Bengali literature is literary works written in
Bengali languageBengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
particularly from
BangladeshBangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and the
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n provinces of
West BengalWest Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
and
TripuraTripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...
. The
history of Bengali literature-Charyapada:Charyapada is the oldest known Bengali written form. It is actually collection of poems. It was written on 9th century and Harprashad Sastri discovered in the Nepal Royal Court Library in 1907. It is a palm leaf manuscript. Charyapada's language is referred to as Alo-Andhari , meaning...
traces back hundreds of years while it is impossible to separate the literary trends of the two Bengals during the pre-independence period. Post independent Bangladesh has given birth to its own distinct set of literature.
Early history
The first evidence of
KamrupiKamarupi or present Kamrupi is the language that was spoken in the Kamarupa kingdom in the first millennium, which, some linguists claim, gave rise to or influenced various eastern Indo-European languages like Assamese and Bengali.During British India at some point Kamrup was divided into two big...
literature is known as
CharyapadaThe Charyapada is a collection of 8th-12th century Vajrayana Buddhist caryagiti, or mystical poems from the tantric tradition in eastern India. Being caryagiti , the Charyapada were intended to be sung. These songs of realization were spontaneously composed verses that expressed a practitioner's...
or Chari-Siddha-Pada in dedication on the names of four sons of
BrahmaBrahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
, a collection of 8th-12th century CE Buddhist mystic poems from eastern
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
or ancient Kingdom of Kamarupa now read as
KamrupKamrup district is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India, named after Kamarupa, a name by which Assam was previously known in ancient times. The district, however, is now a small western part of Assam, with a distinctive native Kamrupi culture and dialect . The distinctive...
that provides early examples of
AssameseAssamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
,
OriyaOriya , officially Odia from November, 2011, is an Indian language, belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is mainly spoken in the Indian states of Orissa and West Bengal...
and
BengaliBengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
languages. Poets of these Charyapadas, the
SiddhaMahasiddha is a term for one who cultivates those teachings that lead to becoming perfect. They are a type of eccentric yogini/yogi in both Sanatan Dharma and Vajrayana Dharma, given by Siddhartha. Mahasiddhi are those practitioners, or tantrikas who have gained sufficient understanding and are so...
s belonged to the various regions of ancient Kamarupa kingdom or present
AssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
,
BengalBengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
,
OrissaOrissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
and
BiharBihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
. Charyapada is also the oldest known written form of
KamrupiKamarupi or present Kamrupi is the language that was spoken in the Kamarupa kingdom in the first millennium, which, some linguists claim, gave rise to or influenced various eastern Indo-European languages like Assamese and Bengali.During British India at some point Kamrup was divided into two big...
.
The famous
BengaliThe Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
linguist Harprashad Shastri discovered the palm leaf
CharyapadaThe Charyapada is a collection of 8th-12th century Vajrayana Buddhist caryagiti, or mystical poems from the tantric tradition in eastern India. Being caryagiti , the Charyapada were intended to be sung. These songs of realization were spontaneously composed verses that expressed a practitioner's...
manuscript in the
NepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
Royal Court Library in 1907.
In the middle of 19th century, Bengali literature gained momentum. During this period, the Bengali
Pandits of
Fort William CollegeFort William College was an academy and learning centre of Oriental studies established by Lord Wellesley, then Governor-General of British India. It was founded on July 10, 1800 within the Fort William complex in Calcutta...
did the tedious work of translating the text books in Bengali to help teach the British some Indian languages including Bengali. This work played a role in the background in the evolution of Bengali prose. In 1814,
Raja Ram Mohan RoyRaja Ram Mohan Roy was an Indian religious, social, and educational reformer who challenged traditional Hindu culture and indicated the lines of progress for Indian society under British rule. He is sometimes called the father of modern India...
arrived in Calcutta and engaged in literary pursuits. Translating from Sanskrit to Bengali, writing essays on religious topics and publishing magazines were some the areas he focussed on. He established a cultural group in the name of 'Atmiya Sabha' (Club of Kins) in 1815. Another significant contributor of Bengali literature in its early stage was
Ishwar Chandra BandyopadhyayaIshwar Chandra Vidyasagar CIE , born Ishwar Chandra Bandopadhyaya , was an Indian Bengali polymath and a key figure of the Bengal Renaissance....
.
In 1857, the famous '
Sipahi BidrohaThe Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
' (Sepoy Mutiny) took place. With the wind of it, 'Nil Bidroho' (Indigo Revolt) scattered all over then Bengal region. This Nil Bidroha lasted for more than a year (In 1859-1860). The literature world was shaken with this revolt. In the light of this revolt, a great drama was published from
DhakaDhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
in the name of 'Neel Dorpon' (The Indigo Mirror).
Dinabandhu MitraDinabandhu Mitra the Bengali dramatist, was born in 1830 at village Chouberia in Gopalnagar P.S., 24 Parganas and was the son of Kalachand Mitra. His given name was Gandharva Narayan, but he changed it to Dinabandhu Mitra.-Early life:Dinabandhu Mitra's education started at a village pathshala...
was the writer of this play.
Michael Madhusudan Dutt
In this time,
Michael Madhusudan DuttMichael Madhusudan Dutt or Michael Madhusudan Dutta was a popular 19th century Bengali poet and dramatist. He was born in Sagardari , on the bank of Kopotaksho [কপোতাক্ষ] River, a village in Keshobpur Upozila, Jessore District, East Bengal . His father was Rajnarayan Dutt, an eminent lawyer, and...
emerged as the first epic-poet of modern Bangla literature. Dutt, a Christian by conversion, is best known for his
RamayanaThe Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
-based masterpiece, "The Slaying of Meghnadh," (in Bengali "
Meghnadh Bodh Kabyo" (মেঘনাদ বধ কাব্য)), which essentially follows in the poetic tradition of
MiltonJohn Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
's
Paradise Lost. Those who have read it consider this work a world-class epic poem of the modern era. Michael Madhusudan Dutta is also credited with the introduction of sonnets to Bangla literature. He ruled the Bangla literature world for more than a decade (1858–1863). Dutt can also be credited to be a pioneer of the blank verse in Bengali literature. His style was deemed as "Amitrakshar Chhanda".
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
Bankim Chandra ChattopadhyayBankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was a famous Bengali writer, poet and journalist. He was the composer of India’s national song Vande Mataram, originally a Bengali and Sanskrit stotra personifying India as a mother goddess and inspiring the activists during the Indian Freedom Movement...
starts his journey through bangla literature with his first published novel 'Durgeshnondini' (Daughter of the Fort Lord) in 1865. He is considered as one of the leading Bengali novelists and is popularly known as the author of India's first
national song, "Bande Mātarom" ' onMouseout='HidePop("89509")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Vande_Mataram">Vande Mātāram
Vande Mataram is a poem from the famed novel Anandamath which was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1882. It was written in Bengali and Sanskrit....
"). The song appears in his novel "Anandamath", considered to be a masterpiece in Bengali literature.
Others
Bangla literature also become rich with its variations. It started to spread its different branches also. in poetry
Ishwar Chandra GuptaIshwar Chandra Gupta was an Indian Bengali poet and writer. Gupta was born in the village Kanchanpalli or Kanchrapara, 24 Parganas district .- Early life :...
, Biharilal Chakravarty,
KaykobadKaykobad or Mohakobi Kaykobad was the pen name of the poet Kazem Ali Quereshi.-Background:...
, in novel
Romesh Chunder DuttRomesh Chunder Dutt, CIE was an Indian civil servant, economic historian, writer, and translator of Ramayana and Mahabharata.- Formative years :...
,
Mir Mosharraf HossainMir Mosharraf Hossain was a Bengali language novelist, playwright and essayist in 19th century Bengal. He is principally known for his famous novel Bishad Sindhu...
, in plays
Girish Chandra GhoshGirish Chandra Ghosh was a Bengali musician, poet, playwright, novelist, theatre director and actor. He was largely responsible for the golden age of Bengali theatre. He can be referred to as the Father of Bengali Theatre...
, in essays
Akshay Kumar BoralAkkhoykumar Boral was a Bengali poet and writer. He was born in Kolkata.-Career:Boral was a fan of the poets, Biharilal Chakraborty and Rabindranath Tagore...
,
Ramendra Sundar Tribedi-Life:He was born at Jemo situated at Kandi subdivision of Murshidabad. From the very first class, Ramendra Sundar Tribedi stood first. After obtaining his B.Sc...
and many others contributed to enrich Bangla literature in this time.
A lot of literature magazines and newspapers started to come under day light. A number of educational institutes appears all over the region. This helps a lot to nurture the future author and poets of Bangla language.
Pre-Tagore era also saw an undercurrent of popular literature which was based on daily lifestyle of contemporary Bengal. The prose style as well as the humour in these stories were often crass & blunt. A masterpiece in this regard was "Hutom Pechar Naksha" (The sketch of Owl) written by
Kaliprasanna SinghaKaliprasanna Singha is remembered for his two immortal contributions to Bengali literature viz. translation of Mahabharata, the largest epic, and his book Hutom Pyanchar Naksha...
. It depicts a witty & vivid description of the "Babu" culture in 19th century Kolkata. Other notable mentions in this regard are "Alaler Ghorer Dulal" (The spoilt brat) by Pyarichand Mitra, "Ramtanu Lahiri o tatkalin Banga shamaj" (Ramtanu Lahiri & contemporary Bengali society) by Nyaymohan Tarkalankar, "Naba Babu Bilas" & "Naba Bibi Bilas" by Bhabanicharan Bandopadhyay. These books arguably portrayed contemporary Bengali dialect & society promptly, along with the now extinct music genres of Khisti, Kheur & Kabiyal gaan by stalwarts like Rupchand Pakhi, Bhola Moyra. Books like these will become rarer once Tagore's restarined & cultured approach impressed the Bengali society.
Influence of Rabindranath Tagore
Possibly the most prolific writer in Bangla is
Nobel laureateThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
Rabindranath TagoreRabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
. Tagore dominated both the Bengali and Indian philosophical and literary scene for decades. His 2,000
Rabindrasangeets play a pivotal part in defining Bengali culture, both in West Bengal and Bangladesh. He is the author of the
national anthemA national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
s of both
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and
BangladeshBangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, both composed in Bangla. Other notable Bangla works of his are
GitanjaliGitanjali is a collection of 103 English poems, largely translations, of the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.This volume became very famous in the West, and was widely translated....
, a book of poems for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, and many short stories and a few novels. It is widely accepted that Bangla Literature accomplished its contemporary look by the writings and influence of Rabindranath.
In the fields of Drama and Satire, he influenced and created a very worthy posterity of him in Natyaguru
Nurul MomenNurul Momen , also known as Natyaguru , was an educationist, playwright, director, humorist, lawyer, broadcaster, philanthropist and essayist of Bangladesh...
.
Nurul MomenNurul Momen , also known as Natyaguru , was an educationist, playwright, director, humorist, lawyer, broadcaster, philanthropist and essayist of Bangladesh...
was an educationist, playwright, director, humorist, lawyer, broadcaster, philanthropist and essayist of Bangladesh. He is recognized as the pioneer of modern Bengali drama,"acting as a bridge between earlier and later playwrights in terms of content and style", and even referred to as the "Father of Bangladeshi theater".
Kazi Nazrul Islam
In a similar category is
Kazi Nazrul IslamKazi Nazrul Islam , sobriquet Bidrohi Kobi, was a Bengali poet, musician and revolutionary who pioneered poetic works espousing intense spiritual rebellion against fascism and oppression. His poetry and nationalist activism earned him the popular title of Bidrohi Kobi...
, who was invited to post-partition Bangladesh as the National Poet (he had been suffering from dementia and aphasia since 1942) and whose work transcends sectarian boundaries. Adored by
BengalisThe Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
both in Bangladesh and West Bengal, his work includes 3,000 songs, known as both as
nazrul geeti and "nazrul sangeet". He is frequently called the "rebel poet" mainly because of his most famous and electrifying poem "Bidrohi" or "The Rebel", and also because of his strong sympathy and support for revolutionary activities leading to India's independence from British Rule. His songs and poems were frequently used during the
Bangladesh Liberation WarThe Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
as well. Though he is acknowledged as the rebel poet, Nazrul very effectively contributed in all branches of literature. He wrote poems that light the fire against inequality or injustice and at the same time is known for his poignant romantic poems as well. He wrote a lot of Islami Ghazals and in the same time wrote a number of
Shyama SangeetShyama Sangeet is a genre of Bengali devotional songs dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shyama or Kali. It is also known as Shaktagiti.Shyama Sangeet appeals to the common man because it is a musical representation of the relationship of eternal and sublime love and care between the mother and her child...
(songs for the
HinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Mother Goddess,
Kali' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
). Nazrul was not only a poet, he was writer, musician, journalist and philosopher. He was sent to jail for his literary works against the then prevailing British rule.
Playwrights
After Rabindranath Tagore, two dramatists radically brought about a major change in Bangla theatre. One was
Nurul MomenNurul Momen , also known as Natyaguru , was an educationist, playwright, director, humorist, lawyer, broadcaster, philanthropist and essayist of Bangladesh...
and the other was Bijon Bhattacharya.
Nurul MomenNurul Momen , also known as Natyaguru , was an educationist, playwright, director, humorist, lawyer, broadcaster, philanthropist and essayist of Bangladesh...
created the first modern and experimental plays from East Bengal, which later became East Pakistan and subsequently, Bangladesh.
Nurul MomenNurul Momen , also known as Natyaguru , was an educationist, playwright, director, humorist, lawyer, broadcaster, philanthropist and essayist of Bangladesh...
(Bangla: নুরুল মোমেন) (November 25, 1908 – February 16, 1990), also known as Natyaguru (নাট্যগুরু), was an educationist, playwright, director, humorist, lawyer, broadcaster, philanthropist and essayist of Bangladesh. He is recognized as the pioneer of modern Bengali drama, "acting as a bridge between earlier and later playwrights in terms of content and style", and even referred to as the "Father of Bangladeshi theatre".
Novelists
Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay was one of the most popular novelists of early 20th century whose speciality was exploring life and sufferings of women in contemporary rural Bengal. His sympathy towards the common rural folks in "pallisamaj" and a trademark simplified Bengali as a writing style made him one of the most popular writer in his time. Even long after his death many
BengaliBengali cinema refers to the Bengali language filmmaking industries in the Bengal region of South Asia. There are two major film-making hubs in the region: one in Kolkata, West Bengal, India and the other in Dhaka, Bangladesh .The history of cinema in Bengal dates back to the 1890s, when the first...
and
BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
blockbusters were based on his novels. After him
Tarashankar BandopadhyayTarasankar Bandyopadhyay was one of the leading Bengali novelists. He wrote 65 novels, 53 story-books, 12 plays, 4 essay-books, 4 autobiographies and 2 travel stories...
,
Bibhutibhushan BandopadhyayBibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay was one of the most famous Bengali novelist and writer of modern Bengali literature...
,
Manik BandopadhyayManik Bandopadhyay ; ; was an Indian Bengali novelist and is considered one of the leading lights of modern Bangla fiction. During a short lifespan of forty-eight years, plagued simultaneously by illness and financial crisis, he produced 36 novels and 177 short-stories...
, are the three Bandopadhyays who broke out into a new era of realistic writing style. Where the two of the above Bibhutibhusan and Manik had long standing influence on the two of the most brilliant film directors from Bengal,
Satyajit RaySatyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
and
Ritwik Ghatak respectively. Other famous Bengali novelists are
Humayun AhmedHumayun Ahmed is a Bangladeshi author, dramatist and director of film and television. He broke through since the publication of his first novel, Nandita Naraké...
,
Jagadish GuptaJagadish Gupta was an Indian poet, novelist and short story writer. Known for his realistic view of life, strange character portrayal and unique narrative style, he was one of the major exponents of modern Bengali literature....
,
Satinath BhaduriSatinath Bhaduri was a Bengali Indian novelist and politician. He was known by his literary pseudonym, Chitra Gupta.-His works:Satinath's first novel was Jagari , for which he received the very first Rabindra Puraskar . This book earned him considerable fame. As a political novel, Jagari occupies...
, Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay (Banophool),
Shawkat OsmanShawkat Osman full-name Sheikh Azizur Rahman was a Bangladeshi novelist and short story writer. He was born in Sabalsingha pur 1917 in the district of Hughli, West Bengal.His father's name Sheikh Mohammad Yehia.-Education:He was educated at the Calcutta Madrassa , and at the St...
, Saradindu Bandopadhyay,
Kamal Kumar MajumdarKamalKumar Majumdar was a major fiction-writer of the Bengali language. The novel Antarjali Jatra is considered his most notable work.-Early life:...
,
Sunil GangopadhyaySunil Gangopadhyay , is a celebrated Indian poet and novelist.-Early life:...
,
Syed Shamsul Haque Syed Shamsul Haque , is a Bangladesh poets and writer. He was born in Kurigram.-Life:Syed Shamsul Haq was born in a small town called Kurigram on 27 December in 1935. His father was Syed Siddique Husain a homeopathic physician and mother Halima Khatun. His father came to Kurigram to pursue in...
,
Akhteruzzaman EliasAkhteruzzaman Elias , born in Gaibandha District, Bangladesh, is a famous novelist and short story writer. Though he wrote only two novels, critics place Elias in the pantheon of great Bengali novelists...
,
Sandipan ChattopadhyaySandipan Chattopadhyay was a Bengali writer. In 1961 he wrote the book "Kritadas Kritadasi" it changed the landscape of Bengali fiction and created a niche for himself...
, Shumotho Nath Ghosh, Gagendra Kumar Mitra,
Bimal MitraBimal Mitra was a prominent Bengali writer who wrote several novels.Bimal Mitra was equally adept in writing in Bengali as well as in Hindi, and has more than one hundred novels and short stories to his credit...
,
Bimal KarBimal Kar was an eminent Bengali writer and novelist.He received 1975 Sahitya Akademi Award in Bengali, by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, for his novel Asamay.-Personal life and education:...
,
Samaresh BasuSamaresh Basu was an Indian Bengali writer based in Kolkata, India. He was born on December 11, 1924 and spent his early childhood in Dhaka, Bikrampur in what is today Bangladesh...
,
Mani Shankar MukherjeeShankar, real name Mani Shankar Mukherjee, and generally known in English-language literature as Sankar is a very popular writer in the Bengali language...
(Shankar), etc.
Humayun AhmedHumayun Ahmed is a Bangladeshi author, dramatist and director of film and television. He broke through since the publication of his first novel, Nandita Naraké...
is one of the most popular Bengali writer of fiction and drama. Humayun Ahmed had a meteoric rise in Bangla literature. His first novel, Nondito Noroke was written while he was still a student of the University of Dhaka, gained immediate popularity and critical acclaim. Equally successful was his second novel, Shankhanil Karagar (tr: "The Conch-blue Prison"), later made into a successful film by Nasiruddin Yusuf. Humayun Ahmed went on to become one of the most prolific writers in Bengali literature.Humayun Ahmed often shows a fascination for creating stories around supernatural events; his style is characterized as
magic realismMagic realism or magical realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction in which magical elements blend with the real world. The story explains these magical elements as real occurrences, presented in a straightforward manner that places the "real" and the "fantastic" in the same stream of...
.Seeds of
Bengali science fictionBengali science fiction is a rich part of Bengali literature. Although it is not as established as other genres in the Bengali language, it is gaining popularity among Bengali readers, especially in Bangladesh.-Earliest writers:...
could be observed in the writings of Jagadish Chandra Bose, which was later put into a definite genre by writers such as
Jagadananda RoyJagadananda Roy was an eminent scientific article writer as well as Bangla science fiction writer in the 19th century. He wrote mainly for teens.Roy was among one of the first science teachers of Rabindranath Tagore established Visva Bharati....
, Hemlal Dutta, Begum Roquia Sakhawat Hussain,Mohammad Hedayetullah,Quazi Imdadul Haq and
Premendra MitraPremendra Mitra was a renowned Bengali poet, novelist, short story writer and film director. He was also an author of Bangla science fiction and thrillers.-Life:...
,
Satyajit RaySatyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
. Professor
Muhammed Zafar IqbalMuhammed Zafar Iqbal is a Bangladeshi writer of children’s books and science-fiction and also a well-known political columnist. He is a professor of Computer Science & Engineering at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, though originally educated as a physicist.-Early life:Muhammed...
is the most popular science-fiction writer in bengali literature.
Humayun AhmedHumayun Ahmed is a Bangladeshi author, dramatist and director of film and television. He broke through since the publication of his first novel, Nandita Naraké...
and
Abdullah-Al-MutiAbdullah-Al-Muti Sharfuddin was a famous Bengali educationist and popular science writer of Bangladesh.-Books:*Eso Bigganer Rajje*Obak Prithibi*Rohosser Shesh Nei*Jana-Ojanar Deshe*Sagorer Rohosshopuri*Biggan O Manush...
are also very popular in this genre.Satyajit Ray is also notable for his short stories where he revives the tradition of
Thakurmar JhuliThakurmar Jhuli is a collection of Bengali folk tales and fairy tales. Dakshinaranjan Mitra Majumder was the person who first collected some folk-stories of Bengal and published it under the name of Thakurmar Jhuli in 1907 . The Nobel-Laureate, Rabindra Nath Thakur wrote the introduction to the...
into a mixture of fantasy, mystery, science, and fairy tale.
Short story writers
Bengali literature is also famous for short stories. Some of the famous short story writers are
Rabindranath TagoreRabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
,
Manik BandopadhyayManik Bandopadhyay ; ; was an Indian Bengali novelist and is considered one of the leading lights of modern Bangla fiction. During a short lifespan of forty-eight years, plagued simultaneously by illness and financial crisis, he produced 36 novels and 177 short-stories...
,
Jagadish GuptaJagadish Gupta was an Indian poet, novelist and short story writer. Known for his realistic view of life, strange character portrayal and unique narrative style, he was one of the major exponents of modern Bengali literature....
,
Tarashankar BandopadhyayTarasankar Bandyopadhyay was one of the leading Bengali novelists. He wrote 65 novels, 53 story-books, 12 plays, 4 essay-books, 4 autobiographies and 2 travel stories...
, Bibhuti Bhushan Bandopadhyay, Rajshekhar Basu (Parasuram),
Premendra MitraPremendra Mitra was a renowned Bengali poet, novelist, short story writer and film director. He was also an author of Bangla science fiction and thrillers.-Life:...
,
Kamal Kumar MajumdarKamalKumar Majumdar was a major fiction-writer of the Bengali language. The novel Antarjali Jatra is considered his most notable work.-Early life:...
, Shibram Chakrabarti, Saradindu Bandopadhyay,
Subodh GhoshSubodh Ghosh was a noted Bengali author and journalist, with Kolkata-based daily newspaper Ananda Bazar Patrika. His best known work Bharat Premkatha, about the romances of epic Indian characters, has remained a sensation in bengali literature world...
,
Narendranath Mitra-Biography:He was born in Faridpur in modern day Bangladesh. He was based in Kolkata, now in India at the time of partition in 1947, and chose to remain in India when his birthplace fell to the share of Pakistan....
,Ramapada Chowdhury, Jyotirindra Nandi, Bimal Kar,
Narayan GangopadhyayNarayan Gangopadhyay ,Narayan Gangopadhyay (1918–1970),Narayan Gangopadhyay (1918–1970),(also known as Narayan Ganguly was a renowned South Asian author. He was born in Dinajpur in undivided Bengal, in what is now Bangladesh. His real name was Taraknath Gangopadhyay.-Life:...
, Shumotho Nath Ghosh, Gagendra Kumar Mitra, Santosh Ghosh, Debesh Roy, Anish Deb, Abhijnan Roychowdhury,
Satyajit RaySatyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
, Lila Majumder, Shiresendu Mukhopaddhyay,
Ratan Lal BasuRatan Lal Basu is an economist and English fiction author from Kolkata, India.-Childhood and parents:...
,
Sandipan ChattopadhyaySandipan Chattopadhyay was a Bengali writer. In 1961 he wrote the book "Kritadas Kritadasi" it changed the landscape of Bengali fiction and created a niche for himself...
,
Basudeb DasguptaBasudeb Dasgupta , a Bengali novelist and short-story writer , is considered as one of the most significant avant-gardes and controversial figures in the history of Bengali literature.-Writings:Basudeb's major contribution to Bengali literature spanned from the early 1960s to mid 80's...
,
Subimal MishraSubimal Misra is a Bengali novelist, short story writer and essayist. He is known as a maverick and audacious experimentalist in contemporary Bengali literature....
, Arupratan Basu, Aboni Dhar, Nabarun Bhattacharya,
Syed WaliullahSyed Waliullah was a Bangladeshi novelist, short-story writer and playwright. He is most well known in Bangla literature for his first novel, Lalsalu...
,
Shawkat OsmanShawkat Osman full-name Sheikh Azizur Rahman was a Bangladeshi novelist and short story writer. He was born in Sabalsingha pur 1917 in the district of Hughli, West Bengal.His father's name Sheikh Mohammad Yehia.-Education:He was educated at the Calcutta Madrassa , and at the St...
, Showkat Ali, Mohammad Salahuddin(Abon), Akhtaruzzaman Ilias, Dipak Barua, Mahmudul Huq,
Hasan Azizul HuqHasan Azizul Huq is a Bangladeshi writer, reputed for his short stories. He was born on 2 February 1939 in Jabgraam in Burdwan district of West Bengal, India...
,
Shahidul ZahirShaheedul Jahir, also spelt Shahidul Zahir, was an eminent post-modernist fictionist of Bangladesh. He wrote both short stories and novels, and was distinguished for his extraordinary prose-style.-Life and career:...
etc.
Poets
Jatindramohan BagchiJatindramohan Bagchi was a Bengali poet and editor.-Early life:He was born in Jamsherpur, in Nadia, in rural Bengal...
,
Kazi Nazrul IslamKazi Nazrul Islam , sobriquet Bidrohi Kobi, was a Bengali poet, musician and revolutionary who pioneered poetic works espousing intense spiritual rebellion against fascism and oppression. His poetry and nationalist activism earned him the popular title of Bidrohi Kobi...
,Ashraf Ali Khan, Farrukh Ahmad,
Jibanananda DasJibanananda Das was a noted Bengali poet. He is considered one of the precursors who introduced modernist poetry to Bengali Literature, at a period when it was influenced by Rabindranath Tagore's Romantic poetry....
, along with Buddhadeva Bose, marks the beginning of the major move to transcend the Tagore legacy . Even though Jibanananda went through a turbulent and difficult financial troubles and met an unfortunate accident claiming his life early in his writing career, he remains to be the most influential poet of post-Rabindranath era. The new genre of Bengali poets departed considerably from Tagore's ideological style and adopted various themes and philosophies such as Marxism, Freudian interpretation of mind, which were avoided and often criticized by Rabindranath Tagore. These three marked the beginning of the era that will burst with activities and urge to merge with the greater world of poetry absorbing elements from them. Commonly called "polli-kobi" (
pastoral poet)
JasimuddinJasimuddin was a renowned Bengali poet, songwriter, prose writer, folklore collector and radio personality. He is commonly known in Bangladesh as Polli Kobi, the Rural Poet for his faithful rendition of Bangla folklore in his works...
,
Shamsur RahmanShamsur Rahman was a Bangladeshi poet, columnist and journalist. Rahman, who emerged in the latter half of the 20th century, wrote more than sixty books of poetry and is considered a key figure in Bengali literature. He was regarded the unofficial poet laureate of Bangladesh...
, widely known for his 'playing with words' are also notable.
Hungryalism
There has been only one pathbreaking literary movement in West Bengal, namely The
Hungry generationThe Hungry Generation was a literary movement in the Bengali language launched by what is known today as the Hungryalist quartet i.e. Shakti Chattopadhyay, Malay Roy Choudhury, Samir Roychoudhury and Debi Roy alias Haradhon Dhara, during the 1960s in Kolkata, India...
or Hungryalism. The famous poets of this movement are
Malay Roy ChoudhuryMalay Roy Choudhury is a Bengali poet and novelist who founded the "Hungryalist Movement" in the 1960s. His literary works have been reviewed by sixty critics in HAOWA 49, a quarterly magazine which devoted its January 2001 special issue to Roy Choudhury's life and works...
,
Shakti ChattopadhyayShakti Chattopadhay was a Bengali poet and writer, widely regarded as one of the greatest poet of 20th century Bengali literature. -External links:...
, Benoy Majumdar,
Samir RoychoudhurySamir Roychowdhury , one of the founding fathers of the Hungry Generation 1961-1965 ,was born at Panihati, West Bengal, India in a family of artists, sculptors, photographers and musicians...
,
Falguni RoyFalguni Roy was an anti-establishment Bengali poet. Along with Shakti Chattopadhyay, Malay Roy Choudhury, Samir Roychoudhury, Subimal Basak, Debi Roy ,Utpalkumar Basu, Binoy Majumdar, Sandipan Chattopadhyay, Basudeb Dasgupta, Roy was also associated with the Hungryalist movement.-Film on Falguni:A...
, Saileswar Ghose, Pradip Chowdhuri, Subo Acharya, Arunesh Ghose,
Tridib MitraTridib Mitra was one of the pioneers of the Hungry generation movement in Bengali literature which changed the literary landscape of West Bengal once for all. With his wife Alo Mitra he edited Hungry generation magazines The Waste Paper in English and Unmarga in Bengali...
. The fiction writers are
Sandipan ChattopadhyaySandipan Chattopadhyay was a Bengali writer. In 1961 he wrote the book "Kritadas Kritadasi" it changed the landscape of Bengali fiction and created a niche for himself...
,
Basudeb DasguptaBasudeb Dasgupta , a Bengali novelist and short-story writer , is considered as one of the most significant avant-gardes and controversial figures in the history of Bengali literature.-Writings:Basudeb's major contribution to Bengali literature spanned from the early 1960s to mid 80's...
,
Subimal BasakSubimal Basak, is an Indian fiction writer. He is a member of the Hungry generation, with Samir Roychoudhury, Falguni Roy, Shakti Chattopadhyay and the movement's creator Malay Roy Choudhury....
,
Malay Roy ChoudhuryMalay Roy Choudhury is a Bengali poet and novelist who founded the "Hungryalist Movement" in the 1960s. His literary works have been reviewed by sixty critics in HAOWA 49, a quarterly magazine which devoted its January 2001 special issue to Roy Choudhury's life and works...
and
Samir RoychoudhurySamir Roychowdhury , one of the founding fathers of the Hungry Generation 1961-1965 ,was born at Panihati, West Bengal, India in a family of artists, sculptors, photographers and musicians...
. The painters are
Anil KaranjaiAnil Karanjai was an accomplished Indian artist. Born in East Bengal, he was educated in Benaras, where his family settled subsequent to the Partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. As a small child he had spent long hours playing with clay to make toys and arrows. He also began very early...
and Karunanidhan Mukhopadhyay.
In 2011 director
Srijit MukherjiSrijit Mukherji is an erstwhile economist, actor, director, lyricist, and theatrician from the Indian movie industry of West Bengal, Kolkata.-Early life:...
incorporated the
Hungry generationThe Hungry Generation was a literary movement in the Bengali language launched by what is known today as the Hungryalist quartet i.e. Shakti Chattopadhyay, Malay Roy Choudhury, Samir Roychoudhury and Debi Roy alias Haradhon Dhara, during the 1960s in Kolkata, India...
movement into mainstream cinema when he directed
Baishe SrabonBaishe Srabon is a 2011 Bengali musical thriller directed by director Srijit Mukherji. The cast of the movie consists of Prosenjit Chatterjee, Parambrata Chatterjee, Raima Sen, Abir Chatterjee and reputed actor Gautam Ghosh who made a come back after 29 years...
wherein famous film director
Gautam GhoseGoutam Ghose is one of the most acclaimed film directors of modern India. Born in Calcutta. Graduated from Calcutta University....
portrayed the role of an anti-establishment Hungryalist poet.
Prakalpana Movement
Prakalpana MovementThe Prakalpana Movement of Kolkata was sparked off in the Bengali language on September 6, 1969, by Vattacharja Chandan with the assistance of Dilip Gupta and Asish Deb. They later declared the day as "Prakalpana Day" because to them "the earth stood still" on the natal day of the movement...
, branded by Steve LeBlanc, the noted US critic, as 'a tiny literary revolution', 'nurtured' by Kolkata, has been fostering its new genres of Prakalpana fiction, Sarbangin poetry and Chetanavyasism for over four decades, spearheaded by
Vattacharja ChandanVattacharja Chandan , is a bilingual writer, poet, composer and mail artist. He was born in 1944 in the small town of Tamluk , which was the ancient Indian port of Tamralipta in West Bengal. Chandan came to Kolkata after finishing his high-school studies at Tamluk Hamilton High School...
, beginning in 1969. It is probably the only bilingual (Bengali -English) literary movement in India mothered by Bengali literature, that has spread its wings world wide through the participation of well known international
avant-gardeAvant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
writers and
mail artMail art is a worldwide cultural movement that began in the early 1960s and involves sending visual art through the international postal system. Mail Art is also known as Postal Art or Correspondence Art...
ists such as
Richard KostelanetzRichard Kostelanetz is an American artist, author and critic.He was born to Boris Kostelanetz and Ethel Cory and is the nephew of the composer Andre Kostelanetz....
,
John M. BennettJohn M. Bennett is an American experimental text, sound, and visual poet.- Writing and publishing :As well as steadily producing and distributing his own work, Bennett, through "Luna Bisonte Prods", a small press founded in 1974, has published thousands of limited edition items by writers who...
,
Sheila MurphySheila E. Murphy is an American text and visual poet who has been writing and publishing actively since 1978. She currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona.She earned:...
, Don Webb, John Light, Carla Bertola &c, with notable Bengali poets, writers and artists like
Vattacharja ChandanVattacharja Chandan , is a bilingual writer, poet, composer and mail artist. He was born in 1944 in the small town of Tamluk , which was the ancient Indian port of Tamralipta in West Bengal. Chandan came to Kolkata after finishing his high-school studies at Tamluk Hamilton High School...
, Dilip Gupta, Asish Deb, Bablu Roy Choudhury, Syamoli Mukherjee Bhattacharjee, Boudhayan Mukhopadhyay, Ramratan mukhopadhyay, Nikhil Bhaumik, Utpal, Arun Chakraborty, Abhijit Ghosh,Niva De etc.
Musicians
Seminal Hindu religious works in Bangla include the many songs of
Ramprasad Sen' was a Shakta poet of eighteenth century Bengal. His bhakti poems, known as Ramprasadi, are still popular in Bengal—they are usually addressed to the Hindu goddess Kali and written in Bengali...
. His works (still sung today) from the 17th century cover an astonishing range of emotional responses to the goddess
Kali' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
, detailing complex philosophical statements based on
VedantaVedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
teachings and more visceral pronouncements of his love of the goddess. They are known as
Shyama SangeetShyama Sangeet is a genre of Bengali devotional songs dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shyama or Kali. It is also known as Shaktagiti.Shyama Sangeet appeals to the common man because it is a musical representation of the relationship of eternal and sublime love and care between the mother and her child...
and were the literary inspiration for Kazi Nazrul Islam's later, famed
Shyama SangeetShyama Sangeet is a genre of Bengali devotional songs dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shyama or Kali. It is also known as Shaktagiti.Shyama Sangeet appeals to the common man because it is a musical representation of the relationship of eternal and sublime love and care between the mother and her child...
. There are also the laudatory accounts of the lives and teachings of the Vaishnava saint
Chaitanya MahaprabhuChaitanya Mahaprabhu was a Vaishnava saint and social reformer in eastern India in the 16th century, believed by followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism to be the full incarnation of Lord Krishna...
(the
Choitanyo Choritāmrit) and Shri
RamakrishnaRamakrishna , born Gadadhar Chattopadhyay , was a famous mystic of 19th-century India. His religious school of thought led to the formation of the Ramakrishna Mission by his chief disciple Swami Vivekananda – both were influential figures in the Bengali Renaissance as well as the Hindu...
(the
Ramakrishna Kathamrita, translated roughly as Gospel of Ramakrishna). There is also a large body of Islamic literature, that can be traced back at least to
Noornama by Abdul Hakim.
Bishad Sindhu depicting the death of Hussain in
KarbalaKarbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
is very popular novel written by
Mir Mosharraf HossainMir Mosharraf Hossain was a Bengali language novelist, playwright and essayist in 19th century Bengal. He is principally known for his famous novel Bishad Sindhu...
. Later works influenced by Islam include devotional songs written by Nazrul, and popularized by
Abbas UddinAbbas Uddin Ahmed , popularly known by his first name, was a Bangla folk singer. He was born at Balarampur in Tufanganj subdivision in the district of Cooch Bihar...
, among others.
Bauls and traditional singers
The mystic
BaulBaul .Though Bauls comprise only a small fraction of the Bengali population, their influence on the culture of Bengal is considerable. In 2005, the Baul tradition was included in the list of "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO.-Etymology:The origin of the word...
s of the Bengal countryside who preached the boundless spiritual truth of
Sôhoj Pôth (the Simple, Natural Path) and
Moner Mānush (A person of The Heart) drew on Vedantic philosophy to propound transcendental truths in song format, traveling from village to village proclaiming that there was no such thing as Hindu, Muslim or Christian, only
moner mānush.
The literature discussed so far can be more or less regarded as the common heritage of both
BangladeshBangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and
West BengalWest Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. Since the partition of
BengalBengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
in 1947, the east and west parts of Bengal have also developed their own distinctive literatures. For example, the
NaxaliteThe word Naxal, Naxalite or Naksalvadi is a generic term used to refer to various militant Communist groups operating in different parts of India under different organizational envelopes...
movement has influenced much of West Bengal's literature, whereas the
Liberation WarThe Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
has had a similarly profound impact on
BangladeshBangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i literature.
Major literary figures in (East Bengal) Bangladesh
Natyaguru
Nurul MomenNurul Momen , also known as Natyaguru , was an educationist, playwright, director, humorist, lawyer, broadcaster, philanthropist and essayist of Bangladesh...
,
Syed WaliullahSyed Waliullah was a Bangladeshi novelist, short-story writer and playwright. He is most well known in Bangla literature for his first novel, Lalsalu...
, Shahidullah Kaisar,
Shawkat OsmanShawkat Osman full-name Sheikh Azizur Rahman was a Bangladeshi novelist and short story writer. He was born in Sabalsingha pur 1917 in the district of Hughli, West Bengal.His father's name Sheikh Mohammad Yehia.-Education:He was educated at the Calcutta Madrassa , and at the St...
,
Ahsan HabibAhsan Habib was a popular and well-acclaimed Bangladeshi poet and a major literary figure in Bengali culture.-Poems:His first book of poem was Ratri Shesh...
, Abul Hossain,
Farrukh AhmedFarrukh Ahmad was a poet and writer of Bangladesh. He was born in the village of Sreepur Upazilla of Magura District.He was the second son of Syed Hatem Ali and Begum Rawshan. He graduated from Khulna Zila School in 1937 and did his IA from Ripon College, Kolkata in 1939...
, Syed Ali Ahsan,
Shamsur RahmanShamsur Rahman was a Bangladeshi poet, columnist and journalist. Rahman, who emerged in the latter half of the 20th century, wrote more than sixty books of poetry and is considered a key figure in Bengali literature. He was regarded the unofficial poet laureate of Bangladesh...
,
Syed Shamsul Haque Syed Shamsul Haque , is a Bangladesh poets and writer. He was born in Kurigram.-Life:Syed Shamsul Haq was born in a small town called Kurigram on 27 December in 1935. His father was Syed Siddique Husain a homeopathic physician and mother Halima Khatun. His father came to Kurigram to pursue in...
, Mahmud Nurul Momen,
Abu Zafar ObaidullahAbu Zafar Obaidullah , a career civil servant by profession, was a first-rank poet of Bangladesh. Two of his long poems, namely, 'Aami-Kingbodontir-Kathaa Bolchi' and 'Bristi O Shahosi Purush-er Jonyo Pranthona' have gained legendary renowence since their first publicaiton in late 1970s.-Life and...
,
Sufia KamalSufia Kamal was a poet, writer, organizer, feminist and activist from Bangladesh. She was born to a Muslim family in Barisal, Bangladesh. She is one of the most widely recognized cultural personalities in Bangladesh...
,
Al MahmudMir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud , commonly known as Al Mahmud is a Bangladeshi Poet, novelist, short-story writer. He is considered as one of the greatest Bengali poets emerged from 1950s. His work in Bengali poetry is dominated by his copious use of regional dialects...
,
Abubakar Siddique-Novels:* Jalarakshas * Kharadaha * Barudpora Prohor * Ekatturer Hridobhasma -Awards:* Bangla Academy Award * Bangladesh Kathashilpi Sangsad Prize...
,
Ghulam MurshidGhulam Murshid is an eminent Bangladeshi author, scholar and journalist, based in London, England. Previously, Dr Murshid was a professor of Bengali literature at the University of Rajshahi and a radio journalist with the British Broadcasting Corporation in London. He also held teaching and...
,
Hasan Azizul HuqHasan Azizul Huq is a Bangladeshi writer, reputed for his short stories. He was born on 2 February 1939 in Jabgraam in Burdwan district of West Bengal, India...
,
Selina HossainSelina Hossain, , a female author of Bengali Literature, living in Bangladesh, is a famous novelist.-Life:She is also an editor.She Founded Faria-Lara Foundation-Novels:*Jalochchwas...
,
Arunabh SarkarArunabh Sarkar is a Bangladeshi Poet, Columnist, Literary Editor & a Freedom Fighter.Born at tangail, Bangladesh. He received the Bangla Academy Award, 2009 for Poetry. Bangla Academy Award is the most prestigious and highst Award for Poetry in Bangladesh. Arunabh also received Tangail Sahitya...
,
Shawkat AliShawkat Ali , , politician and a leader of the Bengali Language Movement. He was one of the founders of Awami Muslim League - which later became Awami League and is now the Bangladesh Awami League. He was a member of all three Rastrabhasa Sangram Parishad. He was also the Chief Organizer of Dhaka...
, Akhtaruzzaman Ilias,
Rafiq AzadRafiq Azad is a prominent poet of Bengali literature and is the author of 25 collections of poetry including his Collected Poems. He was a freedom fighter in 1971. His poetry reflected his experience of the war. Mr. Azad is currently the Director of National Book Center of Bangladesh...
,
Nirmalendu GoonNirmalendu Goon is a Bangladeshi poet, and one of the most popular poets in Bangladesh, lauded by many for his accessible verse in an age where Bangla poetry has become increasingly complex.- Early life :...
,
Taslima NasrinTaslima Nasrin is a Bengali Bangladeshi ex-doctor turned author who has been living in exile since 1994. From a modest literary profile in the late 1980s, she rose to global fame by the end of the 20th century owing to her feminist views and her criticism of Islam in particular and of religion in...
, Mahadev Saha, Abul Hasan, Dipak Barua,
Humayun AzadHumayun Azad was a prolific Bangladeshi author and scholar. He wrote more than seventy titles...
,
Abid AzadAbid Azad was an eminent Bangladeshi Poet, critic and a literary editor. Azad was the author of 19 books of poetry including Ghaser Ghatana , Amar Mon Kemon Kore , Banotaruder Marma , and Shiter Rachanabali . - References :...
,
Sikdar Aminul HaqSikdar Aminul Haq, also spelled as Sikder Aminul Haque is a Bangladeshi poet and author of 18 books of poetry. He is a recipient of Bangla Academy Award, 1994 for poetry. It is said that his book Satata Danar Manush brought him into the limelight. Sikdar was a stylist in his livelihood as well as...
,
Bimal GuhaBimal Guha is a Bangladeshi poet, and a leading poet of his generation. He appeared on the literary scene of Bangladesh in the seventies of last century...
, Shaheedul Jahir,
Humayun AhmedHumayun Ahmed is a Bangladeshi author, dramatist and director of film and television. He broke through since the publication of his first novel, Nandita Naraké...
, Helal Muhammad Abu Taher,Imdadul Haque Milon,
Hasan Hafizur RahmanHasan Hafizur Rahman became the editor of the Daily Bangla right after the liberation in 1971. He also worked for the government as a high official and edited the book, The Liberation War of Bangladesh, which was published in 16 volumes...
,
Shaheed QuaderiShaheed Quaderi is a major contributor of the modern Bengali poetry. Though he published only four books of poetry it is noted that "his tone, alliteration, images and the use of simile made him a unique contributor of Bengali verse."...
, Robbani Chowdhury,
Abu Hasan ShahriarAbu Hasan Shahriar is a popular Bangladeshi poet, Literary Editor and a Media personality of Bangladesh.-Poems:* Antaheen Mayabee Bhomon * Obyertha Angul...
,
Khondakar Ashraf HossainKhondakar Ashraf Hossain is one of the leading poets, essayist and translator of Bangladesh. Born in Jamalpur, Bangladesh, in 1950, he was educated at University of Dhaka and Leeds University. He is currently Professor of English at University of Dhaka...
, Hassanal Abdullah, Rahman Henry, Helal Hafiz, Azeezul Haq, Omar Ali, kafi kamal and to name a few.
Major literary figures in West Bengal, India
Nihar Ranjan GuptaDr. Nihar Ranjan Gupta was an Indian dermatologist and a popular Bengali novelist. He is the creator of the fictional detective character Kiriti Roy.- Early life :...
, Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay,
Sunil GangopadhyaySunil Gangopadhyay , is a celebrated Indian poet and novelist.-Early life:...
,
Nabaneeta Dev SenNabaneeta Dev Sen is an award-winning Indian poet, novelist and academic.- Personal life :Dev Sen was born in Kolkata, to the poet-couple Narendra Dev and Radharani Devi. In addition to Bengali and English, she reads Hindi, Oriya, Assamese, French, German, Sanskrit, and Hebrew.In the very next...
,
Syed Mustafa SirajSyed Mustafa Siraj সৈয়দ মুস্তাফা সিরাজ is an eminent Bengali writer. In 1994, he received the Sahitya Akademi award for his novel Aleek Manush অলীক মানুষ...
, Baren Gangopadhyay,
Shirshendu MukhopadhyayShirshendu Mukhopadhyay is a Bengali author who writes Bengali books. He has written stories for both adults and children.-Life:Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay was born in Bikrampur , now in Bangladesh. He spent his childhood in Bihar and many places in Bengal and Assam accompanying his father, who worked...
, Amiya Bhushan Mazumdar,
Samaresh BasuSamaresh Basu was an Indian Bengali writer based in Kolkata, India. He was born on December 11, 1924 and spent his early childhood in Dhaka, Bikrampur in what is today Bangladesh...
, Debesh Roy,
Atin BandyopadhyayAtin Bandyopadhyay, is a noted writer of Bengali literature. He was born in 1934 in Rainadi, Dhaka. Father: Abhimanyu Bandyopadhyay, mother: Labanyaprabha Devi.-Early life:...
, Ramapada Choudhury,
Sandipan ChattopadhyaySandipan Chattopadhyay was a Bengali writer. In 1961 he wrote the book "Kritadas Kritadasi" it changed the landscape of Bengali fiction and created a niche for himself...
,
Shakti ChattopadhyayShakti Chattopadhay was a Bengali poet and writer, widely regarded as one of the greatest poet of 20th century Bengali literature. -External links:...
,
Mahasweta DeviMahasweta Devi is an Indian social activist and writer.- Biography :Mahasweta Devi was born in 1926 in Dhaka, to literary parents in a Hindu Brahmin family. Her father Manish Ghatak was a well known poet and novelist of the Kallol era, who used the pseudonym Jubanashwa...
,
Moti NandiMoti Nandi [10 July 1931 - 3 January 2010] was a Bengali writer based in Kolkata, India. He was born in Kolkata in 1931. He was an alumnus of the University of Calcutta. He died in 2010.-Career:...
,
Bimal KarBimal Kar was an eminent Bengali writer and novelist.He received 1975 Sahitya Akademi Award in Bengali, by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, for his novel Asamay.-Personal life and education:...
, Chandi Mondal,
Narayan GangopadhyayNarayan Gangopadhyay ,Narayan Gangopadhyay (1918–1970),Narayan Gangopadhyay (1918–1970),(also known as Narayan Ganguly was a renowned South Asian author. He was born in Dinajpur in undivided Bengal, in what is now Bangladesh. His real name was Taraknath Gangopadhyay.-Life:...
,
ShankarShankar or Shamkar is a Sanskrit noun, and means "Beneficent" or "Giver of Bliss". It generally refers to a Hindu descriptions of one of the chief gods, Lord Shiva.It may also refer to:-People:...
,
Suchitra BhattacharyaSuchitra Bhattacharya is an Indian novelist.-Early life and education:Suchitra Bhattacharya was interested in writing from her childhood....
, Krishanu Bandyopadhyay,
Bani BasuBani Basu is a Bengali Indian author, essayist, critic and poet. She was educated at the well-known Scottish Church College and at the University of Calcutta....
,
Buddhadeb GuhaBuddhadeb Guha is a popular Bengali fiction writer. He studied at the well-known St Xavier's College of the University of Calcutta....
, Karunasindhu Dey, Jyotsnamoy Ghosh,
Abdul JabbarAbdul Jabbar was a demonstrator who was killed during the Bengali Language Movement protests in 1952 that took place in the erstwhile East Pakistan ....
, Avijit Sen, Amar Mitra,
Jiban Sarkar, Samar DebTarashis Gangopadhyay,Satyajit Ray
etc.
See also
- History of Bengali literature
-Charyapada:Charyapada is the oldest known Bengali written form. It is actually collection of poems. It was written on 9th century and Harprashad Sastri discovered in the Nepal Royal Court Library in 1907. It is a palm leaf manuscript. Charyapada's language is referred to as Alo-Andhari , meaning...
- Hungry generation
The Hungry Generation was a literary movement in the Bengali language launched by what is known today as the Hungryalist quartet i.e. Shakti Chattopadhyay, Malay Roy Choudhury, Samir Roychoudhury and Debi Roy alias Haradhon Dhara, during the 1960s in Kolkata, India...
- Prakalpana Movement
The Prakalpana Movement of Kolkata was sparked off in the Bengali language on September 6, 1969, by Vattacharja Chandan with the assistance of Dilip Gupta and Asish Deb. They later declared the day as "Prakalpana Day" because to them "the earth stood still" on the natal day of the movement...
- New Age Bengali Literature
The New Age of Bengali literature can be considered to be the phase when new literary works of a unique genre flowered in the experimental literature scene in West Bengal. The inception of such literary works in this period is based on the "Little Magazine Explosion"...
- Bengali novels
Bengali novels occupy a major part of Bengali literature. Though the first Bengali novel was "Karuna O Phulmonir Bibaran", the Bengali novel actually started its journey with Durgeshnondini written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1865...
- List of notable Writers
- Chronological List of Bengali Writers
- Alphabetical List of Bengali Writers
- Ghosts in Bengali culture
Ghosts are an important part of folklore in Bengal. Fairy tales, both old and new often use the concept of ghosts. In modern day Bengali literature as well, references to ghosts may be often found. It is believed that the spirits of those who cannot find peace in the afterlife or die unnatural...
External links