BENGALI LITERATURE

the body of writings in the Bengali language of the Indian subcontinent. Its earliest extant work is a pre-12th-century collection of lyrics that reflect the beliefs and practices of the Sahajiya religious sect. The dispersal of the poets of the Muslim invasion of 1199 broke off all poetic activity until the mid-14th century. Thereafter, the literature is divided into medieval (1360-1800) and modern (after 1800).