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{{Short description|Indian archaeologist and writer (1916–1994)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2022}}

{{Infobox person
| name = Maniklal Sinha
| native_name =
| image =মানিকলাল সিংহ.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth-date|13 January 1916}}
| birth_place = [[Joykrishnapur]], [[Bankura district]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death-date and age|21 March 1994|13 January 1916}}
| death_place = [[Bishnupur, Bankura|Bishnupur]], [[Bankura district]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
| occupation = Teacher
| spouse = Jui Rani Sinha
| children = 5
}}

'''Maniklal Sinha''', also ''Maniklal Singha''; (13 January 1916 -21 March 1994)<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last=Kabiraj |first=Susanta |title=Shodhganga |url=http://14.139.116.20:8080/jspui/handle/10603/365775 |language=Bengali}}</ref> was an Indian [[archaeologist]],<ref name=":2" /> [[List of Bengali-language authors (alphabetical)|writer]],<ref name=":4" /> poet,<ref name=":7" /> folk-culture scholar<ref name=":0" /> (Lokasangskritibid), novelist<ref name=":12" /> and assistant teacher at [[Bishnupur High School (Bankura)|Bishnupur High School]]. He was the main entrepreneur and founding director of Acharya Jogesh Chandra Pura Kirti Bhavan<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Chakrabarty |first=Rakhi |date=20 June 2015 |title=Relic Hunter |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/relic-hunter/articleshow/47740930.cms |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>(museum) and [[Bangiya Sahitya Parishad]] – Bishnupur Branch<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chairman – Bishnupur Municipality |url=https://bishnupurmunicipality.com/chairman/ |access-date=2022-08-20 |language=en-US}}</ref> in 1951 at [[Bishnupur, Bankura|Bishnupur]]. He was awarded an honorary [[D.Litt.]] degree by the [[University of Burdwan]] in 1989 for his contribution as an archaeologist, writer and novelist.

==Biography==
Maniklal Sinha, son of Amulyaratan Singha and Narayani Debi was born on 13 January 1916 at [[Joykrishnapur]], near [[Bishnupur, Bankura|Bishnpur]].<ref name=":0" /> In 1934, he passed [[Matriculation examination|Matriculation]] from [[Bishnupur High School]] (English Medium) and then completed I.S.C from [[Bankura Christian College]]. On 16 June 1936, Sinha was arrested from his home in [[Joykrishnapur]] on charges of sedition for the crime of [[Swadeshi movement|Swadeshi]]. On that day he was kept in Bishnupur Jail, but the next day i.e. 17 June, Sinha was transferred to [[Midnapore|Mednipur]] Central Jail<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Pradip |title=Ja Dekhechi Ja Sunechi |publisher=Ekabinsati Magazine: Achintya Biswas |year=1999 |pages=82 |language=Bengali}}</ref> after that on fourth of September, he was again transferred to Madarganj, [[Mymensingh]] . Finally, on 22 December 1937, he was released from jail. In 1938, he married Jui Rani Sinha and later in 1942, he completed a Bachelor's and a master's degree (1945) from [[Calcutta University]] and joined [[Bishnupur High School (Bankura)|Bishnupur High School]] as an assistant teacher. He took up teachers training i.e. B.T training from David Hare training college<ref name=":0" /> in 1952.

At the age of 78, Maniklal Sinha died<ref name=":0" /> due to physical [[Disease|ailments]] of old age at home. In 2016, S.D.O, [[Bishnupur, Bankura|Bishnupur]] and D.M, [[Bankura]], organised few events to celebrate his 101 years of birth day at [[Bishnupur, Bankura|Bishnupur]] and [[Bankura]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=সংবাদদাতা |first=নিজস্ব |title=মানিকলাল জন্ম শতবর্ষ |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/purulia-birbhum-bankura/ম-ন-কল-ল-জন-ম-শতবর-ষ-1.285404 |access-date=2022-08-24 |website=anandabazar.com |language=bn}}</ref>

Maniklal Sinha and Jui Rani Sinha have five sons. Among of them Pradip Kumar Sinha<ref>{{cite web |title=File:রাঢ়ের পদাবলী – প্রদীপকুমার সিংহ.pdf – Wikimedia Commons |url=https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A2%E0%A6%BC%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0_%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%80_-_%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0_%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B9.pdf?uselang=bn |website=commons.wikimedia.org |language=bn}}</ref> and Pranab Kumar Sinha<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Pranab |title=Prachin o Madhyayayuger Sahitye Bangali Samaj O Sanskriti |publisher=Banngiya Sahitya Parishad |year=1999 |language=Bengali}}</ref> are eminent writer, Sukanta Sinha is a publisher,<ref name=":5" /> Dr. Srikanta Sinha<ref>{{cite web |title=ORCID |url=https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4553-9643 |website=orcid.org}}</ref> is a scientist, [[Indian Space Research Organisation|ISRO]], Satellite Center, [[Bangalore]], India and Srikrishna Sinha<ref>{{cite web |title=ORCID |url=https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7858-5983 |website=orcid.org}}</ref> is an independent researcher.

==Works==

In the 1970s, Maniklal Sinha discovered a [[Chalcolithic]] emplacement at [[Dihar archaeological site|Dihar]]<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":11">{{Cite journal |last1=Mondal |first1=Bijan |last2=Chattopadhyay |first2=Rupendra Kumar |last3=Biswas |first3=Pampa |last4=Acharya |first4=Dipsikha |title=Excavation at Dihar 2012–2013 : An Interim Report |date=30 March 2018 |url=https://www.academia.edu/36290222}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Chakrabarti |first1=Dilip K. |last2=Sengupta |first2=Gautam |last3=Chattopadhyay |first3=R. K. |last4=Lahiri |first4=Nayanjot |date=1993-01-01 |title=Black-and-Red Ware Settlements in West Bengal |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/02666030.1993.9628469 |journal=South Asian Studies |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=130 |doi=10.1080/02666030.1993.9628469 |issn=0266-6030|url-access=subscription }}</ref> north of [[Bishnupur, Bankura|Bishnupur]], on the north bank of [[Dwarakeswar River|Dwarakeshwar river]]. Coins, beads, semiprecious stone jewellery, and pottery were excavated. Sinha wrote to the archaeological department, [[University of Calcutta]] to take charge of it.

Furthermore, his archaeological research was embodied through these books which are ''Kasai Sabhyata'',<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Maniklal |title=Kansai Sabhyata |publisher=Bangiya Sahitya Parishad |year=1954 |location=Bishnupur |pages=1–102 |language=Bengali}}</ref> ''Paschim Rarh Tatha Bankura Sanskrti'',<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Singha |first=Maniklal |url=https://www.bucl.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=27582&query_desc=su:%22Customs%22 |title=Paschim rarh tatha Bankura sanskriti |date=1977 |publisher=Chittaranjan Dasgupta |location=Bisnupur |archive-date=9 April 2023 |access-date=14 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409073416/https://www.bucl.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=27582&query_desc=su:%22Customs%22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Rarher Jati o Kristi'',<ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Maniklal |title=Rarher Jati O Kristi |publisher=Sukanta Sinha; Bangiya Sahitya Parisad |year=1982 |edition=3rd |location=Bishnupur |pages=1–154 |language=Bengali}}</ref> ''Subarnarekha hoite Mayurakshi'',<ref name=":9" /> ''Rarher Mantrayan''<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Singha |first=Maniklal |url=https://www.bucl.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=27166&query_desc=au,wrdl:%20Maniklal%20Singha |title=Rardher Mantrajan |publisher=Sri Chittaranjan Dasgupta |year=1979 |location=Bishnupur |pages=1–191 |language=Bengali |archive-date=14 August 2022 |access-date=14 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814090556/https://www.bucl.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=27166&query_desc=au,wrdl:%20Maniklal%20Singha |url-status=dead }}</ref> etc. These books are the products of the author's lifelong hard work and so much affection for ''[[Rarh region]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Medley of Faiths: Towards a Composite Religious Culture in Early Medieval Rāḍh |url=https://www.sahapedia.org/medley-of-faiths-towards-composite-religious-culture-early-medieval-r%C4%81%E1%B8%8Dh |access-date=2022-08-21 |website=Sahapedia |language=en}}</ref> Moreover, he highlighted the [[Jhumar song|Jhumur song]].<ref name=":10">{{cite web |last1=Sinha |first1=Manik Lal |title=Jhumar of the West Bengal highlands |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.15085/page/59/mode/2up |publisher=Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi |year=1974}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Basu |first1=Arun Kumar |title=Folksongs of Bengal |journal=Journal of the Indian Musicological Society |date=1 December 1986 |volume=17 |issue=2 |page=93}}</ref>

==Accolades==
*[[National Teacher]] award in 1979.
*Tamra Patra award for his contributions towards freedom from the [[Government of India]].
*[[Ram Kumar Bhualoca]] award for ''Rarher Mantrayan'' from [[Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad]] in 1982.
*[[Madhusudan Prize]] for ''Rather Jati o Kristi'' in 1986.
*An honorary [[D. Litt.]] from the [[University of Burdwan]] in 1989.
*[[Anushilan Samiti]] award in 1994.

==Publications ==
===Poetry books===
*Deepshikha <ref name=":7">{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Maniklal |title=Deep Shika |publisher=Sudhir Kumar Palit |year=1939 |location=Bankura |pages=1–51 |language=Bengali}}</ref>
*Anabasa‍yaka kaba‍yagrantha <ref name=":8">{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Maliklal |title=Anabasayaka Kabayagrantha |publisher=Apratul |year=1947 |edition=1st |volume= |location=Bishnupur |pages=1–47 |language=Bengali}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Maniklal |title=Anabasayaka Kabayagrantha |publisher=Chattaranjan Dasgupta, Bangiya Sahitya Parisad |year=1982 |edition=2nd |location=Bishnupur |language=Bengali}}</ref>

===Novel===
*Shalful<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=Sinha |first=Maniklal |title=(PDF) শাল-ফুল {{!}} Shal-fhul {{!}} Maniklal Singha – মানিকলাল সিংহ |url=https://kitabpdf.com/textbook/30019/%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B2-shal-fhul-maniklal-singha-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B9 |access-date=2022-08-20 |website=KiTabpdf |language=en-US |archive-date=6 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806052224/https://kitabpdf.com/textbook/30019/%e0%a6%b6%e0%a6%be%e0%a6%b2-%e0%a6%ab%e0%a7%81%e0%a6%b2-shal-fhul-maniklal-singha-%e0%a6%ae%e0%a6%be%e0%a6%a8%e0%a6%bf%e0%a6%95%e0%a6%b2%e0%a6%be%e0%a6%b2-%e0%a6%b8%e0%a6%bf%e0%a6%82%e0%a6%b9 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Drama===
*Hammer<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Maniklal |title=Hammer |publisher=Bhim Chandra Mahindra |year=1948 |location=Howrah |pages=1–52 |language=Bengali, Hindi}}</ref>

===Little magazine===
*Shilpi<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Maniklal |title=Shilpi |publisher=Bangiya Sahitya Parisad |year=1950–1952 |location=Bishnupur |language=Bengali}}</ref>
*Rarha Upabhasara Bhumika<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Maniklal |title=Rarh Upabhasar Bhumika |publisher=Vishwavani Magazine |volume=30}}</ref>

===Criticism book===
*Adhunika bangla Sahitya

===Books on Rarh Region===
*Kasai Sabhyata<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Maniklal |title=Kansai Sabhyata |publisher=Bangiya Sahitya Parisad |year=1954 |pages=1–102 |language=Bengali}}</ref>
*Paschim Rarh Tatha Bankura Sanskrti<ref name=":4" />
*Rarher Jati o Kristi<ref name=":5" />
*Subarnarekha Hoite Mayurakshi<ref name=":9">{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Maniklal |title=Subrnarekha Hoite Mayurakshi |publisher=Bangiya Sahitya Parisad |others=Published by Radhamohan Sinha |year=1988 |edition=3rd |location=Bishnupur |pages=1–175 |language=Bengali}}</ref>
*Rarher Mantrayan<ref name=":6" />
*Jhumur songs of the West Bengal highlands<ref name=":10" />

==See also==
*[[Bishnupur, Bankura|Bishnupur]]
*[[Bishnupur High School (Bankura)|Bishnupr High School]]
*[[List of Bengali-language authors (alphabetical)]]
*[[List of Bengali-language authors (chronological)]]
*[[Rarh region]]
*[[Dihar]]
*[[Chunaru]]
*[[Bankura]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==

*''Rediscovering Living Buddhism in Modern Bengal: Maniklal Singha's The Mantrayāna of Rārh (1979)'' : From the book Buddhism and Medicine: Mukharji Bihari Projit, https://doi.org/10.7312/salg18936-028
*''Mallabhum Bishnupur'' – Chandara Manoranjan; Mitra & Ghosh Publishers Pvt Ltd, 10 Shyamacharan De Subreet, Kolkata 700 073, https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.265671/2015.265671.Mallabhum-Bishnupur_djvu.txt
*''Late Mediaeval Temples of Bengal'' (Origins and Classifications Calcutta: The Asiatic Society, 1972) McCutchion David.
*''Brick Temples of Bengal'': From the Archives of McCutchion, David. (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1983), his research collected, interpreted and published by George Michell.
*''Smritir Nadite Manikratan'' (Dec 1999); Roy, Mohit. ''Ekabinsati'': Editor- Achintya Biswas.
*''Puratattik Maniklal Singha'' (Dec 1999); Das, Mantu, ''Ekabinsati'': Editor- Achintya Biswas.
*''Manabbidayar Ekjon Pathik Maniklal Singha'' (Dec 1999); Karan, Sudhir. ''Ekabinsati'': Editor- Achintya Biswas.
*Why the Bishnupur Museum in Bankura is a must visit https://www.getbengal.com/details/why-the-bishnupur-museum-in-bankura-is-a-must-visit

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sinha, Maniklal}}
[[Category:1916 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian archaeologists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian historians]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:Bengali-language writers]]
[[Category:Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Indian historical novelists]]
[[Category:Indian male novelists]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:People from Bankura district]]
[[Category:Novelists from West Bengal]]
[[Category:Poets from West Bengal]]

Maniklal Sinha - Revision history

RenaldoParadis at 08:07, 27 April 2026