Palas of Sri Kavi Karna: Vol: 1 to IV (Kalamulasastra Series 4-7)

Contents: Dedication. Foreword/Kapila Vatsyayan. Facsimile of page of the Mss. Map of 'Bhanjabhum Baripada Dandapat'. Illustrations showing places of worship. Transliteration table. Introduction by the editor: i. The Mss. and their physical features. ii. The subject matter treated in the Palas. iii. Identification of the poet and his period. iv. A process of silent transformation. v. A doyen of integration. vi. The epilogue. vii. References. The Palas: 1. Satyanarayana Akhoti Pala. 2. Satyanarayana Pala. 3. Madansundar Pala. 4. Marddagaji Janma Pala. 5. Marddagaji Vibha Pala. 6. Padmalocan Pala. 7. Gudia Sankar Pala. 8. Vidyadhar Pala. 9. Srimanta Saudagar Pala. 10. Abhinnamadan Pala. 11. Heracand Pala. 12. Fasiyara Pala. 13. Kathuriya Pala. 14. Kishoramohan Pala. 15. Laksmanakumar Pala. 16. Durjan Simha Pala. 17. Satyanarayana Janma Pala. 18. Candrajit Vibha Pala. 19. Nilasundar Pala. 20. Dasa-Avatara Pala. 21. Hiramohan Pala. Glossary.

"Sri Kavi Karner Pala (Palas of Sri Kavi Karna) composed by Sri Kavi Karna, appearing in four volumes under Kalamulasastra Series of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts as 4,5,6 and 7 of the series sing the glory of Satyanarayana.

Composed in Bengali in the late 17th century, recitation of Kavi Karna's Solo Pala or sixteen musical compositions narrating the glory of Satyanarayana, is widely prevalent in contemporary Orissa. Satyanarayana Puja and recitation of Vrata Katha, along with partaking Sirini-- a typical Muslim Prasada, offered to Satyapir, who is identified with Satyanarayana in the Palas are considered a well integrated ceremony by the Hindus all over India. The Vrata Kathas, found in all the Indian languages, along with the Palas, of Kavi Karna, have their origin in the 'Reva Khanda' of Skanda Purana. But the word Satyapir is found in no other Vrata Katha except in the Palas of Kavi Karna. In the introduction of a Muslim Fakir in all his Palas and distribution of Sirini as Prasada, Kavi Karna makes a commendable attempt at cultural synthesis on a religious and ritual planes--a valuable contribution to national integration.

The particular sequence of the sixteen Palas, as Kavi Karna wished to maintain, has been followed in this work." (jacket)