Premendra Mitra
Encyclopedia
Premendra Mitra (1904-1988) was a renowned Bengali
poet
, novelist
, short story
writer and film director
. He was also an author of Bangla science fiction
and thrillers.
, India
, though his ancestors lived at Rajpur
, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal
. His father was an employee of the Indian Railways
and because of that; he had the opportunity of travelling to many places in India
. He spent his childhood in Uttar Pradesh
and his later life in Kolkata
& Dhaka
. He was a student of South Suburban School (Main) and later at the Scottish Church College in Kolkata
. During his initial years, he (unsuccessfully) aspired to be a physician
and studied the natural sciences. Later he started out as a school teacher. He even tried to make a career for himself as a businessman, but he was unsuccessful in that venture as well. At a time, he was working in the marketing division of a medicine
producing company. After trying out the other occupations, in which he met marginal or moderate success, he rediscovered his talents for creativity in writing and eventually became a Bengali
author and poet.
Married to Beena Mitra [বীণা মিত্র], he was, by profession, a Bengali professor at City College
in north Kolkata
. He spent almost his entire life in a house at Kalighat
, Kolkata
.
, Bangladesh
and stayed in a mess at Gobinda Ghoshal Lane, Kolkata
. There, he wrote 2 stories and sent them to the popular Bengali journal Probasi
(meaning: The Exile). His first published work was Shudhu Keranee [শুধু কেরানী] in Probasi
in March, 1924. In the following issue, another story, Goponcharini [গোপনচারিণী] was published.
His poems were better known for their sharpness and wit. They also expressed empathy
for the sufferings of the proletariat
. Five years earlier, in 1925, when Rabindranath Tagore
wrote Punoshcho [পুনশ্চ], the first universally accepted Bangla prose-poetry book, Mitra wrote some poetries in the magazines, Bijli
[বিজলী], Kali Kalam [কালি কলম], etc. which are of that kind. Buddhadeb Bosu
[বুদ্ধদেব বসু] thus wrote: The first book of poetry was Prothoma [প্রথমা] (1932).
His short stories were well-structured and innovative, and encompassed the diverse to the divergent in urban Indian society. The themes of poverty
, degradation, caste
, the intermittent conflict between religion
and rationality
and themes of the rural-urban divide are a thematically occurring refrain in much of his work. He experimented with the stylistic nuances of Bengali prose and tried to offer alternative linguistic parameters to the high-class elite prosaic Bengali language. It was basically an effort to make the Bengali literature
free from softness, excessive romance and use of old style of writing which were prevalent in older writings. Nana Range Bona is not only a short story collection, but it is the only known autobiography of Premendra Mitra. He edited Bengali journals and news-magazines like Kollol [কল্লোল], Kali Kalam [কালি কলম], Banglar Kotha [বাংলার কথা], Bongobani [বঙ্গবাণী] etc. He also wrote in Mouchak, a magazine run by Sudhir Chandra Sarkar.
He was connected to the Akashbani at first as a producer, later he performed other duties.
He even wrote brilliant and innovative science fictions and thrillers. Those are based on firm scientific temperaments and facts. Two of his most well-known stories are Piprey Puran [পিঁপড়ে পুরাণ] (The Story of the Ants) and Mangalbairi [মঙ্গলবৈরী] (The Martian Enemies).
Although these are more popular among Bengali-speaking school children and teenagers, they are popular among an older generation of literary aficionados as well. In particular, his creation of the character of Ghanada
[ঘনাদা] (meaning: 'Elder brother Ghana' in Bangla) may be seen from many perspectives: although Ghanada is apparently an uninterested unemployed middle aged male, tall & thin, and who can apparently weave adventures almost at the drop of a hat, the adventures themselves cover themes ranging from crime, human ingenuity, science, history, geography, metaphysics and philosophy. In terms of facts, they are amazingly accurate. It is obvious that while Ghanada himself has not been involved in any of the adventures he claims to have taken part in, he is certainly a very learned man with an exceptional gift for storytelling. Ghanada may be seen as Mitra's parody or caricature of the Bengali urban middle class celibate intellectual, who is at home in the world of books and knowledge, but has little practical experience whatsoever. It is also interesting to note that like Satyajit Ray
's Feluda
, the older Ghanada although not abhorring the opposite sex, is not entirely at ease with them either. He stays at an all-male hostel and maintains an almost frugal existence. Ghanada is a self-educated person and his education is mostly due to time spent at the local libraries. In a way, it could be argued that these stories also reflect larger patterns of social transformations.
Another masterpice of his creation was the character of Mejokorta [মেজকর্তা] (meaning: 'the next brother of the eldest son of a family' in Bangla). Mejokarta was a famous "Bhoot Shikari" [ভূত শিকারি] (meaning: Ghost-hunter in Bangla). The series of Mejokarta, although not as long as that of Ghanada, has left its prominent mark in the genre of ghost stories in Bangla.
Mitra's literary works were included in the curriculum of school level, secondary, higher secondary and graduation level Bengali literature
in Bangladesh
& West Bengal
.
3 for children:
. He started writing Science fiction
s to make children and preteens familiar with science.
Ghanada
Ghanada
(Original name: Ghanashyam Das [ঘনশ্যাম দাস]) is a middle-aged resident of a mess at 72, Banamali Naskar Lane in Kolkata
, West Bengal
with the four young members Shibu, Shishir, Gour and Sudhir (the narrator of the stories). He claims himself to be full of thrilling experience all over the globe (and, even in Mars
!) to tackle conspiracies. Also, some of the stories are about Ganado [গানাদো] (Original name: Ghonoram Das [ঘনরাম দাস]) in South America
, and Bachanram Das [বচনরাম দাস] in Agra
at Medieval India
, his ancestors. First Ghanada story is Mosha [মশা] (The Mosquito) in 1945.
Mamababu lived in Burma on account of his service. He is a middle-aged man. His expeditions are written in many novels and short-stories, such as:
This character inspires Sunil Gangopadhyay
to write his famous Kakababu
[কাকাবাবু] series.
Parashor Barma is a detective but he tries to be a poet . First Parashor story is Goyenda Kobi Parashor [গোয়েন্দা কবি পরাশর] (Detective Poet Parashor) in 1932.
Some other stories are:
Some Ghanada
story has also included this character, e.g.- Porashore Ghanaday.
Like Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
's Baroda, Mejokorta is also famous for his ghost stories.
He was also awarded the Padmashree and the Mouchak Puraskar.
Currently, his books are published from Shishu Sahitya Samsad, Ananda Publishers
and Dey's Publishing
. Ananda
has published the complete collection of Ghanada
, in 3 volumes: Ghanada Samagra 1, Ghanada Samagra 2, Ghanada Samagra 3
and the complete collection of Parashor Barma in a single volume: Parashor Samagra. The first-ever English translation of his Ghanada stories (Mosquito and Other Stories) was published by Penguin Books India
in 2004. Some more translated works are available now-a-days.
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
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...
, novelist
Bengali novels
Bengali novels occupy a major part of Bengali literature. Though the first Bengali novel was "Karuna O Phulmonir Bibaran", the Bengali novel actually started its journey with Durgeshnondini written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1865...
, short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
writer and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
. He was also an author of Bangla science fiction
Bangla Science Fiction
Bengali science fiction is a rich part of Bengali literature. Although it is not as established as other genres in the Bengali language, it is gaining popularity among Bengali readers, especially in Bangladesh.-Earliest writers:...
and thrillers.
Life
He was born in VaranasiVaranasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
, India
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...
, though his ancestors lived at Rajpur
Rajpur
Rajpur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Barwani district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.-Geography:Rajpur is located at . It has an average elevation of 225 metres .-Demographics:...
, South 24 Parganas, 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...
. His father was an employee of the Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
and because of that; he had the opportunity of travelling to many places in India
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...
. He spent his childhood in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and his later life in 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...
& Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
. He was a student of South Suburban School (Main) and later at the Scottish Church College in 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...
. During his initial years, he (unsuccessfully) aspired to be a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and studied the natural sciences. Later he started out as a school teacher. He even tried to make a career for himself as a businessman, but he was unsuccessful in that venture as well. At a time, he was working in the marketing division of a medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
producing company. After trying out the other occupations, in which he met marginal or moderate success, he rediscovered his talents for creativity in writing and eventually became a Bengali
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...
author and poet.
Married to Beena Mitra [বীণা মিত্র], he was, by profession, a Bengali professor at City College
City College, Kolkata
City College is a constituent undergraduate college of the University of Calcutta. Established in 1881, it is one of the heritage institutions of Calcutta which played a prominent social role in the wake of the Bengal Renaissance of the nineteenth century. The college is located at 102/1, Raja...
in north 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...
. He spent almost his entire life in a 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....
, 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...
.
As an Author & Editor
In November 1923, Mitra came from DhakaDhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, 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...
and stayed in a mess at Gobinda Ghoshal Lane, 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...
. There, he wrote 2 stories and sent them to the popular Bengali journal Probasi
Probasi
Probasi [প্রবাসী] is a magazine for Bengali literature. It is a monthly periodical, but is now out of print. Many authors wrote regularly in this magazine....
(meaning: The Exile). His first published work was Shudhu Keranee [শুধু কেরানী] in Probasi
Probasi
Probasi [প্রবাসী] is a magazine for Bengali literature. It is a monthly periodical, but is now out of print. Many authors wrote regularly in this magazine....
in March, 1924. In the following issue, another story, Goponcharini [গোপনচারিণী] was published.
His poems were better known for their sharpness and wit. They also expressed empathy
Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to recognize and, to some extent, share feelings that are being experienced by another sapient or semi-sapient being. Someone may need to have a certain amount of empathy before they are able to feel compassion. The English word was coined in 1909 by E.B...
for the sufferings of the proletariat
Proletariat
The proletariat is a term used to identify a lower social class, usually the working class; a member of such a class is proletarian...
. Five years earlier, in 1925, when 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...
wrote Punoshcho [পুনশ্চ], the first universally accepted Bangla prose-poetry book, Mitra wrote some poetries in the magazines, Bijli
Bijli
*Bijli is the Hindi and Urdu for light, but refers to a lightning strike or to a power supply .*Bilji is also the name of a village in Chattisgarh, India. Its population is mainly Halba and Gondi people, though it also contains three or four sub-tribes.* Ajay Bijli, Indian film maker and owner of...
[বিজলী], Kali Kalam [কালি কলম], etc. which are of that kind. Buddhadeb Bosu
Buddhadeb Bosu
Buddhadeva Bose was a major Bengali writer of the 20th century. Frequently referred to as a poet, he was a versatile writer who wrote novels, short stories, plays and essays in addition to poetry. He was an influential critic and editor of his time...
[বুদ্ধদেব বসু] thus wrote: The first book of poetry was Prothoma [প্রথমা] (1932).
His short stories were well-structured and innovative, and encompassed the diverse to the divergent in urban Indian society. The themes of poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, degradation, caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
, the intermittent conflict between religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
and rationality
Rationality
In philosophy, rationality is the exercise of reason. It is the manner in which people derive conclusions when considering things deliberately. It also refers to the conformity of one's beliefs with one's reasons for belief, or with one's actions with one's reasons for action...
and themes of the rural-urban divide are a thematically occurring refrain in much of his work. He experimented with the stylistic nuances of Bengali prose and tried to offer alternative linguistic parameters to the high-class elite prosaic Bengali language. It was basically an effort to make the Bengali literature
Bengali literature
Bengali literature is literary works written in Bengali language particularly from Bangladesh and the Indian provinces of West Bengal and Tripura. The history of Bengali literature traces back hundreds of years while it is impossible to separate the literary trends of the two Bengals during the...
free from softness, excessive romance and use of old style of writing which were prevalent in older writings. Nana Range Bona is not only a short story collection, but it is the only known autobiography of Premendra Mitra. He edited Bengali journals and news-magazines like Kollol [কল্লোল], Kali Kalam [কালি কলম], Banglar Kotha [বাংলার কথা], Bongobani [বঙ্গবাণী] etc. He also wrote in Mouchak, a magazine run by Sudhir Chandra Sarkar.
He was connected to the Akashbani at first as a producer, later he performed other duties.
He even wrote brilliant and innovative science fictions and thrillers. Those are based on firm scientific temperaments and facts. Two of his most well-known stories are Piprey Puran [পিঁপড়ে পুরাণ] (The Story of the Ants) and Mangalbairi [মঙ্গলবৈরী] (The Martian Enemies).
Although these are more popular among Bengali-speaking school children and teenagers, they are popular among an older generation of literary aficionados as well. In particular, his creation of the character of Ghanada
Ghanada
Ghanada is a fictional character in Bengali literature created by Premendra Mitra primarily for children and teenagers, though readers of all ages enjoys him...
[ঘনাদা] (meaning: 'Elder brother Ghana' in Bangla) may be seen from many perspectives: although Ghanada is apparently an uninterested unemployed middle aged male, tall & thin, and who can apparently weave adventures almost at the drop of a hat, the adventures themselves cover themes ranging from crime, human ingenuity, science, history, geography, metaphysics and philosophy. In terms of facts, they are amazingly accurate. It is obvious that while Ghanada himself has not been involved in any of the adventures he claims to have taken part in, he is certainly a very learned man with an exceptional gift for storytelling. Ghanada may be seen as Mitra's parody or caricature of the Bengali urban middle class celibate intellectual, who is at home in the world of books and knowledge, but has little practical experience whatsoever. It is also interesting to note that like 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...
's Feluda
Feluda
Feluda, or Prodosh Chandra Mitra, who uses the anglicised name Pradosh C. Mitter, is a fictional private investigator starring in a series of Bengali novels and short stories written by the famous Indian Bengali film director and writer Satyajit Ray. The detective lives at Rajani Sen Road,...
, the older Ghanada although not abhorring the opposite sex, is not entirely at ease with them either. He stays at an all-male hostel and maintains an almost frugal existence. Ghanada is a self-educated person and his education is mostly due to time spent at the local libraries. In a way, it could be argued that these stories also reflect larger patterns of social transformations.
Another masterpice of his creation was the character of Mejokorta [মেজকর্তা] (meaning: 'the next brother of the eldest son of a family' in Bangla). Mejokarta was a famous "Bhoot Shikari" [ভূত শিকারি] (meaning: Ghost-hunter in Bangla). The series of Mejokarta, although not as long as that of Ghanada, has left its prominent mark in the genre of ghost stories in Bangla.
Mitra's literary works were included in the curriculum of school level, secondary, higher secondary and graduation level Bengali literature
Bengali literature
Bengali literature is literary works written in Bengali language particularly from Bangladesh and the Indian provinces of West Bengal and Tripura. The history of Bengali literature traces back hundreds of years while it is impossible to separate the literary trends of the two Bengals during the...
in 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...
& 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...
.
Poems
- Prothoma [প্রথমা] (First Lady)
- Somrat [সম্রাট] (The Emperor)
- Feraari Fouj [ফেরারী ফৌজ] (The Lost Army) Poetries:Phyan [ফ্যান]
- Sagor Theke Fera [সাগর থেকে ফেরা] (Returning From The Sea)
- Horin Cheeta Chil [হরিণ, চিতা, চিল] (Deer, Cheetah, Kite) Poetries:Khunt [খুঁত] (Wrong)
- Kokhono Megh (An Occasional Cloud)
- Ananya (One-of-a-kind, Unique)
- Khuda wahid (Allah)
Short Story Collections
- PonchoShor [পঞ্চশর] (The Five Arrows)
- Benami Bandar [বেনামি বন্দর] (Unknown Harbour)
- Putul O Protima [পুতুল ও প্রতিমা] (Doll And Clay Image of Goddess)
- Mrittika [মৃত্তিকা] (Earthen image)
- Ofuronto [অফুরন্ত] (Endless)
- Dhuli Dhusor [ধূলি ধূসর] (Fade As Dust)
- Mohanagar [মহানগর] (The Great City)
- Jol Payra [জল পায়রা] (Water Pigeon)
- Sreshto Golpo [শ্রেষ্ঠ গল্প] (Best Stories)
- Nana Ronge Bona [নানা রঙে বোনা] (Knit with Different Colours)
- Nirbachita [নির্বাচিত] (Selected)
3 for children:
- MayurPankhi [ময়ূরপঙ্খী]
- SagorDanri [সাগরদাঁড়ি]
- MakorMukhi [মকরমুখী]
Rhymes
- Hariye [হারিয়ে]
- Borong [বরং]
- Misti Megh [মিষ্টি মেঘ] (A Sweet Cloud)
- Onko [অঙ্ক] (Mathematics)
- Misti [মিষ্টি] (Sweet)
- Duti Banshi [দুটি বাঁশি] (The Two Flutes)
- Megher Ghurhi [মেঘের ঘুড়ি] (The Kite of Cloud)
Fairy Tales, Ghost Stories & Teenager Stories
- Chorui Pakhira Kothay Jay [চড়ুই পাখিরা কোথায় যায়]
- Lighthouse-e [লাইটহাউসে] (At the Lighthouse)
- Satyabadi Suku [সত্যবাদী সুকু] (Suku the Truth Speaker)
- Hatir Danter Kaj [হাতির দাঁতের কাজ] (Work Done By the Tooth of an Elephant)
- Golper Swarge [গল্পের স্বর্গে] (At the Paradise of Stories)
- Putuler Lorai [পুতুলের লড়াই] (The Fight of the Dolls)
- Ramrajye Bidroha [রামরাজ্যে বিদ্রোহ]
- Kurukshetre Bhaja Orfe Brihaddhaja [কুরুক্ষেত্রে ভজা ওরফে বৄহদ্ধজ] (Bhaja Alias Brihaddhaja at the Kurukshetra)
- Ratan Panjali [রতন পাঞ্জালী]
- Ko-Aai [কো-আই]
- Porira Keno Ase Na [পরিরা কেন আসে না] (Why the Fairies Don’t Come)
- KalRakkhos Kothay Thake? [কালরাক্ষস কোথায় থাকে?] (Where does KalRakkhos Live?)
- Sanu O DudhRajkumar [সানু ও দুধরাজকুমার] (Sanu And DudhRajkumar)
- KaluSardar (Kalu the Leader)
- Gopon Bahini [গোপন বাহিনী] (The Secret Force)
- Mahuri Kuthite Ek Rat [মাহুরি কুঠিতে এক রাত] (One Night Stand at Mahuri Kuthi)
- Nishutipur [নিশুতিপুর]
- Vuturhe Jahaj [ভূতুড়ে জাহাজ] (The Ghost Ship)
Ghost Stories
- Golper Sheshe [গল্পের শেষে] (At the End of the Story)
- Rajputanar Morute [রাজপুতানার মরুতে] (At the Desert of the Rajputana)
- Bromhadoityer Math [ব্রহ্মদৈত্যের মাঠ] (The Ground of Brohadoityo)
Fun Stories
- Clue [ক্লু] (The Clue)
- Chor [চোর] (The Thief)
- Bhupaler Kopal [ভূপালের কপাল] (The Fate of Bhupal)
- BishwomvorBabur Bibortonbad [বিশ্বম্ভরবাবুর বিবর্তনবাদ] (The Thesis of Evolution by BishwomvorBabu)
- Niruddesh [নিরুদ্দেশ] (Missing Person)
Science Fictions
He was among the pioneers of Bangla science fictionBangla Science Fiction
Bengali science fiction is a rich part of Bengali literature. Although it is not as established as other genres in the Bengali language, it is gaining popularity among Bengali readers, especially in Bangladesh.-Earliest writers:...
. He started writing Science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
s to make children and preteens familiar with science.
- Juddho Keno Thamlo [যুদ্ধ কেন থামল] (Why the War Was Stopped)
- Pinpre PuranPinpre PuranPinpre Puran [পিঁপড়ে পুরাণ] is a short novel of science fiction by Bangla writer Premendra Mitra, intended mainly for preteens. Its subject is giant ants who conquer humankind in the future.-Background:...
[পিঁপড়ে পুরাণ] (The Story of the Ants) - Prithivir Shatru [পৄথিবীর শত্রু] (The Enemies of the Earth)
- Kalapanir Atole [কালাপানির অতলে]
- Mangalbairi [মঙ্গলবৈরী] (The Martian Enemies)
- Koral Kit [করাল কীট] (Horrible Insect)
- Akasher Atonko [আকাশের আতঙ্ক] (The Danger from the Sky)
- Manusher Protidwondi [মানুষের প্রতিদ্বন্দ্বী] (The Rival of the Man)
- MoyDanober Dweep [ময়দানবের দ্বীপ] (The Island of MoyDanob)
- Shomaoner Ron(g) Sada [শমনের রং সাদা] (The White Coloured Death)
- Shukre Jara Giyechhilo [শুক্রে যারা গিয়েছিল] (Who They Went to Mars; previously named as Prithibee Chhariye [পৃথিবী ছাড়িয়ে] (Beyond the Earth))
Novels
- Paank [পাঁক] (The Mud)
- Michhil [মিছিল] (The Procession)
- Uponayon [উপনয়ন] (The Ceremony)
- Agamikal [আগামিকাল] (Tomorrow)
- Protishod [প্রতিশোধ] (The Revenge)
- Kuasha [কুয়াশা] (The Fog)
- Protidhwoni Fere [প্রতিধ্বনি ফেরে] (Echo Returns)
GhanadaGhanadaGhanada is a fictional character in Bengali literature created by Premendra Mitra primarily for children and teenagers, though readers of all ages enjoys him...
(Brother Ghana) [ঘনাদা]
Ghanada
Ghanada
Ghanada is a fictional character in Bengali literature created by Premendra Mitra primarily for children and teenagers, though readers of all ages enjoys him...
(Original name: Ghanashyam Das [ঘনশ্যাম দাস]) is a middle-aged resident of a mess at 72, Banamali Naskar Lane in 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...
with the four young members Shibu, Shishir, Gour and Sudhir (the narrator of the stories). He claims himself to be full of thrilling experience all over the globe (and, even in Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
!) to tackle conspiracies. Also, some of the stories are about Ganado [গানাদো] (Original name: Ghonoram Das [ঘনরাম দাস]) in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, and Bachanram Das [বচনরাম দাস] in Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
at Medieval India
Medieval India
Medieval India refers to the Middle Ages i.e. 5th to 15th century AD in the Indian subcontinent, it includes:*Early Middle Ages: Middle kingdoms of India*Hoysala Empire*Kakatiya Kingdom*Delhi Sultanate*Ahom Kingdom*Reddy Kingdom...
, his ancestors. First Ghanada story is Mosha [মশা] (The Mosquito) in 1945.
Mamababu (Maternal Uncle) [মামাবাবু]
Mamababu lived in Burma on account of his service. He is a middle-aged man. His expeditions are written in many novels and short-stories, such as:
- Kuhoker Deshe [কুহকের দেশে] (In the Land of Illusion)
- Dryagoner Nishwas [ড্র্যাগনের নিশ্বাস] (The Breath of the Dragon)
- Mamababur Protidan [মামাবাবুর প্রতিদান] (The Refund of Mamababu)
- Abar Sei Meyeti [আবার সেই মেয়েটি] (The Girl Again)
- Paharer Nam Korali [পাহাড়ের নাম করালী] (The Hill Named Korali)
This character inspires Sunil Gangopadhyay
Sunil Gangopadhyay
Sunil Gangopadhyay , is a celebrated Indian poet and novelist.-Early life:...
to write his famous Kakababu
Kakababu
Kakababu is a fiction character created by Bengali author Sunil Gangopadhyay, that has become legendary in Indian children's literature. The series, falling under adventure genre of literature, targeted at children and teenagers, started in the autumn of 1971 with the publication of Bhoyonkor...
[কাকাবাবু] series.
Parashor Barma [পরাশর বর্মা]
Parashor Barma is a detective but he tries to be a poet . First Parashor story is Goyenda Kobi Parashor [গোয়েন্দা কবি পরাশর] (Detective Poet Parashor) in 1932.
Some other stories are:
- Hippie Songe Parashor Barma [হিপি সঙ্গে পরাশর বর্মা] (Parashor Barma in HippieHippieThe hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
Company) - Premer Chokhe Parashor [প্রেমের চোখে পরাশর] (Parashor in the Eye of Love)
- Parashor Barma O Bhanga Radio [পরাশর বর্মা ও ভাঙ্গা রেডিও] (Parashor Barma and the Broken Radio)
- Parashor Barma O Ashlil Boi [পরাশর বর্মা ও অশ্লীল বই] (Parashor Barma and the Book of Vulger)
- Parashor Ebar Johuri [পরাশর এবার জহুরি]
Some Ghanada
Ghanada
Ghanada is a fictional character in Bengali literature created by Premendra Mitra primarily for children and teenagers, though readers of all ages enjoys him...
story has also included this character, e.g.- Porashore Ghanaday.
Mejokorta [মেজকর্তা]
Like Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay was a well known literary figure of Bengal. He was also actively involved with Bengali cinema as well as Bollywood. His most famous creation is the fictional detective Byomkesh Bakshi.He wrote different forms of prose: novels, short stories, plays and screenplays...
's Baroda, Mejokorta is also famous for his ghost stories.
Accolades
----- Sharat-Smriti Puraskar in 1954
- In 1957, he went to BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, (his first foreign tour) to attend the World Poetry Festival. He was selected the leader of the Indian team. - Sahitya AkademiSahitya AkademiThe Sahitya Akademi ', India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India...
Award for Sagor Theke Fera in1957 - Rabindra PuraskarRabindra PuraskarThe 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 1958 - Shishu Sahitya Puraskar by Govt. of West Bengal in 1958 for GhanadaGhanadaGhanada is a fictional character in Bengali literature created by Premendra Mitra primarily for children and teenagers, though readers of all ages enjoys him...
series - Receiving Leader's Grant from U. S. A., he travelled U. S. A. & ngland] in 1962.
- Ananda Puraskar in 1973
- Neheru Award from Soviet RussiaSoviet RussiaSoviet Russia usually refers to the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, one of the fifteen republics of the Soviet Union. It may also denote:* Soviet Russia , magazine of the Friends of Soviet Russia in the United States...
in 1976 - D Lit from Burdwan University in 1981
- Jagattarini Gold Medal from University of CalcuttaUniversity of CalcuttaThe University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
in 1981 - Vidya Sagar Puraskar in 1984
- Deshikottam from Visva Bharati in 16 January, 1988
He was also awarded the Padmashree and the Mouchak Puraskar.
Publishers of Mitra's writings
----Currently, his books are published from Shishu Sahitya Samsad, Ananda Publishers
Ananda Publishers
Ananda Publishers is a large publishing group with headquarters in Kolkata. It publishes numerous Bengali books by many renowned authors. It has one of the largest stalls in the Kolkata Book Fair, and is often awarded a prize for its stall. Ananda Publishers is the division of ABP...
and Dey's Publishing
Dey's Publishing
Dey's Publishing, based in Kolkata, India, ranks among the top Bengali publishing houses of India. Dey's Publishing has popular titles from such top-of-the-line Bengali authors Dey's Publishing is led by Sudhangshu Shekhar Dey, who also happens to be the ground convenor of the Kolkata Book Fair...
. Ananda
Ananda Publishers
Ananda Publishers is a large publishing group with headquarters in Kolkata. It publishes numerous Bengali books by many renowned authors. It has one of the largest stalls in the Kolkata Book Fair, and is often awarded a prize for its stall. Ananda Publishers is the division of ABP...
has published the complete collection of Ghanada
Ghanada
Ghanada is a fictional character in Bengali literature created by Premendra Mitra primarily for children and teenagers, though readers of all ages enjoys him...
, in 3 volumes: Ghanada Samagra 1, Ghanada Samagra 2, Ghanada Samagra 3
Ghanada Samagra 3
Ghanada Samagra 3 [ঘনাদা সমগ্র ৩] is a collection of Ghanada stories & novel. Written by Premendra Mitra in Bangla, this book is published by Ananda Publishers, Kolkata...
and the complete collection of Parashor Barma in a single volume: Parashor Samagra. The first-ever English translation of his Ghanada stories (Mosquito and Other Stories) was published by Penguin Books India
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
in 2004. Some more translated works are available now-a-days.
Direction
----- Samadhan [সমাধান] (The Solution) Bengali,1943
- Bideshini [বিদেশিনী] (The Foreigner Lady) Bengali, 1944
- Path Bendhe Dilo [পথ বেঁধে দিল] (The Way Is Closed) Bengali, 1945.
- Rajlakshmi Hindi, 1945.
- Notun Khobor [নতুন খবর] (New News) Bengali, 1947: Starred by Dhiraj Bhattacharya. Story, Screenplay by Mitra.
- Kalo Chhaya [কালো ছায়া] (Black Shadow) Bengali, 1947: Starred by Dhiraj Bhattacharya.
- Kuasha [কুয়াশা] (The Fog) Bengali, 1950: Based on his own novel, starring Nripati Chattopadhyay.
- Kankantala Light Railway 1950
- Setu 1951
- Hanabari [হানাবাড়ি] (The Haunted House) Bengali, 1952: A Dhiraj Bhattacharya and Nabadwip Halder starred film, where the mystry of a terrible creature in a haunted building was solved by a detectiveDetectiveA detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
in disguise of a begger. This movie was also produced by Mitra. - Dui Biye [দুই বিয়ে়] (Two Marriages] Bengali, 1953: Nripati Chattopadhyay and Dhiraj Bhattyacharya acted.
- Moyla Kagaj [ময়লা কাগজ] (The Dirty Paper) Bengali, 1954: Cast by Anil ChatterjeeAnil ChatterjeeAnil Chatterjee was a Bengali actor in the Bengali cinema during the early fifties through to the late eighties and was mostly remembered as a character actor. He acted in about 45 movies, both as a character actor and in leading roles with the limited opportunities he received during his time...
and Nripati Chattopadhyay. - Dakinir Char [ডাকিনীর চর] (The Island of Witch) Bengali, 1955
- Chupi Chupi Ase [চুপি চুপি আসে] (That Comes Silently) Bengali, 1960
Story, screenplay, lyrics and dialogues
- Bhabikaal [ভাবী কাল] (The Future) Bengali, 1945 - Story: Directed by Niren Lihiri.
- Avijog [অভিযোগ] (The Complain) Bengali, 1947 - Story, Screenplay, Lyrics: Directed by Shushil Majumder.
- Digvranto [দিগভ্রান্ত] (The Lost Destination) Bengali, 1950 - Story, Screenplay: Directed by Shushil Majumder.
- Ora Thake Odhare [ওরা থাকে ওধারে] (They Live That Side) Bengali, 1954 - Story, Screenplay, Lyrics: This funny movie is based on contemporary Ghati [ঘটি] and Bangal [বাঙাল] disputes of fifties. Starred by Uttam KumarUttam KumarUttam Kumar is one of the most famous names of Indian Bengali Cinema.Born Arun Kumar Chatterjee in 1926 at Ahiritola, North Calcutta he is widely known as Uttam Kumar and Mahanayak . He remains as much of a cultural icon as he had been in his lifetime...
, Suchitra SenSuchitra SenSuchitra Sen ; or Rama Dasgupta , is an Indian actress who acted in several Bengali films. In particular, the movies in which she paired opposite another legend in Bengali films, Uttam Kumar, became classics in the history of Bengali cinema. She now lives a life of a recluse rarely making any...
, Bhanu Bandyopadhyay, Tulsi ChakrabartiTulsi ChakrabartiTulsi Chakrabarti was a virtuoso comic actor in Bengali cinema in 1940s and 1950s. His most notable role could be the lead role in Parash Pathar, directed by Satyajit Ray.-Childhood:Chakraborty was born on 3rd March, 1899 in the small village called Goari...
, Chhabi BiswasChhabi BiswasChhabi Biswas was a much revered Bengali character actor, primarily known for his performances in Tapan Sinha's Kabuliwala and Satyajit Ray's films Jalshaghar , Devi and Kanchenjungha .He is the best remembered for his numerous roles as the quintessential aristocratic patriarch, was himself the...
and Dhiraj Bhattacharya. Directed by Sukumar Dashgupta.