Leela Majumdar
Encyclopedia
Leela Majumdar (February 26, 1908 – April 5, 2007) was a Bengali
writer.
), Leela spent her childhood days at Shillong
, where she studied at the Loreto Convent. Surama Devi had been adopted by Upendra Kishor Ray Choudhuri . Lila's grandfather had left his three daughters in care of his friends after his wife died. In 1919, her father was transferred to Calcutta, and she joined St. John’s Diocesan School from where she completed her matriculation examination. She ranked second among the girls in the matriculation examinations in 1924. She stood first in English
(literature) both in her honours (graduation) and Master of Arts
examination at the University of Calcutta
. The family she belonged to made a notable contribution towards children's literature. Sunil Gangopadhyay
says that while the Tagore family
enthused everybody with drama, songs and literature for adults, the Ray Chaudhuri family took charge of laying the foundations of children's literature in Bengali.
she went and joined the school at Santiniketan
, but she stayed only for about one year. She joined the women's section of Asutosh College in Calcutta
but again did not continue for long. Thereafter, she spent most of her time as a writer. After two decades as a writer, she joined All India Radio
as a producer and worked for about seven-eight years.
Her first story, Lakkhi chhele, was published in Sandesh
in 1922. It was also illustrated by her. The children's magazine in Bengali was founded by her uncle, Upendrakishore Ray Chaudhuri in 1913 and was later edited by her cousin Sukumar Ray
for sometime after the death of Upendrakishore in 1915. Together with her nephew Satyajit Ray
and her cousin Nalini Das, she edited and wrote for Sandesh throughout her active writing life. Until 1994 she played an active role in the publication of the magazine.
Her first published book was Boddi Nather Bari (1939) but her second compilation Din Dupure (1948) brought her considerable fame From the 1950s, her incomparable children's classics followed. Although humour was her forte, she also wrote detective stories, ghost stories and fantasies.
Her autobiographical sketch Pakdandi provides an insight into her childhood days in Shillong and also her early years at Santiniketan and with All India Radio.
Apart from her glittering array of children's literature, she wrote a cookbook, novels for adults (Sreemoti, Cheena Lanthan), and a biography of Rabindranath Tagore. She lectured on Abanindranath Tagore
and translated his writings on art into English. She translated Jonathan Swift
's Gulliver's Travels
and Ernest Hemingway
's The Old Man and the Sea
into Bengali.
Satyajit Ray had thought of filming Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho Arundhati Devi made it into a film in 1972. Chhaya Devi
played the role of the young hero, Khoka's famed aunt Podipishi.
For a special Mahila Mahal (women's section) series of All-India Radio, dealing with the “natural and ordinary problems” in the everyday life of a girl growing up in a typical, middle-class, Bengali family, she created Monimala, the story of a “very ordinary girl” whose grandmother starts writing to her from when she turns 12, continuing into her marriage and motherhood.
Her autobiographical sketch Pakdandi provides an insight into her childhood.
Her autobiographical work aar konokhane(আর কোনোখানে) was much acclaimed.
. She had also won the Suresh Smriti Puraskar, Vidyasagar Puraskar, Bhubaneswari Medal for life-time achievement, and Ananda Puraskar. She has been awarded the Deshikottama by Visva Bharati
, and honorary D.Litt. by Burdwan, North Bengal
and Calcutta
Universities.
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...
writer.
Early life
Born to Surama Devi and Pramada Ranjan Ray (who was the younger brother of Upendra Kishor Ray ChoudhuriUpendrakishore Ray
Upendrokishore Ray , also known as Upendrakishore Raychowdhury was a famous Bengali writer, painter, violin player and composer. He was born on 10 May 1863 in a little village called Moshua in Mymensingh District in Bengal, now in Bangladesh...
), Leela spent her childhood days at Shillong
Shillong
-Connectivity:Although well connected by road, Shillong has no rail connection and a proper air connection. Umroi Airport exists but has only limited flights.-Roadways:Shillong is well connected by roads with all major north eastern states...
, where she studied at the Loreto Convent. Surama Devi had been adopted by Upendra Kishor Ray Choudhuri . Lila's grandfather had left his three daughters in care of his friends after his wife died. In 1919, her father was transferred to Calcutta, and she joined St. John’s Diocesan School from where she completed her matriculation examination. She ranked second among the girls in the matriculation examinations in 1924. She stood first in English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
(literature) both in her honours (graduation) and Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
examination at the University of Calcutta
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
. The family she belonged to made a notable contribution towards children's literature. Sunil Gangopadhyay
Sunil Gangopadhyay
Sunil Gangopadhyay , is a celebrated Indian poet and novelist.-Early life:...
says that while the Tagore family
Tagore family
The Tagore family, with over three hundred years of history, has been one of the leading families of Kolkata, and is regarded as a key influence during the Bengal Renaissance...
enthused everybody with drama, songs and literature for adults, the Ray Chaudhuri family took charge of laying the foundations of children's literature in Bengali.
Formative years
She joined Maharani Girls' School at Darjeeling as a teacher in 1931. On an invitation from Rabindranath TagoreRabindranath 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...
she went and joined the school at Santiniketan
Santiniketan
Santiniketan is a small town near Bolpur in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India, approximately 180 kilometres north of Kolkata . It was made famous by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, whose vision became what is now a university town that attracts thousands of visitors each year...
, but she stayed only for about one year. She joined the women's section of Asutosh College in Calcutta
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...
but again did not continue for long. Thereafter, she spent most of her time as a writer. After two decades as a writer, she joined All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
as a producer and worked for about seven-eight years.
Her first story, Lakkhi chhele, was published in Sandesh
Sandesh (magazine)
Sandesh is a Bengali children's magazine. The periodical was first published by Upendrakishore Raychowdhury in 1913 through his publishing company, M/s U. Ray and Sons. After the death of Upendrakishore Roychowdhury in 1915, his eldest son Sukumar Ray succeeded as the editor of the magazine in...
in 1922. It was also illustrated by her. The children's magazine in Bengali was founded by her uncle, Upendrakishore Ray Chaudhuri in 1913 and was later edited by her cousin Sukumar Ray
Sukumar Ray
Sukumar Ray , , was a Bengali humorous poet, story writer and playwright who mainly wrote for children. As perhaps the most famous Indian practitioner of literary nonsense, he is often compared to Lewis Carroll...
for sometime after the death of Upendrakishore in 1915. Together with her nephew 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...
and her cousin Nalini Das, she edited and wrote for Sandesh throughout her active writing life. Until 1994 she played an active role in the publication of the magazine.
Creative efforts
An incomplete bibliography lists 125 books including a collection of short stories, five books under joint authorship, 9 translated books and 19 edited books.Her first published book was Boddi Nather Bari (1939) but her second compilation Din Dupure (1948) brought her considerable fame From the 1950s, her incomparable children's classics followed. Although humour was her forte, she also wrote detective stories, ghost stories and fantasies.
Her autobiographical sketch Pakdandi provides an insight into her childhood days in Shillong and also her early years at Santiniketan and with All India Radio.
Apart from her glittering array of children's literature, she wrote a cookbook, novels for adults (Sreemoti, Cheena Lanthan), and a biography of Rabindranath Tagore. She lectured on Abanindranath Tagore
Abanindranath Tagore
Abanindranath Tagore was the principal artist of the Bengal school and the first major exponent of swadeshi values in Indian art. He was also a noted writer, particularly for children...
and translated his writings on art into English. She translated Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
's Gulliver's Travels
Gulliver's Travels
Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, in Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships, better known simply as Gulliver's Travels , is a novel by Anglo-Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift that is both a satire on human nature and a parody of...
and Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
's The Old Man and the Sea
The Old Man and the Sea
The Old Man and the Sea is a novel written by American author Ernest Hemingway in 1951 in Cuba, and published in 1952. It was the last major work of fiction to be produced by Hemingway and published in his lifetime. One of his most famous works, it centers upon Santiago, an aging fisherman who...
into Bengali.
Satyajit Ray had thought of filming Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho Arundhati Devi made it into a film in 1972. Chhaya Devi
Chhaya Devi
Chhaya Devi or Chhaya Debi was an Indian film actress. She has acted in hundreds of Bengali, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi language movies for over five decades and played many character roles...
played the role of the young hero, Khoka's famed aunt Podipishi.
For a special Mahila Mahal (women's section) series of All-India Radio, dealing with the “natural and ordinary problems” in the everyday life of a girl growing up in a typical, middle-class, Bengali family, she created Monimala, the story of a “very ordinary girl” whose grandmother starts writing to her from when she turns 12, continuing into her marriage and motherhood.
Family
She was married to Sudhir Kumar Mazumdar renowned dentist, in 1933. For two decades she devoted herself to housekeeping. Her son Ranjan and daughter Kamala were born in 1934 and 1938 respectively. Her husband died in 1984. Apart from her children, she had, at the time of her death, two grandsons, two granddaughters and three great-grandchildren.Works
Holde Pakhir Palok, Tong Ling, Maaku, Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho, Boddi Nather Bari, Din Dupure, Chhotoder Srestho Galpo, Monimala, Bagher Chhokh, Bok Dharmik, Taka Gaachh, Lal Neel Deslai, Basher Phul, Moyna, Shalikh, Sob Bhuture, Bhuter Bari, Aaguni Beguni, Tipur Upor Tipuni, Patka Chor, Aashare Galpo, Chiching Phank, Je Jai Boluk, Chhotoder Tal Betal, Batash Bari, Bagh Shikari Bamun, Baghyar Galpo, Shibur Diary, Howrahr Dari, Ferari, Nepor Doi, Aar Konokhane, Kheror Khata, Ei Je Dekha, Pakdandi,Sreemoti, Cheena Lanthan,Moni Manil, Naatghar, Batashbari, Kaag Noi, Shob Bhuture.Bak Badh Pala.Her autobiographical sketch Pakdandi provides an insight into her childhood.
Her autobiographical work aar konokhane(আর কোনোখানে) was much acclaimed.
Awards
Holde Pakhir Palok won the state award for children’s literature, Bak Badh Pala the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Aar Konokhane Rabindra PuraskarRabindra 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...
. She had also won the Suresh Smriti Puraskar, Vidyasagar Puraskar, Bhubaneswari Medal for life-time achievement, and Ananda Puraskar. She has been awarded the Deshikottama by Visva Bharati
Visva-Bharati University
Visva Bharati University is a Central University for research and teaching in India, located in the twin towns of Santiniketan and Sriniketan in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore who called it Visva Bharati, which means the communion of the world with India...
, and honorary D.Litt. by Burdwan, North Bengal
University of North Bengal
University of North Bengal is a state university situated near Siliguri in Darjeeling district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The university was established in 1962 with a goal to disseminate knowledge to fulfill growing socio-economic and technical manpower needs in the six North Bengal...
and Calcutta
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
Universities.