Maimansingha Gitika compilation of folk ballads by Dinesh Chandra Sen. Chandra Kumar De of netrokona collected a large number of ballads or narrative songs from greater Mymensingh. Dineshchandra edited the ballads which were published by Calcutta University as Maimansingha Gitika and purbabanga-gitika (1923-1932). They were published in English as Eastern Bengal Ballads.

Of the 21 ballads collected by Chandra Kumar De, Mahuya', 'Maluya', 'Chandravati', 'Dasyu Kenaram', 'Kamala', 'Rupavati', 'Kanka O Lila', 'Dewan Madina', and 'Dhopar Pat' were included in Maimansingha Gitika, while the rest were included in Purbabanga-Gitika. The primary theme of the ballads is love in its different aspects: pre-nuptial love, marital love and extra-marital love and the resultant family and social conflicts. It is assumed that 'Kenaram', 'Mahuya', 'Kanka O Leela', and 'Chandravati' were composed between the late 16th century to the early 18th century. The composer of 'Maluya' is unknown but some think it was chandravati. In course of time, the ballads underwent some transformation. The increasing use of Arabic and Persian vocabulary in some ballads indicate their periods of composition. mansur bayati, the Muslim poet among the composers, is believed to have composed 'Dewan Madina' around the 18th century.

[Ali Nawaz]