About Charit Puthis & Early Prose — History, Key Facts and Exam Importance
Charit Puthis are the hagiographical biographies of the Vaishnavite period, and together with the prose renderings of the Sanskrit scriptures they represent the beginning of Assamese prose literature. Written mainly in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, these texts record the lives, travels and teachings of Srimanta Sankardev, Madhavdev and the early saints of the Ekasarana Namadharma. For aspirants of ADRE, APSC, Assam Police, DHS, DME, SSC and Railway examinations, the topic is compact and reliable: the questions usually ask who wrote a particular Charit, which text is the earliest Assamese prose, and who is called the father of Assamese prose.
The best known Charit is the Guru Charit or Katha Guru Charit, a biography of Sankardev. It is traditionally attributed to Daitari (Daityari) Thakur and his brother Rama Charan Thakur, and it is widely regarded as one of the earliest works of Assamese prose. The Sankardev Charit is credited to Rama Charan Thakur and Daitari Thakur, while the Madhavdev Charit is likewise attributed to Daitari Thakur. These texts are written in simple, colloquial Assamese prose, close to the spoken language of the time, which is why they are valued both as literature and as sources for the social and religious history of the period.
The other pillar of this topic is Bhattadeva, also called Rama Kavi Saraswati, who is honoured as the father of Assamese prose. He rendered the Bhagavata Purana into Assamese prose as the Katha Bhagavata and the Bhagavad Gita as the Katha Gita, and these two works set a standard for Assamese prose that lasted for generations. It is important not to confuse the Katha Guru Charit, which is a biography, with the Katha Bhagavata, which is a scriptural translation. A further caution helps in the exam hall: the Sarala Mahatmya, the Padma Purana translation of Durgabar Kayastha and the Mantra Samhita are later or different texts and are not counted among the classic Charit Puthis.
This topic rewards careful grouping. The Charit Puthis are biographies, the Katha texts are prose translations, and both belong to the Vaishnavite age. Because the number of examinable titles is small, a simple table of text, author and category answers most questions. The Charit Puthis also preserve the colloquial Assamese of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, which makes them important for the study of the language as well as of history.
Main Facts about Charit Puthis & Early Prose (Quick Revision Bullets)
- Charit Puthi: a hagiographical biography, mainly of Sankardev, Madhavdev and the early Vaishnavite saints.
- Guru Charit / Katha Guru Charit: a biography of Sankardev and one of the earliest Assamese prose works.
- Authors of the Guru Charit: Daitari (Daityari) Thakur and Rama Charan Thakur.
- Sankardev Charit: attributed to Rama Charan Thakur and Daitari Thakur.
- Madhavdev Charit: attributed to Daitari Thakur.
- Father of Assamese prose: Bhattadeva, also called Rama Kavi Saraswati.
- Katha Bhagavata: Bhattadeva's prose rendering of the Bhagavata Purana.
- Katha Gita: Bhattadeva's prose rendering of the Bhagavad Gita.
- Language of the Charit Puthis: simple, colloquial Assamese prose.
- Historical value: they record the social, religious and cultural life of the Vaishnavite period.
- Linguistic value: they preserve the spoken Assamese of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
- Not Charit Puthis: Sarala Mahatmya, the Padma Purana translation and the Mantra Samhita.
- Distinction: the Katha Guru Charit is a biography, while the Katha Bhagavata is a scriptural translation.
- Exam pattern: matching the text to its author and to its category is asked again and again.
Why Charit Puthis & Early Prose Matters for Assam Competitive Exams
This topic marks the birth of Assamese prose, so it appears at a fixed point in the Assam Literature syllabus and is easy to set as a matching question. It connects with the lives of Sankardev and Madhavdev, with the Bhagavata and Gita tradition, and with the social history of the Vaishnavite movement, so the same facts can be tested from several directions. The material is limited and stable, which means a short table-based revision gives a dependable return in marks, and studying bilingually helps you recognise each title in either language on the exam day.
How to Prepare Charit Puthis & Early Prose for Assam Exams
Use these exam-specific tips to make your revision fast and accurate:
- Build a text–author–category table. Write three columns for the Charit Puthis: the text, its traditional author and whether it is a biography or a translation. Cover the Guru Charit, the Sankardev Charit, the Madhavdev Charit, the Katha Bhagavata and the Katha Gita.
- Separate biography from scripture. Remember that the Katha Guru Charit is a life story, while the Katha Bhagavata and the Katha Gita are prose renderings of the Bhagavata Purana and the Bhagavad Gita.
- Fix the "father" and the "earliest". Lock Bhattadeva as the father of Assamese prose and the Guru Charit as one of the earliest Assamese prose works. These two facts answer many questions on their own.
- Watch the traps and test yourself. Keep the Sarala Mahatmya, the Padma Purana translation and the Mantra Samhita out of the Charit Puthi list. Then attempt the 37 bilingual questions on this page and the mock test, and note what you still get wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Charit Puthis and why are they important?
Charit Puthis are biographical texts of the Vaishnavite period that narrate the lives of Sankardev, Madhavdev and other saints. They are important because they are among the earliest Assamese prose works and they preserve the social, religious and cultural history of the period.
Who wrote the Guru Charit and what is its place in Assamese literature?
The Guru Charit, also called the Katha Guru Charit, is traditionally attributed to Daitari (Daityari) Thakur and Rama Charan Thakur. It is a biography of Sankardev and is regarded as one of the earliest works of Assamese prose.
Who is called the father of Assamese prose and which works earned him the title?
Bhattadeva, also known as Rama Kavi Saraswati, is called the father of Assamese prose. He earned the title through the Katha Bhagavata, his prose rendering of the Bhagavata Purana, and the Katha Gita, his prose rendering of the Bhagavad Gita.
Which is considered one of the earliest prose works in Assamese literature?
The Katha Guru Charit is generally considered one of the earliest prose works in Assamese literature. It is written in simple, colloquial Assamese prose and describes the lives of Sankardev and Madhavdev.
What is the language and historical value of the Charit Puthis?
The Charit Puthis are written in simple, colloquial Assamese prose. Historically they are valuable because they record the lives of the Vaishnavite saints and the social and religious life of sixteenth and seventeenth century Assam, and they preserve the spoken Assamese of that age.