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Pens That Enlightened Women

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyays 141st birth anniv today

Published : Friday, 15 September, 2017 at 12:00 AM  Count : 332
Iftikhar Hossen
Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, the man who has woven magic with his words and some unputdownable series of writings, knew West Bengal thoroughly. A master whose lucid and unsanskritized vocabulary and simple style of writing appeared to be a welcome break for the readers, from the tradition of that time. He gave the rural Bengal a character in itself, a character of simplicity yet strength.
Sarat Chandra is considered to be an author, who understood the Bengal villages the best. His works have a rural essence, as it speaks of the simple day to day life stories of the families, living far away from the cities in the tranquility of nature, growing old among the rivers, trees and farm lands. He wrote of the women very highly and talked about their situation in a patriarchal society frankly and honestly. He voiced his protest against the social discrimination, injustices and superstitions that went on in the name of religion.
Sharat Chandra----the great novelist, was born in Debanandapur under Hughli district on September 15 in 1876. His early years were spent at his maternal uncle's home in Bhagalpur. In 1894, Sharat Chandra passed the Entrance Examination from TN Jubilee Collegiate School and was admitted to the FA class. However, he was unable to continue because of poverty.
Sharat Chandra started his career as an assistant to the Settlement Officer of Baneli Estate. He subsequently worked as a translator at the Calcutta High Court and as a clerk in the Accounts Department of Burma Railway. Sharat Chandra was also associated with the Bengal Congress. In 1921 he took part in the non-cooperation movement led by Congress and was elected president of Howrah District Congress.
Sharat Chandra's first novel, Badadidi (1907), was published in the bharati and brought him almost instant fame. He went on to write several stories and novels, including Bindur Chhele O Anyanya (1914), Parinita (1914), Baikunther Will (1916), Pallisamaj (1916), Devdas (1917), Charitrahin (1917), Niskrti (1917), Shrikanta (Part 1-4, 1917-33), Grihadaha (1920), Datta (1918), Dena-Paona (1923), Pather Dabi (1926), Shes Prashna (1931) etc. He also wrote essays, collected in Narir Mulya (1923) and Svadesh O Sahitya (1932). Xrikanta, Charitrahin, Grihadaha, Dena-Paona and Pather Dabi were particularly popular. Pather Dabi was banned by the British Government because of its revolutionary theme. Chhelebelar Galpa, Shubhada (1938), Sheser Parichay (1939), Sharat Chandrer Granthabali (1948) and Sharat Chandrer Aprakashita Rachanabali (1951) were published posthumously. He was also an artist. His oil painting, Mahashveta, which he painted while living in Burma, is well known.
The main themes of Sharat Chandra's novels relate to rural life and society. His writings also manifest a deep affection and respect for Bengali women. He was highly vocal against social discrimination, superstitions and immoral practices in the name of religion. The immense popularity and reputation of his works may be attributed to his outstanding narrative ability and his lucid language. A number of successful movies, in different Indian languages, have been based on his novels: Devdas, Srikanta, Ramer Sumati, Dena-Paona, Birajbau etc.
In recognition of his contribution to literature, Sharat Chandra was awarded the 'Kuntalin Puraskar' (1903), 'Jagattarini Svarna Padak' (1923), membership of Vangiya Sahitya Parishad (1934), and an honorary DLitt by the University of Dhaka (1936). He died at Park Nursing Home in Kolkata on January 16 in 1938.
The writer is a freelance contributor. 






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