2. A presentation on
Impact of Khana’s bachan in Agriculture
Student ID: 142109,142111,142112,142123,142129.
3rd Year, 1st Term,
Development Studies Discipline,
Khulna University.
Course no : DS 3101
Course Title: Agriculture and Rural Development
3. Introduction,
Who is Khana?
Focused sectors of Khana’s bachan,
Agricultural sector,
Influential bachans existing in agriculture of Bangladesh,
Other sectors,
Conclusion.
Reference
Appendix
3
OUTLINES
4. Khana, a Bengali woman, is the compiler of these verses. She was an expert
astrologer too. Her verses were the most basic guidelines for traditional
agriculture in Bangladesh. Khana’s verses or Khana’s bachan are in local and
Bengali languages in poetry form along with rhymes and they exist as oral
form only. Though most of Khana’s verses are associated with agriculture yet,
there are some verses which are related to some other aspects like social life,
cooking, food habit, astrology etc. Khana’s contribution in agriculture is
unforgettable and is widely accepted by the farmers. In fact, farmers in villages
are still following some of Khana’s verses in modern agricultural practices.
Khana’s verses are mostly highlighted some key factors of crop management
like time of sowing, harvesting, seasonal adaptation etc. In some of her verses
astronomical influences on agriculture are present too.
INTRODUCTION
4
5. Khana was an Indian poetess and legendary astrologer , who composed in
The medieval Bengali language between the 9th and 12th centuries AD.
She is associated with the village Deulia, in Barasat district, West Bengal.
Birth:
Khana was born approximately between 800 to 1200 AD. Her actual name is
Lilaboti. Her fathers name is Anacharjya. It has been considered by some
scholars that she was the daughter of Singhol impire.
Marriage:
Khana was married with Mihir, the son of famous astrologer named
Varah.
WHO IS KHANA?
5
6. Work:
Khana and Mihir both became expert in astrology. Khana took the
attraction by giving advise and prediction for agriculture.
Death:
Khana was becoming a potential threat to Mihir's scientific career.
However, she exceeded him in the accuracy of her predictions and at
some point, either her husband or father-in-law or a hired hand (or
possibly Khana herself under great duress) cut off her tongue to silence
her prodigious talent. She died after some day of that incident.
6
8. Agricultural situation of the period of khana
The main features of Khana's verses or bachans are agricultural wisdom
or advice. Khana also included livestock and dairy farming as important
tools for agriculture and livelihood of that time. She gave a lot of
importance to paddy as the most important crop then and now. She was
also an ecologist and encouraged the merits of local fruits rich in food
nutrients such as banana. To this day her sayings and advice have not
proven wrong in spite of so called agricultural advances made .
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
8
9. Agricultural verses given by Khana mainly relate to-
Agricultural customs and animal husbandry,
Agricultural work and applied astrology,
Knowledge about day/month and weather.
Advise for caring of crops.
Some verses about agriculture are given below-
“ Chase mula,tar ordhek tula,
Tar ordhek dhan, bina chase pan.”
9
10. Khana’s bachan or Khana’s verses were the most basic guidelines for
traditional agriculture in Bangladesh. In fact, farmers in villages are still
following some of khana’s verses in modern agricultural practices. Khana’s
verses are mostly highlighted some key factors of crop management like
time of sowing, harvesting, seasonal adaptation, etc. In some of her verses
astronomical influences on agriculture are present too. Some examples of
Khana’s bhachan are as follows:
“Aaush dhaner chas
Lage tin mash”
10
Influential bachans existing in agriculture of
Bangladesh
11. Khana bole hal niye mathe jobe koribe gamon
Age dekho chashi bhai jeno hoy subhokhon
Shubhokhon dekhe soda koribe jatra
Pothe jeno na hoy oshubho barta.”
“Mathe giye age koro dik nirupon
Purbo dik hote hal koroho chalon
Khana bole mor kotha shuno mohashoy
Phashal pholibe odhik nahi sonsoy”
“Amabashya ar purnimate je ba dhore hal
Tar dhukhkho thake chirokal”
11
12. Journey:
“ Mongole usha, budhe pa,
Jotha issa totha ja.”
“ Robi ,guru, mongole usha,
Baki sob fusha fasha.”
Weather:
“ Khana bole chasar po,
Shoroter seshe sorisha ro.”
“ Khana deke bole jan,
Rod e dhan,chayay pan.”
OTHER SECTOR
12
14. According to folk literature, Khana’s verse is a special kind of folk
scripture which has a great impact on daily life. Specially agriculture and
season got the most attention by Khana. However it has been analyzed that
the verses of Khana are exceptional and extraordinary still today. As
Khanna spoke the rules of astrology combining it with her poetic skills;
some part of it which was easy for the common man to remember got
passed on as her sayings. It is very interesting to note that the sayings of
Khana are found in other parts of the region such as Nepal, Assam, Bihar,
Orissa and Tripura, which support the idea that the sayings are a part of
our common heritage with regional variation. It is said they are also found
in Bangladesh.
14
CONCLUSION
