Mani Shankar Mukherjee
Encyclopedia
Shankar, real name Mani Shankar Mukherjee, and generally known in English-language literature as Sankar is a very popular writer in the Bengali language
. He grew up in Howrah district
of West Bengal
.
Shankar's father died while Shankar was still a teenager, as a result of which Shankar became a clerk to the last British barrister of the Calcutta High Court, Noel Frederick Barwell.
Noel Barwell introduced Shankar to literature.
After Noel Barwell's sudden death, Sankar, the professional version of his name adopted for the law courts, sought to honor Barwell. "First, I wanted to build a statue. It was not possible. I then wanted to name a road. Even that was not feasible. And then I decided to write a book about him," according to Shankar.
That impetus led to his first novel, about Barwell, that according to some critics is perhaps the most stimulating -- "Kato Ajanare" (So Much Unknown).
At the same time period in 1962, Shankar conceived Chowringhee on a rainy day at the waterlogged crossing of Central Avenue and Dalhousie - a busy business district in the heart of Kolkata. The novel, set in the opulent hotel he called Shahjahan, was made into a cult movie in 1968.
Shankar marketed his literary work to Bengali households with the marketing slogan "A bagful of Shankar (Ek Bag Shankar)". Collections of his books were sold in blue packets through this marketing effort.
In addition to his literary efforts, Shankar is regarded as a street food expert with two books on this topic. He also is a marketing professional associated with an Indian industrial house.
Shankar is a widower and a vegetarian.
,Jana Aranya
and Seemabaddha
, out of which the last two were directed by Satyajit Ray
.
Bengali language
Bengali 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...
. He grew up in Howrah district
Howrah District
Howrah district is a district of the West Bengal state in eastern India. It has thousands of years of rich heritage in the form of the great Bengali kingdom of Bhurshut. The district is named after its headquarters, the city of Howrah.-Geography:...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West 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...
.
Shankar's father died while Shankar was still a teenager, as a result of which Shankar became a clerk to the last British barrister of the Calcutta High Court, Noel Frederick Barwell.
Noel Barwell introduced Shankar to literature.
After Noel Barwell's sudden death, Sankar, the professional version of his name adopted for the law courts, sought to honor Barwell. "First, I wanted to build a statue. It was not possible. I then wanted to name a road. Even that was not feasible. And then I decided to write a book about him," according to Shankar.
That impetus led to his first novel, about Barwell, that according to some critics is perhaps the most stimulating -- "Kato Ajanare" (So Much Unknown).
At the same time period in 1962, Shankar conceived Chowringhee on a rainy day at the waterlogged crossing of Central Avenue and Dalhousie - a busy business district in the heart of Kolkata. The novel, set in the opulent hotel he called Shahjahan, was made into a cult movie in 1968.
Shankar marketed his literary work to Bengali households with the marketing slogan "A bagful of Shankar (Ek Bag Shankar)". Collections of his books were sold in blue packets through this marketing effort.
In addition to his literary efforts, Shankar is regarded as a street food expert with two books on this topic. He also is a marketing professional associated with an Indian industrial house.
Shankar is a widower and a vegetarian.
Works
- Jekhane Jamon (As It Is There)
- Kato ajanare (The Many Unknowns) - his first book
- Nivedita Research Laboratory
- Abasarika ISBN 978-8176127776
- ChowringheeChowringheeChowringhee is a neighbourhood in central Kolkata, earlier known as Calcutta, in the Indian state of West Bengal. Jawaharlal Nehru Road runs on its western side...
1962
- Swarga martya patal- a collection of three stories - Jana AranyaJana AranyaJana Aranya , is a 1976 Bengali film directed by Satyajit Ray, based on the novel of the same name by Mani Shankar Mukherjee, and is last in the series of films by Ray, known as Calcutta trilogy, the previous two being, Pratidwandi and Seemabaddha .-Plot:The film portrays the hopelessness of...
(The Middleman), SeemabaddhaSeemabaddhaSeemabaddha is a 1971 film by Satyajit Ray. It also known as Company Limited.-Plot:Shyamal is an ambitious Sales manager in a British fan manufacturing firm in Calcutta, where he is expecting a promotion shortly. He is married to Dolan, and lives in a company flat...
(Company Limited) and Asha akankha
- Gharer madhye ghar
- Nagar andini
- Bamlara meye ISBN 978-8170794547
- Simanta sambada ISBN 978-8170795544
- Kamana basana ISBN 978-8170799788
- Purohit Darpan
- Sri Sri Ramkrishner Rahsyamrito
- Mane pare
- Samrat O sundari
- Carana chumye yai ISBN 978-8170795285
- Yabara belaya ISBN 978-8172670665
- Mathar Opor Cchadh
- Patabhumi ISBN 978-8176126373
- Rasabati ISBN 978-8176126373
- Ek Bag Shankar
- Kamana basana ISBN 978-8170799788
- Shonar Sansar
- Cchayacchabi
- Muktir Swadh
- Charan Chunye Jai
- Subarno Sujog
- Charan Chunye Jai(Vol 2) ISBN 9788176128889
- Bittabasona
Works in Translation
- Chowringhee translated by Arunava Sinha into English ISBN 978-0143101031 and ISBN 978-1843549130. Translations are pending into French by the Gallimard publishing house, and into Italian.
- The Middleman translated by Arunava Sinha from "Jana Aranya" into English ISBN 9780143066712.
- The Great Unknown translated by Soma Das from "Kato ajanare" into English ISBN 9780670084432.
Screen adaptations
Many of Shankar's works have been made into films.Some notable ones are - ChowringheeChowringhee (film)
Chowringhee is a 1968 film by Pinaki Bhushan Mukherjee, starring Supriya Devi and Uttam Kumar. The film is based on the best-selling novelof the same name by Shankar and was a huge hit in its own right.-Plot:...
,Jana Aranya
Jana Aranya
Jana Aranya , is a 1976 Bengali film directed by Satyajit Ray, based on the novel of the same name by Mani Shankar Mukherjee, and is last in the series of films by Ray, known as Calcutta trilogy, the previous two being, Pratidwandi and Seemabaddha .-Plot:The film portrays the hopelessness of...
and Seemabaddha
Seemabaddha
Seemabaddha is a 1971 film by Satyajit Ray. It also known as Company Limited.-Plot:Shyamal is an ambitious Sales manager in a British fan manufacturing firm in Calcutta, where he is expecting a promotion shortly. He is married to Dolan, and lives in a company flat...
, out of which the last two were directed by Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit 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...
.
Links
Sources
- I am happy I had a ticket to ride in the 50s: novelist Sankar Indo-Asian News Service, August 22, 2008