In 2011, I had attended an international conference on Intangible Heritages of Kerala at Kaladi (birth place of Adi Shankaracharya), Kerala. Dr. Venugopal, DG, National Natural History Museum, New Delhi had organized the same. In that 5-day programme, the topic for one day was Kerala Monsoon. It was very informative and interesting. Not only the eminent weather scientists but also traditional weather forecasters were also invited. When I heard some traditional weather forcasting data of the farmers, I was immediately reminded of Dak. I recited some of his couplets and the Keralites were surprised. When I informed them that just on the atmospheric condition of Shravan Shukla Saptami from the sunrise to the sunset, Dak could forecast the weather for the following one year on which the agriculture of Mithilanchal heavily depended round the year with nearly 90% exactness.
Since then I have been making hectic efforts to know more about this farmer astrologer. While I was a high school student in 1950s, I got a copy of Dak Vachnamrit which I got by rot within a week and retained for nearly two decades. Today I hardly remember his any prophetic poetry nor the booklet is available. Meanwhile, I have read materials on Dak in books of D.C. Sarkar, R.N. Tripathi and Kapileshwar Jha (1905,Darbhanga) besides some tidbits from elsewhere. Through his extensive studies and on the spot visits, Dr Sarkar found Dak lore prevalent in entire north India from Assam to Rajasthan. I feel, agriculture being the mainstay of Indian economy till early 20th century and the same being heavily dependent on monsoon rains, in all geographical regions there must have been weather forcasters, commonaly known as Dak. Even today Shankaracharya has become an institution.
Somewhere Dak is known to be the son of Varahmihir whch is erroneous as he was living in 6th century AD. Some believe that the Ghagh tradition is also attributed to Dak. A few scholars believed that he was contemporary of Humayun and Akbar which also does not stand to the acid test of history. His sayings in local dialect also does not support this contention. With this elimination process, historians have given the verdict that there was no historical person by the name of Dak.
About the correctness of his unscientific forecasting, Dr. Sarkar had a solid proof. A farmer in Assam told him that he could make correct forcast of rains six months in advance. Explaining his methology, he explained that seeing the fog condition of the winter, according to his observatory calculations, rains would take place exactly after 190 days. The people around supported the claim. Similarly, despite being illiterate, Dak was a keen observer of cloud, sky, fog, wind conditions etc and made almost correct forecasts for the local farmers.
Some scholars have placed him in 14th/15th century. I personally believe that there was definitely a person named Dak in Mithilanchal as late as in 19th century AD. I know things since 1946. At that time, the old villagers had on their lips some chaupayees of Ramcharitmana, a few shlokas of Gita and Chanakya Nitidarpan, bhajans of Laxminath Gosain and Dak Vachnamrit. Sayings of Dak were available in pure Maithili. Somewhere I have read that he was a Maithil Brahman. But I differ. At the end of one forecast, it is mentioned, ‘Kahi gel Dak gowar’. That clearly says that he was born in a Yadav agricultural family. ‘Kahe Dak sunu Dakni’ also makes it clear that he himself was also a family man. In his forecasts the names of dogs, cow , plough , bhat and several ethnic Mithili words support him being a Maithil. The language used by him is definitely different from Vidyapati Padavali of 14th century AD. So, I have guessed and placed him in 19th c. AD (subject to correction).
He is an asset of Mithila and it is our duty to research and re-establish him honourably.
Since then I have been making hectic efforts to know more about this farmer astrologer. While I was a high school student in 1950s, I got a copy of Dak Vachnamrit which I got by rot within a week and retained for nearly two decades. Today I hardly remember his any prophetic poetry nor the booklet is available. Meanwhile, I have read materials on Dak in books of D.C. Sarkar, R.N. Tripathi and Kapileshwar Jha (1905,Darbhanga) besides some tidbits from elsewhere. Through his extensive studies and on the spot visits, Dr Sarkar found Dak lore prevalent in entire north India from Assam to Rajasthan. I feel, agriculture being the mainstay of Indian economy till early 20th century and the same being heavily dependent on monsoon rains, in all geographical regions there must have been weather forcasters, commonaly known as Dak. Even today Shankaracharya has become an institution.
Somewhere Dak is known to be the son of Varahmihir whch is erroneous as he was living in 6th century AD. Some believe that the Ghagh tradition is also attributed to Dak. A few scholars believed that he was contemporary of Humayun and Akbar which also does not stand to the acid test of history. His sayings in local dialect also does not support this contention. With this elimination process, historians have given the verdict that there was no historical person by the name of Dak.
About the correctness of his unscientific forecasting, Dr. Sarkar had a solid proof. A farmer in Assam told him that he could make correct forcast of rains six months in advance. Explaining his methology, he explained that seeing the fog condition of the winter, according to his observatory calculations, rains would take place exactly after 190 days. The people around supported the claim. Similarly, despite being illiterate, Dak was a keen observer of cloud, sky, fog, wind conditions etc and made almost correct forecasts for the local farmers.
Some scholars have placed him in 14th/15th century. I personally believe that there was definitely a person named Dak in Mithilanchal as late as in 19th century AD. I know things since 1946. At that time, the old villagers had on their lips some chaupayees of Ramcharitmana, a few shlokas of Gita and Chanakya Nitidarpan, bhajans of Laxminath Gosain and Dak Vachnamrit. Sayings of Dak were available in pure Maithili. Somewhere I have read that he was a Maithil Brahman. But I differ. At the end of one forecast, it is mentioned, ‘Kahi gel Dak gowar’. That clearly says that he was born in a Yadav agricultural family. ‘Kahe Dak sunu Dakni’ also makes it clear that he himself was also a family man. In his forecasts the names of dogs, cow , plough , bhat and several ethnic Mithili words support him being a Maithil. The language used by him is definitely different from Vidyapati Padavali of 14th century AD. So, I have guessed and placed him in 19th c. AD (subject to correction).
He is an asset of Mithila and it is our duty to research and re-establish him honourably.
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