Sukanta Bhattacharya
Encyclopedia
Sukanta Bhattacharya (August 15, 1926 – May 13, 1947) was a Bengali
poet and playwright. Along with Rabindranath Tagore
and Kazi Nazrul Islam
, he was one of the key figures of modern Bengali poetry
, despite the fact that most of his works had been in publication posthumously. During his life, his poems were not widely circulated, but after his death his reputation grew to the extent that he became one of the most popular Bengali poet of the 20th century. He has had a significant influence on poet Subhas Mukhopadhyay
and composer Salil Chowdhury
who set some of his popular poems to music.
The poetry of Sukanta Bhattacharya is characterized by rebel socialist thoughts, patriotism, humanism and yet romanticism.
, the former Chief Minister of West Bengal is his nephew. Sukanta was born at his maternal grandfather’s house at Kalighat
, Calcutta (now Kolkata
, West Bengal
), although his family hailed from the village of Kotalipara in Gopalganj
of modern day Bangladesh
.
Sukanta spent his childhood at their house at Nibedita Lane, Bagbazar
. He was sent to Kamala Vidyamandir, a local primary school where his literary career began. His first short story was published in Sanchay, the school’s student magazine. Later another of his prose writing, "Vivekanander Jibani", was published in Sikha, edited by Bijon Bhattacharya
.
After studying at Kamala Vidyamandir, he got admitted to Beleghata Deshbandhu High School. He joined the Communist Party of India
in 1944. In the same year, he edited an anthology, named Akal (Famine) published by the Anti-Fascist Writers' and Artists' Association. In 1945, he appeared in the entrance examination from Beleghata Deshbandhu High School but failed. He was the editor of the Kishore Sabha (youth section) of the Bengali daily organ of the party, Dainik Swadhinata from its inception in 1946. He died of tuberculosis at the Jadavpur T. B. Hospital (later, K. S. Roy T. B. Hospital) in Calcutta at a very young age of 20. A comprehensive account of the poet's life can be found in Kabi Sukanta Bhattacharya O Sei Samay written by the poet's youngest brother, Amiya Bhattacharyya.
His works are deeply marked and influenced by his communist experience. One of his shorter poems name "Hey Mahajibon" (হে মহাজীবন) from the book Chharpatra (ছাড়পত্র) compares the moon with a burnt roti
, a prosaicness born of hunger:
Bengali people
The 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...
poet and playwright. Along with Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath 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...
and Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi Nazrul Islam
Kazi 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...
, he was one of the key figures of modern Bengali poetry
Bengali poetry
Bengali poetry is a form that originated in Pāli and other Prakrit socio-cultural traditions. It is antagonistic towards Vedic rituals and laws as opposed to the shramanic traditions such as Buddhism and Jainism...
, despite the fact that most of his works had been in publication posthumously. During his life, his poems were not widely circulated, but after his death his reputation grew to the extent that he became one of the most popular Bengali poet of the 20th century. He has had a significant influence on poet Subhas Mukhopadhyay
Subhas Mukhopadhyay (poet)
Subhash Mukhopadhyay Subhash Mukhopadhyay Subhash Mukhopadhyay (Bangla: সুভাষ মুখোপাধ্যায় (February 12, 1919 - July 8, 2003) was one of the foremost Bengali poets of the 20th century.-Early life:Mukhopadhyay was born in Krishnanagar, a town in Nadia district in the province of West Bengal...
and composer Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury was an Indian music composer. He mainly composed for Bengali, Hindi, and Malayalam films. He was also a poet and a playwright. He is affectionately called Salilda by all his admirers....
who set some of his popular poems to music.
The poetry of Sukanta Bhattacharya is characterized by rebel socialist thoughts, patriotism, humanism and yet romanticism.
Life
Sukanta Bhattacharya was born on 15 August 1926 to Nibaran Chandra Bhattacharya, owner of Saraswat Library, a publishing and book selling enterprise, and Suniti Devi. He was the second of their six sons, Sushil, Prashanta, Bibhash, Ashoke and Amiya being the other five sons. Buddhadeb BhattacharyaBuddhadeb Bhattacharya
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is an Indian politician and a member of the politburo of the Communist Party of India . He was the Chief Minister of West Bengal from 2000 to 2011...
, the former Chief Minister of West Bengal is his nephew. Sukanta was born at his maternal grandfather’s house at Kalighat
Kalighat
Kalighat is a locality of Kolkata, India. One of the oldest neighborhoods in South Kolkata, Kalighat is also densely populated and vibrant -- with a rich history of cultural intermingling with the various foreign incursions into the area over time....
, Calcutta (now Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, 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...
), although his family hailed from the village of Kotalipara in Gopalganj
Gopalganj District (Bangladesh)
The district of Gopalganj consists 356 mosques, 359 temples, six churches and four tombs.-Places of interest:* Ulpur has a former Zamindar palace which is currently used a Tafsil Office and many other Zamindar mansions. It was the home of the Basu Roy Chowdhury family. Arpara has a zamindar palace...
of modern day Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , 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...
.
Sukanta spent his childhood at their house at Nibedita Lane, Bagbazar
Bagbazar
There is also a bagbazar in Kathmandu, Nepal.Bagbazar is a neighbourhood in north Kolkata, in the Indian state of West Bengal...
. He was sent to Kamala Vidyamandir, a local primary school where his literary career began. His first short story was published in Sanchay, the school’s student magazine. Later another of his prose writing, "Vivekanander Jibani", was published in Sikha, edited by Bijon Bhattacharya
Bijon Bhattacharya
Bijon Bhattacharya was a prominent Indian theatre and film personality from Bengal.Bijon was born in 1917 at Faridpur in a Hindu Brahmin family, and was early a witness to the destitution and penury of the peasantry of that land...
.
After studying at Kamala Vidyamandir, he got admitted to Beleghata Deshbandhu High School. He joined the Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
in 1944. In the same year, he edited an anthology, named Akal (Famine) published by the Anti-Fascist Writers' and Artists' Association. In 1945, he appeared in the entrance examination from Beleghata Deshbandhu High School but failed. He was the editor of the Kishore Sabha (youth section) of the Bengali daily organ of the party, Dainik Swadhinata from its inception in 1946. He died of tuberculosis at the Jadavpur T. B. Hospital (later, K. S. Roy T. B. Hospital) in Calcutta at a very young age of 20. A comprehensive account of the poet's life can be found in Kabi Sukanta Bhattacharya O Sei Samay written by the poet's youngest brother, Amiya Bhattacharyya.
Works
Prodigious Sukanta's poetry was published in magazines while he was alive, and except for Chharpatra his books were all published posthumously:- Chharpatra (ছাড়পত্র) (Certificate, 1947)
- Ghum Nei (ঘুম নেই) (Sleepless, 1954)
- Purbabhas (পূর্বাভাস) (Premonition, 1950)
- Abhijan (অভিযান) (Expedition, 1953, a play)
- Mithe-Kadha (মিঠে-কড়া) (Sweet and sour 1951)
- Giti Guccha (গীতিগুচ্ছ) (Songs1965)
His works are deeply marked and influenced by his communist experience. One of his shorter poems name "Hey Mahajibon" (হে মহাজীবন) from the book Chharpatra (ছাড়পত্র) compares the moon with a burnt roti
Roti
Roti is generally a South Asian bread made from stoneground wholemeal flour, traditionally known as atta flour, that originated and is consumed in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It is also consumed in parts of the Southern Caribbean, particularly in Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and...
, a prosaicness born of hunger:
ক্ষুধার রাজ্যে পৃথিবী গদ্যময় পূর্ণিমার চাঁদ যেন ঝলসানো রুটি |
"Poetry, we do not need you anymore. A world devastated by hunger is too prosaic, The full moon now reminds us of toasted bread" |
- Sukanta Samagra (সুকান্ত সমগ্র) (Complete Works of Sukanta) (1967), published by the Saraswat Library, Kolkata was edited by Subhash Mukhopadhyay. This includes all the printed texts, some lesser known writings, his plays and stories, which include Khudha (Hunger), Durboddho (Incomprehensible), Bhadralok (Gentleman) and Daradi Kishorer Svapna (Dream of a Compassionate Adolescent), an article, Chhanda O Abritti and also a selection of lettrs.
- Patra Guchha (পত্র গুচ্ছ) (Letters)
Quotation
----- I did love Kolkata as a mysterious woman, the beloved, my mother...I don't the outside world, my world is Kolkata... I do want to live, but I'm certain that the death of Kolkata will bring my end."
- There is Bengal, and Bihar, Barakor river is in the middle of them; so strange, so profound! No other river (not even Ganga) has cast so vast a spell on me."
- Radio, books, sports—so many means to spend time, but what I like most is the leafy sunshine amidst the Debdaru."