with the labyrinth's design, managed to escape with Icarus. After fleeing, they found themselves stranded on the island with no means of escape by sea. Observing the birds flying above, Daedalus was inspired to craft wings from feathers and wax for himself and his son. He warned Icarus to fly at a moderate height--too close to the sea, and the wings would become heavy with moisture; too close to the sun, and the wax would melt. Initially, Icarus heeded his father's advice, but soon, overwhelmed by the excitement of the flight, he soared higher and higher, forgetting the warning. As he ascended, the sun's heat melted the wax binding his wings. Helplessly, Icarus plummeted into the sea and drowned, leaving Daedalus to fly on alone, devastated by his son's tragic fate. He eventually reached Sicily, where he mourned Icarus and named the sea where his son fell the Icarian Sea in his memory.


From Greek mythology, the story of Icarus appears in Ovid's Metamorphoses (8 CE) and tells of the skilled craftsman Daedalus and his son Icarus, who attempt to escape Crete using wings made of feathers and wax.

Key Elements of the Story

  • Daedalus constructs wings for their escape from King Minos' imprisonment
  • Icarus ignores warnings and flies too close to the sun
  • The wax melts, causing Icarus to fall into the sea and drown
  • The Icarian Sea is named after this tragic event
"Heedless of his father's warning, Icarus soared higher and higher until the sun's heat melted the wax that held his wings together."
- Ovid, Metamorphoses

Interpretations and Legacy

The myth has been interpreted as:

Moral Lesson: Warning against hubris and disobedience
Psychological: Father-son dynamics and adolescent rebellion
Artistic Inspiration: Subject of countless paintings, poems, and modern adaptations
Greek Mythology Source Poetic Adaptations

Lesson 3: The Legend of Gazi

Gazi Pir depiction
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Gazi Pir: The Tiger-Taming Saint

According to some myths and legends, Gazi Pir was a Muslim saint who is said to have spread Islam in the parts of Bengal close to the Sunderbans. He was credited with many miracles. For example, he could supposedly calm dangerous animals and make them docile. He is usually depicted in paats or scroll paintings riding a fierce-looking Bengal tiger, a snake in his hand, but in no apparent danger. According to some stories, he also fought crocodiles who threatened the people of the region full of canals and creeks, indeed, a kind of watery jungle bordering the Bay of Bengal. Because of his alert and vigilant presence, all predatory animals were said to have been kept within bounds. It was also believed that he enabled villagers to live close to forests and jungles and cultivate their lands. Consequently, people of these regions would pray to him for protection. The story of Gazi Pir has been preserved in folk literature as well as art and has been performed in indigenous theatre. Some Gazir paat scrolls are part of the collection of the British Museum.

Gazi Pir (or Gaji Pir) is a legendary Sufi saint revered in Bengal, particularly among forest-dwelling and fishing communities. His stories blend Islamic hagiography with indigenous Bengali folklore.

Key Aspects of the Legend

Element Description
Origin Believed to be based on historical Sufi preacher Shah Sultan Gazi (11th c.)
Miracles Taming tigers, healing snakebites, controlling crocodiles
Worship Patron saint of honey-gatherers and fishermen in Sundarbans
Iconography Depicted riding a tiger with a crocodile as his steed

Cultural Context

The Gazi narratives reflect:

  • Syncretism between Islam and indigenous Bengali traditions
  • Ecological adaptation to life in the mangrove forests
  • Protective mythology for dangerous occupations
  • Manuscript tradition in the Gazi Kalu-Champavati narrative
Wikipedia Article Academic Study

Lesson 4: Khona

Khona
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Khona: The Voice of Agrarian Wisdom

Jodi borshe maghershesh, dhonyi rajar punyi desh. If it rains at the end of Magh (last month of Winter), the kingdom will prosper. The mystery that connects seasons with soil and crops with rain was no secret to her. She realized the interdependence that links people and climate in myriad ways. She was Khona. The mythical story of Khona is deeply rooted in Bangla folklore. Khona, originally named Lila, was an incredible woman with a gift for predicting weather and understanding the ways of farming. Her wisdom was shared through memorable, rhyming verses known as "Khona's Words" or "Khonar Bochon." These sayings. though simple and easy to remember, were filled with deep knowledge and practical advice for farmers. Khona used her knowledge to help the peasants, but her actions often challenged the ruling class. The rulers, not pleased with her defiance, punished her cruelly by cutting out her tongue. Thus, she became known as Khona, which means "someone who cannot speak." Despite this harsh punishment, her wisdom lived on through her sayings, which have been passed down for over 1500years. There are many versions of Khona's story. One retelling goes like this: in the kingdom of Deyulnagar, there was a royal astrologer named Varaha who served King Dharmaketu. Sadly, Varaha's wife died while giving birth to their son, Mihir. Worried about his son's future, Varaha saw in the stars that Mihir was destined for a life of trouble and death. Heartbroken, Varaha decided to save Mihir by placing him in a copper pot and setting the pot afloat on the river Viddyadhory. The baby was found and rescued in Sri Lanka; where he was raised by the king. As he grew up in the royal court, he married the king's daughter, an astrologer herself, named Lila. Lila and Mihir managed to find Varaha and prove that his predictions about Mihir's future had been wrong. Varaha, though surprised by his mistake, was thrilled to see his son again and welcomed both Mihir and Lila warmly. They were soon introduced to the royal court and became royal astrologers themselves. Even though Lila was now a royal astrologer, she kept in touch with the local farmers. She learned a lot from them and found that they shared valuable knowledge through short, easy-to-remember verses. Lila began to use these simple verses to explain her own complex astrological knowledge. Varaha, feeling jealous and angry, ordered his son to punish Lila by cutting out her tongue, hoping to silence her. However, Khona's story and her knowledge remained alive. Her wisdom about nature-oriented farming continued to benefit the people of the land.

Khona (or Chana) is a legendary figure in Bengali folklore, renowned for her agricultural proverbs and astronomical knowledge. Her sayings (Khana's proverbs or "Khana-r Bachan") remain influential in rural Bengal.

The Legend

According to tradition, Khona was the daughter-in-law of the famous astronomer Varahamihira (6th century CE). Her knowledge surpassed her father-in-law's, leading to her tongue being cut off (in some versions) to silence her.

Khona's Contributions

  • Agricultural Proverbs: Hundreds of rhyming couplets about farming practices
  • Weather Prediction: Signs for rainfall, storms, and seasonal changes
  • Astronomy: Folk knowledge about celestial bodies
  • Gender Role Subversion: Female intellectual in patriarchal society
"When ants carry their eggs upward, know that rains will come sweeping."
- A Khona proverb (translated)

Modern Relevance

Khona's proverbs demonstrate:

  • Indigenous scientific knowledge systems
  • Sustainable agricultural practices
  • Oral tradition as knowledge preservation
  • Feminist reinterpretations of her silencing
Khona on Wikipedia Research Paper

Additional Resources

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