Kaviraja Madhava Kandali (circa. 14th century) was an Indian poet from the state of Assam. He is one of the renowned poets pertaining to the Pre-Shankara era. His Saptakanda Ramayana is considered the earliest translation of the Ramayana into an Indo-Aryan language, Assamese. This work was carried out by the poet as early as the 14th Century. Another significant work of his is the narrative poem Devajit, which is about superiority of Krishna over the other avatars of Vishnu. Kandali's patron was the BarÃÂha King Mahamanikya (mid 14th century) whose kingdom was located in the Kapili valley. Kabiraja Madhava Kandali was said to be inhabitant of Lanka of Undivided Nagaon.
Madhava Kandali is credited with the task of translating âÂÂValmikiâÂÂs Ramayana into the Assamese language as early as the 14th century. The Assamese version of Ramayana conceptualized by Madhava Kandali is the first of its kind among all the regional languages of North and Northeast India. Although Madhava Kandali has written that âÂÂSaptakanda Ramayana podebandhi nibandhilo lambha parihari sarodhriteâÂÂ, yet the âÂÂAdikandaâ (first) and the âÂÂUttarakandaâ (last) cantos of his âÂÂSaptakandaâ (seven cantos) Ramayana are not found. Therefore, in accordance with the advice of Mahapurush Srimanta Shankardeva, Mahapurush Madhavdev wrote âÂÂAdikandaâ and Mahapurush Srimanta Shankardeva, wrote the âÂÂUttarakandaâ in order to compensate the lost cantos and thus completed the epic consisting of âÂÂSapta Kandaâ or seven cantos. Madhava Kandali has not translated the âÂÂShlokasâ (a couplet of Sanskrit verse) of valmiki Ramayana as it is. He instead abandoned some unnecessary verse narratives and long descriptive passages. He has written the Assamese Ramayana in a lucid and rhythmic pattern thus catering to the needs of the common Assamese people.He has also provided explanations for his inclusion of non-valmiki elements while composing the epic.
Srimanta Shankardeva designated him as Purva Kobi Apramadi (Peerless Bard of the Eastern Region). Moreover, Madhab Kandali is often acclaimed to be the âÂÂKalidas of AssamâÂÂ.
Madhava Kandali is also credited to be the composer of another poetical work âÂÂDevajitâ where he portrays Lord Krishna as the greatest incarnation (avatar) of Lord Bishnu.
He lists several instruments in his "Ramayana", such as mardala(a type of wooden Mridanga), khumuchi, bhemachi, dagar, gratal, ramtal, tabal, jhajhar, jinjiri, bheri mahari, tokari, dosari, kendara, dotara, vina, bën, vipanchi, etc. (meaning that these instruments existed since his time in 14th century or earlier).