Chakrapani Dasa

Chakrapani Dasa was a Bengali poet, feudal king and Buddhist scholar from Bengal during 9th century. He belonged to the Das family belonging to the Barendra Kayastha clan, which later became famous as Munshi family since his descendant Munshi Balaram Das was appointed as the court Munshi by Raja Sitaram Ray during 17th century. His descendants had cantrolled over Kadirpara Estate and Chougachi Estate.

Chakrapani Dasa, son of Tankadas (also known as Tankapani Dasa, the chief royal scribe to Dharmapala of Bengal) has been called as the 'Chief of Devas' by poet Kashidasa in Varendrakaranabarnana. According to Nagendranath Basu, he became famous as 'Mahakavi' (Great Poet) during his era. He has been mentioned as Chakadas in Tibetan Buddhist text. Mahamahopadhyaya Satish Chandra Vidyabhusan dedicated a scholarly essay titled Kayastha Chakadas in his name. During Chakrapani, Brahmins started gaining prominence in the royal court of Devapala, the third Pala Emperor. According to Santanu Ghosh, due to Brahmin intrigue, Chakrapani left Pataliputra, the capital of Pala Empire with his sons dhiradasa and Suradasa, and later settled in Barendra. Family tree Mankhadasa Tankapani Dasa Chakrapani Dasa Dhiradasa Suradasa (settled in Barendra) Sridhara Bhudhara Gadadhara Rajyadhara (Cooch Behar) Arya Sridhara (Samantapradhana at Kamrupa) Dharadhara (also known as Lakshmikara Thakur) Sulapani (also known as Bangsadhara Thakur) Pinakapani Tankapani Ratnapani Narasimha Das (also known as Narahari Das, Naradev Das, and Naradasa Thakur, contemporary of Sena Emperor Ballal Sena) Mahasamanta Vatudasa Mahamandalik Shridharadasa Patudas (childless) Bhuvanadi Sridharadas (revered in Barendra society) Hayagriva Chakrapani (also known as Bangsadhara Thakur) Devadhara (also known as Sridhara Thakur, Mantri of Nanyadeva, founder of the Karnat dynasty of Mithila)