Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay

Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay (Bengali: বিভূতিভূষণ বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়) (September 12, 1894 – November 1, 1950) was an Indian Bengali author and one of the leading writers of modern Bengali literature. The Bandyopadhyay family originated in the Panitar village near Basirhat, located in the North 24 Parganas district of modern-day Paschimbanga (West Bengal). Bibhutibhushan’s great-grandfather, who was an Ayurvedic physician, eventually settled at Barakpur village, near Gopalnagar, Banagram, North 24 Parganas. [2] However, Bibhutibhushan was born in Muratipur near Kanchrapara-Halishahar, North 24 Parganas, at his maternal uncle’s house. His father, Mahananda Bandyopadhyay, was a Sanskrit scholar and story-teller (Kathak) by profession. Mahananda and his wife Mrinalini had five children, of whom Bibhutibhushan was the eldest.

Bibhutibhushan’s childhood home was at Barakpur village, near Gopalnagar Police Station in Bongaon, North 24 Parganas. The writer studied at Bongaon High School, one of the oldest institutions in British India and was considered a consistently talented student. Following a first division placement in the Entrance and Intermediate Arts examinations, Bibhutibhushan completed his undergraduate degree with Economics, History and Sanskrit at the Surendranath College (then Ripon College), Kolkata. He was admitted to the master's degree (MA) and Law classes, but could not afford to enroll for the postgraduate course at the University of Calcutta and joined teaching profession in a school at Jangipara, Hooghli.[1] His first job was as a teacher, but Bibhutibhushan also served as a traveling publicist for Goraksini Sabha, and later as a secretary for Khelatchandra Ghosh, a role that included the management of his Bhagalpur estate. Bibhutibhushan eventually returned to the geographic area where he spent his childhood, accepting a job as teacher at the Gopalnagar School which he continued alongside his until his death. Gouri Devi was the writer's first wife, but she died in cholera a year after their marriage. Gouri's death and Bibhutibhushan's consequent loneliness led to a theme of tragedy that became a recurrent motif in his early writings. At the age of 46, Bibhutibhushan married Rama Chattopadhyay and the couple raised a son, Taradas, who was born in 1947. Bibhutibhushan wrote 16 novels, and over two hundred short stories; his style as a Bengali novelist has been compared to Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay.

Complete list of novels:

1.      Pather Panchali (Bengali: পথের পাঁচালি) (Song of the Road)

2.      Aparajito (Bengali: অপরাজিত) (Unvanquished; sequel to Pather Panchali)

3.      Aranyak (Bengali: আরণ্যক) (In the Forest)

4.      Adarsha Hindu Hotel (Bengali: আদর্শ হিন্দু হোটেল)

5.      Ichhamati (Rabindra Purashkar 1950-51) (Bengali: ইছামতি)

6.      Dristi Pradeep (Bengali: দৃষ্টি প্রদীপ)

7.      Chander Pahar (Bengali: চাঁদের পাহাড়)

8.      Heera Manik Jale (Bengali: হীরা মানিক জ্বলে)

9.      Debjan (Bengali: দেবযান)

10.  Bipiner Sangsar

11.  Anubartan

12.  Ashani Sanket

13.  Kedar Raja

14.  Dampati

15.  Sundarbane Sat Batsar-Not completed by him

16.  Dui Bari

17.  Kajol--Sequel of Aparajito -Completed By His Son Taradas

18.  Maroner Danka Baje

19.  Mismider Kabach

20.  Kosi Pranganeyer Chitthi

21.  Aam Aatir Bhenpu (Bengali: আম আঁটির ভেঁপু)

22.  Partial short story collections[edit]

23.  MeghaMallar

24.  Mauriphool

25.  Jatrabadol

26.  "Jonmo o mrittu"

27.  "Kinnardal"

28.  "Benigir fulbari"

29.  "Nabagata"

Films based on his works

1.      Pather Panchali (1955)

2.      Aparajito (1956)

3.      Apur Sansar (1959)

4.      Baksa Badal(1970)

5.      Nishi Padma (1970), Amar Prem (1971) based on short story Hinger Kochuri [9]

6.      Nimantran(1971)

7.      Ashani Sanket (1973)

8.      Fuleswari(1974)

9.      Alo (2003)

10.  Chander Pahar (2013)

Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay died on November 1, 1950, with the cause of death identified as a heart attack. Death occurred whilst the author was staying in Ghatshila.[8]