Vidyapati

Vidyapati (1352–1448), revered as the 'Maithil Kavi Kokil' (Cuckoo of Mithila), is the crowning jewel of Maithili literature. A court poet of the Oinwar dynasty, his songs (Padavali) dedicated to Radha-Krishna influenced the entire Vaishanava movement in Bengal and Orissa. Uniquely, he also wrote legally significant works like 'Likhanavali' and devotional hymns to Lord Shiva (Ugna) and Ganga. His poetry bridged the gap between Sanskrit elite tradition and the folk language of the masses.