Jyotirmoyee Devi
Encyclopedia
Jyotirmoyee Devi (1896–1988) was an India
n writer in the early twentieth century. She wrote predominantly about women in the Rajasthan
of her childhood and in what is now Bangladesh
at the time of Partition
. She is best known for her short stories, which have a wonderfully understated dry wit and sharp sociological observations.
of Jaipur
in 1894, where her family had lived since 1857. Her father, Abinash Chandra Sen, was the eldest son of Sansar Chandra Sen who had come to Jaipur as a schoolmaster but quickly rose to the post of Dewan to the Maharaja of Jaipur. Jyotirmoyee grew up in Jaipur, receiving little formal education but observing keenly all that she saw around her. She was much impressed by the mixture of decadence and splendour that characterised the society of the zenana
(women’s quarters) in a Princely State of the time. Jyotirmoyee was allowed to read whatever she liked in her grandfather’s well-stocked library and thus acquired a rather eclectic exposure to the world. At the age of 10 she was married to a lawyer, Kiran Chandra Sen, from a literary and aristocratic family from Guptipara, who were well known to many of the leading figures of Bengali literature.
Jyotirmoyee might never have written had she not tragically lost her husband in 1918 due to influenza. Barely 25 years old, with six small children (Amia, Anubha, Arun Chandra, Asoka, Amitava and Anjuli), she returned to her parents' house, leaving one child with her husband’s family. There she lived under the rigid rules of orthodox Hindu
widowhood, rules which she continued to observe punctiliously even though she began to question their basis. In her abandonment, Jyotirmoyee turned to literature for solace. She read John Stuart Mill
’s On the Subjection of Womenwhich she got from her grandpa, and this led her to think deeply on the question of women’s rights. Conservative in her own behaviour, she nevertheless made it a rule always to treat her sons and daughters equally. She now began to write the trenchant, luminous Bengali short stories for which she is remembered. Set in Rajasthan, Delhi
and Bengal
, they are unsentimental yet deeply sympathetic, richly detailed yet intellectually limpid. She also has non-fiction to her credit, writing especially about the rights of women and Dalit
s. Her collection of short stories, Sona Rupa Noy (Not Gold and Silver) won the Rabindra Puraskar
in 1973. From 1959 to 1988 she resided in the Shyambazar area at 2G, Kartick Bose Lane, Kolkata-700006.
. Her daughter Asoka was in charge of her books but unfortunately she died in June, 2008. Much of her work has been translated by Barnita Bagchi
.
India
India , 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 writer in the early twentieth century. She wrote predominantly about women in the Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
of her childhood and in what is now 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...
at the time of Partition
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
. She is best known for her short stories, which have a wonderfully understated dry wit and sharp sociological observations.
Biography
Jyotirmoyee Devi was born in the Princely StatePrincely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
of Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
in 1894, where her family had lived since 1857. Her father, Abinash Chandra Sen, was the eldest son of Sansar Chandra Sen who had come to Jaipur as a schoolmaster but quickly rose to the post of Dewan to the Maharaja of Jaipur. Jyotirmoyee grew up in Jaipur, receiving little formal education but observing keenly all that she saw around her. She was much impressed by the mixture of decadence and splendour that characterised the society of the zenana
Zenana
Zenana , refers to the part of a house belonging to a Muslim family in the Middle East and South Asia reserved for the women of the household. The Zenana are the inner apartments of a house in which the women of the family live...
(women’s quarters) in a Princely State of the time. Jyotirmoyee was allowed to read whatever she liked in her grandfather’s well-stocked library and thus acquired a rather eclectic exposure to the world. At the age of 10 she was married to a lawyer, Kiran Chandra Sen, from a literary and aristocratic family from Guptipara, who were well known to many of the leading figures of Bengali literature.
Jyotirmoyee might never have written had she not tragically lost her husband in 1918 due to influenza. Barely 25 years old, with six small children (Amia, Anubha, Arun Chandra, Asoka, Amitava and Anjuli), she returned to her parents' house, leaving one child with her husband’s family. There she lived under the rigid rules of orthodox Hindu
Hindu
Hindu 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...
widowhood, rules which she continued to observe punctiliously even though she began to question their basis. In her abandonment, Jyotirmoyee turned to literature for solace. She read John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill was a British philosopher, economist and civil servant. An influential contributor to social theory, political theory, and political economy, his conception of liberty justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state control. He was a proponent of...
’s On the Subjection of Womenwhich she got from her grandpa, and this led her to think deeply on the question of women’s rights. Conservative in her own behaviour, she nevertheless made it a rule always to treat her sons and daughters equally. She now began to write the trenchant, luminous Bengali short stories for which she is remembered. Set in Rajasthan, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and Bengal
Bengal
Bengal 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...
, they are unsentimental yet deeply sympathetic, richly detailed yet intellectually limpid. She also has non-fiction to her credit, writing especially about the rights of women and Dalit
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
s. Her collection of short stories, Sona Rupa Noy (Not Gold and Silver) won the Rabindra Puraskar
Rabindra Puraskar
The Rabindra Puraskar or the Rabindra Smriti Puraskar is the highest honorary literary award given in the Indian state of West Bengal. This award is administered by the Government of West Bengal under the aegis of the Paschimbanga Bangla Academy , Kolkata.The award is given for creative...
in 1973. From 1959 to 1988 she resided in the Shyambazar area at 2G, Kartick Bose Lane, Kolkata-700006.
Style
Her poems as well as her stories are written so that anyone and everyone can understand them. Yet the message conveyed was as strong as a brick. No use of sophisticated vocabulary is a great feature of her writing,also practised by Swami Vivekananda in his speeches. Her writing is based on real life experience and learning. She might not have been formally educated but that was no wall to her writing. A great inspiration for anyone wanting to write but is not confident about doing so.Books
Her books are available in various stores in Kolkata as well as other places. The short story, "Daini" is part of the Bengali syllabus of Indian Certificate of Secondary EducationIndian Certificate of Secondary Education
The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education or ICSE examination is an examination conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, a private, non-governmental board of school education in India, for class 10, i.e., grade 10...
. Her daughter Asoka was in charge of her books but unfortunately she died in June, 2008. Much of her work has been translated by Barnita Bagchi
Barnita Bagchi
Barnita Bagchi is an Indian feminist and academic. She is a faculty member in Literary Studies at Utrecht University, and was previously at the Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata . She was educated at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, St...
.