# Syed Alaol (1607 – 1673)

> Poet of Arakan and translator of Persian and Hindi literature · Jalalpur, Bengal

- Known for: Poet of Arakan and translator of Persian and Hindi literature
- Born: 1607, Jalalpur, Fatehabad Pargana, Bengal Subah (now part of Madaripur District, Bangladesh)
- Died: 1673
- Place: Jalalpur, Bengal
- Fields: Poetry, Literature, Translation
- Page: https://people.rohingya.ro/people/syed-alaol/

## Summary

A Bengali poet of the royal court of Arakan's Mrauk U kingdom, born in 1607 in Jalalpur, Bengal, and brought to Arakan in his youth after Portuguese pirates captured him. With the patronage of the prime minister Magan Thakur and the royal minister Syed Musa he wrote Padmavati (1648), a Bengali adaptation of Malik Muhammad Jayasi's Hindi epic, completed Daulat Qazi's unfinished Satimayna O Lorchandrani, and rendered Persian works of Nizami into Bengali, earning the title Pandit Kabi (Wise Poet).

## What he did

- **1607** — Born in Jalalpur, Fatehabad Pargana, into an aristocratic family; his father was a minister under the ruler of Fatehabad. He mastered Bengali, Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit, and was trained in music and warfare.
- **Youth** — Captured by Portuguese pirates while travelling with his father, and taken to Arakan.
- **Mrauk U** — First served as a bodyguard; his poetic talent later won him a place at the royal court of King Sanda Thudhamma, with the patronage of the prime minister Magan Thakur and the royal minister Syed Musa.
- **1648** — Wrote Padmavati, his most famous work, a Bengali adaptation of Malik Muhammad Jayasi's Hindi epic that blends Sufi themes with local folklore.
- **1659** — Completed Satimayna O Lorchandrani from Daulat Qazi's unfinished manuscript.
- **1665 – 72** — Wrote Saptapaykar (1665), a Bengali rendition of Nizami Ganjavi's Persian text; Saifulmuluk Badiuzzamal (1669), a love story between a prince and a fairy; and Sikandarnama (1671–72), a translation of Nizami's Eskander-nama.
- **1673** — Died. (Bangladesh honours him with the Alaol Sahitya Puroshkar, a literary award named after him.)

## Biography: The wise poet of the Mrauk U court

Syed Alaol was born in 1607 in Jalalpur, Fatehabad Pargana, Bengal Subah (now part of Madaripur District, Bangladesh). He hailed from an aristocratic family; his father served as a minister under the ruler of Fatehabad. Alaol was well-educated, mastering Bengali, Arabic, Persian, and Sanskrit, and was also trained in music and warfare .

In his youth, Alaol was captured by Portuguese pirates while traveling with his father and was taken to Arakan (Rakhine State, Myanmar). Initially serving as a bodyguard, he later gained recognition for his poetic talents and was appointed to the royal court of King Sanda Thudhamma of the Mrauk U dynasty. There, he received patronage from prominent figures such as Magan Thakur, the prime minister, and Syed Musa, the royal minister .

Alaol's literary contributions are significant. His most famous work, "Padmavati" (1648), is a Bengali adaptation of Malik Muhammad Jayasi's Hindi epic, blending Sufi themes with local folklore. Other notable works include:

- "Satimayna O Lorchandrani" (1659): Completed from Daulat Qazi's unfinished manuscript.

- "Saptapaykar" (1665): A Bengali rendition of Nizami Ganjavi's Persian text.

- "Saifulmuluk Badiuzzamal" (1669): A love story between a prince and a fairy.

- "Sikandarnama" (1671–72): A translation of Nizami's "Eskander-nama" .

Alaol's works are celebrated for their lyrical beauty and intellectual depth, earning him the title "Pandit Kabi" (Wise Poet). His legacy is honored in Bangladesh through the Alaol Sahitya Puroshkar, a literary award named in his honor .

---
From Rohingya Famous People, https://people.rohingya.ro/people/syed-alaol/ (updated 2026-11-04)