Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay

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Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay
বলাইচাঁদ মুখোপাধ্যায়
Mukhopadhyay on a 1999 Indian stamp
Born(1899-07-19)19 July 1899
Manihari, Purnia District, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died9 February 1979(1979-02-09) (aged 79)
Calcutta, West Bengal, India
Other namesBanaphul
Alma materCalcutta Medical College
Patna Medical College and Hospital
OccupationsWriter, poet, pathologist
Notable work
  • Dana (Wings)
  • Sthabar
  • Trinakhanda
RelativesArabinda Mukhopadhyay (brother)
Awards

Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay (19 July 1899 – 9 February 1979) was an Indian Bengali-language writer, physician, and playwright, best known by his pen name Banaphul (বনফুল, meaning "Wild / Forest flower" in Bengali). His oeuvre spanned novels, poetry, plays, essays and over 400 short stories, the genre for which he is best remembered.[1] For his contribution to literature, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1975, India's third-highest civilian honor.[2]

Life

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Mukhopadhyay was born in Manihari village of Purnia district (now Katihar District), Bihar on 19 July 1899. His family originally hailed from Sehakhala situated in Hooghly District of present-day West Bengal.[3] His father, Satyacharan Mukhopadhyay, was a doctor, and his mother was Mrinalini Devi. He originally took the pen name Banaphul ("the wild flower") to hide his literary activities from a disapproving teacher. He attended Hazaribag College and was later admitted, into the Calcutta Medical College. He moved to Lake Town, Calcutta, in 1968, and died there on 9 February 1979.[4] He is the elder brother of famous Bengali film Director Arabinda Mukhopadhyay.

Literary works

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He is best known for his short vignettes, which were often just half-page long, and centered on a single powerful moment with sharp observation and unconventional perspective,[1] but his literary career spanned sixty-five years and included thousands of poems, over 586 short stories (a handful of which have been translated to English),[5] [better source needed] 60 novels, 5 dramas, a number of one-act plays, an autobiography called Paschatpat (Background), and numerous essays."[6][7] His short stories often revolve around a single, powerful moment, defined by sharp observation, unconventional perspectives, and exceptional storytelling.

Novels

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  • Trinokhondo তৃণখণ্ড
  • Boitorini Tire বৈতরণীর তীরে
  • Niranjana নিরঞ্জনা
  • Bhuban Som ভুবন সোম
  • Maharani মহারাণী
  • Agnishwar অগ্নীশ্বর
  • Manaspur মানসপুর
  • Erao achhe এরাও আছে
  • Nabin Dutta নবীন দত্ত
  • Harishchandra হরিশ্চন্দ্র
  • Kichukshan কিছুক্ষণ
  • Se O Ami সে ও আমি
  • Saptarshi সপ্তর্ষি
  • Udai Asta উদয় অস্ত
  • Gandharaj গন্ধরাজ
  • Pitambarer Punarjanma পীতাম্বরের পুনর্জন্ম
  • Nayn Tatpurush নঞ তৎপুরুষ
  • Krishnapaksha কৃষ্ণপক্ষ
  • Sandhipuja সন্ধিপূজা
  • Hate Bajare হাটেবাজারে
  • Kanyasu কন্যাসু
  • Adhiklal অধিকলাল
  • Gopaldeber Swapna গোপালদেবের স্বপ্ন
  • Swapna Sambhab স্বপ্নসম্ভব
  • Kashti Pathar কষ্টিপাথর
  • Prachchhanna Mahima প্রচ্ছন্ন মহিমা
  • Dui Pathik দুই পথিক
  • Ratri রাত্রি
  • Pitamaha পিতামহ
  • Pakshimithun পক্ষীমিথুন
  • Tirther Kak তীর্থের কাক
  • Rourab রৌরব
  • Jaltaranga জলতরঙ্গ
  • Rupkatha ebang Tarpar রূপকথা এবং তারপর
  • Pratham Garal প্রথম গরল
  • Rangaturanga রঙ্গতুরঙ্গ
  • Ashabari আশাবারি
  • Li ৯
  • Sat Samudra Tero Nadi সাত সমুদ্র তেরো নদী
  • Akashbasi আকাশবাসী
  • Tumi তুমি
  • Asanglagna অসংলগ্ন
  • Simarekha সীমারেখা
  • Tribarna ত্রিবর্ণ
  • Alankarpuri অলংকারপুরী
  • Jangam জঙ্গম
  • Agni অগ্নি
  • Dwairath দ্বৈরথ
  • Mrigoya মৃগয়া
  • Nirmok নির্মোক
  • Mandanda মানদন্ড
  • Nabadiganta নবদিগন্ত
  • Koshtipathar কষ্টিপাথর
  • Sthabar স্থাবর
  • Bhimpalashri ভীমপলশ্রী
  • Pancha Parba পঞ্চপর্ব
  • Lakshmir Agaman লক্ষ্মীর আগমণ
  • Dana ডানা

Short stories

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  • Pratibaad
  • swadhinata
  • "Bonofuler Golpo"
  • "Bonofuler Aro Golpo"
  • "Bahullo"
  • "Bindu Bishorgo"
  • "Adrisholok"
  • "Anugamini"
  • "Tonni"
  • "Nobomonjori"
  • "Urmimala"
  • "Soptomi"
  • "Durbin"
  • "Bonofuler Sreshto Golpo"
  • "Bonofuler Golpo Songroho-1"
  • "Bonofuler Golpo Songroho-2"
  • "Banaphooler Chhoto Galpa Samagra—1 & 2"
  • "Fuldanir Ekti Ful"

Film adaptation of his literature

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Postage stamp

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On the 100th anniversary of his birth, the Government of India issued a postage stamp featuring his image.[8]

See also

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Further reading

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  • বনফুলের ছোট গল্প সমগ্র (Complete Short Stories of Banaphul), published by Banishilpa, Kolkata in January 2003
  • উপন্যাস সমগ্র (Complete Novels), published by New Bengal Press (Private) Limited, Kolkata in July 1999
  • পশ্চাৎপট (Background), the autobiography of Banaphul, published by Banishilpa, Kolkata in 1999

References

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  1. ^ a b Chakrabarti, Kunal; Chakrabarti, Shubhra (2013). Historical Dictionary of the Bengalis. Historical Dictionaries of Peoples and Cultures. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-8108-5334-8.
  2. ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  3. ^ BANAPHOOL RACHANABALI (VOL.16), MUKHOPADHYAY, BALAICHAND, Granthagar Pvt. Ltd., Calcutta, 1955, p. 3
  4. ^ "Banaful ( of একশ বছরের সেরা গল্প)". Goodreads. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  5. ^ "Wildfire and Other Stories by Banaphool". Purple Pencil Project. 13 June 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  6. ^ Spectrum of Bengali literature (modern period), Indiaheritage.org, Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  7. ^ Ananta Ghosh, Great writers Archived 2 June 2021 at the Wayback Machine, Bengali Association of Greater Chicago Newsletter, Volume 25: Issue 2 : April 2000. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  8. ^ India, 1999 Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Postbeeld.com, Retrieved 1 May 2007.
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