Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay

Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay
Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay
	Mukhopadhyay on a 1999 Indian stamp
Born	19 July 1899; Manihari, Purnia District, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died	9 February 1979 (aged 79); Calcutta, West Bengal, India
Nationality	Indian
Other names	Banaphul
Alma mater	Calcutta Medical College ; Patna Medical College and Hospital

Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay (19 July 1899 – 9 February 1979) was an Indian Bengali-language novelist, short story writer, playwright, poet, and physician who wrote under the pen name of Banaphul (meaning "the wild flower" in Bengali). He was a recipient of the civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan (1975).^[1]

Life

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.^[2] 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 in the Calcutta Medical College. But he graduated from Patna Medical College and Hospital, later he practised at Azimganj Hospital and worked as a pathologist at Bhagalpur. He moved to Lake Town, Calcutta, in 1968, and died there on 9 February 1979.^[3] He is the elder brother of famous Bengali film Director Arabinda Mukhopadhyay.

Literary works

He is most noted for his short vignettes, often just half-page long, but his body of work spanned sixty-five years and included "thousands of poems, 586 short stories (a handful of which have been translated to English),^[4] 60 novels, 5 dramas, a number of one-act plays, an autobiography called Paschatpat (Background), and numerous essays."^[5]^[6]

Novels

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

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

Agnishwar
Bhuvan Shome
Ekti Raat
Aarohi (film) (He received National Film Award for Best Story)
Alor Pipasa (1965)
Hatey Bazarey
Arjun Pandit (He received the Filmfare Award for Best Story for this film)
Tilottama
Paka Dekha
Ektu Sore Bosun (2023)

Postage stamp

On the 100th anniversary of his birth, the Government of India issued a postage stamp featuring his image.^[7]

References

^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
^ BANAPHOOL RACHANABALI (VOL.16), MUKHOPADHYAY, BALAICHAND, Granthagar Pvt. Ltd. , Calcutta, 1955, p. 3
^ "Banaful ( of একশ বছরের সেরা গল্প)". Goodreads. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
^ "Wildfire and Other Stories by Banaphool". Purple Pencil Project. 13 June 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
^ Spectrum of Bengali literature (modern period), Indiaheritage.org, Retrieved 1 May 2007.
^ 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.
^ India, 1999 Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Postbeeld.com, Retrieved 1 May 2007.

External links

Balaichand Mukhopadhyay at Banglapedia
"Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon.
Works by Banaphula at Open Library
Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay at the West Bengal Public Library Network
Parabaas Profile

[Padma_Awards-1] "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.

[2] BANAPHOOL RACHANABALI (VOL.16), MUKHOPADHYAY, BALAICHAND, Granthagar Pvt. Ltd. , Calcutta, 1955, p. 3

[3] "Banaful ( of একশ বছরের সেরা গল্প)". Goodreads. Retrieved 25 May 2014.

[4] "Wildfire and Other Stories by Banaphool". Purple Pencil Project. 13 June 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.

[5] Spectrum of Bengali literature (modern period), Indiaheritage.org, Retrieved 1 May 2007.

[6] 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.

[7] India, 1999 Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Postbeeld.com, Retrieved 1 May 2007.

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Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay

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