Pandit Madhukant Jha Madhukar
Pandit Madhukant Jha Madhukar (19 Jan 1924- 2017 ) was a Maithili poet and a learned scholar in multiple languages including the Devavani Sanksrit, Hindi and Maithili. He was regarded as the living Vidyapati across the Mithila region. The entire Mithila region takes Immense pride in him.
He served the society as a teacher since 1952 till 1988. He facilitated the teaching of poor kids by providing residential facilities for his students. He held the issue of women's education very dear and established Neelkanth Balika Vidyalaya for the same. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Neelkanth Mahadeva (ShiVa). A book titled "समाज सौगात" was published by him in the year 1955. Apart from this, he has written thousands of Bhajans in Maithili. His major works include "सामा चरित", "मधुकर माधुरी", "अभिनव नवीन नचारी", "नीलकंठ मधुकर पदावली", "शंकराचार्य प्रश्नोत्तरी", "नारद भक्ति सूत्र का मैथिली अनुवाद" etc. He gave sermons in Sanskrit on Akashvani Patna to awaken the masses. He has revolutionised the region and elsewhere with his mesmerizing devotional compositions. Pandit Madhukant Jha Madhukar writes in one of this compositions, " लिखता हु वही मित्रो जो मुझको लिखाता है , पाके इशारा जिसका पत्ता भी डोलता है." In another, he writes " कोना मनायब ना शिव के कोना मनायब ना, सखि हे रूसल छथि बमभोला हुनका कोना मनायब ना…". His devotional compositions are sung in full intensity by the Shiva devotees (Kamrathua) on their way to Deoghar.
Madhukar's poetry will be widely influential in the centuries to come.
Bhajans
मधुकर माधुरी
अभिनव नवीन नचारी
नीलकंठ मधुकर पदावली
Other works
Madhukar, mainly known for his Bhajans and prayers for Shiva, also wrote on other topics including ethics, history, geography, and law. His works include:
- समाज सौगात
- सामा चरित
- शंकराचार्य प्रश्नोत्तरी
- नारद भक्ति सूत्र का मैथिली अनुवाद